Solar Ready on a travel trailer

[waldenbound]

So, my new to me travel trailer comes solar ready, “Solar on the Side.”
After calling almost everyone in Flagstaff, I found by accident the GoPower logo on the rig. So, I went to Amazon, and bought a GoPower 120 watt solar suitcase. I tried it out, unplugged from shore power, plugged in the solar panel, and some things work and some don’t.

I wasn’t expecting the AC or the microwave work, just lights and plugs. The fridge was still on, the radio worked, but not the tv. The outlets did not work.

Now, call me solar dense, but isn’t the point of solar that it supposed to power your stuff?

I know, you guys like GotSmart, jimindenver, sternwake, you can probably wire solar in your sleep and you’re probably thinking “Why in the world is she doing it that way?” I kinda got hook on plug and play. And it does plug and play, just how much is it supposed to play???

[GotSmart]

I’m glad you asked that question “son”. 

Solar ready means NOTHING when it comes to RVs.  Like a shoe that is one size fits all. 

That is why I had a 97% ratio of people showing up for a build. First you need to figure out what to power, then you build a system that can do it.

[Snikwahjm]

Mr. Snik listened to GS and built a nice system. So far it works great! We have not had a whole week of cloudy days yet so who knows then. Listen to GS!

[sternwake]

Solar panels charge batteries
Batteries power devices

Can solar power things directly without a battery and charge controller in between?
yes.

While the sun shines and when it can provide enough to power the appliance and if the appliance can handle the specific voltage range of the panel(s) which is a narrow set of circumstances.

a 12 volt panel wth no load will produce about 21 volts, at maximum power will make about 17.5 volts. Some items designed for 12.x volts will not like being connected directly to 17.5 volts

The solar charge controller basically keeps the batteries from reaching 17.5 volts as they should almost never be brought above 14.8v.

But much better to consider the solar panels as there simply to charge batteries and the batteries is what powers appliances, perhaps directly through DC or with an Inverter can power 120Vac household appliances with ~80% efficiency

[waldenbound]

Well, the solar ready is supposed to mean that the wiring that allows the panel to charge the battery is done. The user just plugs in the panel. My suitcase came with all kinds of connectors. There are alligator clips that I can clip directly onto the battery.

Then, I’m not sure what kind of battery I have. It’s a Decta or Dexta deep cycle, heavy duty marine/rv battery. The panel needs to be on either sealed/gel, agm, or flooded. AGM is preferred isn’t it? I should just get an AGM, I don’t trust Camping World, remember, they suck.

[GotSmart]

The more battery available the more potential for powering things after dark. I saw one guy with 6kw of power and a ac and Chevy volt plugged in. He spent half of every day talking about his system to everyone in the LTVA. After dark he ran only minimal power. 

I learned from Sternwake and Jim. Try not to make it harder than it has to be. 

First. What do you want to run?

Second. How much room do you have for batteries and panels?

Third.  How much money are you expecting to spend?


Make a list and think long and hard about it. Soon you will get the idea of what will work with the available space. Then the list will become logical.

Then you can start spending.

[MN C Van]

solar ready,

I was babbling about solar systems you guys have to my Uncle, who has an older, but extremely expensive Canadian Class A.


"Oh, it's solar ready"

Flat roof and some kinda cable running down? Or is that too optimistic?


Good thing I kept my mouth shut after that, for once!

[GotSmart]

solar ready,

I was babbling about solar systems you guys have to my Uncle, who has an older, but extremely expensive Canadian Class A.


"Oh, it's solar ready"

Flat roof and some kinda cable running down? Or is that too optimistic?


Good thing I kept my mouth shut after that, for once!

The more expensive ones have a cable, inverter/converter/controller and a huge battery rack. Everything wired together. Just pick panels and start bragging. It just cost an extra $25,000.

[sternwake]

As far as what battery to choose for the solar controller algorithms, one pretty much needs to second guess the controllers algorithms.

I like the AGm setting on many controllers, plug in charger or solar, as the float setting is usually 13.6v, and while ~1/3 the amps will flow into the still less than 100% chrged battery at 13.6v compared to 14.7, approximately 1/2 more amps will flow at 13.6 compared to 13.2, which is usually the flooded battery float voltage setting.

Most controllers will not spend nearly enough time in the absorption stage of a stady 14.4 to 14.7 volts, especially on a daily deeply cycled battery, and especially a flooded 12v marine battery, so that AGM setting migh allow that 14.4v t be held for longer, and when it does drop to float more charging happens at 13.6 than would at 13.2 of the flooded setting and the battery has a better chance of nearing the always desirable 100% state of charge before the next discharge cycle begins.

But that would be my choice if one is deep cycling a battery every night. if one does have a flooded battery and is only shallowly cycling overnight or not at all, then 13.6v float setting of the AGM battery for hours each day can/will overcharge it and have the flooded battery use more water and cause unnecessary positive plate shedding.

12v Flooded marine batteries are not really heavy duty deep cycle batteries, that is just marketing mumbo jumbo, but they are a superior choice compared to a 12v starting battery, in deep cycle applications.
True flooded deep cycle 12v batteries do exist but they are rare.

The Trojan T-1275 is one such battery and is a GC-15 size group. A few other manufacturers make this size group. and these will be marketed by some others like interstate or perhaps duracell or energizer. They are commonly called scrubber batteries, as in floor scrubber, and they are not common and even battery distributors might look at you like you have 7 eyes when asking for one..

in General a pair of 6v golf cart batteries will yield 210 Ah of capacity while the t-1275 is 150Ah of capacity.

A pair of GC-2 6v golf cart batteries can be had at sams or Costco for as low as ~85 each, the trojan T-1275 costs $165 minimum for just one and the trojan t-105, the bench mark GC-2 battery can be 135 to 165$ each

AGM batteries blur the line between starting and deep cycle.
Long topic.
Reagarding 'solar ready/plug and play'

This is more selling point marketing mumbo jumbo. It means they used undersized wiring from roof to a cheapass solar controller and added 500$ to the stickerprice of and RV for perhaps 65$ of components.

Somebody with some DIY skills or the desire to hire it out, who is wanting solar would be much better off avoiding that marketing option, and put the money saved towards a much more capable system with reliable components which can actually fully charge a hard working daily deeply cycled battery.

[tx2sturgis]

'Solar Ready' just means wiring and plugs are in place, and maybe a solar charge controller.

It doesn't mean there is an inverter/converter with transfer switch to power AC devices or outlets from battery power, unless the original buyer spec'ed those items to be installed when they ordered it.