New to Solar - RV Solar Install

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  • soleil
    soleil Solar Expert Posts: 45 ✭
    #32
    Re: New to Solar - RV Solar Install

    You should be set. That should last you over your 3 day camping stents, assuming relatively judicious power usage.
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  • PhilS
    PhilS Solar Expert Posts: 370 ✭✭✭
    #33
    Re: New to Solar - RV Solar Install
    REPO wrote: »
    I found a place fairly close to me that is seeling the US2200 batteries for a reasonable price. They are 232 amp/hours, and go for around $158.00 each (CAD) I think I am going to pick up 4 of these, I already have a 100 watt panel on order, as well as the Morningstar MPPT 45 controller on its way. Looks like I will just add 100 watt panels as money allows.

    More than a year ago I replaced my battery bank with a dozen of those US2200 batteries.

    The replaced bank consisted of Werker batteries from Batteries Plus. They looked similar to Trojan T105s and I was told that they were the same. That bank lasted 5 years. I'm OK, but not the very best, in battery maintenance so COULD have contributed to the reduced life. Towards the end of their life I attempted to increase their capacity by adding battery acid instead of distilled water and though it didn't help, I don't think it hurt much because they were already (at 4 years) dying WAY too quickly.

    The bank of T105s before them lasted 8 years and the Trojans before that set lasted 8 years. I know there was another set that I started with but I don't remember much about them other than they were T105s also.

    These US2200s perform better than any of those other four sets. By "perform", I mean the volts stay higher, longer, under load. No stopwatch/multimeter charts but having been off-grid this long I have a pretty good seat-of-the-pants experience on our capacities and capabilities. Admittedly, these have more amp hours than the T105s but I didn't expect as much difference as I've seen.

    And I paid about the same as you but in US dollars so either the prices have come down, the exchange rate got better by a lot, you are getting a good deal, or I didn't.

    Phil
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  • REPO
    REPO Registered Users Posts: 23 ✭
    #34
    Re: New to Solar - RV Solar Install

    Well I ordered a dozen LED lights to replace the regular bulbs inside the trailer. Up here where I live, the sun is up at 4:30am, and doesn't set until after 9:00pm right now, so we should use much in the way of lights. Fridge will be running on Propane, and use a small amount of 12v electricity, my only concern is if the furnace has to be used. I know those fan motors can draw a lot of power. Some day, I will be fully functional with all the solar panels I need, and can then add my inverter to the system to allow for TV, etc.
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  • REPO
    REPO Registered Users Posts: 23 ✭
    #35
    Re: New to Solar - RV Solar Install
    PhilS wrote: »
    And I paid about the same as you but in US dollars so either the prices have come down, the exchange rate got better by a lot, you are getting a good deal, or I didn't.

    Phil

    At the present time, the Canadian dollar is upwards of 3 cents higher than the US dollar. I think the highest I have seen it in the past couple of months was around $1.0385 compared to the US dollar, so I think that is why the price is where it is at.

    Good time for Canadians to be buying US goods!!! :D
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  • PhilS
    PhilS Solar Expert Posts: 370 ✭✭✭
    #36
    Re: New to Solar - RV Solar Install
    REPO wrote: »
    Well I ordered a dozen LED lights to replace the regular bulbs inside the trailer.

    Can you either post or PM me how those LED lights work out for your RV please? I've only installed two in our home and none in our RV so far. I'd like to put more in the RV and am curious what kind you are getting, how much from where, and how they work out -- like if they seem bright enough, a decent color temp, and any other pros and cons you discover.

    The ones in our house I like fine but they are 120VAC.

    Phil
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  • soleil
    soleil Solar Expert Posts: 45 ✭
    #37
    Re: New to Solar - RV Solar Install

    I've been using LED's in my RV since March. They have the standard 1141/1156 bayonet base, so they're plug and play with standard RV fixture connectors. I'm pleased with them. The light output is nearly the same as the 1141's they replaced, and the light quality is also very similar. These LED's are just a tad whiter than the standard incandescent bulb, but not enough to bother me. I replaced one bulb in all of my double bulb fixtures. They aren't particularly cheap, about $15 each. I got them from LEDwholesalers on eBay (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/bayonet-1156-BA15S-Warm-White-18-SMD-LED-12-V-3-6-Watt-/110467267106?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item19b85cba22). There are cheaper flat panel LED's with bayonet adapters available, but I like how the ones I got just plug right in.
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  • PhilS
    PhilS Solar Expert Posts: 370 ✭✭✭
    #38
    Re: New to Solar - RV Solar Install
    soleil wrote: »
    I've been using LED's in my RV since March.

