1 or 2 solar panels??

[Losangeles]

Originally Posted by alanmalk

..... a compromise might be to have ETI prepare the trailer for a second panel and you try some fall/spring camping and see what your actual needs are. In other words, push the decision out until you have your own personal data.

--
Alan

Brilliant idea Alan. I wonder the cost of this.

[gbaglo]

I think we have been addressing practicality.
I have a generator that I leave at home because I don't want to deal with fuel, or noise, or storage.

[Losangeles]

Originally Posted by steve dunham

Never Mind ! My question was one of cost vs benefit vs practicality and I can see that is going nowhere fast .

Not at all Steve - i think it is a very valid thing to discuss.

I actually own a Honda 2000 and I bought a kit to have it run on propane, and that kit does not remove it's ability to run on gas.

The nice thing is that I have NEVER run it on gas, so there is zero gas smell... and we have taken it in the trunk of our SUV a few times when camping with our (former) Casita... well strapped down.

it wont start nor run the HVAC but it does run fairly well on propane.

always good to know of all the options.

john

[thiggins]

I also have the tri-fuel system installed on our Honda 2000, works great, and no gasoline to deal with. We just plug it into the propane quick connect on our trailer. We've run it on natural gas also, at our home when the power went out.

[Vermilye]

I may be one of the heaviest users of amp hours - typical for me during the winter is 35 - 40 amp hours per 24 hours, sometimes as high as 50 amp hours. I have a Trimetric battery monitor installed, so I can accurately track usage. I spend most of the winter dry camping in Quartzsite, AZ for months at a time between hookups (91 days was the longest stretch). I don't carry a generator.

I probably could get away with less, however I like to keep my batteries above 80%. I started with a Escape 17 with 1 95 watt panel, and no Inverter. On the first long dry camping experience I found it didn't keep up, and added a 160 watt portable panel, along with a 1000 watt inverter that I used most mornings to make a pot of coffee, and sometimes toast. The combination worked well in the summers, and, if I was willing to do coffee on the stove & skip toast, OK even for a couple of cloudy days. During the winter I found I had to skip coffee & toast more often than I liked.

For a trip to Alaska, I added a 100 watt panel on the roof & found that most of the time that was plenty without the addition of the portable. The portable became necessary during winter camping (low angle sun & short days). So, I eventually had a total of 355 watts with 195 on the roof.

Since I don't watch TV, I skipped the antenna when I purchased a 21. I decided to fill the empty space with another 160 watt panel, for a total of 320 watts on the roof. With the larger (and built in microwave, larger inverter, and longer runs on the furnace (heating a larger trailer), I found the two roof top panels did fine during the summer unless I was parked in heavy shade.

Again, in the winter, the addition of the portable panel was (is) necessary. During the mornings I will get more amperage from the 1 portable panel than I do from both rooftop panels combined. If I was willing to let the batteries get down to 12V (50%) I'm fairly sure I could get away with the roof top panels alone, but going with a limit of 80% let me keep my 17's batteries for 6 years, still going strong.

My advice would be to do an estimated energy audit, i.e. determine how much electricity you expect to use per day when dry camping. Add at least 10% because you are going to get more toys & discover that camping without hookups is fun! Use an estimate of 35 amp hours per 160 watt panel per day (that is conservative, but you are going to have shady days). I'd want at least one portable panel - 160 watt is about as large a folding system as you can get today (or want to lift if they are rigid panels). If you have a rooftop panel, and are handy, have the Zamp port wired to the input of the trailer's controller, and buy a bare panel for the portable. You will have to add legs & a case, but it will save some $ or allow a larger panel.

If you camp where air conditioning is necessary & carry a generator, there is no reason for going with more than the single panel, in fact you don't really need any, but it is nice to be able to skip firing up the generator every day or two.

[parfsten]

Originally Posted by h2owmn

Thanks for the timely information, all. I'm having to make the decision about solar asap. My max boondock is likely about 4 days. The convenience of the roof mount is tempting, but I'm a shade seeker for landing spot, so I'm thinking portable would be better for me in terms of use. I'm hearing that the two 6 volts are better for this than a 29..is that right?

With so few boondocking days a portable panel setup should be more than adequate - I have the roof mount and camp often without hookups and it has worked out perfectly for my camping style. What I loved about working with ETI.... choices! 😁

[padlin]

Originally Posted by h2owmn

Thanks for the timely information, all. I'm having to make the decision about solar asap. My max boondock is likely about 4 days. The convenience of the roof mount is tempting, but I'm a shade seeker for landing spot, so I'm thinking portable would be better for me in terms of use. I'm hearing that the two 6 volts are better for this than a 29..is that right?

For just 4 days you could easily get away with the 2 6v batteries and no solar if you are fine with no inverter. An inverter invites heavier power use. A portable gives you the option to use it or not, which would also work. A roof mounted 160 parked in the shade still produces power. I uncovered the trailer 2 days ago, it's in the shadow of the house, I registered 1.3A from the panel, in MA, in December.

Any of the 3 ideas will work for your limited need.
High capacity batteries, a portable panel, or the fixed.

[noblets]

Would be neat to figure out how to tilt the roof panel for better sun angle. Saw a big rig down in the Arizona desert with a three-panel array on the roof, tilted.

[padlin]

Originally Posted by noblets

Would be neat to figure out how to tilt the roof panel for better sun angle. Saw a big rig down in the Arizona desert with a three-panel array on the roof, tilted.

It's been done with an Escape, you just have to do it yourself. There are threads on it if you search for them.

[Vermilye]

Originally Posted by noblets

Would be neat to figure out how to tilt the roof panel for better sun angle. Saw a big rig down in the Arizona desert with a three-panel array on the roof, tilted.

