One or two PV panels? January 18, 2019, 06:38:59 pm When ordering a new rig is there a big advantage to opting for the second PV panel?At $850 it seems a bit steep to me for one extra panel.
Re: One or two PV panels? Reply #1 – January 18, 2019, 07:21:36 pm We opted for the additional panel. I wasn’t too concerned about the additional cost. Todd mentioned that two panels would be all we needed in most cases. Others here feel that LD is less adept at solar installation than other true Solar installation professionals. With a bit of care in regards to power usage the two panels have served us well although I plan on adding more panels to the system. Either suitcase style or mounted on the roof.Suitcase systems allow you to move your panels out into the sun when the LD remains in the shade. All-In-All, I’m glad we added the additional panel. Until I can get the rig to the pros up north, 200 watts will suffice. Kent 2 Likes
Re: One or two PV panels? Reply #2 – January 18, 2019, 07:33:33 pm We ordered two panels on our - soon-to-be-built - 2019 Rear Bath - and yes Todd assured us that was a good choice for our needs. Well worth the cost to have it installed at the factory - in my opinion. 1 Likes
Re: One or two PV panels? Reply #3 – January 19, 2019, 09:50:31 am We ordered the two panel setup. After four years of use we haven't had any issue with the amount of needed power. But we are not power hungry users. We don't watch TV or use a large amount of electronic tools. The only need we have for AC power is our water pic. We use a number of portable solar lights. We set them out daily there for reducing the load on our battery pack. I guess the question is what is going to be you honest power useage. If it's going to be high then complete evaluation from someone like AM Solar would be the best path. The factory doesn't have the experience boondocking to be of must help. 1 Likes
Re: One or two PV panels? Reply #4 – January 19, 2019, 10:43:59 am Definitely 2 panels. On days with limited sun, 2 panels yields twice as much back into the battery. I'm glad we have 2. 1 Likes
Re: One or two PV panels? Reply #5 – January 19, 2019, 11:10:27 am It depend on your lifestyle, do you spend several hours a day watching TV or using a power hog computer?Do you plan on boondocking in the winter or to always be plugged in some where?The winter sun has half, or less, the available power of the summer sun. A solar panel system that works fine in the summer may not keep the batteries up in the winter. In the winter, power consumption can be higher than in the summer due to more inside time, using electronics, lights and the furnace.In other words, use on your expected winter consumption when planning a solar system, unless you never camp in the winter.For us in the south-west, winter is the camping season.For many, 200-watts is more than adequate, for others, 400-watts barely covers their needs in the winter.For folks who plan on dry camping or boondocking a lot, I suggest getting the minimal 100-watts and then having a reputable solar shop install more panels and upgrade the wiring. By getting the single panel, the wiring run and solar controller will already been established and installed. $850 for a second panel is just plain stupid. when a 100-watt panel cost less than a $130.Grape Solar 100-Watt Polycrystalline Solar Panel for RV's, Boats and 12-Volt...If planning on adding panels, the solar lead-in wiring will need to be changed, LD does not install oversize wiring, down from the panels, so the wiring that comes with a 100 or 200-watt package will be too small for a bigger array. Solar wiring is the one place where bigger wires have an big advantage.If installing 400-watts or more, upgrading to four batteries is recommended to more efficiently store the solar power and to provide power during overcast and rainy weather. Four batteries are almost a necessity if installing a large inverter.Larry 5 Likes
Re: One or two PV panels? Reply #6 – January 19, 2019, 11:19:56 am "For folks who plan on dry camping or boondocking a lot, I suggest getting the minimal 100-watts and then having a reputable solar shop install more panels and upgrade the wiring."----If I were getting a new LD and the factory would not agree to delivering the rig without *any* of their solar package, I'd do as Larry suggests and upgrade to my "use specs" from that point. If the factory did agree to deliver the LD "naked" (highly unlikely), I'd have the complete system designed and installed with the latest whiz-bang components and equipment by AM Solar or Quality RV Solar in Fremont, CA. As ever, YMMV. 2 Likes
Re: One or two PV panels? Reply #7 – January 19, 2019, 11:33:07 am Quote from: Joan - January 19, 2019, 11:19:56 am If the factory did agree to deliver the LD "naked" (highly unlikely), I'd have the complete system designed and installed with the latest whiz-bang components and equipment by AM Solar or Quality RV Solar in Fremont, CA. The advantage of having the Factory installing a single panel is the finished wall-mounted box for the solar controller will have been installed and the wiring pathway and entry point for the wiring to the roof has already been established.It makes the upgrading job a lot simpler .Larry
Re: One or two PV panels? Reply #8 – January 19, 2019, 11:42:27 am "The advantage of having the Factory installing a single panel is the finished wall-mounted box for the solar controller will have been installed and the wiring pathway and entry point for the wiring to the roof has already been established. It makes the upgrading job a lot simpler ."----Yes, having the "holes and box" done during the build makes perfect sense, and since the possibility of the factory agreeing to delivery of a rig without any solar components is in the "when pigs fly" category, this is definitely the way I'd go. My current system (300W, 3000i controller, 2 AGMs, Progressive Industries converter) works fine for my uses; if it needed upgrades, I know a guy......
