solar panel installation

We have 420 Watts of solar panel for 4 GCs, (about 480 AH) and could use more. I installed ours so that they are tiltable 4 ways--Front, Rear, Left and Right. I don't use the tilt when in Canada in the summer. They are tilted when in Southern Mexico for the winter when we are parked in the same place for a time.

The tilt wasn't much more work than flat mounting so if you will be using them in the winter months or early spring/late fall you might as well do it.

Being that you are in Canada, I would have 400 watts minimum, as you pretty far North and may not get near direct sun for very long. We do not like to camp in the sun when we go camping, so we actually do not get much output for very long. The later it gets in the year, the less the angle of the sun and for a shorter amount of time, to produce power. Try to get panels that will produce some power in partial to complete shade.

Not overkill at all. I did 6 150 watt panels, with a factory 4 6 volt battery bank and 2000 watt inverter.

In case you change your mind, build for addons. Use BIG wire from the roof to the charge controller (I used 6 gauge) Mount the charge controller as close to the batteries as you can, big wire there too.

Then as you expand the system, you won't have to completely start over.

I have a 415 watt solar system, and it is about the right size.

Your RV will consume 35 amp hours each day to run just the refrigerator, CO meter and propane leak detector. That is what a 120 watt solar panel will make in a day.

200 watts is marginal in size, but will work. Much better than nothing.

Look at this site for a good price.

SunElec.com

Fred.

Hi,

That would not be overkill, in fact it is possibly under kill. The smaller the bank the more important it is to be able to replace energy quickly. For a 232 amp-hour bank I'd recommend 150 watts per 100 amp-hours. That works out to about 350 watts.