Solar panels

[tbax46]

What size of solar panels are needed to keep battery charged for a few days of boondocking.

[Boon_Docker]

tbax46 wrote:
I thank everyone for the info. I probably will just be using 12v for 2-3 days for the lighting and igniters. Got some Forest Service campgrounds that are nice for a couple of days.

Something like this 200 watt portable would work good for you if you don't want a permanent setup.

[tbax46]

I thank everyone for the info. I probably will just be using 12v for 2-3 days for the lighting and igniters. Got some Forest Service campgrounds that are nice for a couple of days.

[jplante4]

I'm running 4 GC2s with 200 watts of solar on the roof and another 130 watts in a portable panel. I can go until the tanks fill up (about 5 days, but we're not anal about water usage). I do need to run the generator for a hair dryer ;), so I top off the batteries then.

[PNW_Steve]

Lwiddis wrote:
Do an energy use survey...actual or what you’d like to use. Your choice. That determines the battery amp hours needed, which determines the solar watts you need to recharge and the controller size. If you guess, you will be either undercharged or overpaying.

“battery charged for a few days of boondocking” is absolutely wrong. A properly sized solar system recharges fully almost every day. Limping along...for a few days? Solar isn’t a new toy or experimental.

Good advice.

I have a Kill-A-Watt meter that has been invaluable for getting real world power consumption of my 120v loads. I also have a Trimetric TM-2030 for measuring consumption of my 12 volt and 24 volt loads. The Trimetric will be my onboard battery monitor.

[pianotuna]

This may help:

https://freecampsites.net/adding-solar/

[Johnny_G1]

When you boon dock all winter in Arizona you need lots of solar if you want to live like you do at home, Just my thought's.

[Boon_Docker]

theoldwizard1 wrote:

Trackrig wrote:
It depends on so many variables:
.
.
.
Solar is like horsepower, you never have too much and solar is cheaper than horsepower.

I'll have to remember that last line !

Boon Docker wrote:
I have 200 watts of solar with an MPPT controller feeding a 225 AH battery bank (two GC-2 6v batteries).
I boondock for weeks at a time and the batteries are fully charged by early afternoon as long as it is not cloudy.

I would consider this setup and absolute MINIMUM !

Yeah, a person needs at least 600-800 watts of solar and at least a 500 AH battery bank to boondock for a few days. :B

[Johnny_G1]

8 T105's and 600 watts of Kyocera panel's, use batteries for everything in the coach and the same for the fw which 2 batteries and 120 watt of solar.Also carry a Honda 3000i for the air.

[tbax46]

BFL13 wrote:

tbax46 wrote:
What size of solar panels are needed to keep battery charged for a few days of boondocking.

How can anybody have been a member since 2004 and ask a question like that????? Got to be a troll. 😞

I can’t believe you would make an assumption like this. I don’t frequent the forums very often. I haven’t lived off the grid before and was simply seeking information. Luckily for me most of the replies were from helpful individuals.

[time2roll]

How long is a rope?

Otherwise most people with two batteries get on pretty good with 200 to 400 watts. More is always OK. If you are a real miser 100 watts might work.

[BFL13]

deleted--got that wrong.

[theoldwizard1]

Trackrig wrote:
It depends on so many variables:
.
.
.
Solar is like horsepower, you never have too much and solar is cheaper than horsepower.

I'll have to remember that last line !

Boon Docker wrote:
I have 200 watts of solar with an MPPT controller feeding a 225 AH battery bank (two GC-2 6v batteries).
I boondock for weeks at a time and the batteries are fully charged by early afternoon as long as it is not cloudy.

I would consider this setup and absolute MINIMUM !

[Trackrig]

It depends on so many variables:
Where you camp - cloudy winter northwest to sunny Arizona
What time of year - is the sun up high or way down on the horizon
How much TV do you watch, how much music time
Are you going to use the microwave to heat a cup of coffee on batteries
Do you like lots of lights on at night
Do you run the ceiling fans
Is it cool out and the furnace blower is working, two furnaces?
Lots and lots of variables.

An extra couple of panels costs very little overall. The big part of solar is figuring how you're going to install it, where to put the monitors and run the wiring. A little bit larger controller for three or four panels is almost nothing. If your going to go through the exercise, take an extra couple of hours and install three our four panels. (Solar is like horsepower, you never have too much and solar is cheaper than horsepower.)

Bill

[Lwiddis]

Do an energy use survey...actual or what you’d like to use. Your choice. That determines the battery amp hours needed, which determines the solar watts you need to recharge and the controller size. If you guess, you will be either undercharged or overpaying.

“battery charged for a few days of boondocking” is absolutely wrong. A properly sized solar system recharges fully almost every day. Limping along...for a few days? Solar isn’t a new toy or experimental.