Re: One or two PV panels? Reply #9 – January 19, 2019, 12:07:26 pm Quote from: Larry W - January 19, 2019, 11:10:27 amQuote from: Larry W - January 19, 2019, 11:10:27 amIt depend on your lifestyle, do you spend several hours a day watching TV or using a power hog computer?Do you plan on boondocking in the winter or to always be plugged in some where?The winter sun has half, or less, the available power of the summer sun. A solar panel system that works fine in the summer may not keep the batteries up in the winter. In the winter, power consumption can be higher than in the summer due to more inside time, using electronics, lights and the furnace.In other words, use on your expected winter consumption when planning a solar system, unless you never camp in the winter.For us in the south-west, winter is the camping season.For many, 200-watts is more than adequate, for others, 400-watts barely covers their needs in the winter.For folks who plan on dry camping or boondocking a lot, I suggest getting the minimal 100-watts and then having a reputable solar shop install more panels and upgrade the wiring. By getting the single panel, the wiring run and solar controller will already been established and installed. $850 for a second panel is just plain stupid. when a 100-watt panel cost less than a $130.Grape Solar 100-Watt Polycrystalline Solar Panel for RV's, Boats and 12-Volt...If planning on adding panels, the solar lead-in wiring will need to be changed, LD does not install oversize wiring, down from the panels, so the wiring that comes with a 100 or 200-watt package will be too small for a bigger array. Solar wiring is the one place where bigger wires have an big advantage.If installing 400-watts or more, upgrading to four batteries is recommended to more efficiently store the solar power and to provide power during overcast and rainy weather. Four batteries are almost a necessity if installing a large inverter.Larry. when a 100-watt panel cost less than a $130.Grape Solar 100-Watt Polycrystalline Solar Panel for RV's, Boats and 12-Volt...If planning on adding panels, the solar lead-in wiring will need to be changed, LD does not install oversize wiring, down from the panels, so the wiring that comes with a 100 or 200-watt package will be too small for a bigger array. Solar wiring is the one place where bigger wires have an big advantage.If installing 400-watts or more, upgrading to four batteries is recommended to more efficiently store the solar power and to provide power during overcast and rainy weather. Four batteries are almost a necessity if installing a large inverter.LarryIf 200 watts is fine for our needs, which I think it is, could I order the one panel system, use the existing wiring, and add my own panel to save? Considering the overall purchase price I'll probably just roll with the $850 to save the hassle of adding a panel but dang it just seems too much. 1 Likes
Re: One or two PV panels? Reply #10 – January 19, 2019, 01:07:31 pm Quote from: tedeboy - January 19, 2019, 12:07:26 pmIf 200 watts is fine for our needs, which I think it is, could I order the one panel system, use the existing wiring, and add my own panel to save? LD sizes the solar panel wiring according to the amount of amps that the panel(s) produces.A single panel will probably have smaller wiring than if the second panel option was chosen.Undersizing solar wiring is a disservice, and will not provide the maximum amount of charging current, compared to being wired with the proper size wire. Big wire is better in charging circuits.I would only suggest a single panel if you plan on upgrading the wiring, along with adding a panel(s).Larry 1 Likes
Re: One or two PV panels? Reply #11 – January 19, 2019, 01:57:43 pm My two cents worth. Larry is right, as usual. Get two. This is not the time to penny pinch when spending $100,000.There is a LONG article on solar on the The CompanionHow you are going to use the rig determines how many amps you need. And that involves many variables. You don't know that yet or you would not ask about one or two. If LD uses smaller wire for one, it's going to be beyond difficult to rewire for two. I have not seen how they route the wire. We had ours done from scratch before one panel was standard. 2 Likes
Re: One or two PV panels? Reply #12 – January 19, 2019, 02:59:46 pm Larry, I wonder if you are sure about LD using smaller wire with one panel vs two. Knowing LD likes to keep things pretty standard, I wouldn't be surprised if they used the same diameter wire for either. Even if they do use a smaller gauge wire for one, you could always add the second one in series instead of parallel, so that the current would be about the same (as long as you had a MPPT controller of course). If it were me, I'd buy one as long as the controller was MPPT and could handle at least 20 AMPS.Rich - Former 2000 MB now Chevy 2500HD pulling Bullet Crossfire trailer - Birch Bay, WA
Re: One or two PV panels? Reply #13 – January 19, 2019, 04:47:38 pm Ted,When I considered the cost of the additional panel, the cost of the new LD and the pure desire to hit the road “camping”, coupled with my pure naïveté of all things solar, the additional 100 watts was a “no brainer”. Now after a bit more than three years of LD splendor, I have no regrets. Crunching the numbers of the additional panel against a projected 20 years of using the rig the 11 cents a day doesn’t even enter my mind when turning on the lights on a warm summer night. Winter and low lying sun is exciting when I think of adding more solar and battery storage. During winter camping I learned that simply starting the engine for an hour in the day and a half hour just before dark gives me plenty of power running appliances throughout the night with no worries of running low. Enjoy your Lazy Daze and don’t sweat the small stuff.Kent 2 Likes
Re: One or two PV panels? Reply #14 – January 19, 2019, 05:16:02 pm Get 2!With the 220 AHR'S of battery I only ran out of power on the 2nd night of100 F day 80F night with all 3 fans and swamp cooler on. Then what is the value of shop days instead of travel days to install a second. panel in the afterarket date? 2 Likes
Re: One or two PV panels? Reply #15 – January 22, 2019, 07:42:16 pm I have one. I am having 3 180 W panels put on next month. On the way home after 12 days at Quartzite. While there I put 12 hours on the generator, much to my chagrin and impact on the overall experience of the other campers.I have wracked my brain to come up with the reason I did not get two in the first place, to no avail.Get two. 2 Likes
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