FIRST... let me say i know NOTHING about solar... except that its costly. lolIs anyone using solar with an A frame trailer ?i know its expensive but if its possible... i want to consider it for times i am not connected to shore power.i want to run a small tv and my computer or maybe the microwave toheat something up. NOT all at the same time of course.i will be cooking outdoors most of the time.i would like to have the option to have power from somewhere besides a generator. i know people have panels they put outside in the sun on legs. thats what i was thinking about doing. they wouldnt be outside if i wasnt there watching them. lolAlso.... i wont be going places where there is no sun. i lovethe deserts in the southwest.Ok so ? anyone using solar ?thanks

Hi,Solar has never been cheaper. This winter prices at some places dropped low as 0.62 cents per watt.Here is a simple flow chart:budget-->energy audit-->battery storage-->size of solar system.It is best to "aim" at between 60 and 150 watts of panels for every 100 amp-hours of battery storage.Try these sites:http://rvroadtrip.us/library/12v_system.phphttp://rvroadtrip.us/library/solar_install.php

With any off-grid desires, I would caution against microwave use if yore not going to )A have a large capacity battery and/or B) have a generator as a backup. A microwave is just right behind an air conditioner as far as typical RV appliances for power consumption. Of course it is used sparingly but I would suggest other methods of heating if possible while off grid.At least make it a small wattage MW. My built-in MW is 1500 watts and even pushes my generator around. I'm seriously considering swapping it out for a lesser wattage unit. But I digress.I would suggest a dual battery bank. Several folks on here have dual and even have had quad battery banks for ham radio and the like (c'mon RoyB, where are you?).Pianotuna has been doing solar and off grid for quite some time so I'd really look through some of his other posts. You could sling some panels on the roof of your A frame but the angle might be less than desirous but that can easily be overcome but putting something more elegant than a rolled up towel under the low side to place the panels as perpendicular to the sun as possible.You're also going to need an inverter as those are not included. Something in the 1500-2000 watt range based on what describe above. If you drop microwave usage, then possibly 1,000 watts or less would be more than enough. I have a 400 that would do it if the TV is LCD or similarly low power.You will need to do the math on what you will consume in a day, both 12v and the impact of any 120v drains on the battery. If you can't make it one day without draining the battery below 50% (about 12.1 volts iirc) then you need a second battery (and in my opinion...quit using so many electronics ;) ).Then you'll need to figure out how much solar you need to put that daily usage drain back into the battery(ies). Then, there's always the real world tests, which I would do at home before you hit the road. Field testing can be the field in your driveway.

100w 12v 5a panel $1256a controller $40This will be a good start especially if you can aim at the sun. But I think you may need to pass on the microwave as it will take more battery, large inverter, and more solar to recharge.

Hey guys... thanks for all the information. I dont really think i need the microwave. i need to look into some of those low wattage camping ovens.... and i like cooking outside anyway.one question though.... can solar run a small fridge ? i really dont like propane. it makes me very nervous to deal with gas. i know alot of people use it but i worry about explosions.is there such a thing as kind of cold box that not quite a fridge but can be plugged in to keep a few things cold... like some eggs and milk ?its not something i have to have when i am not on shore power but...i was just kind of wondering because i am not up on all the products out there.thanks

I am thinking you might be thinking different about how to use the solar panels. Running things directly from the solar panels will require alot of panels. The direction of the sun doesnt always give you a constant power output of the panels and of course when the sun goes down you are dead in the water. What most folks do is have a couple or more of batteries installed like the GC2 6v Batteries in series to give you 12VDC at around 220AHs of capacity. The more the better. Then you will use a small 300Watt to 600Watt PURE SINE wave Inverter to produce the 120VAC to operate your small appliances like the HDTV, DVDs, etc in addition to some other small 12VDC items directly from the battery. Most camping off the power grid gets by pretty good with 220AHs of battery capacity. Now that you have enough battery power to run all those small appliances and direct connected 12VDC items you want to run you will need a way to re-charge your batteries everyday so you can do all of this all over again the next day/night battery run. Most folks will re-charge their batteries in the mornings when allowed to run their small 2KW Honda type generator. This is done by connecting your trailer shore power cable directly to the generator 120VAC receptacle using a RV30A-15A long adapter. Using smart-mode charging technology you can re-charge your batteries to 90% harge state in as little as three hours of generator run time. The solar panels really come into play big time re-charging your batteries during the daylight hours when the sun is out. Between the two re-charge sources you should have at least 90% battery state of charge to be able to do the day/night run off the batteries using all your 120VAC/12VDC toys you want to use.I don't have the solar panels yet but they would be a big asset in keeping my batteries re-charged. I don't think I would be very successful camping off the power grid with just solar panels. It looks like about 120WATTS of solar is all I would be able to mount on my POPUP trailer anyway. By having the larger battery bank (mine is 255AHs capacity) and being able to run my 2KW generator at 8AM during the morning breakfast meal and then having the solar panels going during the daytime hours would really give me a good solid 90% state of charge on my battery bank. This should allow me to do all these things up to lights out around 10-11PM at night and still run all the necessary trailer keep alive things until 8AM the next morning where I can re-charge my batteries and do it all over again for the next day/night battery run.... This is my camping off the power grid game plan...There is many ways to camp off the power grid I guess but this method works great for us supporting all of the home entertainment items and my other power Hungary hobby of Amateur Radio operations....Roy Ken

