solar panels

[Rooster]

If I have my camper hooked up to the electric at the campground, will solar panels reduce  what energy I use? I have to pay for electric, and I am not sure as to how and hook the panels up. My thinking is just to connect the controller to the rv battery. I am using the harbor freight 45 watt solar panel Help!!! lol

 

[Zil]

Much small. No save $h!t.

 

[Rooster]

u no help Zil<br><br>

 

[Willy]

&nbsp;That's about it. Solar panel(s) to charge controller and charge controller to battery. Remember to maintain the correct polarity. ..Willy.

 

[ZOFCHAK]

Much small. No save $h!t.

<br><br><br>&nbsp;Might not be the best way to put it, but he's right. A 65 watt panel produces so little energy that you're probably talking just a couple of pennies per day. &nbsp; Solar is great for while you're off the grid and far from a power source, but when you have an outlet right there just use it.&nbsp; A better investment would be conservation (LED bulbs, fans instead of AC, shades to keep out the sun, etc).&nbsp; Those changes will make a noticeable difference on your monthly bill. &nbsp;

 

[rokguy]

<P><EM><STRONG><SPAN style="COLOR: #888888">Isn't your solar 12 volt and the hook up 110 volt ? Your panels, batteries&nbsp;are DC and your hook up is AC. So the DC runs independently of AC (unless your using an AC battery charger or using a DC to inverter AC). Use&nbsp;a smaller&nbsp;DC system for lighting, radio, TV and use the AC for big stuff like Air con, refrigeration etc. Simple way to save energy while plugged in.</SPAN></STRONG></EM><BR><EM><STRONG><SPAN style="COLOR: #888888">In Australia there are 100s of thousands&nbsp;grid connected houses using solar panels which run everything through special stepped inverters what you don't use during the day&nbsp;is sold back to the grid giving you credit. but&nbsp;you cannot store energy like&nbsp;DC can this is where people get confused and unless you have a very sophisticated DC system I doubt you would be selling energy back to the grid from your campervan/Motorhome.</SPAN></STRONG></EM><BR><EM><STRONG><SPAN style="COLOR: #888888">&nbsp;Is that what you mean?</SPAN></STRONG></EM></P><P><EM><STRONG><SPAN style="COLOR: #888888">Geoff</SPAN></STRONG></EM></P>

 

[Zil]

Sorry. One bottle of wine. There are some good links for solar power stuff. I will collect and post later. The sailing community is worth checking.

 

[Zil]

check Bob's blog.<br><br> http://cheaprvlivingblog.com/

 

[Willy]

&nbsp;For years, all I had was 45 Watts and it sufficed during the summer. Such is no longer the case and now it's near 190 Watts, but I've got a lot more stuff feeding offa them. ..Willy.

 

[joey]

<span style="font-size: medium;">&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><a href="/post/Thinking-about-buying-batteries-or-solar.-Read-first-6059855" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://vanlivingforum.com/post/Thinking-about-buying-batteries-or-solar.-Read-first-6059855</a>

 

[ontheroadagain]

stop shouting it isn't helpful. some folks don't even understand how to navigate to other parts of the forum.<br>Rooster, it could help save electric but it won't be much unless you disconnect from the electric and just use your solar and the battery. This will force you to conserve energy I suppose. Read up on led lights and 12v fans for cooling.<br><br>The link above from Joey is as good a place to start as any. If you have a hard time moving around the forum you can scroll up to the top and click the word '<span style="color: #ff6600;">forums</span>' just below the Control Panel tab<br><br><div class="breadcrumbs"><a href="http://cheaprvliving.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">cheaprvliving</a> &gt; <span style="color: #ff6600;"><a href="/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ff6600;">Forums</span></a></span> &gt; <a href="/?forum=193053" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Going Green</a> &gt; <strong>solar panels</strong></div>

 

[joey]

You can also look for the search feature on here and type in what you want to know about and lots of posts will come up.

 

[Rooster]

Thanks everyone. I am new to all of this. Just trying to save a buck. I guess my thought was to hook the solar to the battery, and run off the battery from time to time. Does anyone know how long a fully charged battery might last, running the frig, and lights as needed? Thanks<br><br>

 

[highdesertranger]

what type of fridge, absorption or 12v compressor.&nbsp; highdesertranger

 

[Rooster]

12 volt

 

[coultergeist]

Basically, all you need to do is hook up the panels to the controller that came with the kit and then hook up the cable from the battery connections on the controller to the battery bank in the camper.&nbsp; <br><br>You should have a power converter that changes ac to 12v dc for the fridge and internal lighting and such.&nbsp; They usually scale their output based on the state of charge of the battery bank they are connected to.&nbsp; The more charge they are receiving from solar, the less the converter will have to put out.&nbsp; It will save a little, but 45 watts can only make so much of a dent.&nbsp; More solar would do better.&nbsp; Your lights will also likely be 12v.&nbsp; If you get LED bulbs for your fixtures that will help a lot too.&nbsp; Your solar will be able to keep up with the demand a lot better.&nbsp; The cheapest way I've found to get LED bulbs is this.&nbsp; Take out one of the bulbs you need to replace.&nbsp; Its number type should be printed on the bulb somewhere.&nbsp; Go on ebay and do a search for that number and LED, for instance "2054 LED".&nbsp; Just about every possible bulb that is made has an LED version now.&nbsp; It will likely pull up a list of bulbs that will work.&nbsp; Order them by lowest price with shipping.&nbsp; They will usually take several weeks to get to you, but it is worth the wait for the cost.&nbsp; As an example, a foot long LED light strip used in cars usually goes for about $20 in most auto parts stores.&nbsp; You can find them all day long for less than $2 with shipping free on ebay.&nbsp; You just have to wait a few weeks to get them.&nbsp; <br><br>Your big power draws like air conditioners and heaters will almost certainly be 120v ac appliances.&nbsp; Your solar panels won't have any real effect on how much power gets used for those things.&nbsp; Your only choice there is to reduce use.&nbsp; Fans can of course use 12v, so if you can get by with a fan sometimes in place of the air conditioner it will help a lot too.&nbsp;

 

[Les H]

Good job explaining, coultergiest, and accurate too.
Rooster, also try googling " handybob solar blot", it contains a TON of good info, in really easy to understand language.

 

[Rooster]

Thanks for all the advice. I will install the panels in june when I go down to the camper.<br><br>

 

[Roo]

Hello Rooster
I almost feel like I'm posting to myself lol.
I myself bought and installed the HF solar panels. While I haven't totally done away with the three 15 Watt panels I have added three 90 Watt panels.
I've done everything suggested in different forums but I have found Bob's suggestions the most helpful. This is now all installed recently in an 88 Dodge class B with two 12 volt deep cycle installed in the floor along with four 6 volt Trojans that are installed in a smaller cargo trailer and I still can't use the fridge or the AC without shore power.
Good luck with the education, it is an experience
Roo

 

[highdesertranger]

roo what type of refer are you using.&nbsp; you can pretty much give up on the ac you don't enough roof space.&nbsp; but you should have no problem running the right type of refer.&nbsp; highdesertranger