Solar rookie

[Buckmountain]

Originally Posted by Blazing zipp

A new Honda Genny might be the answer for AC. I know this question is about solar, but unless the plans have to include lots of solar-provided AC, a genny would be easy.
Just my two cents---------Enjoy the new trailer.

Agree. However, I prefer not to listen to a generator either mine or someone else's. If it's hot enough that I need to be running the AC for hours to be comfortable, I'm either at a COE campground, state park, or KOA with lots of power.

On our previous Lance 2285, I had 530 watts of solar, 200Ah Li, and a MultiPlus 2000 that was perfect to run the microwave, Keurig, or my bride's hair dryer. Making that jump to power AC is a huge next step (regardless of low-end or high-end components) to do it right. For some, it's a generator, and for me, shore power. Each person needs to decide what's best for them.

Edit: With the system described above, it's perfectly adequate for an overnight at Harvest Host, Cracker Barrel, etc. In fact, we stayed at the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta for 7 days with no connections and had plenty of power every day (nice weather and cold at night requiring heat).

Mike

[Vintage465]

Originally Posted by texax

It's about time that I embraced solar and learned more about it in terms of my ORV.

I bought a 2018 24 RKS pre-owned, and there are two solar panels on the roof, one smaller and one larger.

I assume that the smaller panel serves to keep the batteries topped off (but you know what they say about assuming), but what is the larger panel for? Did it come as standard equipment?

So far, we have only camped at campgrounds with shore power, but we have a boondocking trip scheduled for early July, and I need to get on top of this.

I really appreciate any help you can give me. My hope would be to run a/c during the day if needed, and to have access to some interior lights at night.

I think, as has been presented here in earlier posts, you need to know what appliances you want to run off your 12v system. Even if you have an inverter, and run 120v(household)appliances, it's still running off your 12v system. And I've found out, what is common for one camper is not common for others. Example: Coffee maker.....I use a percolator on top of the stove, uses no 12v just propane and I love the coffee it makes.....many peoples only idea of a coffee maker is Kuerig, and really don't realize coffee doesn't have to be made using a 120v outlet. Same with a toaster, we do ours on the stove top. I think we may have a hair dryer, but my wife has never used a hair dryer as long s we've been RVing and we're gone for months at a time. All these things that work for us, may not be your cup of tea, but I'm mentioning them so you are aware of ways to live off grid w/o needing 120 volt appliances. And we're not minimalists, it's just that I only so much counter and cabinet space and adding appliances to our trailer would complicate things a lot and I would rather use my battery power to be able run my furnace and C-Pap machines.
And as mentioned, if you want to go the A/C route using battery/inverter/charged by solar, that's gonna be some serious coin.....I mean, I think you'd drop more than 10 grand in a heartbeat. And we have work around for hot weather too.....I don't camp in hot weather. if for some reason I happened to be dangerously un-observant and for reasons beyond my control I ended up in 90 degree or hotter weather with no way out, I do keep a Firman 3300/3000 genny for emergencies.