| |
Subject |
Author |
Date Posted |
Forum
|
 |
RE: Filling MH Propane...
For the campgrounds that list LP in the ammenities... will they fill your propane tank on the MH?
Do you guys do it when you first pull in if needed?
(I am down to 1/4 tank and am headed down to the OuterBanks, NC this weekend (Cape Hatteras KOA).
Thanks in advance,
Mal
The Cape Hatteras KOA will fill all tanks. The station is on the left side just inside the gate.
I would suggest filling before getting to the OBX though, it is normally .20-.30 cents per gallon higher than on the mainland.
|
harold1946
|
05/20/13 06:38pm |
Class A Motorhomes
|
|
RE: Progressive RV Insurance Scam
I do not agree with it being a scam or rip off, just a lack of comprehension on your part.
It is quite clear to me it states $500 maximum coverage per item under the replacement cost coverage.
Read and understand a policy before purchase.
|
harold1946
|
05/19/13 05:09pm |
General RVing Issues
|
|
RE: dual pane windows & weight
I have replaced the seals it three dual pane windows of previous coach. it is not a difficult job, just time consumming. That coach was 11 years old with 86000 miles on it. If momory serves me, it cost around $100. and took less than 8 hrs. to replace the seals.
|
harold1946
|
05/19/13 04:40pm |
Fifth-Wheels
|
|
RE: dual pane windows & weight
I have replaced the seals it three dual pane windows of previous coach. it is not a difficult job, just time consumming. That coach was 11 years old with 86000 miles on it. If momory serves me, it cost around $100. and took less than 8 hrs. to replace the seals.
|
harold1946
|
05/19/13 04:39pm |
Fifth-Wheels
|
|
RE: dual pane windows & weight
Weight would not be a major issue to me. I doubt they add a total of 100 lbs. to the weight.
They do add to the insulation factor in both winter and summer, along with sound transfer.
I would not be without them, thats my opinion.
|
harold1946
|
05/19/13 09:56am |
Fifth-Wheels
|
|
RE: AZ 89 closed?
Tribal road 20 is a gravel road from The Gap to just north of Cooper Mine, about 28 miles. Then paved till it meets 98, about 25 miles.
The shorter route to the north rim from Page would be 89 to Fredonia then 89A to Jacob Lake.
|
harold1946
|
05/13/13 02:17pm |
Roads and Routes
|
|
RE: Onan Repairs
Check with Cummins Onan. They have several mounting kits available whith slide out capability.
|
harold1946
|
05/09/13 04:39pm |
Class A Motorhomes
|
|
RE: Front shocks & Alignment Questions
Are you sure its not a Workhorse P32 chassis? If the VIN starts with B54 it is not Chevrolet.
|
harold1946
|
05/09/13 06:34am |
Class C Motorhomes
|
|
RE: Anyone repaired a cracked AC shroud?
I never had any luck with tape holding up for any amount of time.
I have had good luck with fiberglass cloth and resin. I rough up the surface with 80 grit sandpaper before fiberglassing.
|
harold1946
|
05/07/13 03:46pm |
Class A Motorhomes
|
|
RE: The best photovoltaic solar panels
Strange thing to say. I bet most RV's have around 200AH capacity. IMO, that's plenty. Add 130W of solar and batteries are usually charged to 90% by noon. I don't need more solar or battery capacity.
And yes, square footage is a big deal. With all the stuff on my roof, I want the most efficient panel I can find.
Sal
Hi,
Since most RV's have woefully small battery banks--square footage to charge them is not much of an issue.
Kyocera panels are rated as third tier and number 6 in efficiency.
|
harold1946
|
05/06/13 10:41am |
Tech Issues
|
|
RE: Best slide out lube??
I don't know that I would consider any one product best, but I believe the consensus would be any dry lubricant, as opposed to anythng with oil or grease.
|
harold1946
|
05/05/13 09:01am |
Travel Trailers
|
|
RE: The best photovoltaic solar panels
"The topic is about advances in the efficiency of PV. Nothing to do with amp out-put or charging batteries. Simply that this is the most advanced PV panels available as to efficiency"
If the efficiency of the panels has nothing to do with their relative abilities at charging batteries (making amps), then we are not living on the same planet or even in the same "solar" system :)
I mis-spoke; my apology.
The main focus is on the ability of the cells/modules with HIT technology to maintain a 10% higher efficiency than conventional technology as temperatures rise.
With the limited space available on most RVs we do want to be able to harvest all the energy we can in that space.
|
harold1946
|
05/05/13 07:02am |
Tech Issues
|
|
RE: The best photovoltaic solar panels
Virtually all solar panels specify either voltage or power temperature coefficient (or both). If you can't show me a panel with -1.1%/C then that claim is pure nonsense.
I can't believe you're that gullible. Some critical thinking is in order.
Sal
The 1.1%/C was not intended to represent any panel PTC or voltage.
How many degrees of temperature increase over 25C-77F would it take to reduce PTC to 1.1 %?
Contrary to popular belief, the efficiency of a solar cell decreases with increasing temperature. The reason for this is that a higher temperature increases the conductivity of the semiconductor. This balances out the charge within the material, reducing the magnitude of the electric field at the junction.
