Solar Panels

[NaViDa]

Hi,

I'm interested in installing Solar Panels on my 1998 Holiday Rambler Endeavor soon. I'm wondering if this Solar Kit a great price and way to start my sustainable journey and also what will it be able to sustain in my RV??

15 Watt, 12 Volt Solar Panel

TIA:)!

[time2roll]

1BryNelson wrote:
4 Carmanah 160 watt solar panels.

How much for the panels?

[NaViDa]

""NO you are NOT going to run the A/C on Solar""

Not sure why you stated that above since it is something i'm not considering nor ever asked anyone about here.

[1BryNelson]

So as I've said in past been looking, researching this RV solar. This is what I'm going to do. 1st, 12v system, 24 volt waste money on rv, they are meant for residential sending power back to electrical grid. 4 6volt batteries and 4 160 watt panels. Magnus MS2012 2,000 pure sine inverter, Magnus remote MARC50 remote, magnus battery maintain kit, Trace C40 Controller, 4 Carmanah 160 watt solar panels. Tilt-able solar panel brackets (45°). On something like this I'm not DIY. So total with installation is $4163.

[MrWizard]

NO you are NOT going to run the A/C on Solar
not unless you have about 1000 or more Amphrs of battery and about 2000w of solar panels on the roof
quite frankly you don't have enough room for that

in any situation, say just normal electric use day & night

the batteries have to last all night with out going below 50% discharge, then the solar has to able to supply the recharge while also powering everything used during the day
A/C is just not in the equation

I know one fellow with a 5th wheel trailer, a truck chassis full of batteries, that can run a small converted 5000btu window unit off batteries during the night (4 hours or so just to cool the bedroom), he spends most of the next day recharging those batteries VIA GENERATOR POWER

for solar powered homes they have very special (2) PC A/C units that won't fit an RV, and many times the insulation on the solar stick house, than we can fit into an RV

NaViDa wrote:

MrWizard wrote:
By ac, I assume you mean 120vac, so that probably means tv, p c, DVD, satellite etc..

If that is so... But a "kill A watt" meter, about $20 at home depot
Plug it into the entertainment circuit, plug all your devices into a power strip that is plugged into the kill a watt, and then everyday for a week read the amount of power used

Once you know the real daily avg kilo watt hours used,
We can advise you on batteries and solar panels

I have 505 watts on the roof use the Onan for MW and coffee maker
And still find I need extra generator charging, we use a lot of power everyday
We full-time this is home , different needs for different life/use styles

"AC" meant 'air conditioning'. I just found this 250W mono for a reasonable price, so now i'm interested in at least 1, if not 2, of these at this point. 250W solar panel Renesola JC250S-24-Bb monocrystalline

[NaViDa]

pianotuna wrote:
Hi NaViDa,

My first solar system was a scant 30 watts. It did a good job of fully charging 250 amp-hours of battery bank, between trips.

My panels predate the flexible Unisolar product. I purchased the panels and charge controller from Star Lite Solar in Yuma, AZ via ebay. I tried to be nice--and attempted to order directly from them--so they would save the ebay listing costs--but they wanted MORE money than from the ebay "buy it now". My cost was $5.50 per watt, seven years ago.

In those days, because panels were expensive per watt, MPPT controllers made financial sense. Currently, unless there is no room left on the roof--it is cheaper to use a pwm system and buy an "extra" panel.

To service the battery bank 100% from solar, I have to use "bank switching", but that allows me a LOT of flexibility, too. (For example charging one bank while using the other.)

When I was not full time, my system provided all the power I needed for several days in a row--drawing down the battery bank farther and farther. Between trips (even in December and January), the solar would fully recharge the battery bank. Most of my camping is boondocking based.

Future plans are to purchase a larger pure sine wave inverter, and add another 800 watts (and yes I'll use MPPT).

The only mistake I made was buying a controller that was just big enough, so I have to buy another one if I wish to increase the wattage.

Hi,

I'm glad i came here to learn more about what i need to do now, but many of the things you and many here have stated, i still dont get. I do know i'll need a higher end controller now and to start out with more than 200W and what "mono" means at this point. And with the help of this forum and Youtube, the rest i'm sure will come before its time to purchase and thereafter.

What's so exciting about all of this is its a dream come true for me to be even at this stage!

thanks for helping:)!

[pianotuna]

Hi NaViDa,

My first solar system was a scant 30 watts. It did a good job of fully charging 250 amp-hours of battery bank, between trips.

