[derekandmary]

Pat, I always read these solar discussions out of curiosity.

I’m not against solar, it’s just that our camping style doesn’t require solar power as a high priority. For us, a rooftop solar installation of solid panels (not flexible panels) has at least these two downsides:

1. I prefer and need pretty full access to our RV’s roof from the roof (ladders propped against the sides won’t do) without having to step around, and/or do a balancing act around, the solar panels to get to the A/C, the roof vents, and the TV antenna.

2. I will not tolerate holes drilled into our one piece fiberglass roof. Holes into it would just be more opportunities for leaks without periodic inspection and maintenance of each penetration spot … and how are you going to doing this while stepping around, and/or do a balancing act around, the solar panels?
However in all fairness, there ways to glue down the solar panel mounting brackets to a fiberglass or aluminum roof – if you want to trust the adhesive year after year of being exposed to the elements.

So I wanted to know how are you dealing with such things? Do you have a video about your inspections?

Back to the topic, IMHO, adequate high power generator capability should always be the primary electrical energy source – and solar capability the secondary electrical energy source – in any RV considered as being fully self-contained for extended non-hookup camping.

We don’t have solar power at all in our small Class C motor home. But we do have the built-in Onan generator, carry along an extremely quiet (54dB noise level at full power) portable Honda generator, and can also idle the very quiet and vibration-free main engine in areas that are extremely noise sensitive.
The weather is just too unpredictable for most RV’s to not have along some kind of a generator along on all trips. Especially if you’re going to run so many devices at time.

Just a small warning from our experience and two coins. No offense!

– derek (+ mary)

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