A Women's RV Forum run by Women RVer's!

I'm going to post my complete set up, with my understanding, so that I make sure to answer everyone's inquiries. This is such a complicated topic, with so many variables.

I got:
4 100 watt panels - @ $450 each $1,800 total
(CW would have installed this, but they didn't mention hooking it up! jus' saying. For a newbie to this whole thing, it would have been a disappointing disaster for me because I wouldn't have understood what I was/wasn't getting).

Case in point. My whole way down during the vortex, my propane would cut out every few hours. I thought some connection was failing. Turns out there is a "brain board" that allows the propane to fuel the furnace, and when my (little single inadequate) battery was low, I'd have to get up, start my engine, then get the generator going, then the propane would kick in for a few more hours. So much depends on the batteries! I was doing the right thing just by trial and error to survive the cold, but it sure was the hard way. But also a valuable lesson since I got to asking far more probing questions. I didn't need just solar, I needed a whole system.

1 MPPT 500 control - $250
Magnum/MS-2012 Inverter/Charger w control - $1,800

Yeah, that's a lot for the inverter. But I think this was the right thing. When I bought the rig, I was shown my "inverter," a $25 box from Radio Shack that would charge your cell phone off the engine battery! I don't want to be a complainer, but hope to let other newbies know that there are inverters, and then there are Inverters. Also, mine is an Inverter/Charger. I really am not the expert in this, but I have learned how essential it is that the inverter, charger, and monitoring system is key to handling the battery energy and whatever source it comes from. That could be with hookup. I was storing nothing in a small battery and no real inverter to start with. I think it's just unfortunate that an inverter that charges a cell phone, and an inverter that is the heart of your solar and battery system can be talked about in the same breath, as if they were the same thing.

4 gpL-27 Lifeline batteries $1,316 (these are AGM, glass mat)

Cables -$250

The total cost for me was $7,000. It's not accurate to say that was for "solar" It was really for a whole set up I sorely needed (inverter/charger, batteries, cables and brackets (hand made at his shop), top of the line). This is my investment to get me free of camp ground hookup. Someone else may have started with a better battery and inverter already system installed, I was starting with nothing, and went fairly high end. I hope it serves me well in the long run.

So far I'm really pleased. From getting up all night to keep from freezing to death, to make anything work - to going for days with everything running off grid. I won't have the AC, but that's all. I can have my computer on all day, do cooking (microwave) and whatever, and if the sun is out, it doesn't put a dent in my battery energy storage. I can go for a few days on cloudy with the battery, and rely more on the propane.

I'm going to post pictures of everything (and the heater, Mitch) when I get to my next stop with better wifi.

The guy who did this install, and this was a complete system, was John Palmer, 941-928-4573. You can say I (Sharon) recommended his install because he did do a great job. You could also say I was disappointed not to get my full orientation, and that hurt. I'd like to mend fences with this guy, he just needs to know he's got to get a bedside manner and I hope he mellows for you.

- Sharon

PS Just so I get it all out there. My inverter/charger is pure sine wave. I am grateful for getting what is working so well for me, but there must be a different need for every rig and situation. Maybe it's fortunate that I had to do the Whole thing. And got to someone who can do a complete, compatible system. A great system can even fail at the cable level - I think I got a great system the whole way.

I'm amazed at the differing tech responses I got while doing all this inquiry on getting a new system. One tech guy told me that my lights worked when nothing else did because they were running off the engine battery. Hmmmm....turns out not really. It's because the lights will run off 12 volts, but the microwave etc needs 120 volts. My understanding now is that the inverter will up 12 volt to 120 volt, that's it's function.

- Sharon

..
That is quite the system. I googled some of the parts and they certainly appear to be high end!
Good job. You'll mostly likely never have to go back on grid ever again.
Congratulations on a job well done.
..

wow, what a system and you certainly did your research. Thank you for sharing, I hope when I get my system set up it will be a good one too.

I hope this works, pictures of the solar set up, including the new propane heater. Besides high quality hardware, the connections are all top-notch as well. I think every part of this installation was excellent. Hopefully it will keep me off grid and from having to come back for re-working the system.
http://s1273.photobucket.com/user/Crick ... ar%20Panel

omg that was hard. if there is a better way to post pictures, or if this doesn't work for you, let me know. I'll try again when I have a better connection. I've tried to be really thorough about the solar set up, people have been so helpful with comments to me all along. - Sharon

Cricket,

You and I have almost exactly the same setup!!!
I have 3 x 150 panels, 2 x 12 volt batteries (as soon as they die, I'll switch to 6 volt)
a Magnum inverter and controller.

Works like a charm doesn't it? I can even heat my tea up if I have to in the mike but only for a few seconds mind. LOl

Solar is great isn't it?

isym

That is an impressive system!

Does sound like a good reason to travel to Q.....maybe next year....