phaz
phoenix az.
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We dry camp often and while out we run a tv and cable box and normal lighting and such. We have 4-6 volt batteries and were thinking of going solar. Not sure how much power we need but was wondering about a good and reliable place to buy solar kits from.
Thanks phaz
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69RoadRunner
VA
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Joined: 01/18/2008
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I'm looking into this, too. Many people seem to be pleased with AM Solar
They specialize in RV solar. I don't know if this is just salesmanship, but this sounds like a good reason to buy from them.
Quote:The AM100 is custom made exclusively for us by BP Solar
and is designed to be a perfect match to the
Heliotrope Current Boosting series of MPPT Solar Charge Controllers.
By incorporating 44 high efficiency polycrystalline cells, the AM100 operates at a much higher operating voltage than standard 36 cell solar panels.
This higher voltage provides the Heliotrope MPPT Controllers
with what they need to achieve the maximum possible boost
to the output charging amperage.
When combined with Heliotrope's Current Boosting MPPT Charge Controllers You will regularly see a 35% to 65% boost over the AM100’s normal operating amperage !
Another advantage of the AM100 is its width of only 21.25". This means
you can fit it between the roof air conditioner and the edge of the roof without suffering the power robbing effects of shade cast by the air conditioner.
Try that with the 26+" width of other's 100, 123 and 130 watt solar panels!
Considering that weight is an issue with RVs. The AM100s weight of 20.8 lbs. is 6 to 12 lbs. lighter than the competitors models mentioned above.
09 Newmar Ventana 3942
Bunkbeds for the munchkins
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DeweyClawson
Enon Valley, PA
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Norther AZ wind and sun is also good.
Solar panels are an excellent investment if you dry camp a lot, especially if you camp for a week or 2 at a time.
Make sure you plan for expansion. Get a MPPT controller that will handle much more than the panels you start with.
The fool learns from his own mistakes.
It is the wise man who learns from the mistakes of others.
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Sailbad
Oklahoma City
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Before you buy anything take time to read this article. It will inform you and save a chunk of change.
LIVING OFF THE GRID
As stated in the article, wiring size is critical as well as placement of PV panels to avoid shading.
Dave C.
2005 Silverado 2500 CC
Duramax 6.6 3.73 V-2
2003 Wildcat 27RL
B&W with Companion
Prodigy
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pianotuna
Regina, SK, Canada
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Hi phaz,
The "rule of thumb" is no less than 60 watts of solar per 100 amp-hours of storage. It you wish to maximize recharging then bump that up to 130 watts per amp-hour. To see my system surf here:
Technology
I'd just starting with "Sizing a solar system"
phaz wrote:We dry camp often and while out we run a tv and cable box and normal lighting and such. We have 4-6 volt batteries and were thinking of going solar. Not sure how much power we need but was wondering about a good and reliable place to buy solar kits from.
Thanks phaz
Regards, Don
Kustom Koach Class C 28'5" 256 watts solar, 875 amp hours in two battery banks 12 volt batteries 2500 watt inverter.
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Pacific John
Central Coast, CA
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I bought most of my stuff from Solatron in Victorville, but I bought a couple of panels off eBay from the main Suntech distributor. Solar panel technology has advanced rapidly, and while my 170W panels were state of the art a couple of years ago, you now get 210W in the standard form factor, cheaper.
I prefer to have about (1) 200W panel for each 6V battery. A pair of batteries can easily store 1 kW-hr, that's 400W of solar panels per pair.
My system is about twice that size because I have a residential fridge that draws 80W (2 kW-hr per day), but I'd only need 4 panels and 4 batteries without it. This is enough to never run the generator except during short Winter or cloudy days.
Here's an earlier post on panel prices at various distributors. Despite the marketing mystery, panels are generally rugged and reliable. If you have electrical experience, I'd select the components and install the system myself.
Seeya Founder
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69RoadRunner
VA
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Sailbad wrote:Before you buy anything take time to read this article. It will inform you and save a chunk of change.
LIVING OFF THE GRID
As stated in the article, wiring size is critical as well as placement of PV panels to avoid shading.
That is a very interesting site. In addition to wiring size/length and panel placement, he really stresses that you need to charge batteries like Trojan T-105s at 14.8v, not 14.4v like most controllers are pre-set to do.
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sonicsix
Jemison, AL
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Joined: 10/11/2008
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We just added 270 watts to our camper, bought the panels from Northern AZ Wind and Sun. They were good to deal with and had the best panel prices. Shopped around for the other parts at places like Infinigi.com for better prices on some items.
I only had room for 2 panels as you can see in the pic, so I got the highest wattage name brand panels I could fit. The system works amazingly well.
You can read our write-up at http://rvroadtrip.us/library/solar_install.asp.
* This post was
edited 11/10/09 02:14pm by sonicsix *
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2oldman
Indio CA
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Joined: 04/15/2001
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Considering solar
Solar basics
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Rocky2
Ventura, Ca.
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Joined: 01/14/2004
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I notice that you are in Phoeniz. RV Solar Electric is located in Scottsdale and are knowledgable and fair people. They were honest enough to tell me that they could not match a recent deal on a panel..most of the time they can. I have also dealt with AM Solar, located near Eugene, Oregon. Same thing, very easy to deal with and were quick to replace rather than repair my HPV22b controller. Not all panels are created equal. In addition to the wattage, consider their maximum amperage also. You want them to put the maximum juice to your batteries for the least price.
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