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I got back last night from 15 days in the PU.  The solar charger worked very well.  We were able to use all the electrics without worry.  The batteries never dropped below 70% and that was using the heater as much as we wanted.  Generally, all I needed was about 2-3 hours of direct sunlight each day to fully recharge the batteries.  Having the panel movable really helped in following the sun.  The two Trojan T-105's really improved capacity over to old GP 27 I had before.  The coldest night in Yellowstone was 25 degrees and the heater kept the PU warm enough for the 1 year old without killing the batteries.
Here is a picture of the panel:
A picture of the plug:
The charge controller and battery voltage:
Solar panel output amps:
Last, controller output amps, thanks to MPPT:

Jim
Darn it, the pictures did not come up in the thread!
Link to original post:http://www.arveeclub.com/showthread.php?t=63953
Next post: http://www.arveeclub.com/showthread.php?t=64247

Quote from: JimSI got back last night from 15 days in the PU.  The solar charger worked very well.  We were able to use all the electrics without worry.  The batteries never dropped below 70% and that was using the heater as much as we wanted.  Generally, all I needed was about 2-3 hours of direct sunlight each day to fully recharge the batteries.  Having the pannel movable really helped in following the sun.  The two Trojan T-105's really improved capacity over to old GP 27 I had before.  The coldest night in Yellowstone was 25 degrees and the heater kept the PU warm enough for the 1 year old without killing the batteries.
Here is a picture of the pannel:

A picture of the plug:

The charge controller and battery voltage:

Solar pannel output amps:

Last, cnotroller output amps, thanks to MPPT:

Jim
Darn it, the pictures did not come up in the thread!

Looks like you have a real nice set-up there.

I'd really like to know where you got that panel. I'm not interested in the controller. They are fun to have but not necessary IMHO. Putting a volt meter on the battery and reading it a couple times in direct sun-light would be fine for me. I used solar panels on my boat for many years and the thrill of staring at a charge controller has long since worn off. The only thing that I am concerned about is getting the batteries over 14.5v or having them boil dry.  :sombraro:

How come some of my pictures are in the thread and these are listed as attachments?  What am I doing wrong?

Quote from: JimSHow come some of my pictures are in the thread and these are listed as attachments?  What am I doing wrong?

I'm not sure how you got them listed as attachments :confused: .

Who is hosting your pics? Did you post them as behind it.

Quote from: waveryI'm not sure how you got them listed as attachments :confused: .

Who is hosting your pics? Did you post them as [IMG]  ?

I went under ' Manage Attachments' below and just attached the pictures.  I did this before and some of the pictures did as in this thread and then the one picture of the lake I go to went into the thread.  I don't understand the difference. :confused:

The solar pannel and controller were ordered from RV Solar Electric.
http://www.rvsolarelectric.com/

Quote from: waveryI'm not sure how you got them listed as attachments :confused: .

Who is hosting your pics? Did you post them as [IMG]  ?


......I see what you did. I'll PM you.


.... guess I won't PM you...you have that feature turned off.

here is how to post a picture:

-----------------------------------------------------

I turned on the PM

Quote from: waveryI'm not sure how you got them listed as attachments :confused: .

Who is hosting your pics? Did you post them as behind it.

Thanks, I will give this a try!

Thanks for the update! Nice set up, I'm very jelous!

Jim, you may have answered these questions in other posts that I may have missed, but that looks like a fairly neat setup.  I boondocked in YNP for 7 days Sept 1-7 with my 2 group 27's before I decided to high tail it over to Wapiti for a night to get charged then back into GTNP for another 4. However the thought of being able to go for 15 nights without dependancy on electricity is attractive.  I have a couple of questions:
1.  The taboo question, what was your bottom line cost?
2.  You obviously are somewhat handy, and so am I.  How many man hours did the installation take?
3.  What is the panel size you selected and what other items take up storage space while in transit?
4.  You mentioned that you moved it to follow the sun.  What is your experience when you wanted to leave camp for most of the day and simply pointed the collector in the direction of the sun at its most intense location?
5.  Is the 70% you referred to after one night, or a couple of nights because you didn't get full sun?

