Looking for solar info

[Bigs85]

My question is why do you need to keep the fridge running year round?

How many months do you store the coach?

Wouldn't it be better to simply empty the fridge between seasons?

In Canada, you might run into a problem where it is too cold to operate the refrigerator and you will definitely see temps where it is too cold to operate (charge) your battery(ies).

I applaud your plans to upgrade your Solar and batteries, I just question your reason.

Sorry not year round just between uses. We are able to park our camper within walking distance of our house but not where it can be plugged in. Really don’t want to empty the fridge each time between uses.

[Brendwal]

I have the same stock Furrion 165W panel and the RV dealer added a second panel and upgraded the solar controller to a 50A model. The problem is, I believe they just added a 200W panel to the existing 165W in parallel. What effect does that have? Am I even getting 365W? Or do the panels need to be the same to utilize the full power?

[Bigs85]

I have the same stock Furrion 165W panel and the RV dealer added a second panel and upgraded the solar controller to a 50A model. The problem is, I believe they just added a 200W panel to the existing 165W in parallel. What effect does that have? Am I even getting 365W? Or do the panels need to be the same to utilize the full power?

in the simplest theory, you will be getting which ever is the limiting panel X 2, not the full amount of each.

I can remember which member posted a link in one of the solar threads here to a great document that explains the outcomes of mixing and matching different panels based on parallel or series connection.

Edit found the link that was shared before

https://solarpanelsvenue.com/mixing-solar-panels/

[WondersAwait]

I have the same stock Furrion 165W panel and the RV dealer added a second panel and upgraded the solar controller to a 50A model. The problem is, I believe they just added a 200W panel to the existing 165W in parallel. What effect does that have? Am I even getting 365W? Or do the panels need to be the same to utilize the full power?

The answers to your questions are: we don't have enough info to tell you what he effect is, it's possible you might be getting 365w but probably not likely, and technically no they don't need to be the same but in practice yes they kinda do to get the absolute full power potential. lol. I know those are a lot of non-answers.

The problem with answering those questions is that there is a fair amount of math involved and you need to know the specs of your panels to determine if they are connected "correctly" or not. I use quotes on correctly because there gets to be a certain amount of loss that happens when you use mis-matched panels and it's entirely up to you on what is acceptable for your exact setup. Thankfully the math is pretty straightforward if you have a reasonable grasp on math and electrical systems.

Nate from Explorists Life has a great website (and YouTube videos) on some of these details and he gets into the specifics a bit here: https://www.explorist.life/using-mis...r-panel-sizes/

[terryriddle]

I have a basic question for a basic need. I need to determine the wattage of a solar panel I need to keep the lead acid battery charged to ensure my frig will keep running on propane while I take one or more days on side trips away from the unit. I realize there are other draws on the battery since the master battery switch will be left open. So, for this basic need, what size panel would ensure my requirement? I would be off shore power during the side trips.

[Soundsailor]

I have a basic question for a basic need. I need to determine the wattage of a solar panel I need to keep the lead acid battery charged to ensure my frig will keep running on propane while I take one or more days on side trips away from the unit. I realize there are other draws on the battery since the master battery switch will be left open. So, for this basic need, what size panel would ensure my requirement? I would be off shore power during the side trips.

Could you list the power requirements (watts or Amps) of the 12-volt devices that you would like to keep going while off-grid? This is what I would call a power budget. Once you know how much power you need, then you can calculate what sources will be required.

[Always Learning]

I have a basic question for a basic need. I need to determine the wattage of a solar panel I need to keep the lead acid battery charged to ensure my frig will keep running on propane while I take one or more days on side trips away from the unit. I realize there are other draws on the battery since the master battery switch will be left open. So, for this basic need, what size panel would ensure my requirement? I would be off shore power during the side trips.

Get a battery monitor like a Victron BMV 712 and it will tell you exactly how much power you are using and you can calculate your solar needs from that information.

