Wind and solar

[R.Wold]

Originally Posted by pasdad1

A 21 foot class C would seem to have quite a bit of room for solar. Why do you think you don’t ? Do you know how many watts you can fit? Or how many watts you need ?

How many batteries do you have? Solar is just for battery charging.....if you only have one or two batteries you actually can’t use lots of watts of solar, as it would go unused after the batteries reach full charge.

Have you thought about some portable panels? Much easier to deploy and probably brings in more power than wind in your case.

More good ideas....I like the idea of portable panels just because you can park in the shade and put your panels in the sun. Storage, transport, and set up are the only drawbacks, but nothing insurmountable.

[followingsea]

Originally Posted by Orgotloth

I’ve already decided it’s my best option as I don’t have the space for solar.

Are you only considering the best of really bad options?

There is a reason I ask people why they think something is a good idea.

Your part of Texas is not know for having good solar or wind resources for generating electricity. That is not where power companies like the ones I used to work for build wind or solar projects.

Are you a very rich person who wants and expensive hobby? Head to the GOM and live on a sailboat.

Do you like to tinker? Me too! I can tell what you will learn, wind and solar is not a very good way to make electricity.

When it comes to renewable energy there are many ways to do it, play the cards you have been dealt.

Internal combustion engines can run on gasified wood chip or shredded paper for example. It is a common practice when there are fuel shortages such as during WWII.

I evaluated one gasifier project that did this in rural farm areas off grid. Power companies often need temporary power at the same time they are hauling waste wood to landfills because of storms. Unfortunately the inventor died.

[steve52]

Originally Posted by followingsea

Your part of Texas is not know for having good solar or wind resources for generating electricity. That is not where power companies like the ones I used to work for build wind or solar projects.

Texas ranks sixth among the states for solar generation potential.
Comparison of Solar Power Potential by State

[Orgotloth]

I only have two batteries as of now, I would be turning it into a 5-6 battery bank when I switch to wind, solar would be there for low wind days but I get pretty good winds where I’m at 24/7. I move the rv once every 2-3 days but that’s about it. I was thinking about using a two turbine system, I found some high efficiency turbines that are relatively small, they don’t need to pivot with how the blades are set up so I can make a stable mount and take it down with 1-2 bolts each when I do need to move. As for roof space, I’m looking to be able to power a tv and a gaming system through the night and my current solar panels only charge enough to power my phone and a tablet through the night and I’m having a lot of power issues. I only came to wind because I’ve been having these issues and would like to resolve the problem.

[followingsea]

Originally Posted by steve52

Texas ranks sixth among the states for solar generation potential.
Comparison of Solar Power Potential by State

It never ceases to amaze me how little solar advocates know about making electricity with solar.

Texas is a very diverse state which is one of my favorite places to dry camp. The important part of my statement is 'the part of Texas'.

I built a house at 2000' elevation in California. It had a very good solar resource yet where I worked did not. I designed and built system to produce and store how water. It worked great.

Here are the mistakes I made. When children grow up and leave home you use less hot water. A new code requirement included low flow shower nozzles. New laundry detergents used warm water. How water system need lots of maintenance.

So for a single family home there were better ways to save energy.

In China, I saw many hot water systems on 4 story apartment buildings. From what I have read on the subject, a good idea.

I am not against solar, I am against not making the effort to be knowledgeable.

The reason I say the purpose of RV solar is to tell you have solar based on what I read.

If you are in the power industry the purpose of solar is to put a pictures on your web site and annual report. No mention of how electricity is produced.

I just read a news story from my brokers web site about solar plant built in Texas by a power company I worked for. I have a nice pension and income from stock because they are good at making electricity to provide low rates to their customers.

Texas requires a certain amount of electricity from solar and wind. If you put the solar panels and wind turbines where they will make more electricity, they will make more money. So you look to where power companies put such equipment.

California has requirements to make a lot more. Having lived and worked in California I was skeptical. When I read a goverment report exaggerated claims my BS meter pegs high. I checked. New renewable energy was either not new or out state.

Two wood fired plants near where I lived were not new. Wind farms in Washington State and Texas were not new. So 75% of claims of 'new' were just new contracts.

Several wind farms are near where my sailboat is. I was sailing there long before the wind turbines came. They there because of a good wind resource and power lines to California.

Wind is sucking money north. There is no environmental benefit. Apparently people who live in big cities are ok with covering the the landscape with machines.

There is a rule for siting wind farms. Not in the back yard of those who advocate them.

