Solar panel setup

[wmbillh]

We have a 2011 Haulmark 306 DS,on a Volvo chassis.Has anyone had great luck with adding solar to a like type motorhome?We boondock allot in campgrounds with no electric.The tent campers do care for our generator running.Thanks.

 

[bushpilot-TC]

theyre just JEALOUS

Ive been considering adding solar panels for a couple of years now....never can seem to be bothered to do the MATH...I just run the generator at night (to recover the batteries from the day time consumption)....our gen is well w/in the db spec required by any campground.

We're headed to ABQ BalloonFiesta and they claim to enforce quiet time at 10p til 6a or something - so i guess ill run the gen during the day to keep the batteries up.

i figure id need about 400 bucks worth of panels alone (plus the charge controller).

 

[jasong-TC]

My in laws have a permanent boondocking setup in Canada.
I'll check with him and see what he is running.
He has the panels on the roof of a shed and the batteries and inverter inside of it.

 

[hot rod]

Buy a Genturi for your generator and offer to let the hippies charge their cell phones. Problem solved.

 

[jasong-TC]

Here is my in laws reply:

I now have about 250 watts of solar panels (not enough yet). I need another 100 watts. I now have 4800 cranking amps. That is about the right amount. Likely equivalent to 480 amp-hours.

 

[bushpilot-TC]

yeah about what i figure id need too - somewhere around 300-450 watts of solar panels - not cheap when you consider you're gonna spent about 200 bucks per 100 watts, plus cabling, charge controller & meter.

 

[jasong-TC]

Cheaper than lot rent.

 

[bushpilot-TC]

you'd have to do a lot of dry camping to get the ROI on this - and IMO dry camping isn't the best in every place....like recently we stayed very close to "downtown" Sedona, it wasn't cheap but it was safe/secure and extremely convenient....and shaded (something that isn't desirable if you're using solar).

 

[jasong-TC]

Wait until you find parks that run over a grand a month..........

 

[bushpilot-TC]

Wait until you find parks that run over a grand a month..........

well i don't stay in those, and wouldnt stay in them for a month - but then i wouldnt stay in a parking lot or field for a month either.

Ive stayed in more than one that was over 60 a night & even one that was over 100 a night - but there was VALUE (and convenience) for my money and i DIDNT have to run my generator (adding to the cost) in ANY of them.

SURELY for $1000 a month you're receiving something.