Solar- size?

[TurnerFam]

remember this, as part of your thought process, and financial consideration, as well:

it's great to feel like having 300w of solar is better than 200w, but you also have to remember that what you can 'store' is also important - hence, more batteries.

here's why:
if you have good sun hours, and your 300w of panels is bringing in around 15amps of charge to your batteries, you may find that your battery bank is filled rather quickly. That sounds great, on the surface, but the fact is you are losing all the additional solar amps because you don't have anywhere to store them - the solar panels are thereby 'wasting' amps because they have no where to go.

More batteries might be a better option, versus more panels, or watts.

[Long & Winding road]

Originally Posted by TurnerFam

remember this, as part of your thought process, and financial consideration, as well:

it's great to feel like having 300w of solar is better than 200w, but you also have to remember that what you can 'store' is also important - hence, more batteries.

here's why:
if you have good sun hours, and your 300w of panels is bringing in around 15amps of charge to your batteries, you may find that your battery bank is filled rather quickly. That sounds great, on the surface, but the fact is you are losing all the additional solar amps because you don't have anywhere to store them - the solar panels are thereby 'wasting' amps because they have no where to go.

More batteries might be a better option, versus more panels, or watts.

This is true but I figured on cloudy days or with partial sun (Trees) I would be lucky to get half that amount plus I don’t plan on tilting in the winter. So I think 300 would be perfect for me right now.

But I agree with you - way pay more for something that you cannot untilize fully.

[Bob Denman]

Originally Posted by Long & Winding road

Same here, no link. Amazon - search for Newpowa 175 watt.

Little larger than 100 watt but not by much.

http://www.thorforums.com/forums/att...1&d=1533938432

[Long & Winding road]

Yeah, I been eye balling that 175 watt panel for 8 mo or more. Just have not pulled the trigger. But the 150 watt is cheaper and two of them should be more than enough for me plus looks like better reviews on Amazon.

Looks like that 175 watt is Polly not Mono like the site says. The reviews talk about that.

[Metalman]

I just purchased a 100 watt solar panel from Amazon. It is well built with a very rugged frame. It's intended use will be primarily for amateur radio. However, I might use is as a means of keeping the coach batteries charged during storage. I have a disconnect for the batteries and have replace the flooded wet cell batteries with the AGM type. The only solar charge controllers I have seen are rated in amperes. Mine (also purchased at Amazon) is rated at 20 amperes.

[Bob Denman]

Originally Posted by Long & Winding road

Yeah, I been eye balling that 175 watt panel for 8 mo or more. Just have not pulled the trigger. But the 150 watt is cheaper and two of them should be more than enough for me plus looks like better reviews on Amazon.

Looks like that 175 watt is Polly not Mono like the site says. The reviews talk about that.

Have you "gone solar" yet?
I've got the Missus talked into it: but she holds the "When it'll happen" card...
(eyeballing a pair of the 175s, and an MPPT controller...)

[clev]

Well, I may be in the minority because I do use mine frequently. In most State parks in WY, MT, NM, CO,......, they don’t have hook up’s, and quiet time after ~10:00 local. It’s usually cool at high altitudes and I have no need to run a generator except.........., to charge my 6 batteries. With my 600 watts, on this last one month trip, everything worked great and is coming together, and the solar did it’s job.

[Diemaster]

i was going to get a 500w system. ~300 to run the fridge on electric and the leftover to keep the batteries charged.

[Dilley-Dilley]

If you’re doing it to maintain batteries that’s different than trying to rely on it for an alternative energy source. Solar can maintain and increase the useful life of your house batteries. Another nice benefit of solar is that it can keep your engine battery charged if not hooked up to shore power while being stored. It doesn’t take much to suck the life out of your engine battery while in storage. If all you’re trying to do is keep your batteries charged up while not in use then one panel will probably do it. My advice would be to get something that can be easily expanded in the future if necessary. If you decide in the future to expand the system to provide power for inverter connected devices then you’ll want to consider adding at least two more house batteries to provide more stored power.

[TurnerFam]

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Originally Posted by dilley-dilley

if you’re doing it to maintain batteries that’s different than trying to rely on it for an alternative energy source. [very true]

solar can maintain and increase the useful life of your house batteries.[not sure what 'increase the useful life of your batteries' means as it is simply recharging them as any other power source, such as the alternator, shore power, or generator, would.]

...
If you decide in the future to expand the system to provide power for inverter connected devices then you’ll want to consider adding at least two more house batteries to provide more stored power.[a good idea, as most folks don't realize that just 'receiving' solar amps is not the only end game, it's where to store it in order to have it when you need it!]

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[Dilley-Dilley]

Originally Posted by TurnerFam

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By maintain and increase the useful life I mean that your house batteries will last longer before needing replacement if you keep them properly charged. The only time the generator, alternator or shore power are charging your batteries is when those charging sources are being utilized. If you have your MH in a storage facility that doesn’t have hookups then your batteries are not being charged while being stored. Also, within two months of getting our MH the engine battery was dead on arrival from some undetermined draw. That won’t happen anymore. I see many people who even try to keep their engine battery charged in storage by a simple solar panel on their dashboard that they remove when underway. That’s an option as well. Lastly, with these residential refrigerators they install in our MH’s these days a small solar system can keep it running once the desired temperature is reached. I know there are a lot of solar haters and deniers out there but that’s a personal choice. Personally I’m not one of those that cares about competing for size. I am more the type that looks for convenience and functionality. Solar isn’t for everyone but it’s definitely got its advantages.