    Thanks, soleil, I've ordered a couple (price is now $18 with free shipping) and should be able to try 'em out over Memorial Day.

    Phil
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  • REPO
    REPO Registered Users Posts: 23 ✭
    #39
    Re: New to Solar - RV Solar Install
    soleil wrote: »
    There are cheaper flat panel LED's with bayonet adapters available, but I like how the ones I got just plug right in.



    Actually, these are what I ordered. There are several different types, and different amounts of LEDs in each. The ones I ordered are a flat panel with 48 LEDs. I had the mind-set that the flat panel would push all the light downward. Guess we will see once they arrive. If they are somewhat decent, I will probably order a bunch more to do all the 12V lights.
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  • PhilS
    PhilS Solar Expert Posts: 370 ✭✭✭
    #40
    Re: New to Solar - RV Solar Install
    REPO wrote: »
    Actually, these are what I ordered. There are several different types, and different amounts of LEDs in each. The ones I ordered are a flat panel with 48 LEDs. I had the mind-set that the flat panel would push all the light downward. Guess we will see once they arrive. If they are somewhat decent, I will probably order a bunch more to do all the 12V lights.

    If you like 'em, post a link please. Although I've ordered two of the others, I have MANY more lights I'd like to change to LED.

    Even MORE I'd like to install in the house, but they'd be 120VAC. LED lights are certainly the wave of MY future. The two in our house we use now are GREAT... we leave them on without regard to power usage. Much like the days back in the early seventies where we didn't even concern ourselves with such things.

    Living off-grid influences MANY decisions.

    Phil
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  • REPO
    REPO Registered Users Posts: 23 ✭
    #41
    Re: New to Solar - RV Solar Install

    Just an update as to where I am with all of this.

    I have ordered a Morningstar MPPT 45 (Has not arrived yet)
    I have ordered a 100 Watt Solar Panel (Has not arrived yet)
    I have just purchased (4) US2200 6V batteries (232 Amp/Hours each) (wired series/parallel)

    More 100 Watt panels to come in the future.

    I got the batteries installed for now. I need to order some circuit breakers, and stand-off posts for the positive cables. I used all #1 battery cable for the battery install, hopefully that is big enough.

    If anyone has a link to some good quality manual reset circuit breakers, and a good stand-off post for the positive connections, that would be great!
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  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #42
    Re: New to Solar - RV Solar Install

    Ready. Fire. Aim
    Powerfab top of pole PV mount | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
    || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
    || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

    solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
    gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister ,

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  • bmet
    bmet Solar Expert Posts: 630 ✭✭
    #43
    Re: New to Solar - RV Solar Install

    While I like the LEDs for saving energy, they do cause quite an interference issue with my portable radio. I don't know why, but if the radio is being powered off my Power Pack's inverter, then the A/C LED light oscillates in sync with it. Turn the radio off, and the LED is on solid.
    PhilS wrote: »
    If you like 'em, post a link please. Although I've ordered two of the others, I have MANY more lights I'd like to change to LED.

    Even MORE I'd like to install in the house, but they'd be 120VAC. LED lights are certainly the wave of MY future.

    Phil
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  • niel
    niel Solar Expert Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭✭
    #44
    Re: New to Solar - RV Solar Install
    REPO wrote: »
    Just an update as to where I am with all of this.

    I have ordered a Morningstar MPPT 45 (Has not arrived yet)
    I have ordered a 100 Watt Solar Panel (Has not arrived yet)
    I have just purchased (4) US2200 6V batteries (232 Amp/Hours each) (wired series/parallel)

    More 100 Watt panels to come in the future.

    I got the batteries installed for now. I need to order some circuit breakers, and stand-off posts for the positive cables. I used all #1 battery cable for the battery install, hopefully that is big enough.

    If anyone has a link to some good quality manual reset circuit breakers, and a good stand-off post for the positive connections, that would be great!

    so just how do you intend to keep a good charge into that much battery until you get more 100w pvs? if you don't get something somewhat soon the batteries will suffer for it and drastically shorten the lifespan of them.
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  • REPO
    REPO Registered Users Posts: 23 ✭
    #45
    Re: New to Solar - RV Solar Install

    As I really only go camping for upwards of 3 days at a time, the system only needs to supply the power for a few days. After that, I am plugged into 110 in my driveway.
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