Solar panel(s)

[Robc inWI]

We will be signing off on our build sheet (21C) soon and I am trying to decide on whether it would be better to just add the second panel to the build.

Our original plan is to do one panel, 2 6v batteries, zamp port. The full package would be nice but is overkill at this point, not to mention pricey when you factor in price increases. I will be retiring in 4 years and until then our "boon docking" will likely be 2-7 day camping trips.

But looking further down the road it might make sense to get the extra panel now and do the battery upgrades later. I would still get the Zamp port no matter what. I have searched this site and it seems that many owners do fine with 1 panel and the 2 flooded batteries.

Thoughts? Thanks

[davidmurphy02]

We have mostly done fine with one panel and two 6-volt batteries. However, if I had it to do over I would have gone for a second panel just to have that additional charging on days with less than optimal sunlight. The 6-volt batteries are inexpensive and seem to last a long time when properly maintained so I would not be tempted yet by the significant additional cost of lithium batteries.

[alanmalk]

Originally Posted by Robc inWI

...
But looking further down the road it might make sense to get the extra panel now and do the battery upgrades later. I would still get the Zamp port no matter what. I have searched this site and it seems that many owners do fine with 1 panel and the 2 flooded batteries.

Thoughts? Thanks

It makes sense to have Escape do the mechanical upgrades now - like extra panels and ports - things which you may or may not want to do yourself later in life. Items like batteries and electronics are much easier to do yourself later.

But whether or not you need these upgrades really depends on your camping needs and desires. You may be quite surprised a few years from now what your real camping style is compared to your imagined style. Best not to spend too much on upgrades until you have experienced the real thing. You may do just fine with the standard panel-two 6Volt batteries. Or you may determine you want to be a portable power generating station and run a mini-split air conditioner along with a compressor refrigerator and satellite internet.

[Ron in BC]

I rarely plug in and one 100W panel on the roof and two separate 12V batteries have worked fine for me for years.

I do have a spare flexible 100W panel that I use for shady areas and that would be my first upgrade if you find that you need more solar input.

Ron

[Vermilye]

I don't find the additional panel overkill; it lets me avoid setting up a portable except when parked in shade or during December & January. Mine are the stock Escape 2017 GoPower panels rated at 160 watts. That said, I have 3 100 amp hour lithium batteries & use a lot of amp hours, dry camping in the desert most of the winter.

My solar controller tells me I use around 1.2KWh per day. Again, most of the year I can get that from the 2 panels on the roof, but add a 300 watt portable during mid winter.

[WillyB]

Our plan is to have 1 panel and 2 6V batteries. We figure this will get us a few nights without issue. Down the road, if we feel we need more, our plan is to add a portable panel to capture sunlight more directly focused at the source.

Our friend has spent a few 2 month trips out West with 1 cheap Walmart 12V battery and a real cheap portable panel he found on Amazon. He said he has not had any issues with this setup while boondocking for up to 4 nights on good sun.

He is a light user of power though and does not like to stay for weeks at a time. Refrig and quick use of water pump is about it.

He does not have an inverter and we are not planning for one as well. Our F-150 has a small 400 watt inverter if we feel we need something special charged.

[TTMartin]

Originally Posted by Robc inWI

We will be signing off on our build sheet soon and I am trying to decide on whether it would be better to just add the second panel to the build.

Our original plan is to do one panel, 2 6v batteries, zamp port. The full package would be nice but is overkill at this point, not to mention pricey when you factor in price increases. I will be retiring in 4 years and until then our "boon docking" will likely be 2-7 day camping trips.

But looking further down the road it might make sense to get the extra panel now and do the battery upgrades later. I would still get the Zamp port no matter what. I have searched this site and it seems that many owners do fine with 1 panel and the 2 flooded batteries.

Thoughts? Thanks

We have one panel, dual 6 volt batteries. That is more than enough to recharge the batteries daily when parked in the sun. That includes running a CPAP and the furnace at night.

When parked in the shade like when we were at Fishcreek Campground at Glacier National Park last August. I had basically no charging from my solar panel, having a second solar panel on the top of the trailer would have done nothing as it also would have been in the shade.

Based on my experience your planned single fixed solar panel and a Zamp port so you can move a portable panel out in the sun, would be enough for extended boondocking.

[Dave Walter]

We have one factory installed 90W panel on our 19' plus the factory dual 6V batteries. Both have performed well since the trailer was purchased in 2013. Although, we have never run short on power, I would feel a little more comfortable with a 2nd panel on the roof.

[Effie]

Depending on weather (I lived in Wisconsin for twenty years ) and your power needs you should be fine for two to seven days. When it comes to technology four years is a long time, I will not install equipment now that I'm only planning to take advantage of in four years.

[Ronn]

Originally Posted by Effie

When it comes to technology four years is a long time, I will not install equipment now that I'm only planning to take advantage of in four years.

[WillyB]

Whenever I think of solar panels and staying fit while camping I always think......

