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Topic: Another PV Install at AM Solar (Read 5783 times) previous topic - next topic

Re: Another PV Install at AM Solar

Reply #42 –
The amount of watts produced on that day of Dec 1st.

Re: Another PV Install at AM Solar

Reply #43 –
Daily output. Thanks guys, understand it now.

Re: Another PV Install at AM Solar

Reply #44 –
While parked close to Craneman's coach at June Lake, I saw his total for the day exceed 5kWh with 1450 watts non-tilting panels. Ours is a 36 footer and has one less panel. Will still go over 4kWh if no trees.

Pierce

Re: Another PV Install at AM Solar

Reply #45 –
Quote from: Pierce & Gaylie Stewart –
While parked close to Craneman's coach at June Lake, I saw his total for the day exceed 5kWh with 1450 watts non-tilting panels. Ours is a 36 footer and has one less panel. Will still go over 4kWh if no trees.

Pierce
Not to hijack this thread I will post my upgrade to 1750 watts when I finish the project, on another thread.

Re: Another PV Install at AM Solar

Reply #46 –
Me to. Batteries have to be pretty low, but have seen 5 kwh a couple of times. Normally topped off by noon if SOC is above 70% in the morning.

Re: Another PV Install at AM Solar

Reply #47 –
Glad to hear that you all are not having to tilt your panels and still get back up to 100 SOC!  I am going to try to not plug in while we winter at the Jojoba Hills RV Resort near Temecula, CA, and just run off of solar and batteries to practice.  Our coach is now all electric except for the heating and hot water that can also run on diesel.  I will start off keeping my heat and hot water on diesel and see how it goes and then switch over to electric if I have enough power left.  Our major appliances that draw the most power are:
washer/dryer combo
induction cooktop
dishwasher
residential refrigerator
speed cook microwave convection oven
coffee maker
toaster
instapot
vitamix
water pump

I left out the A/C units for I will not need to use them in the winter.  I also assumed using diesel for heat and hot water.  I made a spreadsheet of all my electrical items and usage and it came out to about 13kwh a day.  It will be interesting to see what my actual usage will be since the system will record usage.

Re: Another PV Install at AM Solar

Reply #48 –
Quote from: valento –
Glad to hear that you all are not having to tilt your panels and still get back up to 100 SOC!  I am going to try to not plug in while we winter at the Jojoba Hills RV Resort near Temecula, CA, and just run off of solar and batteries to practice.  Our coach is now all electric except for the heating and hot water that can also run on diesel.  I will start off keeping my heat and hot water on diesel and see how it goes and then switch over to electric if I have enough power left.  Our major appliances that draw the most power are:
washer/dryer combo
induction cooktop
dishwasher
residential refrigerator
speed cook microwave convection oven
coffee maker
toaster
instapot
vitamix
water pump

I left out the A/C units for I will not need to use them in the winter.  I also assumed using diesel for heat and hot water.  I made a spreadsheet of all my electrical items and usage and it came out to about 13kwh a day.  It will be interesting to see what my actual usage will be since the system will record usage.


Oscar, I guess all electrical loads, including aqua-hot element will be able to run on inverter?

Re: Another PV Install at AM Solar

Reply #49 –
Consider adding a temperature gauge to the Aquahot.  That way you won't need to keep it running 24/7 but only turn it on to get the temp. up for a shower or take the chill off in the morning.

Re: Another PV Install at AM Solar

Reply #50 –
Quote from: jcus –
Oscar, I guess all electrical loads, including aqua-hot element will be able to run on inverter?

Yes, that is the plan.  We will test it out while we are at AM Solar.  But I may not run the aquahot of my electric for the diesel would be more efficient.  I usually leave the aquahot off until we are ready to take showers at the end of the day and that is when we run the dishwasher too.  When it gets colder we may have to leave it on during the night for heat.  We, however, like it cool to sleep so I would probably just get up a little early and turn it on to warm up the coach in the morning.  We should not have to worry about freezing temperatures so having it off during the night should not be a problem.

Re: Another PV Install at AM Solar

Reply #51 –
Are you using the transfer switches in the Quattro to switch between gen and shore power, or retain the Foretravel ATS?

Re: Another PV Install at AM Solar

Reply #52 –
Quote from: jcus –
Are you using the transfer switches in the Quattro to switch between gen and shore power, or retain the Foretravel ATS?

I do not know the answer to this question.  I will ask on Monday.

Re: Another PV Install at AM Solar

Reply #53 –
Couple of thoughts: 1. If that is the park that Don and Tish are in then I'll assume we can expect a solar upgrade from them, too. Also, 2. It's always interesting to find out what a project costs and noodle around to see if it fits in one's budget. Some things you guys do I would never consider. Nothing wrong with doing them but when we had the coach we had a lifestyle that didn't require that much electricity. I'm glad this stuff gets posted and am fascinated with the ingenuity on each project. Keep up the good work. Almost as much lurking on this site as it was owning a Foretravel, almost.

Re: Another PV Install at AM Solar

Reply #54 –
Don and Tys do live in the same Escapees park called Jajoba Hills. We have been a few times to visit and it is a lovely park. I would like to buy into it too but there may be one downside. Living that close to Don may see me following him with projects on our coach and never be able to get out due to coach being all in pieces.
Seriously,  we enjoy seeing them and have become good friends.
Trouble is we now have 3 pieces of property here  (just closing on another) so we are busy with things here.
JohnH

Re: Another PV Install at AM Solar

Reply #55 –
Quote from: jcus –
Are you using the transfer switches in the Quattro to switch between gen and shore power, or retain the Foretravel ATS?

Jim - Rather than making a mistake trying to explain what I was told this morning I am going to wait and post the schematic of what they are doing.  I will get that later this week.  They are having to do lot of rewiring for the original factory wiring with the smaller inverter would not be able to take the loads the new Victron will require.

Larry - Yes, I am lucky that Don and Tys are at Jojoba Hills RV Resort too.  They are great people and having a Foretravel guru like Don available to answer questions that I may have will be wonderful.

Re: Another PV Install at AM Solar

Reply #56 –
Quote from: jcus –
Are you using the transfer switches in the Quattro to switch between gen and shore power, or retain the Foretravel ATS?

Jim - Here is a generic schematic of how they are hooking up my Quattro with their Smart Phase Selector (SPS).  Hope this answers you question.  If you go to their website it explains how their SPS works: Smart Phase Selector (Patent Pending)

Re: Another PV Install at AM Solar

Reply #57 –
Quote from: valento –
Jim - Here is a generic schematic of how they are hooking up my Quattro with their Smart Phase Selector (SPS).  Hope this answers you question.  If you go to their website it explains how their SPS works: Smart Phase Selector (Patent Pending)

Wow! That is a sophisticated system. Those guys know what they are doing. Think you will be very happy with it.

Re: Another PV Install at AM Solar

Reply #58 –
End of week number 2.  They plan to finish by the end of next week.  Solar panels about 3/5 done and they are still working away with wiring everything up.  Notice that the technician on the roof has the solar panels covered in cardboard that he is wiring into the J Box.  The RV in the bay beside me finished up today so I could finally get a shot of the interior of the battery bay area behind my joey.

Re: Another PV Install at AM Solar

Reply #59 –
Solar panels are all on - 3320 watts.  LifeBlue batteries all installed - 31,200Wh.  Now they are finishing up all the rest of the wiring.  Installing the Auto Gen Start is the last hurdle and they think they have a solution for that.  Tentative finish date is this Thursday.