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07-14-2018, 10:10 AM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2018
Posts: 636
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What do you need $ to add solar?
my RV has a little sticker that say "Solar Ready"
but what would I need to buy ?
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07-14-2018, 10:27 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Gulf Streamers Club
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Cincinnati
Posts: 19,925
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I'd ask your RV manufacturer what they mean by 'solar ready.' It could mean that wires have been run from the roof to the battery compartment, but then you'd need to know what gauge wire it is. You'll need to buy panels, mounting brackets, a solar charge controller, a monitor panel inside the RV to see battery SOC. These would be minimum 'needs,' I'm sure others will come along and add other items.
__________________
Bob & Donna
'98 Gulf Stream Sun Voyager DP being pushed by a '00 Beetle TDI
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07-14-2018, 12:32 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Solo Rvers Club iRV2 No Limits Club
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Yuma County, AZ
Posts: 10,868
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My brother's new 5th wheel had the same sticker. It was merely an outlet that allows a suitcase type portable solar panel, like Zamp, to be plugged in there.
https://www.amazon.com/Zamp-Solar-80...70_&dpSrc=srch
There are much more cost effective ways to add solar to your RV. I'd suggest you start by reading this
https://handybobsolar.wordpress.com
There is also a forum here dedicated to the topic
Going Green - iRV2 Forums
Adding solar isn’t as pricey as it used to be. Panels are about $1/watt if you shop around.
__________________
Barb (RVM18) with Morkies Lily & Bebe RIP Sena FMCA#F466348
"Homer" ‘11 Shasta Cynara, pulling "Ranger" '97 Ford Ranger toad
The Journey is Our Destination. Full-timer May 2011 - July 2021
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
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07-14-2018, 01:25 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Gulf Streamers Club
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Cincinnati
Posts: 19,925
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Quote:
Originally Posted by okmunky
Adding solar isn’t as pricey as it used to be. Panels are about $1/watt if you shop around.
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In January, '18 a 30% tariff was imposed on all imported solar panels. This is expected to influence prices by 10-12¢ a watt.
__________________
Bob & Donna
'98 Gulf Stream Sun Voyager DP being pushed by a '00 Beetle TDI
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07-16-2018, 10:46 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Solo Rvers Club iRV2 No Limits Club
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Yuma County, AZ
Posts: 10,868
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BFlinn181
In January, '18 a 30% tariff was imposed on all imported solar panels. This is expected to influence prices by 10-12¢ a watt.
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Bought a panel in November for $96 shipped. Same panel is now $104
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
__________________
Barb (RVM18) with Morkies Lily & Bebe RIP Sena FMCA#F466348
"Homer" ‘11 Shasta Cynara, pulling "Ranger" '97 Ford Ranger toad
The Journey is Our Destination. Full-timer May 2011 - July 2021
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
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07-16-2018, 11:03 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 230
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We just installed 1,440 watts of solar on our coach that was "solar Prepped".
For Newmar, that means wires ran from the roof (stuffed under a plate on the roof and marked "solar"), down to the battery bay and coiled up.
16 gauge wires, if I remember.
We had the install done by AM Solar, here in Oregon. They put the panels in series, so we could retain and use the existing wiring.
8 panels (ordered and purchased before any price change) of 180 watts each.
Battery monitoring and control panel monitoring done via bluetooth to our phones, so we can see the battery load, the levels of charge state, and the solar in and load out. Runs pretty much everything except the A/C.
Our coach is all electric, and we have 8 AGM house batteries (2 chassis batteries). If this solar works out (if we use it enough), we'll switch to lithium batteries once the AGMS need replacing (hopefully at a much lower relative cost by then).
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07-16-2018, 11:09 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Gulf Streamers Club
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Cincinnati
Posts: 19,925
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JT Oregon
We just installed 1,440 watts of solar on our coach that was "solar Prepped".
For Newmar, that means wires ran from the roof (stuffed under a plate on the roof and marked "solar"), down to the battery bay and coiled up.
16 gauge wires, if I remember.
We had the install done by AM Solar, here in Oregon. They put the panels in series, so we could retain and use the existing wiring.
8 panels (ordered and purchased before any price change) of 180 watts each.
Battery monitoring and control panel monitoring done via bluetooth to our phones, so we can see the battery load, the levels of charge state, and the solar in and load out. Runs pretty much everything except the A/C.