I'm working on just that, but haven't had any luck finding heavy 2" Aluminum Hinges with 1/4" pins, either removable, or that I can make removable.

[Donna D.]

I kept this link that I captured back in 2011 on FiberglassRV. Perhaps it will give others some ideas: Bigfoot Solar System - Tilt Panels

[sclifrickson]

I believe AM Solar in Springfield, OR can do tilt systems. They have a stellar reputation for quality work. Which means they’re always booked months in advance.

[noblets]

I can just see me forgetting to lower the panel and driving down the road!

[noblets]

Interesting video on tilting
https://www.gonewiththewynns.com/tilt-rv-solar-panels

[Mike Lewis]

I think getting one rooftop panel and having the trailer wired for a second one is a good idea, as is having a connector installed for a portable panel.

By now I have a lot of experience with solar power on my trailer. I have rooftop panels, but I have been in situations where there was a tree canopy keeping me in shade but a shiny spot of sunlight waltzed across my campsite during the day, ten feet away from my trailer. Arrgh! With a portable panel you can capture that energy and charge your batteries even when your trailer roof is in shade.

Drove me nuts, it did.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Vermilye

I'm working on just that, but haven't had any luck finding heavy 2" Aluminum Hinges with 1/4" pins, either removable, or that I can make removable.

How about 4" long, 3" wide, 0.250" pin aluminum hinges?
If those won't work, I wouldn't be surprised if you need to custom-fabricate the hinges... or change the design. All of the RV tilt mounts I've seen pivot on pins (usually bolts) through frame rails, not using a leaf-style hinge.

[NEWYORKHILLBILLY]

Originally Posted by padlin

For just 4 days you could easily get away with the 2 6v batteries and no solar if you are fine with no inverter. An inverter invites heavier power use. A portable gives you the option to use it or not, which would also work. A roof mounted 160 parked in the shade still produces power. I uncovered the trailer 2 days ago, it's in the shadow of the house, I registered 1.3A from the panel, in MA, in December.

Any of the 3 ideas will work for your limited need.
High capacity batteries, a portable panel, or the fixed.

At this point I dont plan on inverter, I don't drink coffee and i cant think of any reason i need one ,but that could change.

Originally Posted by ksitte

I notice you have a 19' on order. I wasn't aware that ETI would install 2 panels on a 19'. Is that now the case?

They will as long as you don't have TV antenna

Originally Posted by noblets

Would be neat to figure out how to tilt the roof panel for better sun angle. Saw a big rig down in the Arizona desert with a three-panel array on the roof, tilted.

I done this on my first casita kinda a home made job but worked Pic attached

Originally Posted by Vermilye

I may be one of the heaviest users of amp hours - typical for me during the winter is 35 - 40 amp hours per 24 hours, sometimes as high as 50 amp hours. I have a Trimetric battery monitor installed, so I can accurately track usage. I spend most of the winter dry camping in Quartzsite, AZ for months at a time between hookups (91 days was the longest stretch). I don't carry a generator.

I probably could get away with less, however I like to keep my batteries above 80%. I started with a Escape 17 with 1 95 watt panel, and no Inverter. On the first long dry camping experience I found it didn't keep up, and added a 160 watt portable panel, along with a 1000 watt inverter that I used most mornings to make a pot of coffee, and sometimes toast. The combination worked well in the summers, and, if I was willing to do coffee on the stove & skip toast, OK even for a couple of cloudy days. During the winter I found I had to skip coffee & toast more often than I liked.

For a trip to Alaska, I added a 100 watt panel on the roof & found that most of the time that was plenty without the addition of the portable. The portable became necessary during winter camping (low angle sun & short days). So, I eventually had a total of 355 watts with 195 on the roof.

Since I don't watch TV, I skipped the antenna when I purchased a 21. I decided to fill the empty space with another 160 watt panel, for a total of 320 watts on the roof. With the larger (and built in microwave, larger inverter, and longer runs on the furnace (heating a larger trailer), I found the two roof top panels did fine during the summer unless I was parked in heavy shade.

Again, in the winter, the addition of the portable panel was (is) necessary. During the mornings I will get more amperage from the 1 portable panel than I do from both rooftop panels combined. If I was willing to let the batteries get down to 12V (50%) I'm fairly sure I could get away with the roof top panels alone, but going with a limit of 80% let me keep my 17's batteries for 6 years, still going strong.

My advice would be to do an estimated energy audit, i.e. determine how much electricity you expect to use per day when dry camping. Add at least 10% because you are going to get more toys & discover that camping without hookups is fun! Use an estimate of 35 amp hours per 160 watt panel per day (that is conservative, but you are going to have shady days). I'd want at least one portable panel - 160 watt is about as large a folding system as you can get today (or want to lift if they are rigid panels). If you have a rooftop panel, and are handy, have the Zamp port wired to the input of the trailer's controller, and buy a bare panel for the portable. You will have to add legs & a case, but it will save some $ or allow a larger panel.

If you camp where air conditioning is necessary & carry a generator, there is no reason for going with more than the single panel, in fact you don't really need any, but it is nice to be able to skip firing up the generator every day or two.

This is very good information ,I thinking i should consider a portable second panel .Can i tap that right into the controller EFT installs?

[ericw]

Originally Posted by NEWYORKHILLBILLY

This is very good information ,I thinking i should consider a portable second panel .Can i tap that right into the controller EFT installs?

Yes. You can request they run the external solar port either directly to the battery or to the controller ETI installs.

[h2owmn]

Bob said:Any of the 3 ideas will work for your limited need.
High capacity batteries, a portable panel, or the fixed.

Ok, so say I do the portable panel. Are the two 6 volt overkill?

[h2owmn]

and related fuel (propane) question: does anyone have just one tank?