Solar question for the experts

[Old Scout]

WOW--boon-docking with an Entegra--wouldn't that void the warranty? [smile]

[Gary.Jones]

A bunch of us did it for 4-12 days at Quartzsite and still lived...... and again for 6 days in a parking lot waiting for a tech to arrive for some repairs..... but I would guess that boondocking in the desert was a "new experience" for most of us but you are right!

Gary

[RubiconTrail]

I spend a lot of time boondocking in mine...at least half of my time in the coach, I would say. Gary's numbers match my experience to a T. I've found that at 12.0 volts or above, the genny runs too often for short periods of time trying to keep the batteries at that voltage. At 11.7 or below you are taking a chance that the dip in voltage will be too low, the genny won't start due to lack of battery power left, the EC30 will go into default (manual instead of automatic) and the coach will die.

The solar calcs above are accurate per se, but in an "ideal world" scenario. Your coach likely won't have perfect sunny weather, likely doesn't have perfect new batteries, likely doesn't have a full 12 hours of sun in the winter, etc. I would rely on the auto mode on the generator.

[brobox]

Good report Gary on battery availability for those of us that have not boondocked that often.

As RubiconTrail mentoined, a couple of people here have reported about the factory setting of 11.7 volts being to low to start the generator when the AGM called for it.

[DebbieMH]

I have ours set on autogen at the Spartan shop that is changing my radiator so I don't have to empty the refrigerator. The shop owner was ok with it as they don't have an inside bay the Entegra will fit in and the work has to be done outside. So, hopefully all will work as it should from now until Monda chy. Dropped it off yesterday and plan on getting it Monday. I do have the 200 watts of solar on the roof and it will be nice and sunny from now until Monday morning - without really using anything other than the frig and the parasite draw, it might not even kick in ... we will see.

BTW - my generator had quit allowing it to go to autogen a couple of months ago for the second time. The shop said their was a lose wire and prior time, they replaced something. Anyway, now the autogen can be set and it doesn't automatically change back to manual when you start the engine. I like it that way as we don't store the coach and when we are traveling, if the overhead a/c or electric heat is on, then the gen will start automatically when it is needed. The factory sets it for the autogen to go back to manual once the engine is started. I'm assuming that is so someone doesn't leave it on autogen in an enclosed environment.

[ikold]

If I wanted to add another 400 watts (2 200w panels) is there a shop that folks recomend either in Tucson/Phoenix area or Denver area.

[ghaynes754]

Marvin Braun, PrecisionRV, 206-276-2462 for all things solar and lithium.