solar

[gypsyrose1126]

I have been reading many of the posts about solar as I am thinking of adding solar to my TT. But there are just to many posts to read. I am thinking about the suitcase solar panels, as my TT already has the plug. My worry is that they are easy to walk off with, so probably could not leave it out all day when I am gone. Also, if I am gone and put them away, then I would only be able to charge in the early a.m. and in the afternoon when I return. Not sure this would be enough to charge the battery. I have watched u tube about solar, have read about solar, and while I like to think I am fairly smart, I just can't wrap my head around it. I don't use the TV, but use a light at night, water pump, hot water heater sometimes, microwave on occasion, charge my kindle ( although I can also charge that in the car when driving) use hair dryer in the a.m. when I can. I understand I may have to give up the hair dryer, as I think it draws a lot of juice.
My friend and I had hoped to leave on the 16th for Utah, but I am still chipping ice so I can get my trailer out!
Thanks for any wisdom you can send my way!

[MandysMom]

Our roof top 180 w panel won't run a hair dryer, a microwave or anything else with high draw and certainly not AC. I agree a suitcase type is easily stolen if unattended. Go with roof top if you can but it takes a lot of boondock nights to get even with what big solar costs. Good luck in your travels.
Velda

[avalen]

I considered solar as well and did do a bunch of research that really put me into information overload. For what i used and needed, (microwave and ac) the generator was my best solution. Tv and lights, occasional furnace could all run off the 2 batteries but not the microwave or ac. So, for the times i used those items i was also charging my batteries. I put a rack on the bumper of my motorhome to carry extra gas just in case i needed it. For ac anc solar i would have needed a mych bigger battery bank and lots of panels. Not cost effective for me. I do know of some with travel trailers that start their truck to charge up their batteries that way. Also know some that mounted a generator on the tongue of their hitch next to their battery and propane tank. I suppose that would depend on available space you had on that tongue.
All in all, i love my generator!

[Cudedog]

I have been reading many of the posts about solar as I am thinking of adding solar to my TT. But there are just to many posts to read.

I very respectfully suggest that you take the time to read - and to understand - as many of the posts on this forum as you possibly can, that have to do with solar. There is truly a wealth of good information that has been posted on this forum over time.

I am thinking about the suitcase solar panels, as my TT already has the plug. My worry is that they are easy to walk off with, so probably could not leave it out all day when I am gone.

If you are considering a DIY (Do It Yourself) solar system, I especially very respectfully suggest that you read - and, more importantly, that you very clearly understand - all that is involved in even the most basic solar system. Keep foremost in mind that you are dealing with electricity here. And also with very large batteries. This doesn't often happen. . . but if you do something wrong. . . maybe mis-wire or maybe cross-wire something. . . you can die. As in dead.

I am not joking here.

Also, if I am gone and put them away, then I would only be able to charge in the early a.m. and in the afternoon when I return. Not sure this would be enough to charge the battery.

This is pretty dependent upon how much load you put on the batteries in the first place - how much of a voltage draw you put on them, i.e., how much they have been discharged by use when you start the recharge cycle. If they have no load, and only natural discharge, they should recharge in a few minutes to an hour or so. If they have been heavily discharged, it might take all day (and maybe part of the next) without further load to recharge them.

And if the sun ain't shining, with a solar system, they will not recharge at all.

I have watched u tube about solar, have read about solar, and while I like to think I am fairly smart, I just can't wrap my head around it.

The whole solar-electrical enchilada can be a pretty large, and pretty complex, meal to digest. If you don't have a basic background in how electricity works, it can be a pretty steep learning curve. But do-able. Don't give up. Keep going, the concepts will come clear after a bit. I did it. Took me a while.

I don't use the TV, but use a light at night, water pump, hot water heater sometimes, microwave on occasion, charge my kindle ( although I can also charge that in the car when driving) use hair dryer in the a.m. when I can. I understand I may have to give up the hair dryer, as I think it draws a lot of juice.

Whether or not you want to use your tv. . . this is not the question. The question is, how many amps does your tv draw? A giant screen tv will draw a jillion amps (well, maybe not a jillion - but close!). A small, flat screen (they come as small as 10 inches) will draw immeasurably less. There are even tv's than run on DC.

It's all about the amps, ma'am, only the amps. Well, more than that, of course - if you get my drift.

Same with all of the appliances you mention. It is not, strictly, about the kind or type of appliance that it is - it is about the number of amps that each individual appliance draws. Check on the appliance. Most of the appliances you mention should have a UL (Underwriter's Labs) sticker on it somewhere that will list the amperage required. I would forget about the microwave and hair dryer, though. Unless you want maybe upwards of a 1,000 watt solar array on the roof of your RV, with maybe a humongous battery bank in the back of your truck. And batteries are heavy. The 75ah batteries I have weigh about fifty (50) pounds, each.

And if you want to run AC appliances on a DC system, you will also need an inverter. Which will also have an amperage draw all of it's own.

Thanks for any wisdom you can send my way!

Of course.

I purchased these solar panels last year on Amazon (200w):

https://www.amazon.com/Dokio-Watts-Volts-Monocrystalline-foldable/dp/B075SZMFP2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1506806474&sr=8-1&keywords=dokio&th=1

They are lightweight (about 11 pounds), foldable, and easy to carry. They are easy enough to put out in the sun and bring back inside at the end of the day. The controller is PWM rather than MTTP (MTTP is much better). I may replace the controller at some future time, but for now they seem to have no problem keeping my batteries charged. Of course, my batteries have never had a draw put on them.

