Re: [VACList] Solar drain

[Terry Tyler <tylerbears@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Tom,

There's a wide variation in what solar panels cost. I bought mine with a
phone call from Florida to AJL in Quartzite, AZ during his peak week of
solar panel business.  My call to him was made after nearly a year of
investigation into every imaginable size and capability of solar panel, plus
an intense cost analysis/comparison; AND the call was timed for when I
thought he would offer his most favorable price.

The best way for you to determine cost is to FIRST determine YOUR usage
needs. After that, there are other determinations to be made, i.e. whether
you intend to buy the panels wholesale or retail or used; whether you intend
to install them or have them installed; whether you want a specific brand of
solar panel; whether you're willing to learn all the ins and outs so you can
talk with certainty to ANY sales person about exact products you want (and
why); whether you want a 20 amp or 30 amp charge controller; whether you are
going to nickle and dime the seller or are going to be flexible; whether
.... and the list goes on.

I don't mean to be a pistol about it, but it would be misleading for me to
share the exact dollar amount I paid. Your needs and my needs are different
(i.e. apples and oranges), both in how we use solar power and how we select
the variables for our negotiating style with sellers.

Furthermore, it's  relatively simple to obtain an current ball park figure
by going to any of the solar panel websites. Jim Dunmyer's $1,000 estimate
is reasonable.

> How large are the house batteries - how big is their storage capacity?
> 

My house batteries are size 27, 180 minutes reserve capacity, 105 amp hours,
deep cycle marine batteries.

> Are the solar panels easy to hook up on top of the Airstream?
> 
If you have average agility and thoroughly do your homework before starting
the project, the answer is "Yes." There are more questions (four pages of
experiences) that I've answered in past posts. If you'd like to read them,
they are in Tom Patterson's Airstream archives.

> Our latest Airstream is the 1995 34' Excella FK widebody.  I'm going to assume
> that I may have room to add some solar panels down the middle of this trailer.
> 
That's easy to determine. While you are surfing the web, pay attention to
the dimensions, then measure "down the middle" of your trailer.  This will
settle that hash in a hurry. When we initially considered buying our '89 32'
Airstream, the first thing I did was check the open area on the roof. If the
dimensions had not been right, we'd have walked away.

> How do they hold up?
> 
The panels on our '77 31' were 30 years old - two months ago when we traded
that trailer. I bought the panels used from an Oil Refinery Company in
Arizona when they were almost giving them away.  This was before solar
panels on RVs became popular.  The panels are still doing the same job they
did when I bought them. I'd say they hold up well.

The two panels on our '67 22' are even older than 30 years.  We are still
using that trailer (and its' inverter) during Summer trips. It has the same
size batteries as are in our '89 32' Airstream. They are still doing the
job.

> Are they totally flat?
> 
That's up to you. They are flat on our '77 31' and '67 22' Airstreams. On
our '89 32' Airstream, they are almost flat, but not quite. I wanted to try
this slight variation for the fun of it. Now that I've had several test
months, I've concluded there are too many new variables for me to control.
For now, my rudimentary experiment is on hold until I can rethink the
process.

Over the years, we've found proponents for flat, for tilted, for tip up
capability (requiring a ladder) and for portability (requiring storage
space). So far, I have not met one person who tested their way of using the
panels with any semblance of a scientific method;  but I've met many who are
vehment in their certainty that their way is the BEST way.  So much for
objectivity and logic being applied to a hypothesis.  <grin>

> What about hail, etc.?
> 
We have endured more than a dozen severe hail storms during the last 15
years. Our several tow vehicles have been dented, but our solar panels and
our Airstreams have not. In our experience, the panels have been impervious
to hail. That doesn't mean our day won't come. It means our day hasn't come
-- yet.

------

Charles in Houston wrote:

> please tell us how you have all that wired together.  iow, how about an
> equipment list?  drawing?  schematic?
> 
This is all spelled out in Noel Kirkby's book ($20) on installing solar
panels. Just go to the RVSOLARELECTRIC website for directions on how to
obtain it.  His writing style is easily understood and his experience is far
greater than mine.

I have a 30 amp charge controller with digital display. This time, I put it
inside the cupboard above the fridge instead of cutting a hole in the
attractive wall beside the fridge. Now, if we trade this trailer, I can keep
the charge controller and put an inconspicuous patch over the hole inside
the cupboard.

My two inverters (20 years old) are 1300 watts each. I'd recommend getting
the latest and greatest rather than buying an old used inverter. I also have
a 300 watt inverter that seems on a par with a toy, but it will run the TV
in a pinch.

That about covers the questions I've seen in recent posts. Hopefully, some
of these replies will be useful; and hopefully, no one will be bent out of
shape by my suggestion that exact prices have too many variables to nail
down - for anyone but the person doing the buying.

Terry