Solar Removal (advice/ideas)

[DustyRooster]

Hello, Everyone!

It's that time to make the transition to a new rig for a new adventure! This means I am removing my system to transfer to the new rig.

Soooo

Regarding the panels on the roof-

Keep the brackets mounted, or remove them and seal the individual holes with???

I am open to either method, just want to do what's best considering I already compromised the integrity of the roof by putting screws down in the first place ( bonded to roof with eternabond/screws/eternabond tape/dicor).

Thanks for any help/suggestions!

DR

[time2roll]

DustyRooster wrote:
**UPDATE**

RV Sold, complete system.

Thanks again for everyone's feedback!

Now is time to start planning the new system to be bigger and better than before. 🙂

[pianotuna]

Thanks for letting us know--and you made a great choice.

[Boon_Docker]

DustyRooster wrote:
**UPDATE**

RV Sold, complete system.

Thanks again for everyone's feedback!

Good to hear!

[DustyRooster]

**UPDATE**

RV Sold, complete system.

Thanks again for everyone's feedback!

[pianotuna]

Nice system.

[DustyRooster]

Thanks everyone!

I have decided to leave as is as I am suddenly getting a lot of interest, just because of the solar!

Really appreciate everyone's feedback!

Just a FYI, our little setup was using the following, and worked really well for us in the LTVA last season-

600 watts 3x200, HiTec Solar
Victron 100/50 mppt
Aims 2000w PureSine inverter
200ah BB Batteries

DR

[LouLawrence]

Just FYI, you might want to say any RVer who understands RVing (not RV's) AND has any interest in extended dry camping would appreciate the value of your solar system. I understand both RV's and RVing and have no use for, or interest in, spending any money on solar.

[valhalla360]

Boon Docker wrote:

enblethen wrote:
improvement in solar panels would have me leaning to leave old ones and get new ones.

X2

Plus leaving the solar on the old rig could be a good selling point.

x3

Plus gooped up holes or random brackets on the roof would be a big detraction when buying even if I wasn't very interested in solar.

Maybe swap the controller and battery bank for something cheaper if you think it's worthwhile but partial trashed systems would be a big negative for me.

[3_tons]

Ditch the old panels…

3 tons

[SJ-Chris]

Any buyer who has even a little understanding of RVs, camping, etc should appreciate/value that your RV has solar.

Put it in your ad:
"Includes 1yr(?) old solar system! 400w(?) so you can camp/live off the grid. Keeps your batteries charged so you never have to worry about dead batteries while camping or while in storage."

This assumes you have a very basic and small solar system.

One caveat to the above....if you just installed a $4000, $5000, $10000 solar system with all the bells and whistles and new expensive batteries and controller and inverter...and your RV would otherwise only be worth $15-25k, then yes probably whoever buys it will NOT appreciate/value all those bells and whistles and it might make sense to start pulling things.

Can you give us details on your overall system?

Did you do the install yourself? If you did, then you can probably install on your next rig fairly efficiently. I'm also a big fan of using used panels that can be had for 70-80% below the cost of new panels and therefore save a ton of money.

Good luck!
Chris

[shelbyfv]

I'd leave them and buy new. If you are having trouble selling in this market, I doubt the solar panels are a factor one way or the other.

[pianotuna]

How big is the system?

Is the new unit larger?

Can you find compatible panels to increase the solar harvest?

[dodge_guy]

Leave the old degraded ones and buy new.
Depending on the controller, maybe buy a cheapy and swap it out with your old good one if it’s a high quality MPPT.

[DustyRooster]

Lantley wrote:
I agree with getting new panels. Why take the trouble to install old panels.
I understand they are paid for by why install used panels on a brand new rig?

I have actually thought about keeping the setup with the rig, but it was only used 1 winter season in Quartzsite, so I figured the setup is new enough to remove and put on the next (new to me) rig.

I also feel solar may be very niche when trying to sell a rig? I had a few seasoned RV'ers look at the rig and their eyes glossed over when they saw the setup, had no clue what it was, how it worked, then tried to reduce the price because they had no use for it.

Figured it may be just easier to offload it w/o the system. I could be wrong based the responses I see already from the group.

Appreciate the feedback!