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  1. #11
    Long Hauler
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    Quote Originally Posted by wjpatter View Post
    These links are useful information but doesn't have enough detail to quantify the design. The shade calculators that I've looked at are for static configurations like a house but not a moving RV, plus I have a 10 degree down slope where I have the most shade free area to mount the panels. Facing North helps and facing South hurts. The tan/sunburn analogy is what I had expected but from the demonstrations from the below link, it looks more black and white. The output of a single cell dictates the performance of the string of cells. That violates my sensibility. I think the science project with portable panels is the only way I'm going to get data that I need for something on the roof. Thanks.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofo1HQyGG8s
    Right. The concepts are the same. If you are looking for as close to 100% direct sunlight, then you are looking at a mobile system that follows the sun. No mobile solar install, on an RV, is ever going to get "optimal" direct sunlight. You can optimize it a little bit by adding adjustable bases that adjust in all four directions. That also means that you will be you on your roof every hour to readjust each panel.

    The way in building my system, is approximately 1100 watts of solar feeding a 400, and eventually 600, amp hour of bank of batteries. Even if I'm in 50% shade I can still get a full charge on a 400 ahr battery bank in 8-10 hours. For me, I designed my system to be 40% more solar wattage than the minimum to charge a 400 ahr battery bank from 60% to full. If I sized my solar to 600 watts, it would take 8-10 hours to charge a 400 ahr battery bank from 60% to full, in direct sunlight; 10-14 hours (or longer) in partial shade or partial overcast. As a rule of thumb, the minimum wattage is 1.5 times the ahr of the battery bank. You can get away with less than that, but you system will struggle to keep up with the demand, unless you are very judicious in your electrical use.

    For me, shading was considered when I sized my panel wattage. My panels will be flat on the roof, even though the edges of the roof have a 2-3% grade (or curve). I've priced 195 watt panels as my least expensive solution for the most bang for my buck. I will have a little over 1100 watts of solar feeding a 400 ahr battery bank. That's 6 panels in parallel, going into one 150/100 MPPT charge controller, feeding the Multi Plus, then the batteries. I will have room for 2 more panels if we decide we need the extra 200 ahr in batteries. We have a Dometic refer, so I'm not trying to run a residential refer on the shoulder solar system.

    Again, I'm no expert, but I do have a background in electronic design, so please take what I wrote with a grain of salt and validate what I write on your own. I know others will chime in with their thoughts as well.

    If you don't feel completely comfortable with the concepts, math, and writing, I strongly recommend outsourcing the install.

    Sent from my phone using Tapatalk
    Mark & Mary. Full-timing across the USA (and Canada)!
    Current Coach: 2021 Grand Design Reflection 320MKS
    Current Rig: 2019 Ford F350 SD Crew Cab, w/8' box, Lariat, SRW, 6.7l Diesel

  2. #12
    Site Sponsor SolarPoweredRV's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by MoonShadow_1911 View Post
    Right. The concepts are the same. If you are looking for as close to 100% direct sunlight, then you are looking at a mobile system that follows the sun. No mobile solar install, on an RV, is ever going to get "optimal" direct sunlight. You can optimize it a little bit by adding adjustable bases that adjust in all four directions. That also means that you will be you on your roof every hour to readjust each panel.

    The way in building my system, is approximately 1100 watts of solar feeding a 400, and eventually 600, amp hour of bank of batteries. Even if I'm in 50% shade I can still get a full charge on a 400 ahr battery bank in 8-10 hours. For me, I designed my system to be 40% more solar wattage than the minimum to charge a 400 ahr battery bank from 60% to full. If I sized my solar to 600 watts, it would take 8-10 hours to charge a 400 ahr battery bank from 60% to full, in direct sunlight; 10-14 hours (or longer) in partial shade or partial overcast. As a rule of thumb, the minimum wattage is 1.5 times the ahr of the battery bank. You can get away with less than that, but you system will struggle to keep up with the demand, unless you are very judicious in your electrical use.

    For me, shading was considered when I sized my panel wattage. My panels will be flat on the roof, even though the edges of the roof have a 2-3% grade (or curve). I've priced 195 watt panels as my least expensive solution for the most bang for my buck. I will have a little over 1100 watts of solar feeding a 400 ahr battery bank. That's 6 panels in parallel, going into one 150/100 MPPT charge controller, feeding the Multi Plus, then the batteries. I will have room for 2 more panels if we decide we need the extra 200 ahr in batteries. We have a Dometic refer, so I'm not trying to run a residential refer on the shoulder solar system.