[pasdad1]

Originally Posted by Orgotloth

I only have two batteries as of now, I would be turning it into a 5-6 battery bank when I switch to wind, solar would be there for low wind days but I get pretty good winds where I’m at 24/7. I move the rv once every 2-3 days but that’s about it. I was thinking about using a two turbine system, I found some high efficiency turbines that are relatively small, they don’t need to pivot with how the blades are set up so I can make a stable mount and take it down with 1-2 bolts each when I do need to move. As for roof space, I’m looking to be able to power a tv and a gaming system through the night and my current solar panels only charge enough to power my phone and a tablet through the night and I’m having a lot of power issues. I only came to wind because I’ve been having these issues and would like to resolve the problem.

You could have issues with your current solar install which is making it perform poorly. Number one is wiring which is severely undersized. Undersized wire makes resistance, and resistance makes voltage drop. Cheap controllers and 12 volt panels have barely enough voltage for proper charging “if done right”.....do it wrong, and you will have something that barely works.

Get a mppt controller and wire solar panels in series/parallel configuration with at least 24volts (or higher) going to controller. Be prepared to tilt panels towards sun for better efficiency.

[garbonz]

If have a solar system consists of sticking a panel in a window, This venture is doomed from the start.

[rarebear.nm]

Originally Posted by Orgotloth

I was looking into doing a wind and solar combo on my rv. My rig isn’t big enough to fit enough solar on my roof so I figured wind and solar combo would be a great option.

Does anyone have any pointers before I decide what to buy and what to look out for when I set it up and install?

No idea where you like to camp, so many things are unknown. I had looked into wind power for an RV several years ago and decided to spend more on solar and bypass wind. However I know there have been considerable advances in wind power systems for boats and RVs. Similar but still different.

They are much quieter now than a few years ago. Perhaps to point where its not an issue for some makes/models. Also the charge controllers have become better and are more like MPPT controllers.

It still takes a wind around 13mph to start producing power. Maximum power is reached at winds speeds in the range of 25 to 30 mph. Above that some models will start to slow down, perhaps below maximum output.

Turbines like to get as laminar air flow as possible. That improves with height above ground level.

Mast mounting can be tricky on an RV so as not to create excessive vibration on the RV structure.

Last is setup and take down effort and time and where do you store the turbine in transit.

I'm not in any way try to put down wind power, but you asked for issues and considerations, so those are mine. We move frequently, seldom staying anywhere for more than a few days at a time so setup/breakdown is a big issue to me. I've thought about a mast system that is hinged at the roof line so a collapsed mast with turbine attached could store on the RV roof. Perhaps with a hold down of some type.

I hope some folks focus on these issues and solve more of the problems related to wind power on RVs. That is still a small market potential, so limited investment is being made there.

[SLOweather]

Before you spend $$ on a wind turbine, I recommend that you get an inexpensive weather station and monitor the wind speed for a while.

I fully understand how noisy wind is, whe(ere) I am is very windy,

It's not how noisy the wind is, it's how noisy the turbine is. "I’d be making some sort of rig to attach it to the back of the rv." And all that turbine noise will get transmitted into the RV.



Without further details on your location, I would not be surprised if you learn that what you perceive as "very windy", is not that windy or continuously windy.

[R.Wold]

Regardless of all the reasons not to get involved in wind, I see it as a worthwhile experiment and frankly a fun experience. I tend to avoid windy locations but if sufficient wind was the norm, I’d at least be experimenting with it. I have a drone that cost a lot more than a good 400w wind genny and I never fly it. At least a wind genny would provide some energy as well as useful information, whether it ended up a viable method of generating power or not.

[rarebear.nm]

If you can consider it an experiment then I would love to hear about the results and what/how you did it. So would many other people who have wondered about wind power for RVs.

LoL

[R.Wold]

Well like I said I tend to avoid windy areas for camping. But given enough consistent wind, it would seem as worthwhile a gadget as any, and more so than a lot of other stuff I spend money on. Like my horses for instance. My cost per mile is astronomical compared to my Bay Star. But I still have them. My cameras and lenses? Thousands of $ in equipment and Ive never sold a photograph, but I enjoy the hobby. So a wind genny would be just as worthwhile to me given the right conditions.

[Orgotloth]

I’m currently in California, near San Francisco. There’s tons of wind here.

The sun is the most inconsistent thing I have going for me, I will build up my solar but I will likely be getting most of my power from wind either way. Between my fridge, tv, and various small appliances I’ll need more power than I have space, coupling that with wind is still my best option.

[Orgotloth]

Also to note, due to local laws I can’t run a generator at night, I work all day and I’m only home at night.

As I said, the logical conclusion for me is to couple solar and wind to get the power I need to get me through the night. I appreciate everyone’s input, but I didn’t come to my conclusion for no reason.