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solar panels

August 23, 2011, 08:12:03 pm

my coach is a 03 u320, 4023. has any one installed solar panels? if so which vent is best to use and where is the best place for the controller.
  Thanks
  KCR

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Re: solar panels

Reply #1 – August 23, 2011, 08:25:48 pm

If you have not bought the controller yet, check out :http://www.powerstream.com/pv-control.htm  The higher priced, $72 model allows you to custom set the float voltage. Dave had a good comment on an earlier post about keeping the float voltage at 13.0V or a little below to maximize battery life. He does a lot of generator work and deals with batteries all the time so you might consider his recommendation.

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Re: solar panels

Reply #2 – August 23, 2011, 08:42:31 pm

Thanks, will check the site
      kcr

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Re: solar panels

Reply #3 – August 23, 2011, 09:20:03 pm

Good choice for a small system. I didn't see that it was an MPPT design. A bit more money, the Blue Sky energy systems Solar Boost 2512I is a good choice with or without the remote. It has a secondary 2amp trickle for a second battery bank...

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Re: solar panels

Reply #4 – August 24, 2011, 12:07:17 am

We have six panels on the roof. Each is about 2' x 5' and are rated about 120-watts each. Using a MPPT controller with remote readout is the best way to go. Controller should have excess capacity so it is not a limiting factor and has future expansion capacity. We mounted our controller on a bay wall near our house batteries. We used a combiner on the roof from AM Solar and ran a pair of cables through a drilled roof hole. Lots of different ways to have solar, some easier, some less expensive and they all can improve RVing.

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Re: solar panels

Reply #5 – August 24, 2011, 08:14:38 am

Howdy KC,
The following topic started by Barry and Cindy has some very useful information and a good discussion of solar panels.  I have this bookmarked for future use.

Solar panels

Good Luck,  Dave Abel

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Re: solar panels

Reply #6 – August 24, 2011, 08:44:27 am

Question;
what is the power factor for a group of solar panels that equal 730 watts.
How much actual useful amperage.

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Re: solar panels

Reply #7 – August 24, 2011, 09:06:31 am

Our six panels are three different models all about 17 volts that have a rated total of 730 watts, which computes to 54 amps at 13.5 volts. I have been recording peak amps as noted on our controller display. I have 7 readings from 27.6 to 33.9 amps. The controller uses 13 volts for displaying watts which range from 368 to 444 watts. Peak time of day was from 12:22 pm to 1:31 pm.

I think the loss from 730 watts is more because panels are not tilted and don't track the sun. Readings were taken from Fort Worth TX to Dubuque IA so we are not real far south and temps were quite high, some over 100 degrees.

We are quite happy with our new capacity because before we painted our coach, we had 4 panels and a Solar Boost controller and were limited to about 20 amps. After painting, we added two new Kyocerya-135 watt panels to our 11-year old Siemens-100 and 5-year old Kyocera-135 watt panel. We also no longer daisy chain them on the roof as each panel has its own home-run cable to a new combiner box. And our Morningstar 60 amp MPPT controller probably does a better job battery charging. We use #10 cable from panels to combiner and #6 cables from combiner to the controller located on a bay wall.

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Re: solar panels

Reply #8 – August 25, 2011, 10:38:30 pm

Depends on whether or not you tip them and what you have for batteries. Also, location in the U.S. is critical. Lots of factors to consider.

Regards,
Jon Twork

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