    Again, I'm no expert, but I do have a background in electronic design, so please take what I wrote with a grain of salt and validate what I write on your own. I know others will chime in with their thoughts as well.

    If you don't feel completely comfortable with the concepts, math, and writing, I strongly recommend outsourcing the install.

    Sent from my phone using Tapatalk
    I agree with what MoonShadow said.

    I also think a lot of time, energy, research and worry is going into the wrong part of the system.

    The truth is that your Solar panels can be the lowest cost part of your system if you focus on buying Residential Solar panels and not on the 100 to 200 Watt 12v Renogy (Grape Solar Newpowa) panels available from Amazon. Recently I did a Google search for 325 watt solar panels and I found a really good Canadian Solar panel available for $0.59 cents per watt, that is less than $200 !!!! (think about that number for a minute, that is 61% more wattage than your typical 200 watt panel for the same [or less] price). Put two of these panels on your roof and if that isn't enough, add two more panels and call it done.

    Shading is not going to be as big problem if you have a good amount of Solar Wattage on the roof. MoonShadow's recommendation of 1.5 times your battery amperage sounds like a good place to start, my recommendation is to place as many high quality panels (meaning Residential panels) as your wallet and roof space allow (within reason).

    Here is the bottom line: you want a system that meets your needs that is simple and reliable to operate. Consequentially, you don't want to wind up with a ground deployed system that can barely fill your battery bank in 8 hours, only if you move the panels every two hours (miss a move and your furnace won't make it through the night). You want to remember that you are out camping to enjoy your self and not to babysit a couple of ground deployed Solar panels (or your whole system for that matter). The more Wattage on your roof the less you need to worry about shading (shading is going to happen regardless of how and where you place your panels).
    David and Peggy
    2019 Ford F350 Lariat, 6.7L Diesel, Dually, Long Bed
    Running with 20k Reese Goosebox (Love It) and Ford Factory "Puck" system.
    Stopping with 8,000 lb Disc Brakes and Titan Hydraulic over Electric Brakes system.
    Powering all this fun with 1200 Watts of Solar, two Tesla, Model S, battery modules, 24 volt Victron Inverter.
    2018 Solitude 310 GK

  3. #13
    Seasoned Camper
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    I was told on this forum you couldn't use residential solar panels on a RV. I asked because I have LG 325w panels on my house and they work great!
    2024 Ford F350 CCSB Lariat 7.3 4.30
    Sold- 2022 F150 Lariat 4x4
    Sold - 2020 Ford F350 Tremor 7.3 4.30
    Sold - 2020 GD Reflection 303RLS, 2019 GD Imagine 2250 RK

  4. #14
    Site Sponsor SolarPoweredRV's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by NASCAR9 View Post
    I was told on this forum you couldn't use residential solar panels on a RV. I asked because I have LG 325w panels on my house and they work great!
    I don't know why (or who) you were told that.

    I have four Canadian Solar, 305 Watt, (Residential) panels on our rig and they are working fantastically !!!

    No problems with mounting or operation at all.

    A Solar panel is a Solar panel, they convert Sunshine into energy, some just do it cheaper and more efficiently.

    I recommend Residential Solar panels for price and performance.
    David and Peggy
    2019 Ford F350 Lariat, 6.7L Diesel, Dually, Long Bed
    Running with 20k Reese Goosebox (Love It) and Ford Factory "Puck" system.
    Stopping with 8,000 lb Disc Brakes and Titan Hydraulic over Electric Brakes system.
    Powering all this fun with 1200 Watts of Solar, two Tesla, Model S, battery modules, 24 volt Victron Inverter.
    2018 Solitude 310 GK

  5. #15
    Long Hauler
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    Quote Originally Posted by SolarPoweredRV View Post
    I don't know why (or who) you were told that.

    I have four Canadian Solar, 305 Watt, (Residential) panels on our rig and they are working fantastically !!!

    No problems with mounting or operation at all.

    A Solar panel is a Solar panel, they convert Sunshine into energy, some just do it cheaper and more efficiently.

