Spend my money!!!

8lander

Sort of, I currently have solar on my RV but my friends are always asking for advice on their future setup.
And to be honest I still don't know what the "best bang for the buck" would be.
So let's budget for $2500 and roof space is not an issue.
It would be to power (hopefully) a mini split air conditioner as well as other smaller 120v appliances.
Battery weight limit at around 400 lbs
Totally off grid with NO gen back-up
Wire is free
AGM's are preferred
What do you think?

Cariboocoot

Re: Spend my money!!!

I think $2500 is not a lot of money for solar, especially in Canada.

I also think that trying to design generic systems is a waste of time as everyone's situation, including usage and economic priorities, is different.

Then there is the inevitable fact that today's deals are gone tomorrow.

8lander

Re: Spend my money!!!

Ya the $2500 was in USD (so pushing $3500 by the time it gets here)
It'd just be used during the summer months for camping...

BB.

Re: Spend my money!!!

As Marc/Cariboocoot says--Generic designing here often causes more confusion than clarifiation.

You have to choose a starting point. How much loads (ideal)--As this is what you really want--A system that can power your loads--Not just some of them, or worst yet, wasted $$$ on over sized system.

Or, you can pick a limitations--The maximium size battery bank (space/weight, AGM vs Flooded Cell, or even LiFePO4 for RV applications). Or roof space for solar array, etc... Then do a "rule of thumbs" design to fit that limitation.

Or, pick a "class" of system you would like:

500 WH per day (approx 40 AH @ 12 volts) to run lights, a small laptop, charge cell phone
1,000 WH per day to run above + water pump, more laptop/TV/small fan.
3,300 WH per day, more of the above plus a full size Energy Star type Refrigerator
10,000 WH per day, a full size city home with centeral heat, natural gas/propane for heating/hot water cooking/etc...

Got to start somewhere. The actual hardware and system choices to build each of the above systems is "different" and handwaving discussions about those differences when designing a generic system get real confusing real fast.

-Bill

westbranch

Re: Spend my money!!!

that amount of money would pull together a nice system that will NOT run the AC but most likely the rest of an average RV sans A/C or microwave...