Shedding Light on Solar
Contents
1. 150 for cables and connectors A rough guess for installation is 500 but again Mark volunteered The inverter is per manently connected to the batteries and is wired into the trailers AC wiring making all the AC outlets in the trailer live We run it 15 to 24 hours a day It operates all the AC appliances in the trailer except the air conditioner 25 Ah charge to the batteries per day in the winter and 40 Ah per day in the sum mer Two panels will double that three will triple it etc Therefore to size the system approximate your nightly use in Ah get at least three times as much battery capacity Ah as that number and get enough panels to provide that much Ah of charge each day Comparisons In both systems Mark installed the panels flat on the roof without tilting brackets This reduces the overall capac ity of the system by up to 11 percent but Photos courtesy of RadioShack Morningstar and Kyocera To obtain detailed product information on the equipment described in this article go to the manufacturer s Websites Trojan batteries www trojan battery com Mitsubishi solar panels http global mitsubishielectric com bu solar index html Kyocera solar panels http global kyocera com prdct solar e Outback charge controller www outbackpower com Morningstar charge controller www morningstarcorp com Exeltech inverter www exeltech com 34 ESCAPEES March April 2009 www escapees com el2. 3Ah Solar panels are rated in watts but do your calculations in Ah instead One 120 watt solar panel will provide about e Two six volt Sam s Club batteries with 220 Ah capacity 130 e One Kyocera 130 watt solar panel providing 25 40 Ah of charge per day 609 e One Morningstar Sunsaver 10 amp charge controller 55 e One Radio Shack 150 350 watt inverter 59 e One Pro One 800 watt inverter 75 Total cost 972 including 44 for cables and connectors We were quoted 150 320 for the installation Although my husband Mark is not an electrician he was able to do the installation We plugged the small inverter into the cigarette lighter outlet inside the trailer and used it to run everything except the vacuum cleaner we did not use the microwave or have other big appliances The large inverter was connected to the batteries with a regular extension cord running into the interior of the trailer We used it for the vacuum cleaner We used the inverters for two to eight hours a day ROBUST SYSTEM COST Large solar setup purchased in 2008 e Four Trojan 1105 six volt batteries with 450 Ah capacity 315 e Three Mitsubishi 120 watt solar panels 1 755 e One Kyocera 130 watt solar panel 609 purchased in 2007 The four panels provide about 75 to160 Ah of charge per day e One Outback MX60 60 amp charge controller 495 e One Exeltech 1100 watt true sine wave inverter 545 Total cost 3 869 including
3. By Emily Fagan 99408 x Since we started full time RVing in 2007 we have lived in total freedom With wheels under our feet and solar panels overhead we can go anywhere anytime nour travels we have met countless people who were intrigued by solar but didn t have it on their rig We heard every reason under the sun for not installing it it is too expensive it s rocket science it works only as a backup to a generator it won t work with my six volt batteries it won t work on cloudy days or parked under the trees or in Northern states None of these things are true and if you are like so many RVers we have met I hope this article will encourage you to install solar on your RV Silence of the Charge The greatest benefit of a solar setup is that once installed you never have to think about it again Unlike a generator it silently charges the batteries from dawn to dusk with no smell no fuel cost and no storage issues Whether our trailer is parked or being towed whether we are hiking biking shopping or napping the batteries are charging all day every day Mark Fagan installs a solar panel on the roof of his Lynx trailer while parked on the northern California coast Photo by Emily Fagan 99408 f Aii KOT iA D pe y 7 try yi 4 4 se i 32 ESCAPEES March April 2009 ARIE s ara ra We have had two solar setups a 972 minimal system on our 27 foot travel trailer that we used full tim
