Does anyone know if this is a good solar power system? If it is do you think it is a good price? Thanks for the help.[&:]
http://www.samsclub.com/eclub/main_shopping.jsp?n=0&oidPath=0%3a-15269%3a-15272%3a-18263%3a126270&coe=0&BV_SessionID=_SC_0831616272.1042505503_CS_&BV_EngineID=ccdhadchfelkfefcfkfcfkjdgoodfkg.0#Options
tlhdocCompare it to this one, let me know what you decide.
[link=http://www.costco.com/frameset.asp?trg=product%2Easp&catid=114&subid=858&hierid=1638&prdid=10006841&log=]Solar[/link]
MtnCamperYou can use this site as a resource. It should answer most if not all of your solar energy questions, and may help in deciding which of the two works best.
Click [link=http://www.phrannie.org/solar.html]HERE[/link]
Have a great day!
tlhdocTracy
The link is timed out, but I looked and what they offer is ICP.
We have been using ICP panels for 3 yrs now and have been very satisfied with their performance.
tlhdocTracy,
This solar stuff comes up all the time. The kits are expensive & might not meet your needs. Non-kits are cheaper, easily assembled and you can choose panels that will actually function in the environment where you will be using them.
How many watts do you " need" ?
tlhdocMtnCamper they look like they might be the same thing, what do you think?
Cadeuses thank you for the link.
Marcy what is the set up you use?
Topcat 7736 where can you buy solar panels?
Thanks for the help.[:)]
tlhdoc
QuoteORIGINAL: tlhdoc
MtnCamper they look like they might be the same thing, what do you think?
Thanks for the help.[:)]
Don t know, I couldn t get into the Sam s Club link. Just thought you d have something to compare to. Personally I use a Honda.
tlhdocanother plug for http://www.westmarine.com/ Boats use a lot of solar panels when not on shore power. West s catalog has a couple of really good instructional pages on the useage and selection of solar power equipment.
As for other places to buy them. I see them in ever RV & marine catalog I get.
One word of caution when reading spec on panels to figure what you need. Most are given at peak output and don t include losses for dirty panels, wiring, controllers, incorrect angle, non tracking setups not to mention hitting 2-3 cloudy days in a row. A few of the more unscrupulus venders give 24 hour ratings, not bad if you above the artic circle in june but not much help for us in the lower 48.
tlhdocTracy,
You can buy them (and their charge controllers) by clicking [link=http://www.solar-electric.com/]HERE[/link]. But, before buying anything, you will need to know how much power you will require on a daily basis.
Where and when you will be using them is also important as they are environmentally particular. (What works in high temperatures may not work in cold temperatures). " Kits" give you something to play with and learn from but probably aren t going to give you what you " need" .
tlhdocTracy,
We use a 45 watt set up, it is 3- 15 watt panels. We mounted the panels onto a home designed stand so they are portable and can reach the sunny spots while we are set up in the shade. it is the same as the one with the stand on the Sams club sight, but it came with no stand . It s the system that MtnCampers post links to.
Whichever route you decide to go with this, be sure the panels you get are photovolatic,they perform in low light conditions better.
The 45 has been good for our needs, we aren t real heavy power users except in the cold when the furnace runs more. In 3 yrs we haven t had a dead battery yet. (except for the time our 1st panel got smashed by a bear[>:] )
You need to get an idea of your usage to fiure out how many watts you really need.
[link=] http://www.icpglobal.com/html/solarcal.asp[/link]
This page will help you determin what your power needs are.
ForestCreaturetlhdoc: Forgive me... I m going to HiJack this thread just a little...
**Marcy**
Since you are already set up with a solar system... have you previously calculated the wattage requirements of the appliances within the PU? The link you provided is a great help, but I am not sure of the wattage values that are offered on that site.
For instance... the lights in the PU... of which there are 4 bulbs. Is each light bulb 40 watts, or are they individually less than that?
What about the furnace fan wattage? And the wattage of the bulb in the fan-light combo, and the fan separately.
It s Ok if you haven t checked out the wattage of these items, I m just curious as to what the draw would be from each item.
As we all know, it would be unlikely that every electrical appliance would be in use at the same time, but knowing the power needs of each individual item, you could figure out which appliances could run together at the same time without over-taxing the system.
If you did your homework really well, one could in theory run all appliances from only the solar power source, dependant of course on the weather of the day... etc... etc... Thanks in advance!
Have a great sunny day!
Cadeuses
QuoteORIGINAL: Cadeuses
As we all know, it would be unlikely that every electrical appliance would be in use at the same time, but knowing the power needs of each individual item, you could figure out which appliances could run together at the same time without over-taxing the system.
Cadeuses, Sure you could run everything at the same time. The panels
recharge the batteries, They don t provide direct power to the camper. All you are doing is charging the batteries.
MtnCamperHi Gary
Understood. Wouldn t you want to recharge the battery at a rate equal to the draw... or does that not really matter?
I was thinking that if you replaced what was demanded one-for-one, then your battery will certainly be at full capacity, especially on those days where there is little to no sun or it s raining.
What is your advise regarding that?
Cadeuses
tlhdoc: Forgive me... I m going to HiJack this thread just a little...