My panels predate the flexible Unisolar product. I purchased the panels and charge controller from Star Lite Solar in Yuma, AZ via ebay. I tried to be nice--and attempted to order directly from them--so they would save the ebay listing costs--but they wanted MORE money than from the ebay "buy it now". My cost was $5.50 per watt, seven years ago.

In those days, because panels were expensive per watt, MPPT controllers made financial sense. Currently, unless there is no room left on the roof--it is cheaper to use a pwm system and buy an "extra" panel.

To service the battery bank 100% from solar, I have to use "bank switching", but that allows me a LOT of flexibility, too. (For example charging one bank while using the other.)

When I was not full time, my system provided all the power I needed for several days in a row--drawing down the battery bank farther and farther. Between trips (even in December and January), the solar would fully recharge the battery bank. Most of my camping is boondocking based.

Future plans are to purchase a larger pure sine wave inverter, and add another 800 watts (and yes I'll use MPPT).

The only mistake I made was buying a controller that was just big enough, so I have to buy another one if I wish to increase the wattage.

[NaViDa]

Man, was a i naive about this subject before ,,,,,, 15W panel??

LOL!!

[NaViDa]

pianotuna wrote:
Hi,

Here is a simple flow chart.

Budget-->Energy Audit-->Battery bank size-->number of watts-->PWM or MPPT.
One rule of thumb is between 60 and 150 watts of panels per 100 amp-hours of storage. The smaller the battery bank the higher the wattage needed (per 100 amp-hours). Here is a link to the rather special spreadsheet which includes an energy audit, that N8GS has created to help size solar battery charging systems!
Solar Spread Sheet N8GS

For a nice explanation of solar, try this link: Golden rules of solar

Hi,

did you get your Kit here??
http://www.lightharvestsolar.com/catalog/item/8768050/9945969.htm

thank you!

[time2roll]

As far as pricing;
MPPT will extract more wattage.
24v panels tend to be lower cost per watt (try to pick up as shipping adds quickly on large panels)
MPPT allows panels in series saving the cost and complexity of a combiner box and heavier wire.
MPPT controllers often have more features such as adjustable voltage, absorption time and temperature compensation.

Best to price out both systems and decide how much you really save vs. the features.

Lots of great systems can be assembled with 12v panels and PWM controllers.

[NaViDa]

smkettner wrote:
I charge 4 golf batteries. Run the microwave, hair drier etc. as needed with the Prosine 1800 inverter. Small 300w inverter to run tv, laptop and charge small items.

Never out of battery power but if I need air conditioning I am looking for hookups.

okay, thank you!

[pianotuna]

Hi,

Here is a simple flow chart.

Budget-->Energy Audit-->Battery bank size-->number of watts-->PWM or MPPT.
One rule of thumb is between 60 and 150 watts of panels per 100 amp-hours of storage. The smaller the battery bank the higher the wattage needed (per 100 amp-hours). Here is a link to the rather special spreadsheet which includes an energy audit, that N8GS has created to help size solar battery charging systems!
Solar Spread Sheet N8GS

For a nice explanation of solar, try this link: Golden rules of solar

[1BryNelson]

The other thing Ive learned is that the controller is going to last about 10 yrs. Still looking at that aspect. Don't want to pay for top dollar equipment if a less expensive will last just as long. Wouldn't mind hearing some opinions on that in here.

[1BryNelson]

from everything Ive read and checked on 24v panels waste a lot because equipment more expensive and you have to step it down to 12v to charge batteries and power your 12v system. Im getting to do "boondocking solar", including upgrading to a 6 6v battery bank. Looked into 24v for a short time, just seemed to cost more than a 12v system.

[NaViDa]

1BryNelson wrote:
Do you know the panel size and what room you have on the roof. Are a DIY'er or will you have an installer. I would also say "go slowly". This is an area it's easy to get ripped off in. Also better to do it in stages also, that way you don't spend more than necessary.

I'll have to have someone, most likely my genius neighbor or my land owner, to install, and for sure have enough room on my 35ft for more than 2 panels. Going slow is the only way i know but if i can get more Watts in 1 panel for a reasonable price, the 1st time, makes more sense to me now than not.

So far i'm interested in 'mono-crystalline', 2 panels over 120W and a very powerful controller.

thanks.

[time2roll]

I charge 4 golf batteries. Run the microwave, hair drier etc. as needed with the Prosine 1800 inverter. Small 300w inverter to run tv, laptop and charge small items.

Never out of battery power but if I need air conditioning I am looking for hookups.