Has anyone put solar panels on their AXIS/VEGAS

[Mo_Mike]

We are planning on doing heavy boondocking (not really into the RV PARK idea) so are looking at solar to extend our batteries without running the generator...

Has anyone added solar panels to their VEGAS/AXIS? Looking at maybe four 100-150 watt flexible panels for the roof, but not sure if that would be worth it or just a waste of money..

[INKBLUE12]

Originally Posted by Mo_Mike

We are planning on doing heavy boondocking (not really into the RV PARK idea) so are looking at solar to extend our batteries without running the generator...

Has anyone added solar panels to their VEGAS/AXIS? Looking at maybe four 100-150 watt flexible panels for the roof, but not sure if that would be worth it or just a waste of money..

Talk to Brian Boone , Got Solar. Lots of great information and will give you great advice. Look for him on Facebook.

[TurnerFam]

I think solar is great as a secondary power for charging our batteries... but, living off-grid and expecting solar to ‘really’ be beneficial and financially frugal, you will need:

- enough batteries to sustain your electrical usage during much of the day, and much of the night
- enough solar panels/output to ‘fill’ your batteries within a set time
- enough ‘hours of sunshine’ each and every day for any of this to matter
- enough days without clouds and weather that inhibit the solar input
- enough consistent tilting of the panels in order to maximize solar input
- enough money to invest in such a system
- enough ‘room’ to store, carry and/or deploy the panels
- enough time ‘off-grid’ to warrant the investment
- enough time ‘off-generator’ to warrant the additional expense


I have 200w of solar and view the $300 investment as a way to offset generator usage and create more quiet time, but without a substantial output for 6 to 8 times more battery storage, 10 times more panel amperage, and 365 days off direct sun for 8 or more hours each of those days, I will always view it as a quiet ‘trickle charge’ for the battery bank - at least when there’s sunshine.


enjoy!

[jpmihalk]

Some good reading on the subject - search Google for "The 12V side of life" and read all of the comprehensive info there. Basically, he talks about a "power budget" (your daily usage of electricity) and how many batteries and what type you will need, plus then he gets into the solar discussion. With solar, you will want to overengineer to take into account rainy days and angles, permanent mount vs. portable, plus look at the types of controllers and the max input/output and how they manage the charge cycle. Much factors into the discussion.

If you just add solar to your roof with 2 original sealed lead acid batteries (maybe 100 Ah total) it is probably a waste of money.

[scrubjaysnest]

Click here for our solar install. http://www.thorforums.com/forums/f27...olar-5678.html

Click here for good info on dry camping with solar. RV Electrical

We added 2 100 watt panels to the roof. I can tilt them in 4 directions. Haven't up dated the link with pics yet.

[Bob Denman]

Originally Posted by TurnerFam

I think solar is great as a secondary power for charging our batteries... but, living off-grid and expecting solar to ‘really’ be beneficial and financially frugal, you will need:

- enough batteries to sustain your electrical usage during much of the day, and much of the night
- enough solar panels/output to ‘fill’ your batteries within a set time
- enough ‘hours of sunshine’ each and every day for any of this to matter
- enough days without clouds and weather that inhibit the solar input
- enough consistent tilting of the panels in order to maximize solar input
- enough money to invest in such a system
- enough ‘room’ to store, carry and/or deploy the panels
- enough time ‘off-grid’ to warrant the investment
- enough time ‘off-generator’ to warrant the additional expense

That's a whole of of "enoughs"...
But you sure gave us a lot of good things to consider!

[bolandd]

Originally Posted by Mo_Mike

We are planning on doing heavy boondocking (not really into the RV PARK idea) so are looking at solar to extend our batteries without running the generator...

Has anyone added solar panels to their VEGAS/AXIS? Looking at maybe four 100-150 watt flexible panels for the roof, but not sure if that would be worth it or just a waste of money..

We installed 400 watts with an MPPT controller ourselves. Upgraded the batteries and added a 2500 watt inverter and a battery monitor display. We boondock a majority of the time and this system has cut our generator time to nearly zero. We only run it for the convention oven or when we need air conditioning.

[Bob Denman]

Originally Posted by bolandd

We installed 400 watts with an MPPT controller ourselves. Upgraded the batteries and added a 2500 watt inverter and a battery monitor display. We boondock a majority of the time and this system has cut our generator time to nearly zero. We only run it for the convention oven or when we need air conditioning.

Did you buy the panels and controller as a kit, or did you track them down separately?