**Marcy**
Since you are already set up with a solar system... have you previously calculated the wattage requirements of the appliances within the PU? Yes we have, but it s been a few years and I don t remember each items draw. The link you provided is a great help, but I am not sure of the wattage values that are offered on that site.
The values they give are for a household not a camper,what one needs to do is get out their paper work and find out the wattage for the appliances or lights that are used in in their unit. For instance the watts they give for the furnace is for a house, my camper furnace dosen t draw nearly that much.
For instance... the lights in the PU... of which there are 4 bulbs. Is each light bulb 40 watts, or are they individually less than that?
the bulbs in the camper are less,use the wattage from your application.
What about the furnace fan wattage? And the wattage of the bulb in the fan-light combo, and the fan separately.
Again, this requires a little work on the part of the person figuring out what they need....dig out the paper work and check the wattage each item uses to get a true calculation for your individual needs.
It s Ok if you haven t checked out the wattage of these items, I m just curious as to what the draw would be from each item.
One really should check out the wattage, as it has a bearing on what amount of watts to purchase in panels....for instance do you want to maintain the battery or just barely keep up? If you don t have sufficient solar watts to fully chrge your battery you will loose battery effiency daily.Eventually endining up with a dead battery.
As we all know, it would be unlikely that every electrical appliance would be in use at the same time, but knowing the power needs of each individual item, you could figure out which appliances could run together at the same time without over-taxing the system.
That brings up batteries, how much you can run without over taxing the system would greatly depend on how many batteries you have. Also if you truly want to rely on solar for AC needs there is more to learn and do to the system to make the outlets operable. We use our as a battery maintainer not as a true source of AC electric power
If you did your homework really well, one could in theory run all appliances from only the solar power source, dependant of course on the weather of the day... etc... etc... Thanks in advance!
One could truly run their household on solar power if all the homework is done properly.
Have a great sunny day!
[/quote]
You too
tlhdocIs scrolling back and forth to read this driving anyone else as crazy as it is me!!![&:]
ForestCreatureThanks Marcy...
When Jiffypop thaws out in the spring... I ll get the manuals out and start checking. Thanks a lot!
Have a great day!
ForestCreature
QuoteORIGINAL: ForestCreature
Is scrolling back and forth to read this driving anyone else as crazy as it is me!!![&:]
Yep![:@]
Cadeuses
QuoteORIGINAL: Cadeuses
Hi Gary
Understood. Wouldn t you want to recharge the battery at a rate equal to the draw... or does that not really matter?
I was thinking that if you replaced what was demanded one-for-one, then your battery will certainly be at full capacity, especially on those days where there is little to no sun or it s raining.
What is your advise regarding that?
Yes, you would want to replentish one to one. But, Your furnace runs perhaps 20% of the time evening only (usually). I turn our off when going to bed. Your lights run for a few hours, total during a 24 hour period. Your water pump perhaps 15 minutes a day.
You are recharging the batteries any time the sun is up. Depending on where you are, and the time of the year, Let s say from 8am until 8pm. That s 12 hours. So let say you use 60 watts for a total of 6 hours. (you probably won t use that much). You have 12 hours of 45 watts to replentish. 360 out and 540 in. Recharged. Now lets say the next day you use the same 360, but it s cloudy and rainy. You only put back 300. Your battery is down -60. It ll get made up tomorrow, no problem.
If tlhdoc would edit the link, I think this arrowing would go away.
[link=*http://whatever.com=]Name it what you want[*/link]
Remove the * symbols then post.
tlhdocThe problem with solar panels is you only get enough light to do any good for 5 hours a day. So, to compute the size panel you need, total up the number of watts you need per day and divide by 5. Then look for panels to equal or exceed that number.
tlhdocSome months ago I did a fair amount of reading on solar power for RV s. I found the folks at [link=http://www.backwoodssolar.com/index.htm]Backwoods Solar[/link]. These folks are hard core off-grid folks. I only spent $40 with them but I got many times that in help. The way they acted over my little purchase tells me that they are used to doing hand holding and LIKE it!
For me I found that panels don t make sense, I seldom camp for more than 3 days. I think the biggest lesson I learned was that I can use the panels to replace the power I use from the batteries, not to actually power anything directly. Even if I don t replace all the power I use on a given day I can still extend the life of my batteries significantly.
Looking at a WestMarine catalog I did get interested in wind power though..........
topcat7736
QuoteORIGINAL: topcat7736
The problem with solar panels is you only get enough light to do any good for 5 hours a day. So, to compute the size panel you need, total up the number of watts you need per day and divide by 5. Then look for panels to equal or exceed that number.
In our experience so far with the 45 watts we use. The furnace running set to 62 at night in about 30 degree temps out side (granted we have an insulated trailer so the furnace does run less than in a canvas pop up).
It gets fully charged up by noon (thats aout the time we get around to checking the battery) on a sunny day. On overcast days it takes a few hours more, but does fully charge. Placement and angle of the panels play an important role on their effiency as well as the gauges of wires used in the set up.
The 5 hours you refer to are the peak optimal hours of the suns effiency. You still do get a charge beyond that 5 hr time frame, it just isnt as efficient.