1000 watt solar?

[jcussen]

Carlos, must be back in the day technology, no need for dumps or heaters etc to use up solar power anymore. Solar controller just opens circuit. No voltage, no current, no heat. I have 1500 watts, and even when batteries are only taking 10 or 20 watts, have no need to dissipate extra power.

 

[Carlos]

2 hours ago, jcussen said:

No voltage, no current, no heat.

And no power.  Also unacceptable.  The only other source of power is bringing in propane with a helicopter.  But I don't know the details, as I didn't install it.  I'm just a good troubleshooter.  Even if I don't know the product, I can usually find the problems.

 

[jcussen]

18 minutes ago, Carlos said:

And no power.  Also unacceptable.  The only other source of power is bringing in propane with a helicopter.  But I don't know the details, as I didn't install it.  I'm just a good troubleshooter.  Even if I don't know the product, I can usually find the problems.

 

I am impressed Carlos, not sure how it relates to solar power.

[sandsys]

5 hours ago, Carlos said:

The closer you get the panels to facing the sun, the more power they make.  I'm not sure by how much, though.  Also, will you want to get up there and tilt them to face the sun every time?  

On our Class A install the installer pointed out that the sun moves from east to west. If you tilt your panels to the south you get more solar from the hit BUT it takes longer for the sun to hit and it ends sooner because you are not getting as much of the east/west ends as you do if the panels are laying flat. We choose to never have to go up on the roof to tilt ours.

Linda

[2gypsies]

This is really getting off-topic.  The OP meant 100w; not 1000.

[jcussen]

Right, 100 watts, not  unbelieveabe 1000 watts..

[outtahere]

I  have just under 1000 watts on the roof of my 35' Solitude 5th wheel, run through an MPPT controller and a 3000 watt/120 amp inverter/charger to 3 Lithium Ion batteries.  Specifically there are 3 320 watt panels which ran $194 each.  The panels are 60" X 40" each.  I'm boondocking in the Anza Borrego desert on a lightly overcast day and at 10:00 a.m. the panels are putting out over 30 amps at 13.5 volts, which allows me to run the inverter and still have about 20 amps going into the batteries.  Voltage at the panels is currently (no pun intended) at just over 94 volts.  I've recorded over 70 amps going into the batteries on a clear day.  

I boondock about 80% of the time, and although I've only had the solar set up since early December, I've run my genset for a total of 1 hour in that time.  We'll see what happens when I get into some rainy climates this summer.

[Randyretired]

11 minutes ago, outtahere said:

I  have just under 1000 watts on the roof of my 35' Solitude 5th wheel, run through an MPPT controller and a 3000 watt/120 amp inverter/charger to 3 Lithium Ion batteries.  Specifically there are 3 120 watt panels which ran $194 each.  The panels are 60" X 40" each.  I'm boondocking in the Anza Borrego desert on a lightly overcast day and at 10:00 a.m. the panels are putting out over 30 amps at 13.5 volts, which allows me to run the inverter and still have about 20 amps going into the batteries.  Voltage at the panels is currently (no pun intended) at just over 94 volts.  I've recorded over 70 amps going into the batteries on a clear day.  

I boondock about 80% of the time, and although I've only had the solar set up since early December, I've run my genset for a total of 1 hour in that time.  We'll see what happens when I get into some rainy climates this summer.

3 120 watt panels?

[jcussen]

1 hour ago, outtahere said:

I  have just under 1000 watts on the roof of my 35' Solitude 5th wheel, run through an MPPT controller and a 3000 watt/120 amp inverter/charger to 3 Lithium Ion batteries.  Specifically there are 3 120 watt panels which ran $194 each.  The panels are 60" X 40" each.  I'm boondocking in the Anza Borrego desert on a lightly overcast day and at 10:00 a.m. the panels are putting out over 30 amps at 13.5 volts, which allows me to run the inverter and still have about 20 amps going into the batteries.  Voltage at the panels is currently (no pun intended) at just over 94 volts.  I've recorded over 70 amps going into the batteries on a clear day.  

I boondock about 80% of the time, and although I've only had the solar set up since early December, I've run my genset for a total of 1 hour in that time.  We'll see what happens when I get into some rainy climates this summer.

94 volts out of of three 120 watt panels?

[Carlos]

1 hour ago, outtahere said:

I  have just under 1000 watts on the roof of my 35' Solitude 5th wheel, run through an MPPT controller and a 3000 watt/120 amp inverter/charger to 3 Lithium Ion batteries.  Specifically there are 3 120 watt panels which ran $194 each.  The panels are 60" X 40" each.  I'm boondocking in the Anza Borrego desert on a lightly overcast day and at 10:00 a.m. the panels are putting out over 30 amps at 13.5 volts, which allows me to run the inverter and still have about 20 amps going into the batteries.  Voltage at the panels is currently (no pun intended) at just over 94 volts.  I've recorded over 70 amps going into the batteries on a clear day.  

I boondock about 80% of the time, and although I've only had the solar set up since early December, I've run my genset for a total of 1 hour in that time.  We'll see what happens when I get into some rainy climates this summer.

Wait what??  None of those numbers add up.  Or are even close.  

13.5*30=405

120*3=360

Neither of which is "just under 1000 watts."

A single 60x40 panel is around 300 watts.

