Are SOLAR PANELS really worth the hassle?

[Bob Denman]

But it sure got you hooked: didn't it?

[Chance]

Originally Posted by taylorbob1

I realize that we’re drifting off-topic, but I wanted to add that my first RV experience was in 1970 as a teenager.
My parents owned a ’70 - Champion
It had an underpowered 318 Dodge chassis
No dash AC
No roof AC
It was truly a “hot metal box”

Exactly, many people camped without A/C and generators, and still do. Practically all tent campers make do without, and in Europe where it’s generally a little cooler most motorhomes don’t have A/C or generators. And many of those don’t have microwaves either, so electricity requirements are very low.

I know quite a few van owners who camp without A/C or generators by avoiding summer heat. It’s a choice made easier for them with solar to power refrigerators, pump, lights, fans, and electronic gadgets.

By the way, I’m spoiled and need my A/C so for now depend on shore power or small inverter generator. In the future I want a high-capacity battery bank, and solar won’t be enough to charge it anyway.


P.S. — I agree thread is drifting off topic, but adds badly-needed context to a subject matter that is not black and white.

[Porkchop]

Not an RV story BUT=I am a retired electrical engineer. We have lived in the same place for over 40 years. Raised 3 kids here. 2800 sq ft, 100 year old farm house. IF I had installed solar on the place the first year and had 0 problems or equipment failures EVER we would have started to get "FREE" electricity last summer. That's in south central Nebraska. I found better ways to invest our money. Therefore we were able to afford retirement at 55, and enjoy the rv lifestyle. Again without solar. YEMV

Bill

[gmc]

Originally Posted by RACarvalho

I think I'm missing something on the storage argument...
Where I live 4-5 months of the year my boats and RV where in storage and my batteries would never discharge during that time and I never had it on trickle charge , just turn off the battery disconnect ...
Am I missing something on Motorhomes? (Its my first MH)

Originally Posted by lwmcguire

What seems to catch most folks off guard on the motor homes is the disconnect switch on most is for the chassis batteries. The house batteries typically dont have one due to a few items that many like to leave powered up. That leads to battery banks being depleted and therefor the use of solar to maintain them.

Actually current coaches have the disconnect on House/Coach - and not on the chassis/engine battery...
My 2000 Infinity had both a chassis and house disconnect, and spent winter in Michigan without power, under snow/ice with no issues... Easily could sit 2-3 months in that state.

My current Hurricane doesn’t have a chassis disconnect, but the house is still a complete disconnect.
If I didn’t have power nearby, I would have installed a chassis disconnect. The chassis can still sit for weeks...

Many find their house disconnects aren’t ‘complete’ - still leaving a parasitic draw... To me it is mis-wired, as there is by definition no one in the RV when in Store, and no source of ignition, so no need for any detectors, etc to be powered...
Easily fixed by adding a manual disconnect...

[lwmcguire]

Originally Posted by gmc

Actually current coaches have the disconnect on House/Coach - and not on the chassis/engine battery...
My 2000 Infinity had both a chassis and house disconnect, and spent winter in Michigan without power, under snow/ice with no issues... Easily could sit 2-3 months in that state.

My current Hurricane doesn’t have a chassis disconnect, but the house is still a complete disconnect.
If I didn’t have power nearby, I would have installed a chassis disconnect. The chassis can still sit for weeks...

Many find their house disconnects aren’t ‘complete’ - still leaving a parasitic draw... To me it is mis-wired, as there is by definition no one in the RV when in Store, and no source of ignition, so no need for any detectors, etc to be powered...
Easily fixed by adding a manual disconnect...

Interesting as most class A coaches are just the opposite. The switch by the door closes or opens the solenoid but that isn't a battery disconnect and catches many people by surprise. It does disconnect the battery banks and a number of items but don't completely disconnect the batteries.

The disconnect that is a true disconnect shuts off the Chassis batteries

[taylorbob1]

These types of disconnects have been discussed on the Forum.
Both can be found on Amazon.

[Bob Denman]

I've got the bayonet disconnects on both input and output ground cables. The batteries are good for a Month; before they need some juice.

[Pete'sMH]

I used a disconnect for years but one time this year the slide wouldn’t go out. Finally (finally!) traced it to corrosion in the disconnect. I’d read 12V just fine but it wouldn’t carry the current needed by the full wall slide. Argh. That’s when I decided to just add solar and skip the disconnect.

[Yaktop]

Originally Posted by Porkchop

Not an RV story BUT=I am a retired electrical engineer. We have lived in the same place for over 40 years. Raised 3 kids here. 2800 sq ft, 100 year old farm house. IF I had installed solar on the place the first year and had 0 problems or equipment failures EVER we would have started to get "FREE" electricity last summer. That's in south central Nebraska. I found better ways to invest our money. Therefore we were able to afford retirement at 55, and enjoy the rv lifestyle. Again without solar. YEMV

Bill

Payed off the investment in five years. No electrical in last six, check for about $250 a quarter for four more years. And continued free electric. Then i’ll probably need a converter replacement. Good deal for me.

[ducksface]

Originally Posted by Yaktop

Payed off the investment in five years. No electrical in last six, check for about $250 a quarter for four more years. And continued free electric. Then i’ll probably need a converter replacement. Good deal for me.

The average person owns a home for 7 years.
That means they got back their money in five and saved a bit for two. That's ok
But:
I've NEVER HEARD of a five year payback ever.

You're a needle in a haystack.

[Yaktop]

Originally Posted by ducksface

The average person owns a home for 7 years.
That means they got back their money in five and saved a bit for two. That's ok
But:
I've NEVER HEARD of a five year payback ever.

You're a needle in a haystack.

