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It’s been just over a month now since I finished the solar installation. This has been one of the best things I’ve done yet. My battery bank of four sixers is at peak performance as the sun recharges them everyday. I thought about adding two more sixers but now I see it’s not necessary. The ones I have just weren’t being properly charged.
I installed 3 140 watt Kyocera panels and a Morningstar 45 amp controller. A well matched system. I used oversized wire to insure capacity to deliver all the current needed to the controller and to all but eliminate chances of burning my rig down from overheated wires.If anyone is sitting on the fence about doing this then I say do it. You won’t regret it. There’s little to compare to making my morning coffee while the owls in the trees hoot away. No genny noise, vibration, and fumes scaring off one of the reasons for boondocking to start with.
Do the math as to how much it really costs you to run your generator(gas and oil) and be sure to include costly maintenance(a carb for an Onan is $400 and is one of the major issues people have with their genny). This is without mentioning having a few thousand dollars laying around should anything catastrophic happen to that genny and you need to come up with a replacement real quick.
Wow, I’m so excited for you! This is one of my next big projects to take on. Did you have to buy all four 6ers at the same time or can you use two old ones (like I’ve already got) and mix in two new ones?
Congrats 😀
Part of my 10 ft renovation is going to include zero electrical wires and plug in and go full solar…it’s only 10 ft. should be awesome! I’ll keep you posted on how it goes. Wish I could figure out how to do pictures.
Part of my 10 ft renovation is going to include zero electrical wires and plug in and go full solar…it’s only 10 ft. should be awesome! I’ll keep you posted on how it goes. Wish I could figure out how to do pictures.
To include pictures they need to be posted online somewhere like Pintrest, Facebook… That way they have a URL and you can include that URL for the photo to be displayed.
I’m working on starting up my ‘solar system’ too. I’m so excited about it. It’s going to take a bit of time though.
Good luck, I hope to see your pics!
Hello all again,
I just posted something about solar in the RV Utilities thread but will comment here as well. I am not an RV’er yet but am researching and came across a blog written by a guy named Bob who was renamed by some people he helped to become – HandyBob. As i wrote elsewhere here he does not have Pippi’s sunny disposition but he has become a DIY’er for his solar needs on he and his wife’s RV and rural house. His blog takes a long time to slog through and he’s an opinionated cuss but well worth reading. He may just save you many $ and much frustration. He found out as RBuzz did that his solar system was not fully charging his batteries and that once he was able to optimize his system that there was no need for 6 6V batteries (who needs the extra expense and especially more weight added to your setup plus the loss of storage space). Somewhere on his site he mentions about not mixing old and new batteries which Pippi wondered about. Pippi is quite remarkable in being such a DIY’er but HandyBob would not take a Xantrex if you gave it to him for free (as in the giveaway contest). A complete aside here but i used to see white shirts with DIY in big black capital letters a lot ~35 years ago but that was due to the Peter Gabriel song.
Cheers,
MikeHi, I was wondering if anyone had some advice when it comes to running battery cable inside the slide of my motorhome out to the storage on the slide. My main concern is being able to pull the slide in and out and having the wire retract with it. I have two 12 volt batteries in the storage compartment, and am running 6 ft of 1/0 sized cables up through the floor to my 1000 watt inverter. Thanks for any advice.
I’ve come across Handy Bob’s materials online. He’s full of great info. Mike/Umbilical, do you recall why he wasn’t into the Xantrex inverters? Also, when was it posted. Apparently they are sort of starting new after a big controversy. Either way, would be good info to know. Thanks!