[Cowdog353]

I would suggest reading handy bob.com. Very good informative read. Afterwards you may not be an expert but will have a very good understanding of solar systems.  Jack myer has some very good info also.

jim

[jcussen]

Thinking he made a typo.More likely outtahere has something like these.

https://www.solar-electric.com/rec-n-peak-series-320-watt-monocrystalline-solar-panel.html?gclid=Cj0KCQiA5NPjBRDDARIsA

[maggie blair]

3 hours ago, outtahere said:

I  have just under 1000 watts on the roof of my 35' Solitude 5th wheel, run through an MPPT controller and a 3000 watt/120 amp inverter/charger to 3 Lithium Ion batteries.  Specifically there are 3 320 watt panels which ran $194 each.  The panels are 60" X 40" each.  I'm boondocking in the Anza Borrego desert on a lightly overcast day and at 10:00 a.m. the panels are putting out over 30 amps at 13.5 volts, which allows me to run the inverter and still have about 20 amps going into the batteries.  Voltage at the panels is currently (no pun intended) at just over 94 volts.  I've recorded over 70 amps going into the batteries on a clear day.  

I boondock about 80% of the time, and although I've only had the solar set up since early December, I've run my genset for a total of 1 hour in that time.  We'll see what happens when I get into some rainy climates this summer.

Thanks so much for the info. Sounds like you are having a good time. 😊

[maggie blair]

1 hour ago, Cowdog353 said:

I would suggest reading handy bob.com. Very good informative read. Afterwards you may not be an expert but will have a very good understanding of solar systems.  Jack myer has some very good info also.

jim

Thanks so much. I will go to that site. 

[maggie blair]

17 hours ago, 2gypsies said:

This is really getting off-topic.  The OP meant 100w; not 1000.

Thanks. I tried to post that info but people are staying on the 1000. My mistake. Sorry. 

[maggie blair]

On 2/25/2019 at 11:15 AM, SWharton said:

You also need to be careful not to draw your batteries down too low, a good monitor is worth the $$. Too low depends on the type of battery you have, wet cell or AGM. Continue to educate yourself about solar for the RV, come back and ask all the questions you want and once you know what you really want to power give AM Solar and RV Solar Electric a call and talk to them. Just more of your education.

I contacted AM Solar and received a bid of 7500.00 for 340 W and the batteries, inverter etc. seems high to me but I am still getting quotes and want to go to a reputable person. Thanks for your suggestions. 

[2gypsies]

That is extremely high!

[BlueLghtning]

1 hour ago, maggie blair said:

I contacted AM Solar and received a bid of 7500.00 for 340 W and the batteries, inverter etc. seems high to me but I am still getting quotes and want to go to a reputable person. Thanks for your suggestions. 

How many batteries and what type? How big if an inverter? That seems ridiculously high. 

[hemsteadc]

Changing the original post and the title to 100 will stop all the confusion.

[Carlos]

Change it to 10,000 and have some real fun.

[maggie blair]

1 hour ago, Carlos said:

Change it to 10,000 and have some real fun.

Great sense of humor. 😊

[maggie blair]

On 3/8/2019 at 8:45 PM, BlueLghtning said:

How many batteries and what type? How big if an inverter? That seems ridiculously high. 

1 Van Conversion 180W 120A 220AhAGM 

250VA.                                                   2500.00

2 ZS 170 Solar Panel Kit with rockers 325.00

1 Victron Phoenix MPPT 30A               474.00

1 Victron Phoenix invertor kit               550.00

1 45 A  shore power charger kit (AGM) 550.00

29 hours labor at 130.00 hour 

That is the breakdown. 

 

[hemsteadc]

do you know how to change the subject?

[Carlos]

Usually I just bring up politics, gun control, or religion, and the subject changes itself!

But seriously, just click the "edit" button at the bottom of the original (first) post, then click into the subject field and type as usual.

[sushidog]

Yeah, I guess it's pricey to get someone else to design and install a system.

This is what I'm planning to add to my MH in a couple months. It's the first phase of a 2 part solar mod. The second phase will be completed in a couple years, and is a large 48v solar project designed for off grid air conditioning and ample inverted a/c power.

But here's part #1:

2 -  320 watt solar panels from Northern Arizona wind and solar - $384 I'll be picking them up so no freight.

1- KRXNY 50 Amp MPPT Solar Charge Controller -       $152.00

CC to Battery Wire  #4awg multi stranded Lowes 12ft - $12.24

#6 awg multi strand down wire 40 ft -                                $37.20

Mounting brackets, cable ends, etc.                                    $55.00

60 a circuit breaker and isolation switch                            $23.00

                                                                       Total                 $663.44 

 

I just bought 2 deep cycle 220a GC-2 batteries from Battery plus for $129 ea. I already have a small 400 watt inverter to power my TV and computer, but If i had to purchase say a 1000 watt pure sine inverter charger on e-bay - $399 https://www.renogy.com/renogy-1000w-pure-sine-wave-inverter-charger/_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=GW7ZVFBYQD1XH125TW9Q     If you need these things it adds up to $428 more. So  for a total of around $1,350 you could have a 640 watt system with 220ah of batteries. Double your batteries if needed for $258 more (plus say $50 more for wire and core if you don't have old batteries to trade in. So for under $1,650 in parts you could build a much more robust one than they are offering. Let's say it takes a full 8 hr day to install it, which I doubt, at $100/hr (I'm sure you could easily find someone to do it for $50/hr.) That's $2,450 total, say $3,000 if I left out a few minor things, like junction boxes, dicor or eternabond, you wanted different batteries, etc. That $7k is way out of line, IMHO. Unless of course they are quoting you a system based on super expensive lithium batteries, then it doesn't sound bad at all.

Chip