Educate me on solar

[Bubbabass1]

New to us camper has a solar connection. What is required to get the solar to power the camper in a situation of power failure? Storm or boondocking.

thanks
BB1

[CatFan]

Huge topic. If it just has the connection, all it really has is wiring from the roof to the battery compartment.

Solar on a camper charges the batteries. Period. So in order to run anything, you need batteries that can provide enough power to get you through multiple days running what you want. People cover the top with panels and add large banks of LiFePo batteries to be able to use the camper long term without hookups. Though technically possible, you aren't going to run air conditioning or electric heating appliances on battery power unless you get a technically complex and expensive system.

So it's a two step process. First, you get enough batteries and a large enough inverter to meet your needs between charges. Then you get enough panels and controller to keep the bank of batteries charged. There is limited space on your roof, so that's a factor.

A generator is cheaper up front and much simpler. An $800 Harbor Freight Predator 3500 will run your air conditioning, keep the batteries charged and let you do anything you want if you just avoid using too much at once. It will work rain or shine, day or night.

The vast majority of people with solar on a camper use a generator as well, so best to start with a generator until you get a good handle on how much power it takes to camp and how little power you can get by with if you need to conserve. Then you'll know how big of a solar setup you need. Some people just install enough to run the furnace overnight and give them a couple of hours of TV when they stop along the road in places generators aren't allowed.

Many newer campers have small setups from the factory with just enough power to keep 12V or residential refrigerator running while driving between campgrounds. These don't even have enough capacity to get you through a night without power with the furnace running.

[Bubbabass1]

Good info. Thanks.

BB1

[CJ1]

So Cat covered it but what is being described as a connection? Is it wiring, charge controller, battery connections or solar panel connections? CJ

[Zpage]

Typically a “solar connection” is for a ground deployable solar panel that has a solar charge controller mounted to it. A 100W-200W solar panel size is the most common. This type of set up allows you to park the rv in the shade and chase the sun around with the solar panel when dry camping/boondocking.

[Luke]

The Camper we just bought was a Platinum package.
It came with a 200w Solar set up.
We havent used the camper yet just due to the weather but from what we have done with it moving stuff in from our other caper, showing it to family etc the Solar is pretty slick.
The night we brought it home i had it parked in the yard, wife and I just went out and sat in it for about an hour. Just running off of the Solar and think it dropped from 12.6v to 12.0v
Next day I was going to take it out to my moms house where we keep it jsut due to more room there. But before we took it out there our little widow woman down the street who we are really close friends with wanted to come up to look at it.
We sat out in the front yard with the lights on furnace running for about 2 hours. It dropped from 12.6v to 11.5v.
took it out to my moms which is about a 20 minute drive. By the time I got out to my moms house the battries were back up to 12.6v.
The solar is really new to me and ours only runs 1 battery right now.
This summer ill put another battery one it just to increase the capacity.
I hunt quite a bit so this is one thing I want to have as a lot of the places I go have no hookups at all so will be nice to not have to run the generator all the time.

[Zpage]

[QUOTE=Luke;13340269]The Camper we just bought was a Platinum package.
It came with a 200w Solar set up.
We havent used the camper yet just due to the weather but from what we have done with it moving stuff in from our other caper, showing it to family etc the Solar is pretty slick.
The night we brought it home i had it parked in the yard, wife and I just went out and sat in it for about an hour. Just running off of the Solar and think it dropped from 12.6v to 12.0v
Next day I was going to take it out to my moms house where we keep it jsut due to more room there. But before we took it out there our little widow woman down the street who we are really close friends with wanted to come up to look at it.
We sat out in the front yard with the lights on furnace running for about 2 hours. It dropped from 12.6v to 11.5v.
took it out to my moms which is about a 20 minute drive. By the time I got out to my moms house the battries were back up to 12.6v.
The solar is really new to me and ours only runs 1 battery right now.
This summer ill put another battery one it just to increase the capacity.
I hunt quite a bit so this is one thing I want to have as a lot of the places I go have no hookups at all so will be nice to not have to run the generator all the time.[/QUOTE

I can’t figure out to quote only part of your comment, but with the trailer plugged in to the tow vehicle, it will charge the batttery while you drive.

[Luke]

I can’t figure out to quote only part of your comment, but with the trailer plugged in to the tow vehicle, it will charge the batttery while you drive.[/QUOTE]

That I do not know.
It dosent that I know of

[CJ1]

I can’t figure out to quote only part of your comment, but with the trailer plugged in to the tow vehicle, it will charge the batttery while you drive.

That I do not know.
It dosent that I know of[/QUOTE]

It should, with the truck plugged in and running and after you moved it around, (some brands require a brake application to turn power to the trailer on) see if it reads above 12.8v if so then the truck is charging. Just be aware that the newer f150's only charge like 10 amps at best. Cj

[Bubbabass1]

So Cat covered it but what is being described as a connection? Is it wiring, charge controller, battery connections or solar panel connections? CJ

it is a plug on the outside of the camper labeled Solar.

I do have the owners manual, so I guess I’ll be doing some studying before spring and our first trip.

I do appreciate all the feedback.

BB1