Hi Pippi,
First a disclaimer from HandyBob that he cannot keep up with every modification to brands and models of equipment some of which is not even documented. Also he has proved some companies play fast and loose with data, even with the displays on their equipment. Some manufacturers are honest and some do things like fudge with emission readings on their diesel engines which is why he likes to test things using meters, hydrometers and the like. ~3 years ago he came to the conclusion that there were only 2 brands of inverters to be trusted. The rest, including Xantrex, were shutting down when the input was >15VDC which state is often reached during colder weather. A person could use such inverters by setting the charge controller to a lower voltage but then you are not properly charging your batteries and not getting all you can get out of your solar setup. This info I relate I give 100% credit to HandyBob for and my main reason for trusting him so much is that he advises us firstly to get a meter (and hydrometer if you will be using flooded batteries as he recommends). Dishonest types don’t want us to be informed, which is why many regimes try to suppress media. People like HandyBob and Pippi want to help us learn which is why they make the effort with their websites. The inverters that shut off at 15VDC will likely work with most systems as the controllers are not even pushing the 14.8V recommended, let alone any boost needed for colder days. I would guess that the inverter models that shut off at 15V will work fine for those who are on shore power and in warmer climes. Perhaps a first inexpensive test would be to test your batteries if the flooded variety with a hydrometer (read and heed safety precautions as to WHEN you can and protect skin and eyes). HandyBob claims the converter/charger built into most RVs does not fully charge batteries even if the RV is not being used and you can test this yourself. To summarize HandyBob’s contention is that the vast majority of RVs are not having their house batteries properly charged no matter what the input power source is and so the many brands of inverters that shut down at 15V will likely work for them. They won’t work for RBuzz who started this thread though as he/she has a setup that allows them to enjoy their coffee in the morning without starting up a generator while boondocking. I realize RV parks have their place but got a chuckle when someone mentioned that listening to generators running and having a view out their window of a sewer hose wasn’t their cup of tea.Pippi and Mike/Umbilical, I too was reading HandyBob’s stuff a few weeks ago and came across his blog post titled “Inverter Issues – Spring 2013”. Here’s the link…
Is this the info Mike was referring to? Xantrex is covered in the second big paragraph. It’s dated material being 3 years old, but does outline some key issues that Bob looks for that I’ve added to my personal research questions in the future.
Hi Pippi and rlcross,
Yes that is the main link regarding inverters at HandyBob and i did a lousy job of trying to be concise in getting what i wanted to say in the long post. What i did not want to happen is someone who is currently using an inverter brand that Bob does not recommend deciding that Bob doesn’t know what he’s talking about because their inverter works fine. The explanation for that lies elsewhere in that in his opinion most rv solar setups are not working properly and are not charging at a high enough voltage to get the most of your system and to properly charge your batteries for optimum performance and longevity. His Battery Charging Puzzle goes over these issues and flooded deep cycle batteries are supposed to be equalized once a month or so and this is done at >16V for a short period of time but it is long enough to have inverters trip off given that the models Bob does not like have a 15V limit. Bob started off with a lousy RV system and his first set of batteries lasted he and his wife 2 years. With all he has learned the hard way over the years now his batteries last him a decade. Big difference and as you that have purchased them know that batteries are expensive. If treating your batteries properly and getting the most out of your solar panels means that you have to switch inverter brands then i think it would be worth it long term. Bob, Pippi, and others who have ‘walked the walk’ on various issues in the RV world are graciously offering their knowledge to us and we’re lucky for that. Who wants to replace flooring one year after just doing it? Nobody that’s sane so we can learn from Pippi who did hers and upped it to YouTube and also wrote an article about flooring types.
On backwoodssolar.com they mention not to mix batteries of more than a year’s difference. They also mention not to mix different years of solar panels as there is some degradation and it appears with panels and batteries that you get only the production from the weakest link in the setup and not the average. I may be in error here as i am learning and do not have first hand knowledge.
