RV Solar Questions

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kazuaki

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So, I'm looking to install solar ony 5th wheel this summer. Last summer I upgraded my 4 door fridge with a 12v compressor cooling unit. I also replaced my 4 6V batteries with a pair of 206AH lithium batteries. My charger/inverter is a Magnum Energy MS2000. The battery capacity is awesome, but running the gen to charge them sucks. I'll still run the gen occasionally and for the microwave and AC.  I want the solar to have more than enough power to keep the batteries topped off during the day. Our inverter is usually powering a large TV, and Directv DVR, plus all the normal crap you charge and use all day. 

So, I'm looking at a 400-600W system, but that's just kind of a guess. I'm not trying to eliminate generator use, just keep it to a minimum and mostly when I need it for high demand items. You guys think 400W is plenty? 

I see the Renogy has kits that come with most of what you need. I know from research that the charge controller should be MPPT. I'm not sure how the Renogy charge controller is, but I really like the Victron products and their phone interface with all the settings available. Should I consider just piecing a system together, so I can get the Victron controller? If so, how do I know what panels are worth a damn? Any advice you guys have would be appreciated. 

 
Give it a few, there are quite a few people on here that know what you need,  I think you can't overdue  the  wattage, I think a 800-1200w system would cover all your bases, basically 3 x 400w panels. 

 
Wow, 800-1200 seems like a lot for an RV. Not sure I could afford that. I guess anything is better than nothing :)

 
Seems like you've spent good money on the rest of your electrical system, why go cheap on the part that is going to close the loop for you?

 
@kazuaki got your DM on IG. I'll send you the guys info that has done a few systems for friends and clients. Really knows his stuff. He did a HUGE system on my buddies pusher and then designed and installed another on his house.

The 640watt system on my pusher was from socaldmax but I don't think he's on here now. Really happy with it. 

 
Thanks guys.  I had a talk with Steve tonight and think I have a game plan. I'm trying to decide between 650 and 975 watts now (2 or 3 panels).  Of course more is better, but it will require a larger charge controller, which is a bunch more money.  Just not sure I'll make use of that much power. I'll update once I make a decision.

 
kazuaki said:
Thanks guys.  I had a talk with Steve tonight and think I have a game plan. I'm trying to decide between 650 and 975 watts now (2 or 3 panels).  Of course more is better, but it will require a larger charge controller, which is a bunch more money.  Just not sure I'll make use of that much power. I'll update once I make a decision.
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Your inverter is big, and you have a good sized battery bank.  You could probably run your microwave and coffee pot off it at the same time on that alone.  Might be able to run one of your A/C units for a bit to take the edge off in the afternoon.

If you burn a few gallons of gas a day in the genny to recharge and run the A/C, how long before that cost makes up the difference the controller and extra panel cost?  Say you burn 3 gallons a day on the genny.  You go out for 3 day trips.  Currently that's around $60 a weekend to charge batteries...

 
I have 2 large residential panels on my motorhome and never have to run the generator to top off the batteries as long as the sun is out. The biggest cost is a quality controller and the wire. Make sure you get on your roof and verify that the panels you want will fit between the vents, ac units, etc.

 
kazuaki said:
Thanks guys.  I had a talk with Steve tonight and think I have a game plan. I'm trying to decide between 650 and 975 watts now (2 or 3 panels).  Of course more is better, but it will require a larger charge controller, which is a bunch more money.  Just not sure I'll make use of that much power. I'll update once I make a decision.
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Since you have a genny installed its not like you will ever get left hanging. I would do a couple glamis trips on the 2 panels and decide if you need to upgrade down the road. 

 
well for me i just run the generators. i have 400w of solar its great keeps the battery's up when parked usually enough to run the heat on cold nights and make coffee in the am. most of the time someone is at camp with the ac on which is charging the battery's. also have a 2000 , 3500 predator generator and a 6300 yamaha inverter gen. the all work great the 2000 is great to run just about everything except the ac 3500 for 1 AC the 6300 for both AC,s.. if this is mostly used in glamis there aren't that many weekends that you don't run the AC a few hrs a day so those weekends are the only ones that you really benefit from a large solar set up. with your fridge you might be using a bit more power thru out the night if you just add i more battery that would cover that and run the gen. for a little bit each day the lithium battery's do charge fast with that inverter. i also have a diesel pusher here no solar just doesn't make sense have 400ah of battery and the AGS running off the magnum 2800 when we camp here. We try to park the camper in the shade and all the campgrounds are heavily wooded so solar wouldn't work not to mention you usually have hookups in campgrounds. the only way i see solar as a real benefit is if you spent months a year living in the camper off grid not just long weekends 

 
Solar can be nice for storing your rig. Even if its normally on shore power. If you are out of town its nice to know everything can keep running if the power goes out. Or the breaker trips for some reason. During the summer i have 12v fans running constantly to keep the interior temps from skyrocketing inside the trailer. If i stored at a site like Dunes Edge i would keep an older battery hooked up with solar. Or just use the normal batteries. Depends how much load and how much you trust the setup. Would suck to drain down expensive lithiums on accident. Say a wire on the solar controller works loose. Show up to glamis to find dead batteries would not be fun. 

 
If you go the solar route for storing you could also setup wifi and cameras. Keep an eye on everything from 300 miles away. Your phone would buzz the second someone tried to steal it or break in. (depending how you have the cameras setup....of course you would get alerts from normal activity as well)

Activity at 2am would be worth a look.

 
Well, per usual, I'm probably going overboard.  I'll be picking up 3 - 327W SunPower panels this weekend.  I'm going to use a Victron SmartSolar 150/70 charge controller.  Should be more than enough for what I need.  The panels are large, but I've scoped it out and looks like I have the space. I'll post an update once I get started on the install.  This is going to make me wish I had a larger inverter to be able to run the AC, etc :)

 
kazuaki said:
Well, per usual, I'm probably going overboard.  I'll be picking up 3 - 327W SunPower panels this weekend.  I'm going to use a Victron SmartSolar 150/70 charge controller.  Should be more than enough for what I need.  The panels are large, but I've scoped it out and looks like I have the space. I'll post an update once I get started on the install.  This is going to make me wish I had a larger inverter to be able to run the AC, etc :)
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I have run this setup for a few years now.  You will be fine.  You were wise to not cheap out on the charge controller.

 
Keep in mind that Steves panels are BIG. I bought everything from him but haven't installed it yet. I can barely fit 2 panels on my roof.

 
kazuaki said:
Well, per usual, I'm probably going overboard.  I'll be picking up 3 - 327W SunPower panels this weekend.  I'm going to use a Victron SmartSolar 150/70 charge controller.  Should be more than enough for what I need.  The panels are large, but I've scoped it out and looks like I have the space. I'll post an update once I get started on the install.  This is going to make me wish I had a larger inverter to be able to run the AC, etc :)
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we will need that much power.  Great solar controller.  when you put the panels up there make sure they are not in any area that gets shade.  if even part of the panel is shaded it won't produce power. I have 1000w with the same controller.  I run 560 mah lipos with two magum inverters.   You will have to get into the settings of the Magum.  make sure you float charge is set to 14.4 volts and you should be setup great

 
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