Quote from: DoubleDJim, you may have answered these questions in other posts that I may have missed, but that looks like a fairly neat setup.  I boondocked in YNP for 7 days Sept 1-7 with my 2 group 27's before I decided to high tail it over to Wapiti for a night to get charged then back into GTNP for another 4. However the thought of being able to go for 15 nights without dependancy on electricity is attractive.  I have a couple of questions:
1.  The taboo question, what was your bottom line cost?
2.  You obviously are somewhat handy, and so am I.  How many man hours did the installation take?
3.  What is the panel size you selected and what other items take up storage space while in transit?
4.  You mentioned that you moved it to follow the sun.  What is your experience when you wanted to leave camp for most of the day and simply pointed the collector in the direction of the sun at its most intense location?
5.  Is the 70% you referred to after one night, or a couple of nights because you didn't get full sun?

DoubleD,
1. The solar panel, wire (which I didn't use), and controller were about $925.  The Trojan T-105's were about $250 with tax, the battery box (Blue Sea for two golf cart batteries) $110 with shipping, and probably another $100 for the 6AG welding cable, connectors, plugs, fuses, terminals, and other mounting hardware.  So roughly $1400 installed.
2. I spent a weekend installing everything plus hunting down the other electrical issues I had.  One evening to make the stands.
3. The panel is a Kyocera 130 watt, 7.4 amp panel that I store on top of the smaller of the pullout beds, with two small wooden braces under the end of the bed to prevent sagging.  The panel is 56 inches by 26 inches and weighs 27 lbs.  Its a little over 2 inches thick.  Since the controller is mounted inside of a cabinet, the only things I have to store in the camper is the panel and the two small stands that it sits on.  They are collapsible and weigh about a pound each and take up very little space.  The 10AG wire (25 feet) just coils up and is placed in the sink cabinet when in storage position.
4. In the campsites I was in, I was lucky to have a place I could put the panel and receive about 4 hours of good sunlight.  That is all I needed to recharge the batteries.  I also used a cable lock to lock the panel to a tree at Yellowstone to discourage those with a little too much interest.  The days I stayed in camp, I could follow the sun and run everything off the panel.  It can power the fan, lights and water pump without having to use the batteries.
5. We had one very cloudy day at Yellowstone and the batteries were used for two days and nights, furnace and all without being recharged.  The lowest volt reading on the controller was about 12.4 volts, and that was with a everything off but the small draw of the converter, controller and the gas detector.  So open circuit voltage would be higher, as would the charge.  I guess I could have disconnected the batteries to get a true open circuit voltage, but oh well...  Also, this reading was taken when the batteries were around 25 - 30 degrees, so I would expect a lower voltage at this temp.
Hope this helps,
Jim
Edit: I misquoted the price on the panel and controller: should have been about $825, not $925.

Jim who did you order the hardware from?

I ordered the "jumbo kit" from RV Solar Electric, with an upgrade to the SB 2000E controller.  I then mixed and matched pieces and parts to get the system like I wanted it.  I did not use the supplied wire however because it was too stiff for what I wanted.

Thanks for the information.:)

i had purchased this for my batteries

http://www.harborfreightusa.com/usa/itemdisplay/displayItem.do?itemid=90599&CategoryName=&SubCategoryName=

it works realy good here in arizona

Dean

Hey, wavemaker.
A couple quick questions for ya, if I may.

How far can you place the panels away from your batteries?
The charge cables look to be about 3 ft long, did you extend them?

Can you add additional panels to your set up if you decided to expand it?

Did you purchas locally in the Phx area?