4. artment near the batteries The solar panel s pass electrical current to the charge controller which in turn charges the batteries while the batteries function as a temporary hold ing area for electricity The amount of electricity you take out of the batteries cannot be greater than the amount of electricity the panels can store in them or they will become discharged The 12 volt deep cycle marine batteries found in most tow able trailers are designed with a dual purpose to start an engine and to pro vide power storage In contrast six volt golf cart batter ies are built strictly for deep cycle use not engine starting RVs don t use their house batteries to start engines the way boats often do so 12 volt batteries are not the best choice To put some numbers behind that idea batteries are rated by amp hour storage capacity Ah Most trailers are sold with one or two 12 volt Group 24 batteries which have a rating of 70 to 85 amp hours per battery or 140 to 170 Ah per parallel pair Two six volt batteries in series are functionally the same as a single 12 volt battery and will typically provide 220 amp hours per pair of batteries 30 percent more Putting them in series does not double the amp hours Six volt batteries have the same footprint as 12 volt Group 24 batteries but are taller an important consideration when upgrading Racist Age ist Altruistic Batteries are racist age ist and altr
5. e for one year and now a 3 869 robust system on our 36 foot fifth wheel Each system was sized to suit the quality and comfort level of its trailer We boondock or dry camp in each rig almost every night The small system was sufficient for us to watch two to three hours of TV or DVDs at night on a 19 inch LCD TV listen to the radio or CDs during the day recharge the laptop toothbrush razor cordless drill and or camera batteries turn on a light for two to three hours each night vacuum with a Dirt Devil and run the battery hog 35 000 BTU furnace for half an hour each morning in the winter We didn t conserve much during the summer but in the winter we did pick and choose our activities and we supplemented our lighting at night with oil lamps The robust system is like having electrical hookups everywhere we go We don t conserve at all We watch a 26 inch LCD TV with surround sound and subwoofer as much as we want 15 hours one day during the Olympics run the laptop for five to seven hours many days use the microwave hair dryer and toaster and turn on as many lights as we need at night Following is a little bit of theory and later in the article are blueprints of our mini and robust systems System Components There are two independent subsystems in a solar setup lt SUBSYSTEM 1 A three part charg ing system consists of batteries solar panel s installed on the roof and charge controller mounted in a storage com p
6. iminates the risk of driving off with the panels tilted up or worrying about them in sudden high winds Our minimal system is the small est system I would install on an RV however I d recommend it for every and the cost is comparable to a similarly sized generator For us the money we spent on solar was our best investment in the full time RV lifestyle besides the truck and trailer themselves In addition to the thrill of total independence on the road our nightly camping cost is now averaging just over 1 per night Ji Resources RV used for dry camping during spring summer and fall It is comparable to a Honda 2000i generator in cost and charging ability providing a daily charge similar to running the generator which charges at eight amps for three to five hours every day The robust system has made our lives comfortable It is comparable to an on board Onan generator The system can charge at 30 amps and we have watched it charge at 10 amps in downpours and in full shade Regardless of weather the batteries are always fully charged by nightfall It can run everything in the rig except the air conditioner Try It If you work with a qualified solar re tailer you don t need to know anything technical to upgrade your RV with solar There are many resources on the internet Here are a few that found useful e www amsolar com See ad page 73 An RV specific resource for purchasing all the compo
7. nents that go into an RV solar solution Boondockers Birds of a Feather BOF group For more information about X boondocking opportunities check out the Boondockers BOF on page 62 roadslesstraveled us For more details on the solar solutions described in this article including wiring a list of common appliance amperages that we measured in our trailer the different functions of converters and inverters types of inverters and specitics on performance in rain and shade see the Solar Setup page For a discussion of the many easy ways to conserve electricity check the Boondocking page www rvsolarelectric com CM 28 See ad this page An excellent resource for buying all the solar equipment