I purchased these solar panels and three 75ah AGM batteries, as I planned to do a solar install on my van. What with my new Jayco acquisition, I will probably keep the solar panels in case I want to do a bit of boondocking, but am thinking about selling the batteries, along with a brand-new and still in the packaging battery isolator, that I bought for my van. The batteries have never been used (they have never had a load put on them, have just been stored in my garage since they were purchased, and I have kept them charged using the solar panels mentioned above). I paid $130.00, each, for the batteries (they are Interstate type 27 AGM, 75ah each) and $100.00 for the battery isolator.

Anyway, if you have more questions, please ask. Maybe Melissa will jump in on this one.

Good luck.

Anne

[snowball]

because I actually don't know what I am talking about I will just say what hubby did and what I have
when we got our 24ft TT my husband put a panel on top I don't remember if we had a genny or not but regardless we never boondocked with it anyway before we sold the 24 footer he took it off and when we got
the 5th wheel he got 2 more panels and a genny.. however the genny isn't big enough for the A/C can't remember the last time it was ran... when I run the blow dryer I turn the genny on but when I run a electric mixing if it's a very short run do it without... toaster always no longer have electric toaster...do it on the burner...I think if I watched tv in day time I could watch it without genny but the major part of my tv watching is at night so I run the genny while watching tv or until 10:00 PM arrives..batteries are charged up by then. I then turn it off unplug it and the computer which I also use while genny is on I then have a battery powered radio I have on do either hand work or read till I go to bed which is late very late like 2 or later the batteries are usually totally charged by the solar's mid morning depending upon the sun's rays....I have four golf cart batteries....I am not sure if I need one more panel or what as the indicator unless charged by genny only goes into amber color when charged with genny into the green but only stays that way less than an hour then down to amber again but hay it serves me till way late...
sheila

[Bethers]

I love my solar... But I know what I can and can't do with my current system. When boondocking I mainly use things that draw power during the day when I'm totally charged and the sun puts in power while I use it. That said, no I can't use my AC. I got a baby hair dryer that's lower wattage and can use it. It's definitely a learning experience. When I first got solar it replaced my generator and I boondocked extensively (it included a winter trip boondocking in Baja). My current rig came with a generator so I can use it.... But I prefer to not as much as possible. Personally, if not go with anything but panels mounted on the roof. My preference.

[BirdbyBird]

I have a 25.5 foot class A rig. I had solar panels put on my roof and added two additional batteries because it didn't make sense to me to invest $$ in solar panels and then not store the energy that they capture. My rig could however carry the weight easily though I had to reconfigure one of the small storage areas to carry the batteries. Again, I had enough storage to comfortable give up some. Over the years I have had several mechanics and others tell me that the cost of adding solar just didn't make sense when I have always had perfectly good generators. I think it is a matter of how you want to travel. Some of the National Forest Campgrounds, etc. have limited generator hours or rules against all generator usage. Even if generator usage is allowed there is something quiet and peaceful about switching that solar power on and not hearing anything. I have found that I can heat up cups of tea in the microwave just nothing much longer. I can even use my grooming equipment (clippers). If I am having trouble sleeping I have left either the radio or the TV on all night. My MIFI stays plugged in around the clock.

I boondocked quite comfortably with only a generator for many years and because I travel by myself and could easily minimize my electric usage. So, I am not sure it is a totally rational decision, depending upon individual set ups and styles of camping. One of my favorite uses of my solar, again being that I am in a class A and not towing a TT, is that I can turn it on and keep my MIFI plugged in and charged as well as what ever electronics I might want: separate GPS, iPhone, iPad......residential Sirius radio.....

[gypsyrose1126]

A generator would be the best solution - however they are noisy, plus many places have only a few hrs. you can use them. They are not allowed in many of the WI state parks. I will continue to get more info, thanks for the input ladies.

[SoCalGalcas]

I have a small (15 ft) TT. One deep cell battery. When traveling, the battery is charged enough for one night, so don’t need anything. When boon docking for the two weeks I spend in Quartzsite, or up in the mountains, I have a suit case 80 W solar panel.
I chain it to the trailer hitch. No one is going to drive by and put it in their car.
I use very little amps. No: TV, microwave, hair dryer, air conditioning. (I would like to have a generator, but, do not want to carry the extra weight,).
It keeps my lights on in the evening/night and charges my iPad and phone. I am an early to bed, up early in the morning person. That is enough for me. Everyone is different and wants to use different appliances.
Add up the amps you use. That will help you with your decision.
Lyn

[OregonLuvr]

I mostly camp in campgrounds. I can occasionally boondock and I use my generator. I used it in Quartzsite without any issues and that was my first time boondocking for more than a night. For my kind of camping the cost of solar would be an unnecessary expense for me. I know everyone camps differently but I do love my generator.

[SoCalGalcas]

PS...I should add...if I need to camp in 90* weather, I will pay to go into a park and “hook” into their electricity! Lyn

[snowball]

PS...I should add...if I need to camp in 90* weather, I will pay to go into a park and “hook” into their electricity! Lyn

that sounds so tempting
sheila

[gypsyrose1126]

Thanks everyone! I almost have my trailer out! I am going to try to get some of the snow off the cover so I can get it off the trailer. I am hoping to get the trailer to the garage tomorrow for checkup. We have pushed our leave date out, because of the weather. Spring has to show up one of these days!!