Question about Solar .... | Good Sam Community

Dyngbld
Explorer
May 01, 2013
Do the work your self and save the money. I have learned a ton reading the solar post on this forum. I am going to put a solar system (one piece at a time) on my popup as soon as have the money for it. I have designed one that I will be able to move to my class a when I buy it.
JustADrifter
Explorer
May 01, 2013
thanks so much..... i can see i have alot of work to do if i go the solar route. i appreciate everyones advice.
pianotuna
Nomad III
Apr 25, 2013
Hi JustADrifter,

You need to know what you want before you walk in the dealer/installer's door. Insist that panel(s) be installed where no roof top items shade them.

Have you done the energy audit yet? Once that is done then you can start sizing the system. If that is too much bother, then go for 150 watts of panels per 100 amp-hours of battery bank.

If you want every erg of power from the system consider MPPT. MPPT requires thicker wire, to work at maximum efficiency. Otherwise pwm is quite effective, and so long as the ampacity of the wire is high enough for the maximum output, wire thickness doesn't matter much.

There is amsolar which has a lot of folks who like them. Expect the system to cost double what a DIY would.

JustADrifter wrote:
Yes i was thinking about solar with regards to a battery setup. how else are you going to manage when there is no sun. its a question then of keeping the batteries charged up.

thanks for all the information. does anyone have someone to recommend who can do a great job on a solar set up ... if thats what
i decide to do ?

i would be spending most of my time in the southwest and would have no problem going to someone wherever he is.

as far as a fridge goes... i may just have to get an ice chest. lol
i'll have to see about that. the 6 day model sounds like a good idea.
time2roll
Nomad
Apr 25, 2013
For a poratble system there is not much to set up.
Panel connects to the controller, controller connects to the battery.
Point the panel into the sun and away you go.
JustADrifter
Explorer
Apr 25, 2013
Yes i was thinking about solar with regards to a battery setup. how else are you going to manage when there is no sun. its a question then of keeping the batteries charged up.

thanks for all the information. does anyone have someone to recommend who can do a great job on a solar set up ... if thats what
i decide to do ?

i would be spending most of my time in the southwest and would have no problem going to someone wherever he is.

as far as a fridge goes... i may just have to get an ice chest. lol
i'll have to see about that. the 6 day model sounds like a good idea.
RoyB
Explorer II
Apr 24, 2013
What I do with my large ice chest is fill the bottom up with ice and then use a plastic snap lid type container laying on top of the ice for putting things in it that you don't want to get water logged. Works great.

Roy Ken
sushidog
Explorer
Apr 24, 2013
If thinking about a high quality ice chest I highly recommend my Coleman Ultimate Extreme (6 day model). It will keep goodies cold for up to a week. Several days in the hot summer before more ice is needed. It will give you an extra day over the regular xtreme (5 day) models.

Chip
time2roll
Nomad
Apr 24, 2013
Stick to propane unless you want to spend closer to $1500+ on solar, battery, inverter upgrades to run a compressor fridge.

Otherwise that magic box is called an ice chest.
RoyB
Explorer II
Apr 24, 2013
pianotuna - nice link for SOLAR/BATTERY information. Pretty much what I use when I am camping off the power grid. One of these days Im gonna do just this...

Thanks
Roy Ken
pianotuna
Nomad III
Apr 24, 2013
Here is a link to the rather special spreadsheet that N8GS has created to help size solar battery charging systems!
Solar Spread Sheet N8GS

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