Factory Solar and Generator - overkill?

[huntindog]

No matter where you go you will be somewhat near a store to replenish supplies.

Wanna bet?

[Xlsmle]

Wanna bet?

Really, u dont go by any stores on the way to your boondock? I would think most people who use rvs will be relatively near a store to get supplies every week or so. Sure you can find out of the way places that are really out there. In those situations you bring coolers, use dry ice, and 12 volt refers. I stand by not needing a residential refer for most rvers. Btw, i have used rvs for 36 years and camped for at least 50 yrs sometimes in areas way out there elk and deer hunting. Even in those situations, we found places to shop once ever 7-10 days.

[huntindog]

Really, u dont go by any stores on the way to your boondock? I would think most people who use rvs will be relatively near a store to get supplies every week or so. Sure you can find out of the way places that are really out there. In those situations you bring coolers, use dry ice, and 12 volt refers. I stand by not needing a residential refer for most rvers. Btw, i have used rvs for 36 years and camped for at least 50 yrs sometimes in areas way out there elk and deer hunting. Even in those situations, we found places to shop once ever 7-10 days.

I get as far away from people as I can, and stay out there as long as I can. Often over 3 weeks straight. We did the dry ice thing many years ago. Now we have a 18CF gas fridge, and will put up to 3, 5CF freezers in the garage. 1 for extra supplies and 2
for bringing home the meat after processing it in camp. The first one when it gets low can also double as game storage. We do not plan on seeing any stores etc. for the duration. It doesn't matter what the weather is, we can ride it out. We bring LOTS of gasoline, propane, water, and backup generators.

I work in a grocery store.... Why would I want to go to one when I am on vacation?

[Xlsmle]

I get as far away from people as I can, and stay out there as long as I can. Often over 3 weeks straight. We did the dry ice thing many years ago. Now we have a 18CF gas fridge, and will put up to 3, 5CF freezers in the garage. 1 for extra supplies and 2
for bringing home the meat after processing it in camp. The first one when it gets low can also double as game storage. We do not plan on seeing any stores etc. for the duration. It doesn't matter what the weather is, we can ride it out. We bring LOTS of gasoline, propane, water, and backup generators.

I work in a grocery store.... Why would I want to go to one when I am on vacation?

Obviously, you have a special situation I dont think most rvers fall in your situation so i stand by my comments for most rvers. Exceptions to general advice can always be found. Your is an ovious exception. Have fun!!!

[morgey1]

What a great and timely post. I am a part timer and newer to RV'ing. My first season, last season, was my first. This season we're leaving in February and will be out 9 months. My husband and I work full time out of our rig while we're out. We are in the stage of determining our solar set up and have spent countless hours researching and will be pulling the trigger tomorrow morning.

This forum is amazing and the serial posters on it who have already posted are amazing! And spot on!!! My contribution this morning is from someone a little further along the spectrum than you are and I hope helpful. To educate myself, I read a LOT of articles and watched countless videos. One of the very best in explaining the basics, what you need, the costs, the components is on e3camping. As the group has shared - your first decision, and a major component of the cost, is your battery type and number. As the seasoned veterans noted, Lithium batteries are the gold standard and what you need. Having said that, I quickly realized I could not do lithium this year. The batteries are in the $800 - $1,000 range each. They are what is needed, but that quickly came out of my reach for this season. I'm leaving in just a few short weeks and must have a solar system. What to do?

I'm stepping down to the next level, AGM batteries. It's a big step down, so if you can do Lithium, you should go for it, no question. With this type of battery, I will have a lot more weight to contend with and I will need to upgrade at some point as these batteries do not last as long as Lithium. To the order of 1/3 the life span. You can however get a great system that will fill your needs with any of the types and this one is no exception.

I believe your next step is a math one. Create an energy need spreadsheet noting everything you want to run on your rig and for how long. I created 3 columns on my spreadsheet. One column had everything I wanted (air conditioner all night, heater all night, hair dryer, coffee maker, laptops/cell phones/tv etc.). The next column had everything for a more realistic, but still good, experience (the hair dryer went off, the air con/heater for only a few hours, the coffee maker is absolutely still on that list). The final column had what I need in order to work and live without some of the 'frills' I could get from other sources. These three lists will give you the amp hours and energy needs to help you determine how many batteries you need and the size of the inverter you need too. Armed with this information you can research your solar system!