Thats it!
Thanks.
Stay Cool Down There.
BB

Quote from: JimSI ordered the "jumbo kit" from RV Solar Electric, with an upgrade to the SB 2000E controller.  I then mixed and matched pieces and parts to get the system like I wanted it.  I did not use the supplied wire however because it was too stiff for what I wanted.

JimS,

Do how would you rate the performance of your solar kit now?
I'm in the internal debate phase with myself.  My popup  will be in my garage for 5-6 months out of the year, so I want to be able to utilize a portable system.

Thanks.

Bob

Quote from: jeepmaniowaJimS,

Do how would you rate the performance of your solar kit now?
I'm in the internal debate phase with myself.  My popup  will be in my garage for 5-6 months out of the year, so I want to be able to utilize a portable system.

Thanks.

Bob

Bob, I rate the system performance as excellent.  It does exactly what I was hoping for.  My last trip to Glacier was 10 days with 7 of them cloudy and with rain.  The system still managed to keep the batteries above 70% with our using the lights and heater as wished.  The panel was able to make about one amp when cloudy and up to 9 amps in direct sun.  With the draw of 0.8 amps from the LED lights, most of the time it was a wash.  The few sunny moments we had were able to make up for the use of the heater and water pump.  Again, being able to move the panel around is a big help in keeping maximum light on it.  The three days we had partly cloudy skies, all that was needed was about 3 - 4 hours to fully charge the batteries.
Hope this helps,
Jim

Quote from: JimSBob, I rate the system performance as excellent.  It does exactly what I was hoping for.  My last trip to Glacier was 10 days with 7 of them cloudy and with rain.  The system still managed to keep the batteries above 70% with our using the lights and heater as wished.  The panel was able to make about one amp when cloudy and up to 9 amps in direct sun.  With the draw of 0.8 amps from the LED lights, most of the time it was a wash.  The few sunny moments we had were able to make up for the use of the heater and water pump.  Again, being able to move the panel around is a big help in keeping maximum light on it.  The three days we had partly cloudy skies, all that was needed was about 3 - 4 hours to fully charge the batteries.
Hope this helps,
Jim

Jim,

Thanks for the update.  I'm thinking of getting one to semi-permanent mount on the roof of the popup, and then get another that would be mobile.

One more question, if it hasn't already been answered above.  Are you using the Dual 6v batteries or still using 12v batteries?  Thanks.

Bob

Quote from: jeepmaniowaJim,



One more question, if it hasn't already been answered above.  Are you using the Dual 6v batteries or still using 12v batteries?  Thanks.

Bob

Bob, I'm using dual Trojan T-105 Plus 6V batteries.  They give me about 3 1/2 times the capacity of the old battery.

Quote from: JimSBob, I'm using dual Trojan T-105 Plus 6V batteries.  They give me about 3 1/2 times the capacity of the old battery.

Jim,

Thanks for all the info you have provided thus far.  I'm getting my Christmas wish list together.  :)

I will probably wait and buy batteries early next season (Apr/May).  I only have a few more campouts left this year and my camping budget is nearly exhausted.  :)  But it sure is fun prepping it and personalizing it.

My weekend project is to wire my TV with a quick connect on the front bumper so I can charge the camper battery, this way I don't have to pop the hood.

My winter project will be to mount the 6v x2 system and the solar panels.  I think I will go with two 85watt panels.   Generator is a last resort.  Hoping I won't need one.

Later,

Bob

Quote from: wavemakeri had purchased this for my batteries

http://www.harborfreightusa.com/usa/itemdisplay/displayItem.do?itemid=90599&CategoryName=&SubCategoryName=

it works realy good here in arizona

Dean

do you have any pix of the set up, i was going to do the same thing, what battery do you use? any other info would be great.

Quote from: sundawg;196072do you have any pix of the set up, i was going to do the same thing, what battery do you use? any other info would be great.