Fed tax credit and Mass srecs. 👍

[GordSanClemente]

Payback on solar can vary wildly based on a couple of items...

Where are you? Further north, less power. Days of clear days etc.

What is your price per KW? Some parts of the country have cheap power, others... not so much.

My buddy in Hawaii ended up below 5 years. That is why you see so many there.
Even our condo complex(in Hawaii) purchased solar for the common use areas. You know they looked at the payback pretty hard when you have to justify.

[Yaktop]

Originally Posted by GordSanClemente

Payback on solar can vary wildly based on a couple of items...

Where are you? Further north, less power. Days of clear days etc.

What is your price per KW? Some parts of the country have cheap power, others... not so much.

My buddy in Hawaii ended up below 5 years. That is why you see so many there.
Even our condo complex(in Hawaii) purchased solar for the common use areas. You know they looked at the payback pretty hard when you have to justify.

Southern Massachusetts. Between the 30% Federal tax credit and the State Srecs this proved fruitful for us. With subsidy it would had been many years to break even but costs have come down a lot. Everyone needs to figure out there own but I wouldn't lease funder any circumstances for myself.

[Dilley Dilley]

Originally Posted by The Mr Beaumont

Like many, I have the solar prep kit but am unsure if installing the solar panels is worth the hassle. I will have the batteries on a battery maintainer when it isn't being used at home. If I'm on the road, I will be plugged in, driving or using the APU. The last three scenarios will be charging the batteries anyway if I understand correctly.

If I am boondocking without the APU or engine generator, will the solar panels keep up with the electrical withdraw. Most of that would be at night when using the lights which is when solar is no good anyway.

From the way you initially ask your question it sounds like you already made your determination that solar is a hassle And that you would be using other electrical sources anyway. If that’s the case then you’ve answered your own question. But, then when you explain your boondocking scenario there is a major flaw in your scenario. You need to consider solar as a house battery charging system. You are not going to be drawing power directly from the solar panels to the electrical items you are using. The solar provides the charge and the batteries are where the electricity is stored for use. Depending on how many house batteries one has and what electrical appliances are wired through the DC/AC inverter that will determine what you can accomplish. During the daytime when electricity is being used the solar is charging the batteries as electricity is being drawn out of them at the same time. Depending on the size of your solar and the size of your battery bank will determine if you have enough residual energy in the batteries to make it through the night. So if that sounds like too much of a hassle then I guess boondocking is out.

[MLP]

Originally Posted by EA37TS

If you like the smell of the sweaty body lying next to you in 95 degree heat use solar and not the generator running AC.

I hope you are a woman talking about your man and not a man talking about your woman!

Now purchased solar panels from the previous owner. Will be putting them on later this year. They will keep the house and starter batteries topped off in storage even when disconnected with the house auto disconnect switch and the starter batteries manual switch. That is the way the previous owner had it set up. It is for storage that, since solar controller was already wired, I purchased the solar panels very cheep from him. The panels are 190W each and I have four. Boon docking I have only done once with my old fifth wheel. But cheep to install so why not.

[Bill Johnson]

Originally Posted by Bob Denman

It really does depend upon your individual needs.
I will be adding a 350 watt kit that uses a pair of 175 watt flexible panels, and a 40 amp MPPT controller...
But there are other items ahead of it on the "Wish-List".

I just bought a new Thor ace 33.1. Anyone know where the controller is on this unit? I called Thor to find out many things about my motorhome and their tech didn't know anything. Low point drain on my motorhome I'm guessing is the outside shower. If I can find the solar controller I'll let everyone know how the solar works. My batteries were low when they tried to show me auto level even though the motorhome had been sitting in the sun for months. It came with one 100 watt panel on the roof

[TurnerFam]

does it even HAVE solar?

[TurnerFam]

with a single 100w solar panel, it might not even NEED any controller, though if it has one, it's probably right with the House Batteries, which it is attached to in order to charge them.

a single 100w panel is not going to go far in 'charging' the batteries, even with full sun - but it will help just a 'tiny' bit - just don't 'over expect' - it's not going to 'run' anything in the RV, either, it's only to help 'trickle charge' the batteries.

[Bill Johnson]

Originally Posted by TurnerFam

with a single 100w solar panel, it might not even NEED any controller, though if it has one, it's probably right with the House Batteries, which it is attached to in order to charge them.

a single 100w panel is not going to go far in 'charging' the batteries, even with full sun - but it will help just a 'tiny' bit - just don't 'over expect' - it's not going to 'run' anything in the RV, either, it's only to help 'trickle charge' the batteries.

I was reading about a month ago that a 100 watt panel only puts out about 70 watts. Thor said I had a 30 amp controller somewhere. I looked down by the batteries and didn't see anything but the hydraulics for the levelers and two batteries and two large fuses

[Striderking]

Using solar panels when shore power is not available is a good choice. I use a portable system so I don’t have to climb on top of the RV and adjust the panels every few hours. Plus I like to park in the shade as much as I can. Several companies sell folding dual panels and I would recommend no less than 100 watts. Solar charging during the day helps to recharge usage at night. I also went a step farther and replace my wet cells with lithium nickel batteries. Very pricey but well worth it. Less than half the weight and last 4x longer on a charge.

QUOTE=The Mr Beaumont;251415]Like many, I have the solar prep kit but am unsure if installing the solar panels is worth the hassle. I will have the batteries on a battery maintainer when it isn't being used at home. If I'm on the road, I will be plugged in, driving or using the APU. The last three scenarios will be charging the batteries anyway if I understand correctly.

If I am boondocking without the APU or engine generator, will the solar panels keep up with the electrical withdraw. Most of that would be at night when using the lights which is when solar is no good anyway.[/QUOTE]