I would agree with the team who has responded already. The factory install system will NOT get you what you need. You're already a believer in solar, you know how great it is. You can do this and have an AMAZING system, regardless of budget. Absolutely, no question. Unless you have the budget to completely overkill on it, you may want to take the viewpoint you are creating a 'starter' system and you'll add on to it. Build that into your design (critical to do that up front) and just get out there with what you can for now. I personally think solar is a big component of making your rig work for you and giving you the ability to have the RV lifestyle you create without limitations. Let's see where we both end up this year with solar!

[Xlsmle]

“My contribution this morning is from someone a little further along the spectrum than you are”

Welcome aboard! I wouldnt toot your horn about being further along on the solar knowledge than the rest of us. Some of us have tons of knowledge on the subject and have studied it for years. Before picking batteries, as you mention in your post to do first, you should determine your amp hr needs first. Lots of people are weekend campers and need very little amp hours for a two day trip. Others may be in a boondock situation for 2 weeks in cold or warm conditions and their needs will be substantially more. Before putting out 800-1000 for lithium batteries you should ask yourself do i need them? Ie. Am i rving for ten more years or am i 75 yrs old and may have 5 years left if im lucky which i could get by with maybe less battery. Ie Am i able to keep my existing interstate batteries at least at 50% using my solar panels while im boondocking? Yes lithium is the gold standard but it has to make sense economically and is it necessary for your needs before pulling the trigger. I have boondocked for years for 10days to two weeks with two cheap interstate batteries and a 100w renolgy solar panel. I use a honda generator 2000i for short times for microwave and wife hair dyer, etc. I dont usually use the furnace except for a short time like 15 min to heat up rv in am. Refer, water heater are on propane. Coffee is perculated on stove or use a french press. Watch tv using a small 300 watt solar generator that also charges by another 100w solar panel. This is in a 22mle too, previously a Nash 22gq. We have never had a battery issue, especially with the newer solar panels that are more efficient in cloudy weather.

So my point is, figure out your needs, then build your system on those needs with emphasis on being able to expand if needs change and how long you will be rving. Plus, consider a solar generator which has the battery, inverter, bms, Mppt, etc all in a convenient package that may be cheaper than diy. Some of those have expandable batteries and 2000 or more watts of continuous power. Plus some can be charged in 3-5 hours using solar or a gas generator. Not to mention it can be used as a emergency power at home. Matching all the components of a diy is very important to achieve what you need. Some people are better off with an all in one solar generator that has all the components built in and matched to its specs. Again, it depends on your lifestyle, and your amp hour needs. Have fun and good luck! Btw, we love our 22 MLE.

[bertschb]

...Yes lithium is the gold standard but it has to make sense economically...

While this is true for many (most?) people, for me convenience outweighs economics. Lead acid batteries are a pain to maintain. I don't like having to add water. I don't like having to disconnect them or find a way to charge them when in storage. I don't like having to monitor them while in use to make sure voltage doesn't drop too low. I don't like cleaning battery terminals. I don't like dealing with acid!

LiFePO4 batteries are truly maintenance free and for that reason, they are well worth the additional cost to me. Now if they were $5,000ea, I would continue to put up with lead acid :-)

[SolarPoweredRV]

“My contribution this morning is from someone a little further along the spectrum than you are”

Welcome aboard! I wouldn't toot your horn about being further along on the solar knowledge than the rest of us. Some of us have tons of knowledge on the subject and have studied it for years.

I don't believe morgey1 was tooting their horn about being further along (smarter) then the rest of us, I believe they were saying that they were further along in the process of piecing their system together than the person who started this thread.

[Xlsmle]

While this is true for many (most?) people, for me convenience outweighs economics. Lead acid batteries are a pain to maintain. I don't like having to add water. I don't like having to disconnect them or find a way to charge them when in storage. I don't like having to monitor them while in use to make sure voltage doesn't drop too low. I don't like cleaning battery terminals. I don't like dealing with acid!

LiFePO4 batteries are truly maintenance free and for that reason, they are well worth the additional cost to me. Now if they were $5,000ea, I would continue to put up with lead acid :-)

Right on! If you can afford them by all means take the plunge. They r the best so far and far less a pain than lead acid. Happy camping!!

[Xlsmle]

I don't believe morgey1 was tooting their horn about being further along (smarter) then the rest of us, I believe they were saying that they were further along in the process of piecing their system together than the person who started this thread.

You may be right and if you r I apologize for my statement. However, it sure doesnt read that way to me. Plus he never described his system to indicate he was farther along. To me it reads as kind of an insult to the vast knowledge and experience on this forum. In any case i felt compelled to call him out on it. So if wrong im sorry.