2 birds...

[Ron in BC]

Originally Posted by Effie

When it comes to technology four years is a long time, I will not install equipment now that I'm only planning to take advantage of in four years.

I agree. When solar panels first became available I bought a 15W Siemens panel for about $400. Prices seem to have come down a bit.

Ron

[John in Santa Cruz]

heh, I just bought a 360W LGE monocrystaline panel for $150 (clearance sale price, shipping added $70 to this, still a good deal, as prime new panels run about $1/watt.

[John in Santa Cruz]

btw, I've been running power tests with my old Escape 160W roof panel, using a Victron SmartSolar MPPT 100/30... february, 37N latitude, parked where there's only direct sun a few hours a day, I've seen a peak of about 85 watts from the panel, and on mostly sunny days have been getting around 400-450 watt*hours. Still waiting on my 'fiberglass guy' (a boat repairman) to mount the new 360W monocrystalline in the 160W's place, whereupon I hope to get 1KWH/day at least, and probably double that in the summer.

[Bcescapist]

Originally Posted by Ron in BC

I rarely plug in and one 100W panel on the roof and two separate 12V batteries have worked fine for me for years.

I do have a spare flexible 100W panel that I use for shady areas and that would be my first upgrade if you find that you need more solar input.

Ron

Hi Ron we are trying to figure out the best way to add a portable panel. We have the escape installed single solar panel. Unfortunately we didn’t get a zamp port. Two 6 volt batteries. We would like to attach a portable panel to the system for camping in trees etc as is often the situation on the west coast. Any ideas on best way to do this? I’m not an electrician and find it a bit confusing.

[TTMartin]

Originally Posted by Bcescapist

Hi Ron we are trying to figure out the best way to add a portable panel. We have the escape installed single solar panel. Unfortunately we didn’t get a zamp port. Two 6 volt batteries. We would like to attach a portable panel to the system for camping in trees etc as is often the situation on the west coast. Any ideas on best way to do this? I’m not an electrician and find it a bit confusing.

Adding a Zamp port is easy to do. It does mean drilling a hole in the fiberglass near the solar controller. If you don't feel comfortable doing it. I would go to a local West Marine and ask for their recommendation on someone to do it. I'd stay away from RV dealers or shops. Someone who works with boats will be familiar with both fiberglass and solar.

[Bayner]

If you just want it for occasional use you could skip hard mounting a connector through the fiberglass and just run a lead from the solar controller under the bench out the access cover in that same compartment. Or if you get a panel with its own charge controller you could wire whatever kind of connector you like to the batteries directly as they're external anyhow.

[tdf-texas]

Originally Posted by TTMartin

Adding a Zamp port is easy to do. It does mean drilling a hole in the fiberglass near the solar controller. If you don't feel comfortable doing it. I would go to a local West Marine and ask for their recommendation on someone to do it. I'd stay away from RV dealers or shops. Someone who works with boats will be familiar with both fiberglass and solar.

Installing a solar port is easy - just a little daunting when you decide to drill the hole!

Just one note - don't buy a Zamp port as it is non standard and has the wiring polarity reversed. The female pin should be the positive connection - on a Zamp port, it's the negative. I have had to reverse the wiring on a number of Escapes because they were wired backwards. Get a SAE solar port with 10ga wires instead.
https://www.amazon.com/CERRXIAN-Weat.../dp/B07TB7XH2H

ps. Only Zamp solar panels use the reversed polarity. Any other solar panel will use the SAE standard polarity. What's the takeaway - unless you are using Zamp solar panels, don't use Zamp solar ports.

[John in Santa Cruz]

I hate those SAE connectors due to all that polarity mess.

most all portable solar panels have their own solar controller behind the panel. you just need a way to connect the output of this directly across the + and - cables of the battery.

I am installing a 'trolling motor' outlet from Marinco on the curbside of my E21 near where the battery box was, on the inside, this has a 10/2 wire, 40A fuse on the + side, connected directly to my main + and -.... you would then put a trolling plug on the end of the cable to the solar panel. I actually have a Andersen Powerpole PP45 connector on the end of my portable solar panel cable, and I made a 3-4 foot long 'pigtail' with the Marinco plug on the trailer side, and a PP45 on the solar panel side. I use this same plgtail to plug in a multiple USB+Cigar port box, and other accessories.

[oreo]

I wired the factory Zamp port backwards to another 30 amp charge controller near the battery than the system will be wired to SAE standards . You don't want to wire extra panels into the go power system as there will be different voltages specs degrading the system on the whole to the lowest voltage panel . I been using 4 Colman matching 40 watts panels with legs bought on sale for 75 dollars apiece plugged into a Colman solar hub . With using 40 feet of 10 gauge wire I like to park in the shade. They fit quite nicely in the 5.0 bed steps storage and are light weight easy for the wife to move to capture the sun .This setup is rated at 9 amps per hour . Panels in a system should be matched , being separate charge control will not degrade charging of the original panel from Escape