User Tag List

Thanks Thanks:  0
Likes Likes:  0
Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 18
  1. #1
    Hawks Rise Ranch
    Guest

    Solar Battery Charger

    Does anyone use a solar battery charger? Looking for recommendations. We became me full timers this week.

  2. #2
    Site Sponsor orbiker's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2015
    Location
    Springfield, Oregon
    Posts
    2,328
    Mentioned
    17 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    I did this to keep it simple.

    Go Power! GP-PSK-120 120W Portable Folding Solar Kit with 10 Amp Solar Controller

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	51U2VsYxwQL.jpg 
Views:	34 
Size:	42.2 KB 
ID:	4437
    Backpacker and tent camper all my life, including BSA as a kid and adult.
    Motorcycle trips across the USA with a tent - 1978 to Present.
    02-10-2005 - 2002 F350 SWD PSD and 2003 Citation 10'8S mostly for Crater Lake Ski Patrol.
    10-29-2015 - 2016 Grand Design 380TH. It's HUGE compared to a camper.
    10-19-2018 - traded truck for a 2016 Ram 3500 DRW Laramie CC 4 X 4 Long Box.
    03-16-2019 - Traded Momentum for a New 2018 374TH-R Solitude
    FULL TIME RV'er Nov 2021

  3. #3
    King Pin
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Posts
    6,521
    Blog Entries
    10
    Mentioned
    41 Post(s)
    Tagged
    1 Thread(s)
    I built my own 200 Watt system and posted a "how to" on the forum a couple of years ago. Take a look and it will give you some ideas. You can either make the panels portable (like I did) or mount them on the roof and run the wires up a vent pipe.

    http://www.mygrandrv.com/for...ighlight=solar

    If you want to go this route, there are a few minor changes I'd make. I'd get an upgraded charge controller, and you can get 120Watt panels now for about the same size/weight/price of the 100watt panels I used.

    It works great for me and I don't have to use my generator when we're dry camping unless we want to use the 120 side of things. My next addition will be an inverter so we can use the AC voltage devices.



    Jim

  4. #4
    Hawks Rise Ranch
    Guest
    Oh yeah, Jim, I remember running across your post a while back and couldn't find it this time. Thanks for sharing!

  5. #5
    Hawks Rise Ranch
    Guest
    Thanks, orbiker. Will check that out too.

  6. #6
    Commercial Member huntr70's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2013
    Location
    PA
    Posts
    4,454
    Mentioned
    230 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    If you have a newer GD coach, they already are prepped for the Furrion solar trickle chargers.
    Steve- Inventory Manager at Tom Schaeffer's RV, Shoemakersville, PA www.tomschaeffers.com
    [email protected]
    2011 RAM 3500 SRW Outdoorsman Edition 4X4, 6.7 Cummins--TWEAKED!
    2021 Reflection 310RLS

  7. #7
    Seasoned Camper
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
    Location
    Oklahoma
    Posts
    292
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    The question is, are you wanting a battery tender, or are you wanting an actual solar setup?

    I use these http://www.amazon.com/Battery-Tender...y+tender+solar to maintain trailer batteries a lot. I keep one on my utility trailer for the winch battery as well as one on our Solitude while it's in storage. I just suction cupped it to the roof with the cable down the side, so far no one's messed with it.
    2015 Laramie 3500 MegaCab 4x4 DRW Maximum Steel
    Aisin | 4.10 | Air Assist | 37,800 GCWR
    2015 Grand Design Solitude 365DEN
    https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1459/...75d6a83b_n.jpg

  8. #8
    breeze rider
    Guest
    I Use the same setup...and would recommend it to anyone.

    Go Power! GP-PSK-120 120W Portable Folding Solar Kit with 10 Amp Solar Controller

  9. #9
    Hawks Rise Ranch
    Guest
    Not sure a battery tender would be enough. We're living full time in our RV with a standalone generator to charge the single 12V battery, until our house is built to a point where we can run 50 amp power to the RV. The builder wants to run electricity once he has the house framed up and can give us a 50 amp plug on that side of the house, where the septic is that we're using. So we're 6-8 weeks away from getting electricity. Too much of the time, we're running the generator at full blast (using the 50 amp socket) for several hours a day simply to charge the battery when we need it for nothing else. Anything I can do to take the load (cost of fuel) off the generator would help. Right now I can charge the battery fully, and overnight even with the fridge and water heater both on propane and nothing else but water pump on, the battery will drop to 1/3 power. Same thing happens when we're at work during the day. I've started turning the hot water heater and water pump off during the day. I also turn the battery switch to OFF whenever we are not inside.

  10. #10
    Fireside Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2015
    Location
    Soldotna, Alaska except winter
    Posts
    55
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    While I can't address your needs without more information about your battery capacity and power usage. I can give you information based on my setup and how we use it.

    I use a 100 watt solar Renogy portable solar kit when dry camping and watch my monitor. If it is not sufficient to fully replace our battery charge after a couple of days then I use a Noco Genius 26 amp charger connected to my yamaha 2000 generator for about 1-2 hours. Then I let the solar panels finish the charge. I get more charge from the external charger in an hour than I got from the power converter (that came with the 303 ) inmore than 7 hours. In fact, my old 7.2 amp external CTEK charger did a better job charger that the built in converter.
    I used portable panels as we arefurther nirth than most and low sun and trees make it unlikely we get good sun on roof mounted panels
    The 100 watt solar panel generally does not replace our daily usage, but gets us 2 -3 days before I have to supplement with the generator and external charger. My battery bank of 2 6 volt batteries (rated at 225 Ah) in series gives me about 100 Ah useable power and my solar panels replace about 35-40 Ah a day in summer. We tend to use about 70-80 Ah a day dry camping ( more if chillier weather).

    If your unit does not have LED bulbs switch now. We use about 10 percent of the electricity we did with the incandescent bulbs that came with our 303RLS measured by our Trimetric meter.

    I found the Renogy portable kit was a simple way to start at about $250 from Amazon, though the wire length is limited. I am planning a much more capable setup, but am in no big hurry. I plan to have 200 watts of panels and longer cable lengths and a better battery connection than the alligator type clamp that comes with this kit.

    I hope this information provides you with some guidance
    Tom and Tanya
    Live in Alaska, currently winter in Texas Hill Country.
    303RLS

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Similar Threads

  1. Solar-Inverter-Converter/charger Project
    By Dave27 in forum General Discussion
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: 08-05-2022, 06:37 AM
  2. Solar Battery Charger for GD Travel Trailers
    By joesmainship in forum Electrical System and Wiring
    Replies: 7
    Last Post: 12-02-2017, 03:14 PM
  3. Quick question on solar battery charger for storage
    By PaulandApril in forum General Discussion
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: 09-01-2016, 09:45 AM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  

DISCLAIMER:This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Grand Design RV, LLC or any of its affiliates. This is an independent site.