[terryriddle]

Could you list the power requirements (watts or Amps) of the 12-volt devices that you would like to keep going while off-grid? This is what I would call a power budget. Once you know how much power you need, then you can calculate what sources will be required.

My 260RD is prewired for solar with MC4 connector box on the roof and in the front fifth wheel storage area the 10AWG lines drop down with the positive line reflecting a 30 amp inline fuse. I'd like to take advantage of this prewiring to avoid hauling the lead acid battery out when I have it at home in storage and when we are in a location where we want to leave the RV parked and take a long side trip. With the master switch in the on position, I realize there is some draw on the battery. My main goal is to only ensure that the frig, while running on propane, has battery power to keep it running and the preinstalled PC type fans behind it. That is my goal and the only item I am looking to keep online with a charged battery. While in storage between trips and the master switch in the off position, I want to keep the battery charged until our travel season is over.

[terryriddle]

My 260RD is prewired for solar with MC4 connector box on the roof and in the front fifth wheel storage area the 10AWG lines drop down with the positive line reflecting a 30 amp inline fuse. I'd like to take advantage of this prewiring to avoid hauling the lead acid battery out when I have it at home in storage and when we are in a location where we want to leave the RV parked and take a long side trip. With the master switch in the on position, I realize there is some draw on the battery. My main goal is to only ensure that the frig, while running on propane, has battery power to keep it running and the preinstalled PC type fans behind it. That is my goal and the only item I am looking to keep online with a charged battery. While in storage between trips and the master switch in the off position, I want to keep the battery charged until our travel season is over.

I do have a list of approximate electrical load ratings. Notice approximate! With the master switch on, there is the LP detector at .125 amps, illuminated switches at .125, and refrigerator at 3.0 amps... not sure that applies to my double door unit and the two PC fans in the rear to move heat. I can't think of anything else that might be drawing power.

After reviewing the refrigerator manual, this 12 cu ft unit on propane at min 10.5 volts and 15.4 volts max

[SolarPoweredRV]

I have a basic question for a basic need. I need to determine the wattage of a solar panel I need to keep the lead acid battery charged to ensure my frig will keep running on propane while I take one or more days on side trips away from the unit. I realize there are other draws on the battery since the master battery switch will be left open. So, for this basic need, what size panel would ensure my requirement? I would be off shore power during the side trips.

My 260RD is prewired for solar with MC4 connector box on the roof and in the front fifth wheel storage area the 10AWG lines drop down with the positive line reflecting a 30 amp inline fuse. I'd like to take advantage of this prewiring to avoid hauling the lead acid battery out when I have it at home in storage and when we are in a location where we want to leave the RV parked and take a long side trip. With the master switch in the on position, I realize there is some draw on the battery. My main goal is to only ensure that the frig, while running on propane, has battery power to keep it running and the preinstalled PC type fans behind it. That is my goal and the only item I am looking to keep online with a charged battery. While in storage between trips and the master switch in the off position, I want to keep the battery charged until our travel season is over.

One thing I recommend when installing Solar, or any battery system components, is to look at what your final system might look like. This way you can avoid buying components that fit your needs today, yet they don't fit into the bigger picture. Your stated need is a good example: you could probably get by with a 100 Watt Solar panel and a very cheap Solar Charge Controller. However, once you begin to experience the advantages of Solar, your (and your Family's) desires may change. If that happens, you will need to throw out that cheap Solar panel and Solar Charge Controller in order to get the system you really want down the road.

Based on the above: I recommend you install at least one 325 - 400 Watt Residential Solar panel and a Solar Charge Controller that has enough amps to handle a pair of your panels (this allows for an easy future upgrade). The price for a single 325 (+) Watt Residential panel is equivalent to what you would pay for a single 100 - 150 Watt Solar panel from suppliers like Renogy, Furrion, or Newpowa. This should give you what you want while allowing for some cloudy days while you are away from the camper.

To help you with more information on Solar an Lithium batteries, here is a thread with more information:

Affordable-Solar-How-To-Design-and-Install-an-Affordable-Solar-System