For over a year I have had 2 HF solar kits installed on the roof of my PU. 2 HF kits=90 watts. And I have not charged the PU battery except through the solar panels during this time. I dry camp exclusively, and never plug the PU to 120v. This set up is working great for the type of camping I enjoy.
I can use the the furnace, lights, Fantastic fan, Sirius radio and water pump and never drain the battery. Of course I camp in the Southwest with endless sunshine.
I will be adding another group 27 battery at some point for more reserve in case of extended bad weather. The battery now recharges to full charge by noon every day(when in use dry camping) so it can handle another battery and still reach full charge during the day.
The panels are permanetly mounted on the roof with a provision to tilt the panels in the winter. I have Xantrex charge controller to keep the battery properly maintain when the PU is stored outside., as it is 365 days a year. I will ry to post some picture later.

Quote from: Lynnb;211676For over a year I have had 2 HF solar kits installed on the roof of my PU. 2 HF kits=90 watts. And I have not charged the PU battery except through the solar panels during this time. I dry camp exclusively, and never plug the PU to 120v. This set up is working great for the type of camping I enjoy.
I can use the the furnace, lights, Fantastic fan, Sirius radio and water pump and never drain the battery. Of course I camp in the Southwest with endless sunshine.
I will be adding another group 27 battery at some point for more reserve in case of extended bad weather. The battery now recharges to full charge by noon every day(when in use dry camping) so it can handle another battery and still reach full charge during the day.
The panels are permanetly mounted on the roof with a provision to tilt the panels in the winter. I have Xantrex charge controller to keep the battery properly maintain when the PU is stored outside., as it is 365 days a year. I will ry to post some picture later.

I have my Kyocera 85 watt solar panel wired directly to my dual 12v deep cycle battery and it meets all my basic needs. I am wanting to charge my cell phone or maybe my laptop computer a couple of hours a day.  Is there any harm in running a 400 watt inverter directly off the battery while the solar panel is connected?

Quote from: handfixer;211751I have my Kyocera 85 watt solar panel wired directly to my dual 12v deep cycle battery and it meets all my basic needs. I am wanting to charge my cell phone or maybe my laptop computer a couple of hours a day.  Is there any harm in running a 400 watt inverter directly off the battery while the solar panel is connected?

No harm at all, as long as you don't over stress a single battery with a 400W load for more than a few minutes. Charging the items mentioned will be no issue at all.

We have a 2500W inverter on our trailer with 2-29 series deep cell batteries. We often run the 900W microwave off of the inverter (during quiet hours) to make popcorn or our 1200W coffee maker in the morning (for 10 minutes) to brew that 1st pot of coffee (during quiet hours).

I'd like to get a charger for my Optima house battery in the future when the prices fit my budget.  BTW, don't leave your inverter plugged in when not using it - it will drain your power as it draws power even when not in use.  That's why I try to use converters whereever possible.

Quote from: sundawg;196072do you have any pix of the set up, i was going to do the same thing, what battery do you use? any other info would be great.

roof mounted panels can be tilted for max exposure.

Quote from: handfixer;211751I have my Kyocera 85 watt solar panel wired directly to my dual 12v deep cycle battery and it meets all my basic needs. I am wanting to charge my cell phone or maybe my laptop computer a couple of hours a day.  Is there any harm in running a 400 watt inverter directly off the battery while the solar panel is connected?

I found the comon inverters (square wave) overheat my computer charger so I found a small sine wave (180 watts) inverter to use for this task. This works great and is 90% + effiecent. Lynn

Quote from: Lynnb;212354I found the comon inverters (square wave) overheat my computer charger so I found a small sine wave (180 watts) inverter to use for this task. This works great and is 90% + effiecent. Lynn

Now you just need to do what I did when my camper was parked in the driveway. I ran a cord from the inverter and powered my bedroom lights and television with the camper batteries. Full batteries take no charge so I used it up at night and put it back during the day although it was a pain cleaning the snow from them in the winter.

I had two 80W panels and a pair of 210AH batteries on my hybrid.