Finally added the solar Next up, water storage

[jdc1]

I took 1-1/2 hours out of my day to add solar to the 5th wheel. 100 watts. Hardest part was deciding where to mount the controller and how to run the wires to the batteries.
Next I'll be looking for a way to add more water storage. 40 gallons in a 26 footer just isn't enough.

[Mmaxed]

jdc1 wrote:

allen8106 wrote:
I'm curious about how you added solar to the rig in 1 1/2 hours. Mine took days. You don't mention the battery monitor, inverter, shunt or any fusing.

I already knew where I was mounting everything. Climbed up. Bolted down the panel. Ran the wire through the hole in the roof (into a box made for rv rooftops)to a fused 20A controller. Ran the wire to battery along the water line to an jacknife shutoff in the battery storage are. Then put the last fuse (30A) in place just before the battery bank. I did it all before noon, so there were no beer breaks.....and the wife was at a quilt retreat, so she couldn't bother me.
It seems to be working great. With no obstructions, it should be able keep my batteries (3-80 amp/hr) charged fairly well when boon docking.

Are you sure it's enough to run the water pump?

[azrving]

2oldman wrote:

jdc1 wrote:
With no obstructions, it should be able keep my batteries (3-80 amp/hr) charged fairly well when boon docking.

That will be totally dependent on your power usage. As mentioned above, 30ah would be less than 3 hours of TV at my house.

Yep
satellite, 40 inch TV, furnace, water pump, ipad, laptop, residential fridge and next thing ya know I’m pulling 18 amps ??

[2oldman]

jdc1 wrote:
With no obstructions, it should be able keep my batteries (3-80 amp/hr) charged fairly well when boon docking.

That will be totally dependent on your power usage. As mentioned above, 30ah would be less than 3 hours of TV at my house.

[Boon_Docker]

Hopefully you never use more than 30 AH of battery per 24 hour period and you always have bright sunny days.
If not then your batteries will never reach 100% charge with 100 watt of solar and 240 AH of battery.

[jdc1]

allen8106 wrote:
I'm curious about how you added solar to the rig in 1 1/2 hours. Mine took days. You don't mention the battery monitor, inverter, shunt or any fusing.

I already knew where I was mounting everything. Climbed up. Bolted down the panel. Ran the wire through the hole in the roof (into a box made for rv rooftops)to a fused 20A controller. Ran the wire to battery along the water line to an jacknife shutoff in the battery storage are. Then put the last fuse (30A) in place just before the battery bank. I did it all before noon, so there were no beer breaks.....and the wife was at a quilt retreat, so she couldn't bother me.
It seems to be working great. With no obstructions, it should be able keep my batteries (3-80 amp/hr) charged fairly well when boon docking.

[pinesman]

For extra water I got a 25 gallon spot sprayer from Northern Tool. I took the spray hose off and put a quick connect for a garden hose and a 7-way plug on the electrical cord. I just plug it into the regular trailer receptacle in the truck bed. You have the tank and pump all in one unit and can fill it up at home or wait until you get closer to your site.

[allen8106]

I'm curious about how you added solar to the rig in 1 1/2 hours. Mine took days. You don't mention the battery monitor, inverter, shunt or any fusing.

[babock]

naturist wrote:
HThat battery can be well supplied by 100 watts of solar assuming full sunshine and that you use no more than the 40 amp hours the battery can supply without causing premature damage.

A 100W panel can put out 7A when it's aimed perfectly and using an MPPT controller. With 5 hours equivalent sun that's 35AH. With a PWM controller, it's more like 5 or 6A. If the panel is flat mounted knock off around 30%.

[azrving]

I use a 60 gallon water bladder. Ive carried it on my utility trailer which I double tow behind our FW. Ive also put it in the truck bed behind the hitch and even used it in the back seat of the truck once. It wasn't full in the back seat but it worked. They are very durable and conform to irregular areas. I use an adapter and rv water hose to pull it through the winterizing valve so there is no need for an separate pump. Ive plumbed in extra filters and an expansion tank along with a bypass valve so the pump can suck through the winterizing valve and dump into the fresh tank or just pull from the bladder.

[naturist]

Here’s the deal with solar. The panel wattage needed depends on battery capacity. Battery capacity needed depends on power usage. Most TTS leave the dealer with a single 75 or 80 amp hour marine battery, which is the minimal battery needed for emergency braking. It’s the cheapest choice possible.

That battery can be well supplied by 100 watts of solar assuming full sunshine and that you use no more than the 40 amp hours the battery can supply without causing premature damage. Frankly, most of us would be better served with 2 such batteries, or better yet, a 100 amp hour lithium battery. These would call for 200 watts of solar, and better yet even more to allow for cloudy days or shady campsites.

As with everything else, YMMV. Just like with computer RAM and towing horsepower, more is better, limited mostly by cost. I am in the process of going solar myself, with 200 watts of panel and a single 75 AH battery (37.5 AH usable). By the start of camping season, I’m planning to have 400 watts and at least 100 AH usable battery.

[Yosemite_Sam1]

jdc1 wrote:

Yosemite Sam1 wrote:

jdc1 wrote:

ppine wrote:
How long are you going out there for? Water weighs around 7.2 pounds per gallon. Train your crew to use less water as an alternative.

When I had my 37'motorhome, the 100 gallons would last just over 3 days, comfortably. 40 gallons is only good enough for 1-1/2 days, at most.

We must not be showering often enough to more than once a day.:E

We have a 52 gal capacity and we never ran out of water in our 4-day camping cycles.

In fact, I was about to buy an auxiliary water-bladder but never came to doing it because we don't run out of water anyways.

The wife is a retired nurse....she washes her hands when the wind blows.

I bet she sings happy birthday, happy birthday to you... when washing her hands.

And your biggest household expense is hand sanitizer.:D

[ppine]

Okay water weighs 8.3 pounds per gallon, more than diesel.
For boondocking, I think it makes sense to teach your crew to conserve water. The example of 100 gallons per day is out of control.
We can stay for a week with a 35 gallon tank, and 5 gallons of drinking water.

Backpacking teaches people to get by on a gallon a day per person.
I like solar showers. I usually heat water on the stove instead of firing up the 5 gallon hw heater. Do whatever you want, but realize what is possible.

[dieseltruckdriv]

rrupert wrote:

ppine wrote:
How long are you going out there for? Water weighs around 7.2 pounds per gallon. Train your crew to use less water as an alternative.

Water weighs 8.3 pounds/gallon.

Yep, its diesel that weighs 7.2 lbs/gallon.

[jdc1]

Yosemite Sam1 wrote:

jdc1 wrote:

ppine wrote:
How long are you going out there for? Water weighs around 7.2 pounds per gallon. Train your crew to use less water as an alternative.

When I had my 37'motorhome, the 100 gallons would last just over 3 days, comfortably. 40 gallons is only good enough for 1-1/2 days, at most.

We must not be showering often enough to more than once a day.:E

We have a 52 gal capacity and we never ran out of water in our 4-day camping cycles.

In fact, I was about to buy an auxiliary water-bladder but never came to doing it because we don't run out of water anyways.

The wife is a retired nurse....she washes her hands when the wind blows.