Minimum Solar Update

[TomG2]

A couple of months ago, someone asked what would be a "minimal" solar setup. Here is mine and the results.

Just finished thirty days on the road with a single flat mounted 30 watt panel and a single group 27DC battery. Shore power or generator for heavy loads like air conditioner or electric heater as needed. Battery for; recharging phones and laptop, operating 12 volt refrigerator about half the time, a few hours of television a week, interior lights, 12 volt fan.

Resting voltage never got below 12.2 volts. Sunny day showed 13.6 volts and occasionally over 14.0. I carried an extra battery, "just in case", but never needed it. I had sunny weather traveling through Texas and New Mexico for that month.

Based on this and the fact that I am Single, I would think that a fifty watt setup might meet the lightest of needs for some people, like the original person who asked the question. "If" I had been traveling in Illinois during January, or "If" I wanted to watch television 24/7, or "If" I did not have a generator, or "If" I never stayed in campgrounds with shore power, my setup would not be sufficient. But that was not the question.

[ppine]

Make coffee with propane and save the electrical use of a pot.
It also takes the chill of the rig in the mountains in the morning.

[theoldwizard1]

TomG2 wrote:
A couple of months ago, someone asked what would be a "minimal" solar setup. Here is mine and the results.

Just finished thirty days on the road with a single flat mounted 30 watt panel and a single group 27DC battery. Shore power or generator for heavy loads like air conditioner or electric heater as needed. Battery for; recharging phones and laptop, operating 12 volt refrigerator about half the time, a few hours of television a week, interior lights, 12 volt fan.

Some of those are clearly 120VAC loads. What size inverter are you using (I'm guessing between 300W-500W) ?

With 100W solar panel and a two 6v golf cart batteries, you could probably run a 1,000W inverter, maybe even 1,500W, at near max load, for short periods.

From what I have read, none of the 12VDC coffee makers work well. Better off sticking with 120VAC model. With the two golf cart batteries and a 1,500W inverter, you can make a full pot of coffee and then watch the morning news on TV !

[RoyB]

My new battery bank is going to have two 10WATT SOLAR PANELS mounted on each end of the slide off lid... This will give me big trickle charge during the high sun...

One came with my diamond plate TORKLIFT battery box and I am going to mount a second identical one on the other end of the lid so that my two groups of 2ea GC2 6V Batteries in series will have one to use...


Google image

I have been playing with the 10WATT Panel in the dash area of my truck and it is always putting out DC voltage when in the sun or in the shade... I plugged this 10 Solar Panel into one of my always ON 12VDC sockets...

I eventually will be installing two 100 watt or so solar panel on my POPUP roof to use...

Every little bit will help...

Roy Ken

[time2roll]

Yes if you can pop over 14 periodically then you are in good shape.
I still say for the effort to install.... the marginal cost to go 100 watts is fairly minimal.
Glad to hear the 30w is working for you.

[Lwiddis]

Why spend your time and money installing a solar system that MAY be sufficient under ideal conditions? One solar watt per battery amp hour.

[ppine]

Thanks Tom.
I just hit the road for the first time with 100 watts and was pleasantlly surprised by the performance. I have 2 100 watt panels for longer trips and the capacity to go to 400 watts but will probablly never need it, especially if we go to AGM batteries.