This in turn inhibits charge seperation, lowering the voltage across the cell.
The listed power of a cell/module is the power measured under ideal labritory conditions at a temperature of 25C (77F).
On a hot summer day it would not be unusual to reach a temperature of 70C (158F).
The rule of thumb is that the efficiency of a cell decreases 0.5% for every 1 degree C (1.8 degrees F) above 25C (77F). This means the efficiency of a cell could easily drop by 25%.
|
harold1946
|
05/04/13 08:53am |
Tech Issues
|
|
RE: The best photovoltaic solar panels
OK, I forgive you. Did you look who wrote the article? It's a lady who writes about organic gardening and wild foods. The 1.1% may have come from a high school science project. Just goes to show you can't believe everything you read. Their science project has a fatal error. They applied a constant resistive load (55.8 ohm) to the panel under test. They though that's the correct load to get the maximum power point. Well, it may get MPP at 25C, but MPP changes with temperature. They introduced a huge measurement error.
Here's a credible analysis for the power temperature coefficient. His range is -0.4 to -0.5%/C.
Sal
Salvo:
http://greenliving.nationalgeographic.com/effects-temperature-solar-panel-power-production-20500.html
Cindy Hill authored the article, she did not conduct the study. Oh how qiuck we are to dismiss what we care not to believe.
I guess you would also dismiss the study conducted by the Rivers State University of science and technology, which found very similar results.
|
harold1946
|
05/03/13 06:53pm |
Tech Issues
|
|
RE: The best photovoltaic solar panels
Salvo:
http://greenliving.nationalgeographic.com/effects-temperature-solar-panel-power-production-20500.html
If more sites are needed I have located five with confirming tests.
A google search for "effects of temperature on solar panels" will help with your research also.
|
harold1946
|
05/03/13 01:55pm |
Tech Issues
|
|
RE: The best photovoltaic solar panels
Your stated 1.1% is 220% too high! There's no way your can wordsmith 1.1%. Now way, no how.
Please read more carfully, I did not say typical, average , or most.
As soon as I can locate the site for the testing results I will post them. If memory serves me there at least three all showing the same results.
|
harold1946
|
05/03/13 01:35pm |
Tech Issues
|
|
RE: The best photovoltaic solar panels
No, you're way off base at -1.1%/C.
The typical panel will drop power at the rate of -0.5%/C.
The SunTech PLUTO200 (200W) TC is extremely good at -0.38%/C.
The Sanyo HIT210 TC is -0.336%/C.
The HIT isn't much better than the PLUTO200.
PLUTO200
HIT210N
Salvo:
Whats being referred to is that many solar panels start loosing efficiency at a rate of around 1.1 % for each degree of temperature increase over 77 degrees.
Please read more carfully, I did not say typical, average , or most. I said some. If by "typical" you mean average there must be some higher and some lower.
I will agree the HIT isn't much better than the PLUTO200, but it is better.
The point is the Hybrid technology aided in the reduction of efficiency loss due to heat. Your results may vary.
|
harold1946
|
05/03/13 01:09pm |
Tech Issues
|
|
RE: The best photovoltaic solar panels
Salvo:
Whats being referred to is that many solar panels start loosing efficiency at a rate of around 1.1 % for each degree of temperature increase over 77 degrees. Some are worse and some better. Thin film technology addressed this issue and was sucessful in doing so by using amorphous silicone, but at the cost of less power per square foot.
Sanyo addressed the issue using a hybrid design consisting of monocrystalline silicone surrounded by a thin layer of amorphous silicone.
|
harold1946
|
05/03/13 10:51am |
Tech Issues
|
|
RE: The best photovoltaic solar panels
Thought I would share some information on what are rated as the best/most efficient panels available.
Sanyo HIT Power N Series.
I think a more realistic measure of PV panel efficiency is the PTC standard that CA uses in thier List of Eligible Panels.
I loaded the list in Excel and compared manufacturer label ratings to their PTC test readings and found that the most efficient PTC panel was . . .
United Solar Ovonic 11W panel at 98.2% (label wattage/PTC = 11/10.8). However, United Solar makes "building-integrated" panels which would probably not work on RVs.
The most efficient Sanyo panel is 93.2%. Not bad, considering the average panel was 89.3% (BTW, 11,932 panel models were tested.)
However, there were still a number of panels that tested higher than your Sanyos.
I think that information is not all inclusive of the latest technology.
Neither listing shows the Sanyo HIT-220A01.
|
harold1946
|
05/03/13 10:22am |
Tech Issues
|
|
RE: The best photovoltaic solar panels
220w can be had for ~$160, how is $715 going to be considered "best"?
I will put it on the list with li-ion batteries.
I am not trying to do any comparison to anything other than from an efficiency standpoint, with these panels having the highest "best" efficincy rating in the industry. Just showing the advancements being made with the technology, nothing more.
Some of you may remember back when the best efficincy to be found was around 5% and panels pricing was $10.00 per watt.
|
harold1946
|
05/03/13 09:49am |
Tech Issues
|