an RV needs www starlightsolar com See ad page 81 e www windsun com We purchased both solar setups through Northern Arizona Wind and Sun in Flagstaff Arizona a retailer for homes and commercial buildings We knew nothing about solar at first With each system they sold us a complete kit that included all necessary parts We did not specify anything beyond general performance and budget e www windsun com Batteries Battery_FAQ htm A terrific explanation of the many battery types that are available X SOLAR BATTERY CHARGER SOLAR PANELS O Eas SHELL SOLAR INDUSTRIES Solar systems work silently to recharge your RV battery automatically with no fuel and no fumes RV SOLAR SYSTEM KIT Includes Solar panel mount reg
8. rom 149 900 e Active Adult Gated Community e 1 Birding Spot In The Nation e Private Club and Rec Center Fitness Pools Lounge Library e Hike amp Bike Trails amp Fishing Lake e 3000 Acre Wild Life Habitat Top Ranked Resort In The Rio Grande Valley Located In Mission Texas Contact Us 956 381 1500 visit us online at WwW bentsenpalm com www escapees com March April 2009 ESCAPEES 33 Larger inverters over 150 watts are installed near the batteries connected directly to them and depending on size can operate the bigger appliances Sizing the System As a rule of thumb it is best to use just a quarter to one third of the battery bank s storage capacity Ah in one night of electricity use Appliance usage is measured in amp hours The number of Ah an appliance uses is the number of amps the appli ance requires to run times the number of hours it is used DC appliances give MINIMAL SYSTEM COST Our small solar setup purchased in 2007 their amp rating in the user manual AC appliances give their watts rating in the user manual instead so you must convert to amps A rough estimate of an AC appliance s amp rating when oper ated on an inverter is the watts rating divided by 10 So using a 1 5 amp DC light for two hours will take three Ah Watching a 19 inch LCD TV at max volume 65 watts rating for two hours will take 13 Ah lower volume will use much less 65w 10 6 5A 6 5A 2 1
9. uistic They prefer to be grouped with other batteries of the same make model and Enjoy South Texas At It s Best age Six volt and 12 volt batteries don t mix well and newer batteries will spend all their energy trying to help the older batteries keep up Solar panels come in many sizes Nowadays a common basic size is 120 to 130 watts Charge controllers also vary greatly but they all prevent the panels from overcharging and ruining the batteries SUBSYSTEM 2 A system to transform 7 12 volt DC battery power into 120 volt AC power for AC appliances better known as an Inverter s An inverter attaches to a 12 volt battery circuit at one end and has one or more three prong AC outlets at the other end Plug your appliance into the AC outlet turn on the inverter and poof the appliance works Inverters vary in size tiny ones that plug into a cigarette lighter at the 12 volt end and have a single AC outlet and huge ones weighing over 10 pounds that are permanently attached to the 12 volt batteries at one end and provide power to all the existing AC outlets and appli ances in the RV via the other end Little cigarette lighter inverters can run everything in an RV except the air conditioner microwave hair dryer coffeemaker toaster ceiling fan and vacuum cleaner Continued on next page gt Retama Village At Bentsen Palm RV Super Sites with Coach House from 44 900 Casita Homes with Full Coach Port f
10. ulator and hookup package with wire amp instructions NOEL S Solar Inverter PACKAGE KIT My package includes the equipment A complete AC amp DC power system for your RV RVER S GUIDE TO SOLAR Our book is written in simple non technical terms to help you understand RV electricity Call TOLL FREE for more helpful information We provide ELECTRICAL INDEPENDENCE Keep warm without using battery power Easy hookup kits Solar Boost 2000 Can increase solar output with fewer solar panels INVERTER CHARGER xantrex di ap mae An INVERTER makes camping y in your RV a joy Use a microwave a gt computer VCR satellite TV or virtually any appliance day or night without a generator A REMOTE CONTROL PANEL offers convenience efficiency and control from inside the RV RV SOLAR ELECTRIC INC RVSolarElectric com P O Box 25313 Scottsdale AZ 85255 800 999 8520 Direct 480 443 8520 FREE Solar Catalog amp Planner See us at an ESCAPADE seminar Doug and Jane Kirkby SKP 814 YOUR SKP SOLAR SPECIALIST www escapees com March April 2009 ESCAPEES 35
Download Pdf Manuals
Related Search