Good Sam Club Open Roads Forum: Tech Issues: Harvesting Solar


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Cptnvideo

Arizona - most of the time

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Joined: 11/05/2006

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Posted: 02/12/23 12:09pm

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Please see signature for list of equipment installed and in use.

We are currently sitting for 2 weeks in a RV Park in Goodyear, AZ with included electric. I was curious about just how much solar power I could harvest for a mostly sunny day in February. So I unplugged after breakfast and while the solar charger was still in bulk charge mode. I don't recall exactly, but I think we were at about 96% SOC or down about 40 ah. While unplugged, electric water was on and DW did 2 loads of laundry, plus 20cf res fridge, microwave, TV etc were consuming battery/solar power.

Solar charger stayed in bulk charge all day and finished 5 ah shy of full charge. The Victron SmartSolar app showed the panels provided 4.97 kwh of energy for the day with a max of 1014 watts. Based on a reference of 13.5 VDC, that is 368 ah that could go to the batteries if no loads were present.

Unfortunately, that is not enough energy to permit us to boondock strictly off solar for more than a few days at this time of year.

Bill & Linda
Arizona
2019 Dodge Ram Laramie 3500 dually 4x4 diesel
Hensley Trailer Saver BD5 hitch
2022 Grand Design Solitude 378MBS
1600 watts solar, Victron 150/100 MPPT controller, GoPower 3kw inverter/charger, 5 SOK 206AH LiFePo4 batteries for 1030 ah

2oldman

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Joined: 04/15/2001

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Posted: 02/12/23 12:36pm

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Do you tilt?

Itinerant1

Itinerant

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Joined: 05/23/2017

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Posted: 02/12/23 12:47pm

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I only have 1,280w solar flat mounted and 500ah batteries and been boondocking all the time. My last hookup was 11/5/21 and live very well on that using everything in the 5th wheel even this tiime of the year. We're in roughly the same area as you. We dont have an electric fridge and use propane for hot water. Beginning of January was the last time generator was used for a hold over charge. You learn to live in a psoc for awhile.

A few #s from beginning of month.

[image]

12v 500ah, 20 cells_ 4s5p (GBS LFMP battery system). 8 CTI 160 watt panels (1,280 watts)2s4p,Panels mounted flat. Magnum PT100 SCC, Magnum 3012 hybrid inverter, ME-ARC 50. Installed 4/2016 been on 24/7/365, daily 35-45% DOD 2,400+ partial cycles.

Cptnvideo

Arizona - most of the time

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Posted: 02/12/23 01:40pm

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2oldman, no, they don't tilt. Hence why I only got 1014 watts from 1600 watts of panels, then there is also shading from the A/C units, etc. About a month ago, I saw a motorhome with the panels mounted over an A/C unit - nice way to avoid shading.

Itinerant, we also do LP water heater when boondocking. Our killer is the fridge. At night, with a couple LED lights on, TV, & fridge, the draw is 18-20 amps. That puts us in the 460-480 ah neighborhood for 24 hours. Add in a little more for microwave, furnace blower this time of year.......

Since we would lose around 100ah per day, I guess we could go 8 or 9 days before the need of a generator. I unplugged again today and drew the batteries down to 83% SOC with fireplace, AC water heater and microwave. We are currently at 90% SOC with 69 amps from panels and 53 amp going into batteries. At 1:35 PM local time, the max solar was 1159 watts. 3.13 kwh so far.