User Tag List
Results 1 to 10 of 20
-
07-14-2022, 01:21 PM #1
- Join Date
- Dec 2020
- Location
- Johnson City, TN
- Posts
- 391
- Mentioned
- 1 Post(s)
- Tagged
- 0 Thread(s)
Solar generator over an installed solar system?
Doing a little research and I found this unit: https://www.bluettipower.com/products/ac300-b300
Add to it 3x 350w panels: https://www.bluettipower.com/product...50-solar-panel
And you can get a flexible and portable system for $6000 and no hassle with an install and messing on the roof of the rig.
This would give me flexibility for using it at home for emergency backup, also.
I'm mechanically competent but haven't learned much of anything about solar systems and and all the work, so a self-contained unit is very interesting to me.
Has anyone else gone this route, a "solar generator" vs an installed system?
I've run the 50amp Solitude on 30 amp power fairly well, so I'm not looking to get the full 50amps, just a smaller, flexible system that provides enough (Fridge, 1 ac if we need it, water heater).
Thanks!Last edited by JM0397; 07-14-2022 at 01:24 PM.
Colin & Tracy
'21 Chevy Silverado 3500HD LTZ/Z71/SRW, Long bed, Anderson UH
'21 Solitude 310 GK-R
-
07-14-2022, 02:28 PM #2
- Join Date
- May 2021
- Posts
- 337
- Mentioned
- 8 Post(s)
- Tagged
- 0 Thread(s)
Personally I would rather get on top of the rig a few times for the install and (very) occasional cleaning of the panels than set them up, make the connections, then take them down at every campsite. I would also be pretty nervous about leaving $800 worth of solar panels sitting on the ground when on a hike or running to the store. Unfortunately battery powered grinders have made most chains and cables less secure than they used to be.
You will have to make that decision, and of course being able to use it at home may make the campsite hassle worth the effort for you.
Either way, good luck with the solar project.2021 Imagine XLS 22RBE
2021 Ram 2500 Hemi, Crew Cab Short Bed
2-206 AH SOK Batteries, Victron MultiPlus 3000VA Inverter, 800 watts solar
-
07-14-2022, 04:07 PM #3
- Join Date
- Dec 2020
- Location
- Johnson City, TN
- Posts
- 391
- Mentioned
- 1 Post(s)
- Tagged
- 0 Thread(s)
I suppose the most important question, for apples-to-apples comparison, what's a good SWAG for an installed 30amp system in the rig, with Victron components, LifePO batteries, hardware, and paying someone to do the install?
Colin & Tracy
'21 Chevy Silverado 3500HD LTZ/Z71/SRW, Long bed, Anderson UH
'21 Solitude 310 GK-R
-
07-14-2022, 04:37 PM #42021 398M Full Body Paint 8k axles. LRH tires. Disc brakes.
Two bathrooms, no waiting 155 fresh, 104 black, 104 grey 1860 watts solar.
800AH BattleBorn Batteries No campgrounds 100% boondocking
2020 Silverado High Country 3500 dually crewcab Duramax Allison
-
07-15-2022, 10:16 AM #5
- Join Date
- Dec 2020
- Location
- Johnson City, TN
- Posts
- 391
- Mentioned
- 1 Post(s)
- Tagged
- 0 Thread(s)
Colin & Tracy
'21 Chevy Silverado 3500HD LTZ/Z71/SRW, Long bed, Anderson UH
'21 Solitude 310 GK-R
-
07-15-2022, 01:40 PM #6
- Join Date
- Aug 2021
- Location
- New Hampshire
- Posts
- 3,309
- Mentioned
- 52 Post(s)
- Tagged
- 0 Thread(s)
The Bluetti system you quote seems very pricey for what you're getting. A 300 AH battery plus a 3,000-watt inverter could be had for half that price. You ask: Wouldn't you do better with "an installed 30amp system in the rig, with Victron components, LifePO batteries, hardware, and paying someone to do the install?" That system would definitely meet your needs and probably is going to cost less than the Bluetti system.
BTW, it is a good idea when planning a system to create an energy budget. How much does your frig/freezer use (3 to 5 Amps is typical)? At 4 Amps figure 96 Ah per day (24 * 4). 3 hours of AC @ 15 Amps = 45 Ah. Add in all the other things you're going to run on DC or AC. Then you'll have a good idea of what you need for storage. The Bluetti gives you 256 Ah, maybe enough for a day. If you have good solar, it could be all you'd need. The built-in system with Victron components would almost certainly meet your needs.Last edited by Soundsailor; 07-15-2022 at 01:48 PM.
Stephen and Judy
2022 Reflection 150 Series 260RD (Stella)
2017 Chevy Silverado 2500 HD (Blue)
Traded - 2018 Forest River Rockwood Minilite 2104S
-
07-15-2022, 02:38 PM #7
- Join Date
- Jul 2020
- Posts
- 130
- Mentioned
- 0 Post(s)
- Tagged
- 0 Thread(s)
I could be wrong, but the "R" in the 310-GK-R means the OP is running a residential fridge, right? I think they typically pull 15-20 amps, but again I could be wrong. That said, this just reinforces your suggestion to determine how much energy is being used when sizing any solar system. It would be a bummer to lay down the cash for a system and then find out it won't do what you want it to do.
-
07-15-2022, 04:02 PM #8
The 15 amps for AC is far too low. The AC will draw about 12/15 amps, but that is AC not DC. He will be inverting the DC that the batteries provide into AC current. that will put a hurt on the batteries That will be around 130-150 amps DC!!! depending on how efficient the inverter is and just what the AC actually needs
2021 398M Full Body Paint 8k axles. LRH tires. Disc brakes.
Two bathrooms, no waiting 155 fresh, 104 black, 104 grey 1860 watts solar.
800AH BattleBorn Batteries No campgrounds 100% boondocking
2020 Silverado High Country 3500 dually crewcab Duramax Allison
-
07-15-2022, 05:25 PM #9
-
07-15-2022, 10:09 PM #10
- Join Date
- Mar 2019
- Location
- Tampa Florida
- Posts
- 2,064
- Mentioned
- 103 Post(s)
- Tagged
- 0 Thread(s)
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
Charging Lithium Batteries From...
Today, 08:27 PM in Electrical System and Wiring