Solar hookup for rv

If you've got no hookups, and you're not driving, solar power starts to look a whole lot better. Yes, you can run the generator (if you have one).
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• SOLAR INSTALLATION GUIDE
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• The Ultimate RV Solar Upgrade - Keep Your Daydream
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Amperage and voltage ratings differ, but more importantly, charging algorithms, protections and advanced features vary greatly between brands. Maybe that's why there's a HUGE difference in the warranties! Besides complete system failure when a controller goes bad, the chronic undercharging of your expensive batteries will cause them to fail and need replacement much sooner.

MANY are still in operation today. I really like Bob and owe him many thanks for all his knowledge. A retired electrical engineer very compassionate about RV solar, who was off grid by He is aimed at the "frustrated, technologically challenged and budget minded RV owner who needs basic education about battery supplied electrical power.

Read it more than once, it's free, but he welcomes donations! Another expert, he wrote a book about RV Solar and has it available for free. His information is a little more complicated, and from the viewpoint of one who can afford to spend more money. It's well organized and has a LOT of expert advice and instructions with photos.

See those little shadows? Voltage loss is the enemy in these systems, and is especially critical from charge controller to battery. Keep wire runs as short as possible, and use the proper cable size. Distance under 3' with large wire.

Max wire size accepted: Splicing a piece of 10ga onto larger wire is OK and won't get hot if done properly, or simply clip some of the fine wire strands off larger wire until it fits. This won't affect anything.

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• Sampling of Batteries Suitable for RVs.
• RV Solar Power For Boondocking: Complete Beginners Guide.

It'll reduce the voltage when batteries are hot so they don't overcharge. A temperature sensor on a controller that is located in a heated area will not see the battery temperature, so it will not work. The Sunsaver controllers do a good job in cold weather with built in temperature compensation, and the ProStar and TriStar remote temperature sensors are a must. This is the only way to ever be confident that your system is really working. If you can get a TriStar controller it has a Hookup fees can be a significant expense for boondockers.

These RVers also are more likely to seek out dry camps and locations that lack hookups. A solar power system, even with a small generator as a backup power source, is an investment that can amortize in 2—4 years. Park campsite rental fees include shoreline power. A solar power system would be redundant and not a cost-saving measure.

How do you know whether it makes financial sense to go solar? Look at the basic costs involved for three categories of RVers: Weekend Warriors, who RV occasionally for vacations and weekend getaways; Boondockers, who spend extended periods at campsites and dry camping; and Full-Timers, who spend the majority of their time at campsites. How do you know if a solar power system makes financial sense? This guide will help you understand all the costs involved in an RV solar power system.

A solar power generating system is made up of solar panels and batteries, plus monitoring and controlling devices. The more solar panels and batteries you have, the more appliances you can power. Once you know how much power you typically use, you can estimate the costs of powering some, or all, of your appliances and devices.

This chart is a quick gauge as to whether solar power makes sense for an RVer, based on lifestyle categories. For a more in-depth look, examine your own power consumption. Determine how much power your individual appliances consume. It is possible to use solar to power a portion, but not all, of your appliances. Below are typical daily power consumption figures for some popular RV appliances: While this chart provides common usage amounts, you should develop your own list tailored to your personal power consumption levels. Note that a refrigerator is an energy hog, representing more than 70 percent of power consumption, with the remaining appliances using 1, watts a day.

In doing your calculations, also figure in appliances you use only occasionally, such as a vacuum cleaner or hair dryer. Solar energy for an RV can come in a number of configurations, particularly if you are a do-it-yourselfer. A watt starter kit suitable for the roof of a standard RV might consist of four solar panels with wiring and an attached controller. Solar panels are generally similar in finished size, but the materials used in their solar cells can differ.

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The most popular solar cell material is crystalline silicon, makes up the two most popular types of solar cells:. Another type of solar cell is a thin-film solar cell TFSC , which looks great and can be made into flexible shapes, but currently is less efficient than crystalline silicon.

A charge controller sits between an energy source panels and energy storage batteries. The controller prevents overcharging by limiting the amount and rate of charge to your batteries and protects against drainage by shutting down if stored power falls below 50 percent capacity. Maximum Power Point Tracking MPPT controllers go a step further by optimizing the conversion of solar energy into the best voltage for your particular batteries, providing more and better power generation. The inverter turns the low-wattage DC power produced by solar panels and stored in batteries into AC power, which is the type of power used by most appliances.

Most RVs have at least one volt, lead-acid battery. For solar, add three more in parallel to provide — amp-hours AH of capacity. Alternatively, you could use 6-volt, golf-cart-style batteries; four of these, set up in series, provide AH of capacity. Lithium ion batteries are more expensive but are more efficient in storing energy, and they weigh half as much as lead-acid batteries. A watt system gathering sunlight for five hours a day can theoretically generate 2, watts. In reality, few days are percent sunny, and few systems are percent efficient, but a watt system can generate enough energy for daily appliance use for Weekend Warriors and Boondockers.

As a practical matter, a system of watts or more is ideal for an RVer, particularly if you are boondocking. Doubling the wattage will require four additional panels and one or two additional batteries, but your converter and inverter remain the same. You can buy solar panels at home improvement stores and online at Amazon, eBay and a number of other websites.

Solar power systems are often sold in kits, which include panels plus a system monitor, wiring and connectors. Kits may or may not include mounting gear, controller and inverter — check kit contents carefully, as you will need all these components. Pricing does not include installation. Some kits include wire, connectors and inverter. Most kits include a amp charge controller, which is excessive for small systems but gives you the option to add panels in the future without buying a new controller. An average generator burns one half-gallon of gas an hour; the average price of a gallon of gas in the U.

For instance, your batteries would need to be replaced after about five years of use. In reality, even if you have a good-sized solar energy rig, you likely will use a gas generator from time to time, particularly during rainy or cloudy periods, in order to maintain a charge in your batteries. If solar panels are your power-generating source, batteries are your power storage center. An RV typically has at least one volt battery, but you will need more; the number you need would be based on the amount of power you are generating from your solar panels.

There are three major battery technologies readily available on the market, and each has its pros and cons. Draining batteries to Absorbed Glass Mat battery technology uses plates, just like lead-acid batteries, but it adds a slim fiberglass mat saturated with battery acid between the plates and packs these internal components tightly.

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Lithium-ion batteries work on a different principle and use different chemicals than lead-acid and AGM batteries.