My solar setup
NOTE: I have since upgraded my solar setup
Solar is a great way to power your life when living on the road. Not only is it silent, it is getting cheaper each year with 60-watt packages on Amazon.com going for roughly $250, and 45 watt packages on Harbor Freight going for under $180. While these are the cheap ‘film’ type solar panels, they still function great for a novice full-time RV’er like myself. If I had a full size RV with TVs, slide outs, microwaves, etc then I may need some more robust ‘crystal’ solar panels.
One difference between film and crystal panels is their lifespan; with crystal lasting about twice as long (7-10 years over film’s 3-5 years). Crystal panels are slightly more efficient at dealing with the sunlight, so you may see an increase in incoming voltage as well. However, the trade off is cost with crystal panels being higher of course. I chose to run with the cheaper panels for now. I can always upgrade them down the road and I’m always unsure of the configuration I want anyway. This gives me the freedom to move things around for a few years before deciding on a long-term solution.
I started my solar adventure with a simple setup of two 15-watt panels off Amazon, a 7-Amp charge controller, and a Walmart bought Deep Cycle battery. This allowed me to trickle-charge my house battery and would easily recharge my daily use of lights and such. My van, like most, charges the house battery when the engine is running which is a plus. Since I tend to drive almost daily, this was a great starter package that cost less than $300 including the battery.
I work online, so my laptop uses a lot of power each day, usually going through multiple charges a day. So, over time I picked up more panels, taking advantage of the sales that pop up, and even picked up a second matching battery for a total of 200 amp-hours storage. I now have the ability to capture up to 120 watts of solar power at peak light and can recharge my previous night power usage before lunch time the next day, with all panels out… but this can be done only when I am Boondocking.
When inner-city camping, it is not possible to have your panels out. Not only does it advertise what you are doing, I doubt Walmart management would appreciate it. It goes with the same un-written rules of Walmart-overnight-parking; No BBQ, awnings, chairs, etc… and in my eyes, this applies to solar panels too. Even if you were not at a Walmart, it is best to blend in and solar panels do not do that. With that said, I have had no choice but to whip out the panels when inner-city camping, but I do so when at a city-park or equal, not a shopping center. Basically, don’t do it were you will be sleeping that night.
Just so I can still get some charging done even in a shopping center parking lot, I mounted 30 watts of panels on the top of the van. This is not an ideal position for panels, but it is better to capture some power through out the day then to have none at all when the sun sets. I have installed a hinge on one side so I can, when appropriate, face the panels into the sun. When I am out in the boonies, I can unload my other panels (stored in the rear of van) and place them facing the optimal direction for full charging power.
