Thor Forums

[TurnerFam]

bigben, good information. You added the other 'element' to a more overall 'off grid' power system: some solar.
We invested in two 100w panels and controller before we jumped into our journey to Alaska, mostly Canada, of course, but also MT, ID, UT, and CO before back to GA.

My thought is that the solar is to minimize generator run time. 200w was a good start - cost effective at $300, panels are not too large or heavy, not too difficult to carry/store, and a minimal wiring size run to the batteries, placing the controller in the battery bay.
With Alaska and the northern Canada provinces having 20hours of 'solar sun' on many days during the summer months, it made sense and I felt like, with my calculations and 'guesstimates', it would offset the cost of the savings in diesel generator fuel during that time.

Our experience was different than 'expected', though what's to be expected is really just a 'best case scenario' to begin with. Every overnight was NOT dry-camping, which I knew would not be the case since I wasn't taking this journey by myself, but with the wife and teens, and sometimes you just need to 're charge' yourself, not just the batteries! A laundry option goes a long way to satisfying the wife, and not hearing the generator can be a nice benefit, as well. Quiet. Water to fill the tank, and a sewer outlet also are important.
In a 60 day journey, we probably dry-camped overnight 25 of those, in various place and situations, not all 'beautiful' creek-side pullouts, as some were parking lots. But, the effect is the same - hoping that the solar will cut back generator time.

Oh, and many of us forget, at least as part of the equation, that the alternator is charging the batteries while we are driving, so you can effectively remove that 'time' each day from your concerns, mostly.

Now, remember that while Solar 'seems' very beneficial, and it can be at certain times, we don't 'live' by solar. Meaning, air conditioning is not going to be run by solar power, or sometimes even the microwave and coffee maker... those are for the generator. So, if you are running the generator for these items, for some time period, at various times throughout the afternoon, evening, or morning, you are effectively 'pausing' any Solar incoming 'help' because your Generator is now charging your batteries.

In effective, Solar is a hard 'real benefit' to grasp. It can 'seem' nice, and beneficial, and yet when the numbers are crunched, and you look at how 'real life' is had, it may be more of a 'feel good' purchase, than a 'real' benefit to your power sources you already have access to.

When it all comes down to the fine print, I believe that, for most RVrs, Solar is a clean and quiet source of recharging the batteries, but for much less 'benefit' than we might think. It's really a way to 'put off' the frequency the generator runs to keep us 'running'.

Do it, if it feels good. Otherwise, it's no great loss if you don't. Your generator is well designed to run many, many thousands of hours - it's not looking for a break.