[VAC] Solar Power = More Choices

["terry tyler" <tylerbears@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Trike,

You wrote:                    

"I've been considering solar for awhile. One of my customers 
has a 100% off the grid house, water well included. The best 
part is he gets tax breaks and the electric company gives HIM 
a check. I'm going to use my A/S as a learning tool by going solar 
on it first. If I like the results, the house is next.   Trike #5384"

When we started getting serious about solar panels, I began 
keeping a journal and would summarize it periodically. Here's 
the latest.  If you are interested, be my guest. If not, delete it. 

Terry
'63 22' Airstream Flying Cloud with 1 battery and 1 small solar panel
'67 22' Airstream Safari with 2 batteries and 2 small solar panels
'77 31' Airstream Excella 500 with 3 batteries and 3 small solar panels
'86 32' Airstream Excella with 2 batteries and 1 big solar panel
-------------------------------------------------------------------

When solar battery charging came of age in the 80s, we were delighted 
and began installing panels on all our Airstreams, even the ones we hadn't
restored yet. Our goal was to have the choice of planning our travels on 
the basis of where we wanted to go, not on the basis of where there was 
an RV park with electric power.  We wanted to dramatically expand our 
freedom to be comfortable wherever we parked our traveling homes. Prior 
to buying solar panels, we asked Noel and Barbara Kirkby (RV Solar Electric) 
many questions. Their answers were most revealing. 

Q - Is it easy to add solar to an RV? A - Yes, RVs are a ready-made 12 volt
DC system. Just install the solar panel or panels and connect the wires
according to the do-it-yourself directions written in our "RV POWERPAC"
installation package.

Q - Is our RV already wired for solar battery charging? A - Yes, every
self-contained RV has one or more 12 volt batteries, 12 volt lights and 12
volt wiring. Simply connect the existing 12 volt system at the RV battery
location with special wire provided in our "RV POWERPAC" and solar battery
charging begins immediately.

Q - Is there a danger of overcharging the batteries? A - Our "Battery Guard
& Test Module" automatically monitors, controls charge and prevents battery
overcharging by cutting back the charge rate when it senses the batteries are
full. It allows owners to adjust the setpoints for level of fill.

Q - Where can I get it installed? A - Any RV or automotive service center
can follow detailed directions we provide. We recommend you read our
installation manual first, then decide if you feel you can do-it-yourself as
many other folks have done.

After having these and other questions answered by Noel, we wondered what
our RVing friends thought about answers they received. The opportunity came
at the Escapees RV Club's Eastern Escapade Rally in Harrisonburg, VA. We visited 
with Noel, Barbara and their son Steve, went to their three seminars, listened 
to actual examples and read all their literature. It didn't take long to realize 
the Kirkbys were providing an unusually insightful educational service to every
RVer in the audience.

Whether RVers were just learning about or were highly experienced at using
solar power, Noel listened to each question before offering suggestions. His
answers were clear and understandable. He encouraged follow-up queries and
invited everyone to think about his answers before deciding what to do. At
all times, his attitude was professional. We later learned he had more than
40 years experience using solar energy in hundreds of practical ways.

We purchased our solar equipment from Noel Kirkby. It operates as he said it
would. Our only complaint is we should have done it sooner. With a modest
investment in solar panels and related materials that provide a controlled 
charge to our deep cycle marine batteries, plus a 1300 watt inverter to run all  
120 volt appliances, our electrical needs are easily met. What we got was far
more than solar equipment and worth far more than the money we spent. We are
now living a delightfully adventuresome lifestyle. We are routinely exploring
more of the great treasures on this continent than would have been possible
without a simple, effective way to recharge our batteries every single day.

The solar panels function on sunny, cloudy or rainy days; thereby enabling
us to operate all our 12 volt equipment every day of the year regardless of
where our Airstream is parked. Like most solar enthusiasts, we keep track of
usage so there's enough power for what we want to do before the next sunrise.

Our 1300 watt inverter provides clean, surge free 120 volt power to operate
the computer, monitor, printer, microwave, electric drill, breadmaker and
rechargeable tools. With planning and common sense, like turning on only one
120 volt appliance at a time, our 12 volt batteries provide power to the
inverter for all our daily electrical needs. We are not tied to utility poles
with their fluctuating power and unpredictable brownouts. We are never
without sufficient electrical power to satisfy our daily needs. All of our
circuit boards (computer, printer, refrigerator, bread making machine) 
can be protected from power surges by operating them off our inverter 
with just the flick of a switch (to bypass utility company power during 
electrical storms or persistent brown outs).  

While planning our Fall/Winter/Spring travels for 1995 with our traveling
buddies Ed and Mary Wellington (also seasoned boondockers and solar 
enthusiasts), we decided to challenge our assumptions and put the solar
equipment to the test. We chose an area of the Arizona desert we'd never
explored and stayed on vacant government land and primitive parking sites
around Ajo and Why, Arizona. The panels generated more power than we used.

A month later, the four of us explored Puerto Penasco in Mexico south of 
Lukesville, AZ before crossing Mexico's Gran Desierto and staying at family 
run primitive campsites around San Felipe. Solar power was still abundant.

We then crossed the state of Baja California North to Ensenada and leisurely 
drove the 1,000 mile Baja Peninsula highway south to Cabo San Lucas. During
those months, we found safe places to park our Airstreams at the water's
edge on exquisite beaches, all without electrical hookups. At Santispac Beach
on Bahia Concepcion, Ed's electric drill helped make needed repairs. At a
remote area on beautiful El Coyote Beach, Mary's microwave made delicious
desserts. The aroma of fresh bread baked by our 120 volt bread machine in
our own Airstream told us "home is where we park it."

After returning to the Yuma Escapees Park and parting with the Wellingtons,
we traveled by ourselves to Guadalajara for Springtime weather during the
remainder of Winter. Our assumptions had met the challenge. Our hopes for
electrical independence had been resoundingly confirmed.

It is now Winter 2000 and we're in Florida where power spikes and brown outs 
are common. We use the inverter to run our computer and bread maker even 
though connected to a utility pole. The circuit boards in these appliances have 
strong aversions to power interruptions and the electrical surge that follows. 

We thank Noel and Barbara Kirkby for enabling us to achieve true electrical
independence, for answering all our questions and encouraging us to take and
explore the roads less traveled. They are true pioneers of solar power usage. 
Serious RVers wishing to learn more should contact RV Solar Electric. 

Noel's free annual newsletter "Solar Electric Update" is available by
calling RV Solar Electric at 1-800-999-8520. His web site can be viewed
at http://www.rvsolarelectric.com and the Kirkby's book "RVers Guide
to Solar" and their solar planning booklet "Solar Electric Systems" provide
guidance to what is a simple solar solution for electrical independence. 

For us, the use of solar technology has made RVing much more enjoyable
whether with our smaller Vintage Airstreams while caravanning or our 
larger more modern Airstreams while full timing. This simple technology 
has given us far more choices. (tylerbears@airstream.net)