Our coach is all electric, and we have 8 AGM house batteries (2 chassis batteries). If this solar works out (if we use it enough), we'll switch to lithium batteries once the AGMS need replacing (hopefully at a much lower relative cost by then).
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I'm guessing your installer didn't use the 16 gauge wires to connect to the 1,414 w of panels?
__________________
Bob & Donna
'98 Gulf Stream Sun Voyager DP being pushed by a '00 Beetle TDI
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07-16-2018, 11:13 AM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 230
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BFlinn181
I'm guessing your installer didn't use the 16 gauge wires to connect to the 1,414 w of panels?
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I believe he did. I'm sure it's buried in the paperwork, etc. And maybe it wasn't 16 gauge. But he did use the existing wiring.
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07-16-2018, 11:48 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Gulf Streamers Club
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Cincinnati
Posts: 19,925
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JT Oregon
I believe he did. I'm sure it's buried in the paperwork, etc. And maybe it wasn't 16 gauge. But he did use the existing wiring.
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1440 w worth of panels, at 12v, generates over 100 amps. No way 16g or even 10g wire could handle that kind of load. Those "solar prepped" wires are usually sized to handle a 10-15w panel to maintain a battery, not the job or running an all-electric RV with 1440 w of solar.
__________________
Bob & Donna
'98 Gulf Stream Sun Voyager DP being pushed by a '00 Beetle TDI
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07-16-2018, 12:49 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Enjoying the Western States!
Posts: 19,637
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I haven't used it but this is an interesting site:
https://www.renogy.com/calculators
__________________
Full-timed for 16 Years . . .
Traveled 8 yr in a 2004 Newmar Dutch Star 40' Diesel
& 8 yr in a 33' Travel Supreme 5th wheel
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07-16-2018, 05:10 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2017
Location: Itinerant
Posts: 755
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BFlinn181
1440 w worth of panels, at 12v, generates over 100 amps. No way 16g or even 10g wire could handle that kind of load. Those "solar prepped" wires are usually sized to handle a 10-15w panel to maintain a battery, not the job or running an all-electric RV with 1440 w of solar.
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Doesn't solar prep basically mean there's a wire from the roof to somewhere in a compartment?
Amsolar seems to do quailty work and I'll bet they used the proper size may reused smaller somewhere else?
8 in series is some major voltage 144v+ @ 9a+/-
Maybe 2 series/ 4 parallel 37v+ @ 36a+/-
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07-17-2018, 09:56 AM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 1,994
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Quote:
Originally Posted by okmunky
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Barb, just curious is there any particular reason you went with polycrystalline over Mono?
__________________
2004 Montana 2955RL, 400 watt solar, 2000 watt inverter/charger, 4-Interstate 225AH 6volt golf cart batteries, All LED lights,Champion Remote start 3- fuel option 3100/3400 inverter/gen.- 2000 F-350 7.3 4x4 long bed crew cab SRW.
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07-17-2018, 10:03 AM
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#13
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Senior Member
Solo Rvers Club iRV2 No Limits Club
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Yuma County, AZ
Posts: 10,868
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Quote:
Originally Posted by weredoingit
Barb, just curious is there any particular reason you went with polycrystalline over Mono?
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Price - I’ve heard that the difference in performance isn’t worth paying extra $ for. That's been years ago. Has something changed?
__________________
Barb (RVM18) with Morkies Lily & Bebe RIP Sena FMCA#F466348
"Homer" ‘11 Shasta Cynara, pulling "Ranger" '97 Ford Ranger toad
The Journey is Our Destination. Full-timer May 2011 - July 2021
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
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07-17-2018, 10:09 AM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 1,994
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Quote:
Originally Posted by okmunky
Price - I’ve heard that the difference in performance isn’t worth paying extra $ for. That's been years ago. Has something changed?
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Not to my knowledge, I'm still learning. I went with Mono when I bought mine from Renogy I had a lot of people giving me advice and I was told I would regret not going with Mono??? Like I said I was just curious.
__________________
2004 Montana 2955RL, 400 watt solar, 2000 watt inverter/charger, 4-Interstate 225AH 6volt golf cart batteries, All LED lights,Champion Remote start 3- fuel option 3100/3400 inverter/gen.- 2000 F-350 7.3 4x4 long bed crew cab SRW.
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