Talk to me about Solar....

[Gracy]

How do you set it up?  

How much does it cost for an average PUT to get it done?

Where do you even buy the equipment?

Is it powerful enough to run the AC?

Anyone have any pics of what a PUT looks like with it?

Thanks

[austinado16]

Take a look at the 2 stickies that are posted in the "Dry Camping" forum.  Also take a look at the LED lights sticky.  You may decide (depending on how long you like to be out dry camping) that you don't need a solar system once you've switch to LED's and maybe either a larger capacity battery, or gone to 2 golf cart batteries.

[Gracy]

Take a look at the 2 stickies that are posted in the "Dry Camping" forum.  Also take a look at the LED lights sticky.  You may decide (depending on how long you like to be out dry camping) that you don't need a solar system once you've switch to LED's and maybe either a larger capacity battery, or gone to 2 golf cart batteries.

Thanks... I just checked both threads out............ way to much info over my head!  I wish DH used computers so he could learn how to do all these mods  I always hope stuff will be easy enough for me to figure out myself  without a lot of tools etc.

[BirdMan]

Gracy, if the two links mentioned sounded to complicated I would suggest you talk to someone in your area that specializes in solar applications or an RV store/business.  To run AC could cost thousands of dollars, though it all depends on what you want to run.

No matter who you talk to they are going to need to know how much current, on the average, you will be using in a 24hour day.  This is called Amp Hours (A/h).  You don't have to know all the details of voltage, current, power, ... just how much time each device is on in a day.  For instance you might use one inside light 3hrs a night while the other light you use 2hour.  If you have a furnace you will have to guess how many hours the fan runs per night.  If you have a water pump how many hours does the pump run in a day.

If you go to a place that sells and repairs Fleetwood Folding trailers they will know exactly how many A/h's you are using by the data you will provide them from above.  
My system I think cost me around $400-600 and I did all the work.  If I had someone do it for me and buy the products needed at retail it probably would of cost $1200 or more.

I noticed you are in Pasedina, CA.  I found online a local company for you that sells Folding Fleetwoods and there website is //www.americancampersandtrailers.com.  If they don't deal in solar they no doubt would be able to point you in the right direction.

[Gracy]

Gracy, if the two links mentioned sounded to complicated I would suggest you talk to someone in your area that specializes in solar applications or an RV store/business.  To run AC could cost thousands of dollars, though it all depends on what you want to run.

No matter who you talk to they are going to need to know how much current, on the average, you will be using in a 24hour day.  This is called Amp Hours (A/h).  You don't have to know all the details of voltage, current, power, ... just how much time each device is on in a day.  For instance you might use one inside light 3hrs a night while the other light you use 2hour.  If you have a furnace you will have to guess how many hours the fan runs per night.  If you have a water pump how many hours does the pump run in a day.

If you go to a place that sells and repairs Fleetwood Folding trailers they will know exactly how many A/h's you are using by the data you will provide them from above.  
My system I think cost me around $400-600 and I did all the work.  If I had someone do it for me and buy the products needed at retail it probably would of cost $1200 or more.

I noticed you are in Pasedina, CA.  I found online a local company for you that sells Folding Fleetwoods and there website is //www.americancampersandtrailers.com.  If they don't deal in solar they no doubt would be able to point you in the right direction.

Thanks for that info.... its something to look into.  I asked DH about the LED lights and he thought is was something he could easily do... I just have to print out that thread and let him read though it.  To me it all sounds so complicated but to him I'm sure it all makes much more sense

[JimS]

How do you set it up?  

How much does it cost for an average PUT to get it done?

Where do you even buy the equipment?

Is it powerful enough to run the AC?

Anyone have any pics of what a PUT looks like with it?

Thanks

1: The setup is dependent on what you want.  You can mount the solar panel permanently to the top of the PUP or you can have the panel on a long wire to move it around to follow the sun.

2:  As for cost, that is dependent on how many watts of power you want / need.  My system ran me about $1300.00 or so, and I did all the work which was about two weekends.

3: Check out RV Solar Electric (http://www.rvsolarelectric.com/)as they have many different kits at different prices.  You can google something like " solar chargers, solar electric systems" and find much information, most of which is fairly simple to read and understand.  Once you kind of get a basic understanding of the terminology, it is much easier from there.  There are many companies from Camping World (http://www.campingworld.com/category/solar-power/221) to Northern Arizona Wind and Sun (http://www.windsun.com/) that can get you anything you need.  Another link: http://www.partsonsale.com/campers2.html

4: It would take a campground full of solar panels in full sun to even come close to powering an air conditioner!  :eyecrazy: I wish that were not the case.

5:  Some of the websites that I have mentioned have some very good pictures of various setups, mostly on RV's and the such.  Also the two previously mentioned stickies.

Feel free to PM me if you have any other questions, as I would be happy to help.

Jim

[austinado16]

Doesn't sound like solar would fit into the scheme of things for you guys.  I think you'd be huge money and time/frustration ahead to put a little money and effort into helping your battery power go further, or, if you always plug-in, nevermind.  Think of the money you'll save!

[Gracy]

Doesn't sound like solar would fit into the scheme of things for you guys.  I think you'd be huge money and time/frustration ahead to put a little money and effort into helping your battery power go further, or, if you always plug-in, nevermind.  Think of the money you'll save!

Yes that is exactly what DH and I were talking about tonight.  I think looking into those LED lights may something more "doable" for us at this point.  I'm going to follow that LED light thread a little more close cause I'm sure we're gonna have some more questions through the process.

We also want to do the gizmos... either the real ones or the emergency blankets.  First I want to actually see an emergency blanket befoe we decide which way to go.

Thanks for all the tips you guys give me!!!  

[PattieAM]

Gracey - I have the popup gizmos, and find them to be a very worthwhile investment for my bunk ends as well as the glide-out dinette.  They reflect the suns heat in summer, and can be reversed in winter to retain the PUP's heat.  

To be honest, I like the fact that they are much easier to clean than the PUP's canvas/sunbrella bunk end fabric - bird droppings and tree sap come off easily!
That ranks pretty high with me - equal to the insulation properties of the gizmos.