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Thread: Solar panels

  1. #11
    Left The Driveway
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    We have a pretty basic set-up; 90 Watt, roof-mounted solar panel, 2 6V Golf cart batteries, Renogy Solar controller and modified sine inverter. We usually boondock, don't watch TV and are pretty conservative on electric use. This past summer we camped (boondocked) for over 7 weeks and never started our generator. Your needs may differ and, as BB&LAB pointed out, you'll need to determine your needs first. We're very happy with our setup, but I would recommend getting a true sine inverter so you can use delicate electronics. As I mentioned, our controller is from Renogy and they really stand behind their products.

  2. #12
    Long Hauler DaveMatthewsBand's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by fritz27 View Post
    We have a pretty basic set-up; 90 Watt, roof-mounted solar panel, 2 6V Golf cart batteries, Renogy Solar controller and modified sine inverter. We usually boondock, don't watch TV and are pretty conservative on electric use. This past summer we camped (boondocked) for over 7 weeks and never started our generator. Your needs may differ and, as BB&LAB pointed out, you'll need to determine your needs first. We're very happy with our setup, but I would recommend getting a true sine inverter so you can use delicate electronics. As I mentioned, our controller is from Renogy and they really stand behind their products.
    You haven’t posted in over 2 years, where ya been Fritz?


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    Resistance is Not Futile, It's Voltage Divided by Current.


  3. #13
    Fireside Member billdean's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by ncitro View Post
    I put 1,200 watts on my roof. I got the panes fromContinuous Resources, six 200 watt panels. The rest I got from AMSolar. I got the Victron charge controller. I have their battery monitor was really impressed with it, so I though5 I would give their controller a try. It’s been great. I got the 150/100 unit so I could add a few more panels down the road if I wanted to. I put my inverter in a few years ago, so it’s my only non Victron piece, it’s a Magnum and does everything I throw at it, but it would be nice if it tied together with the rest.

    Let me know if you have any questions, i had a great time doing the install and I am really happy with how it turned out.

    I too have 5 200 watt panels from Continuous Resources. They are excellent, and $168.00 shipped to your door. I am extremely happy with them. I have them combined with a Trimetric Battery Monitor and 2 in parallel Trimetric charge controllers. System works excellent!
    2020 Dodge Ram 3500 Cummings Diesel
    2020 Momentum 320g
    Magnum 3000 Watt Inverter/Charger, RC-50 Remote, 1200 Watts Solar, Morningstar TriStar 60 Amp MPPT Solar Charge Controller With Remote Digital Meter

  4. #14
    Seasoned Camper
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    I’ve had a 200 watt Renogy system on mine for three years. Been working great.
    Jerry & Jeanine
    2016 Ram 3500 MegaCab Diesel
    2014 Reflection 293RES (sold)
    2020 Reflection 303RLS

  5. #15
    Seasoned Camper
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    Quote Originally Posted by Vlad SVT View Post
    Which battery monitor do you recommend?
    Two that I have used and experience with are these https://www.solar-electric.com/bogar...y-monitor.html & https://www.solar-electric.com/victr...y-monitor.html

    I had installed the Bogart Trimetric in two previous rigs and then went with the Victron in our Solitude 310-GK. Both are excellent monitors and perform well. Of the two I prefer the Victron because it in addition to a digital display it uses bluetooth and a smartphone app, so you can view the data anywhere within or around your rig, while the Bogart pretty much requires you to mount the display within your living space (you don't have to but you but easier) and then you have to go to it's location to read the data. The other advantage for the Victron for a first timer is it an easier more straight forward install, not that the Bogart is terribly difficult. Otherwise you can't go wrong with either one.
    Regards, Bruce, Lin An, Kenji & Suki (Our two Akitas)
    2019 Solitude 310GK-R
    2015 Ram 3500 Big Horn CC, TD, Aisin Tranny, DRW

  6. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by BB&LAB View Post
    Before making any solar panel and controller purchases, you first need to define your needs. Do you boondock and if so how much? This will come into play because if you do not boondock, you really do not need a solar set-up, on the other hand if you boondock often then a solar set-up will be of significant benefit. Next, you should do an energy audit to determine your energy usage and requirements in terms of amps and how many days you typically need or want to go before needing to charge the batteries when solar output is poor or non-existent, this will indicate how much battery capacity you require. Then you determine solar output requirement for the size battery bank you have determined. But your first purchase should be a quality battery monitor which you will need down the line, but in the interim, will give you a real world picture of how much energy you are consuming. Taking these steps will get you significantly closer to correctly sizing your battery bank and solar array, so you start off with a system which if not exactly right is close and not over spending on panels and batteries. The mistake I often see in solar installs is not taking these steps which inevitably leads to disappointment to an under performing system, or having too much for their need, thus spending more $$$ than needed. Too often I hear folks saying "I have X- amount space on my roof to fill with panels and do so without regard to whether that is actually required or not. Taking these steps takes a bit of time, but well worth it, especially considering no matter what size system you put in place solar is expensive, so why spend more than you need. Better to start out closer to your determined need and find you need to add more battery or panels later.
    We don't boondock much, however, you might need solar to keep your batteries up during storage. We bought a 100w Grape Solar panel from Home Depot, a smart controller off of Amazon and I am very happy with the outcome. For $160 we can keep the batteries up with no worries, BTW I do have a second battery shut off, but over 50 years and $1000s of dollars spent on batteries for RVs, MCs, equipment, ect I have found a smart charging system to be WAY more cost effective than replacing batteries do to a shortened life. I also use EDTA in my batteries and get 7-8 years out of my Gold Wing, FZ1 and car/truck batteries.

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