    I recommend Residential Solar panels for price and performance.
    The only reason I can come up with is a single panel weights more... But that same single panel produces more power, so...???

    Sent from my phone using Tapatalk
    Mark & Mary. Full-timing across the USA (and Canada)!
    Current Coach: 2021 Grand Design Reflection 320MKS
    Current Rig: 2019 Ford F350 SD Crew Cab, w/8' box, Lariat, SRW, 6.7l Diesel

  6. #16
    Site Sponsor SolarPoweredRV's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by MoonShadow_1911 View Post
    The only reason I can come up with is a single panel weights more... But that same single panel produces more power, so...???

    Sent from my phone using Tapatalk
    You can usually find out the efficiency of the Solar panel you are considering for purchase. In most cases the Residential Solar panel will be more efficient, giving you more energy for less weight.

    Additionally, the Residential panels will have the newest technology and the best features. For example: My Canadian Solar panels produce 11% more energy in low irradiance than standard Solar panels, a feature I consider very useful, considering all the opportunities for shading and cloudy days when RVing.
    David and Peggy
    2019 Ford F350 Lariat, 6.7L Diesel, Dually, Long Bed
    Running with 20k Reese Goosebox (Love It) and Ford Factory "Puck" system.
    Stopping with 8,000 lb Disc Brakes and Titan Hydraulic over Electric Brakes system.
    Powering all this fun with 1200 Watts of Solar, two Tesla, Model S, battery modules, 24 volt Victron Inverter.
    2018 Solitude 310 GK

  7. #17
    Seasoned Camper treeofliberty's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by MoonShadow_1911 View Post
    For me, shading was considered when I sized my panel wattage. My panels will be flat on the roof, even though the edges of the roof have a 2-3% grade (or curve). I've priced 195 watt panels as my least expensive solution for the most bang for my buck. I will have a little over 1100 watts of solar feeding a 400 ahr battery bank. That's 6 panels in parallel, going into one 150/100 MPPT charge controller, feeding the Multi Plus, then the batteries. I will have room for 2 more panels if we decide we need the extra 200 ahr in batteries. We have a Dometic refer, so I'm not trying to run a residential refer on the shoulder solar system.
    MoonShadow, consider series and parallel, which is a conversion I just did for our 4 panel array. It raises the voltage and lowers the amps, giving the MPPT more to work with in low light and traveling along the 12v cable more efficiently. 3x2 series/parallel would be awesome. I am getting very good results from our change.
    2017 Reflection 29RS, towed by 2013 F-350 Diesel King Ranch, Crew Cab, short Bed, with Andersen Ultimate 2 Hitch
    540w Solar, 4x6 Trojan T105's, MS2812 Magnum Energy inverter, Bogart Engineering TM-2030-RV and SC-2030
    WeBoost 4G-M cell booster, DirecTV portable

  8. #18
    Gone Traveling
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    Solar cell and panel technologies are constantly evolving and improving.

  9. #19
    Seasoned Camper
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    If indeed the OP is using a Renogy DCC50S and does not want to change it out, any reference to use residential or running the panels in series will not work with that MPPT.

    There are advantages of running panels in parallel. Shading is one of them. In the end, there is little that you can do but to research what you want, figure out if that works with what you got, and understand that any advice may not work with what you want and have. Otherwise you will purchase residential panels/run panels in series and wonder why your DCC50S is no longer working.

    It does take a lot of time to research what you want before you start buying any components. Otherwise, you could paint yourself in a corner because of limitations of the components you have purchased.

  10. #20
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    Quote Originally Posted by MoonShadow_1911 View Post
    The only reason I can come up with is a single panel weights more... But that same single panel produces more power, so...???

    Sent from my phone using Tapatalk
    Two reasons for using 200 watt rv panels. First there is more room to walk around them. Second the rv panels have heavier soldered joints to resist vibrations. Residential panels are never subjected to being shaken while riding down the road.
    Ray & Flo
    2021 Silverado 3500HD DRW
    2021 Solitude GK345-R
    Morryde IS & Disc Brakes
    Solar System. 8 100 AH Lithium batteries, 12 200 watt panels, Victron 3000 watt inverter, Smart Shunt, Cerbo, & 2 MPPT Charger/Controllers
    Travel 6 months each year

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