Renogy 12 Volt Solar Kit efficeint and convenient? ?

[GeorgiePorgie]

I am planning on converting a van in a few months and am thinking more and more that I should live in it for a while to figure out exactly what I will need, before building everything.
However, I need a CPAP machine right away and would much prefer a refrigerator to continually buying ice, so I need to start out with power. The Renogy 12 Volt Solar Kits look good, but is mounting them on the roof more efficient/stealthy than putting them out during the daytime with a power-cord and is it difficult to change it to the roof if I decide that would be better?

I'm guessing that I would need a minimum of 200 watts and 300 might be better. I want to cook as much as possible, because it is so much cheaper than eating out, but I understand that using gas as much as possible is better. I sure would like to use a low wattage microwave sometimes though. It makes life so much easier.

I intend to mostly do stealth camping in urban areas, but this lifestyle will be completely new to me, so might change my mind, if I can get free camping with power hookups somehow. I live in California, but - at this point -plan on traveling around in the summer and returning to Central California for winters.

Does anyone have an opinion on starting off with one of these kits or would it be better to get something more complicated?

 

[RVTravel]

http://www.cheaprvliving.com/electrical/frequently-asked-questions-about-solar/

 

[GeorgiePorgie]

http://www.cheaprvliving.com/electrical/frequently-asked-questions-about-solar/

Thanks much. I have been trying to figure this out for weeks and most of my questions have been answered. The chart that tells the watts you might need is particularly helpful.

 

[GeorgiePorgie]

Thanks much. I have been trying to figure this out for weeks and most of my questions have been answered. The chart that tells the watts you might need is particularly helpful.

I have another question. What is the difference between the suitcase system and the other kits? I am guessing that I would prefer 3-400 watts, but is using them without mounting the panels on the roof more inconvenient than the suitcase ones?
Also, will four 100 watt solar panels fit on the roof of most vans?

 

[Motrukdriver]

100 watt solar panels are somewhere around the 22" wide by 48" long give or take a little depending on who makes them so 4 panels across your van top would need about 7'-6" of real estate again give or take a little if you mount them side to side. 8' if you mount them end to end two wide. I'm sure you'd want a fan up there so maybe 2 panels, space for a fan and then two more panels. You didn't say want kind of van you have and putting 4 panels up there might spoil the stealth effect. If I had to put panels on a van roof I'd probably be real choosy on where I parked for the night if I was going stealth. Find yourself a half dozen or so "good" places and rotate place to place every night or couple of nights. Time to get the tape measure out so you can see what kind of roof space you have.

 

[GotSmart]

Now you need a tape measure. CPAP use a lot of power. Do your math.

 

[GeorgiePorgie]

You didn't say want kind of van you have and putting 4 panels up there might spoil the stealth effect. 

I don't have a van yet. I am on an island in Southern California working and saving up for one. I can't do anything from here, but work, plan and save. I am hoping to buy a van in decent condition, convert it to a camper and put in solar for about $10,000 dollars. That will leave money to travel for a while and figure out more employment opportunities.

As to the CPAP, I think I can get a powercord that converts it to 12 watt, which (I think) would help save power.

 

[Motrukdriver]

GotSmart is the man. If you have any solar questions he is the one to get answers from. My expertise is mechanic stuff like how to make a device that will do this or that. 23 years of nuts and bolts.. hahaha. I'm the guy that designed the Twinkie pan washer for Hostess on their closed loop conveyor baking line, etc...

 

[sephson]

I don't have a van yet. I am on an island in Southern California working and saving up for one. I can't do anything from here, but work, plan and save. I am hoping to buy a van in decent condition, convert it to a camper and put in solar for about $10,000 dollars.

I recently installed solar on my car. Before I decided what type of panels to get, I measured the space available on my roof. After this I determined that the Renogy 200 watt solar kit with polycrystalline panels was the best fit for my roof. My total cost was in the vicinity of $1800 for 200 watts of solar and 105 AH of battery. I also managed to get somewhere between $300 to $500 worth of materials, including my battery for free, but even factoring that in it still would have come in under $2500 if I'd had to pay for everything. If you're able to do the installation yourself, you should be able to do it for significantly less than the $10,000 you've listed as your budget.

Here's a link to the portion of my build thread that covers the installation of my solar power system:

https://vanlivingforum.com/showthread.php?tid=9848&page=7

Here's a breakdown of my expenses:

Hopefully this will provide some useful information for you.

 

[GeorgiePorgie]

The  $10,000 would include converting the van - a bed and storage and such. Unfortunately, I doubt if I can do the electric system myself, although I possibly have a mechanical friend who wants to help. He might change his mind when it comes to actually doing the work, but hopefully, he will help me buy a mechanically viable vehicle. That would help a lot.

 

[sephson]

Also bear in mind that if I had made different choices for some of my hardware, including the roof rails and crossbars, I could have shaved several hundred dollars off the cost of my installation.

 

[Weight]

On my B250, there is room for 5 Renogy panels on the roof. I have 4 to leave room for the roof vent/fan. I charge my battery whenever i'm in the sun, including while motoring on down the high-way. How are you going to use your suitcase panels when parked in the city? at a walmart? You would have to plan a stop-day and set-up in a safe place to charge the battery.

 

[HumbleBeginnings]

My first reaction was that $1,800 sounded WAY too expensive for that system... then as I read the details I remembered I'm terrible at tracking what I spend on all the little odds and ends; some wire here, aluminum angle there, etc.

Great record keeping!

 

[GeorgiePorgie]

This is probably a dumb question, but does one need more batteries at the solar panel wattage increases? For example, I often see people using 200 watts have 2 batteries. Would you require 4 batteries for 400 watts?

 

[GotSmart]

The rule is not to drain and kill the batteries. If the batteries are not keeping up, add more panels. 1 to 1 in solar / batteries is only a starting point. 

I appreciate the ease of building systems with Renogy components.

 

[GeorgiePorgie]

So, would 2 batteries probably be enough for 400 watts of solar power or would I need more? Batteries do not come with the Renogy kits, right?

 

[John61CT]

"2 batteries" is not an amount of energy storage.

That would be AH. Batteries come in all sizes.

A pair of Duracell GCs is 200+AH, for around $200.

That would be enough for 400W of panels if that was your only source of energy.

If you were exposed to lots of sun but only some days with stretches of overcast in between

or you could use your shore power charger once or twice a week

then 2 pairs at 400+AH would help tide you over between Full recharges.

 

[GotSmart]

Two 100 AH 12v or 2 200AH 6v is enough battery for most small systems up to 400 Watts of solar panels. 

If you have plans to expand like that, buy the Rover 40 Amp Controller. 

I just installed another today. In fact 5 of the last 6 were Renogy Rovers 40 Amp. (One 20)

 

[GotSmart]

Also bear in mind that if I had made different choices for some of my hardware, including the roof rails and crossbars, I could have shaved several hundred dollars off the cost of my installation.

My panel mounting system was less than $100.  Different ways, different prices.

 

[Weight]

I think the question should be turned. We determine our battery storage needs by the energy we are going to use. Then the solar panels to replace the energy used. Tempered by the roof space available. Microwave uses 12+ amps at 120 volts. Inverter uses 150 amps at battery voltage(12). 150 amps for 10 minutes will not work very well on 100AH battery. So 4 GC2 batteries for 400+ amp hour bank. Microwave use was 300 watt hours. I only have to return the 300 watt/hours used, plus a premium. The battery ah is only relevant to the expected use. Before my parade is rahit on, the math is only as example, and my skills are rusty. Find your own numbers.