Cheers,
MikeYes, you can use an older battery or battery bank along side a different or newer set by using the Morning Star SunSaver Duo http://www.morningstarcorp.com/products/sunsaver-duo/ This is what I have. Get the remote temperature sensor as well. This charge controller can be set to charge your house battery and then the starting battery. or 2 sets of house batteries. 25 amp maximum input means it can handle no more than 400 watts 12vdc. Renology.com has the best price on 12vdc 100 watt panels, 150 bucks including shipping. For those living primarily in idea solar conditions, 200 watts is usually plenty and a good starting point. 200 watts is the minimum needed to properly recharge a set of two golf cart sized deep cycle batteries. The least expensive and good quality golf cart batteries are sold at CostCo. These are made by Johnson Controls and are rated for 700 cycles. and sell for about 90 dollars plus a core charge of about 10 bucks. The best lead acid is the Trojan T105re, a comparable with 750 cycles, runs about 160 bucks and 50 dollar core charge. If you want to get started, simply get 2 100 watt panels from Renology and their 30 LCD charge controller and use your old batteries for now. Renology does sell a kit that includes mounting brackets for the roof. The inexpensive charge controllers are best used with the very expensive AMG batteries as these do not require the periodic ‘equalization’. If you can afford those, go for it. There are numerous advantages. Read up. Lead acid types require equalization from time to time. To run the time test and much less expensive lead acid type, step up to the 45amp MorningStar TS45 http://www.wholesalesolar.com/3680302/morningstar-corporation/charge-controllers/morningstar-corporation-tristar-ts-45-charge-controller This charge controller will ensure that the batteries will perform at their best and last the longest. Make sure that the batteries are stored outside the RV living quarters so that the battery gases are vented the outside.
Fortunately the panels can also be set outside and a short line run to the RV, making the project quick and easy. Mounting them on the roof requires punching holes in the roof and increasing the likelihood that roof leaks may occur not necessary now, but in future years. Undetected roof leaks kill RVs.
I am new to the forum and just yesterday wrote some on solar for RVs in the Utilities section. Ask questions via PM jornjacobsen@gmail.com
Jørn is my alias
I, like Mike, am researching solar towards a future system. I am beginning to realize that there is no “one” way to go solar. Systems range from relatively inexpensive proven technology with limitations, all the way to bleeding edge where you are discovering how far new technology can be pushed.
I find some of the most interesting stuff (to me) are the systems incorporating lithium batteries, hybrid inverters and networked solar converters. The cutting edge. Technomadia.com and Wheelinit.us are two blogs that have sections outlining their solar systems. Technomadia has been running lithium for 4 years now and have been rewriting the rules on charging. Wheeingit has taken some of this learning and built upon it. Their new system can even run their AC.
Lithium is not for everyone. They are expensive and somewhat unproven. But it’s other benefits mean that even if you can’t afford the leap today, you can still enjoy reading how others are pioneering new tech in the meantime.
I recommend their blogs in addition to the Handybob site Mike spoke of to anyone who’s interested in solar for boondocking. Another resource is the Jackdanmayer.com site.
Richard
There is some awesome tech out there and it is good to be aware of it. More challenging is learning for yourself how do more with less money and effort. I recently learned out to equalize my batteries with a generator and a hydrometer as the winter is too cloudy for solar in these parts. Also learned that a very long run of 200 feet with only 14awg to 270 watts on the ground is effective and efficient given the short over cast days of winter. Although the panels are capable of producing 13.5 amps in full sun, during the winter it is only a fraction of that, and the light wire could deliver the much lower amperage that was produced most of the time. It was therefore useful despite the usual recommendations based upon a voltage drop calculation. It was a practical and successful application given the conditions. The industry guidelines would indicate several hundreds of dollars of heavy gauge wiring that would have delivered little more power. Now that is not what I would consider smart, efficient design yes, but not smart. My solution cost me only a few wire nuts and some electrical tape.
I know the highly technical aspects, and now I am discovering the practical application. Learn also how to break the otherwise good guidelines to get the job done. Usually the lowest tech approach, the simplest approach, is best. My system cost only $500 as I used discarded extension cord for wiring and found the best deal on panels and batteries that are of adequate quality. If you can afford it, I’d recommend a pre wired set up from Wholesale Solar, but it will be spendy. DIY is not for everybody. Yet a low cost system that may not be as efficent, or the best, technically speaking, may however be a smart move. Get into solar sooner and you’ll start saving now.
Jorn, utilizing the thinner wire as it can handle the lower amps produced in winter is a cost savings, but what about summer amperages? Doesn’t the loss associated with thinner wires generate heat? Any idea at what levels this becomes a fire hazard? I’ve no experience with this. I just know that putting too much load on a inadequate extension cord is dangerous, so my question is an extrapolation from that.
Richard
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