Solar Panels for boondocking
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Topic: Solar Panels for boondocking
Posted By: P and D Podders
Subject: Solar Panels for boondocking
Date Posted: 08 Mar 2016 at 1:13pm
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I am about to by my first R Pod 179. We are new to RVing, have always been tent and backpack campers. One of our first trips will be to the Southwest and not having elec hookups is concerning. I am looking to use solar panels. How big a panel will I need? How long will it take to charge the batteries? Will I be able to operate items in the rv while it is charging? Should I add another battery?
A lot of questions I know but I haven't even started yet. P and D |
Replies:
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 08 Mar 2016 at 1:40pm
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Welcome. How long will you be off-grid for each trip? How many of those trips each year will you take. Will you be camping on-grid more often? Will you require the use of your A/C? The answers will dictate the answers to your questions. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual 
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Posted By: TheBum
Date Posted: 08 Mar 2016 at 4:36pm
| You're likely going to want AC in the SW and solar panels will not cut it. If you'll be off the grid most of the time, you may want to invest in a generator instead. Yes, they're noisier than solar, but you can get enough power to run the AC or anything else you could run on grid power, as well as charge the battery. Fortunately, nights in the SW aren't bad, so you could probably shut off the generator at night. |
Posted By: sailor323
Date Posted: 08 Mar 2016 at 4:58pm
| I am a great fan of solar power. Go to the files section of this group to see a detailed description of our solar installation. I think it is titled "Panel Instal.doc" You can't produce or store enough power to run the A/C, but we don't use it so that is not a problem. We run lights, fan, a freezer and assorted electronics on DC and use a small inverter for small appliances like a coffee grinder. e have 2 140 watt panels and charge 2 6V golf cart batteries. |
Posted By: P and D Podders
Date Posted: 17 Mar 2016 at 11:07pm
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Picked up the 179 today and can't wait to get on the road. First trip will be GA to Colorado to the Dakotas to Michigan and home. Most of the time in National Parks or off grid. We will only be spending at the most 2 nights and 1 day before traveling on. I had the dealer set me up with 2 6v batteries so I will be able to see how they last. I have been looking into Zamp panels and they recommend a 160 watt set up. If we go into the SW it will probably be mid spring or fall to avoid the worst heat and hopefully will not need AC. I plan to install a 12 volt outlet soon and use a converter for small appliances.
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Posted By: Hayduke
Date Posted: 20 Mar 2016 at 6:29pm
ZAMP products are extremely overpriced for what you get, in my opinion. ------------- 2012 177 HRE 2017 Tacoma Double Cab |
Posted By: IdahoBoy
Date Posted: 14 Apr 2016 at 7:39pm
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Zamp panels are pricey. What brands are good but affordable? |
Posted By: GLBCamper
Date Posted: 14 Apr 2016 at 8:02pm
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I bought the Renogy 100 watt solar suitcase. Complete kit for $265 on Amazon. Haven't tried it yet, though. ------------- Old: 2014 177 HRE 2015 Tacoma V6 4x4 Double Cab New: 2016 EVO ATS 200rd 2016 F150 4x4 Sport |
Posted By: sailor323
Date Posted: 14 Apr 2016 at 11:10pm
It depends on how much you want to do yourself. Zamp and Renogy are plug and play. Both are relatively expensive compared to build it yourself systems. I have 2 140 watt panels (each about $230) plus a charge controller ($90 and up depending on type and amperage, but some as low as $40). If you want a portable unit, it is possible to find smaller panels that you can join together with hinges. A 100 watt panel would cost about $120. Add the cost of a controller, a bit of wiring and hardware. You could put together a 200 watt "suitcase" for less than $400. Of course, you'd have to do all the work. It's not hard but it's not plug and play. |
Posted By: johnmaci
Date Posted: 16 Apr 2016 at 9:50am
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I have a Renogy 100w suitcase and it served me well while I had my OEM group 24 battery that came with my TT (going to post on Craigslist in the DC/MD/NOVA area real soon). That said, I am 100 % off the grid when out, and have replaced my single 24 with two 6v golf cart batteries. I purchased two 100w panels on sale, MC4 cables and connectors, and a controller hoping this will keep my batteries nicely charged. I was planning on installing on the roof, but I think I will mount on a tripod and make it portable instead. Ill post my pictures as soon as I assemble it all. |
Posted By: Baypod
Date Posted: 17 Apr 2016 at 9:27pm
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Hi there. I'm a backpacker too, but now that we're retired we've been camping in an RPOD 178.. We bought a RENOGY portable panel (suitcase style) for our old popup and now we use it for the POD. WE found it on Amazon about 3 years ago and paid about 80 bucks. It comes with a controller, 2 mono crystalline panels and I think we bought the 50 (or thereabouts) watt version. It recharges our battery pretty quick. A half day of full sun brings us up to 12.6Volts (we have a battery monitor too...well worth the few bucks). WE did the southwest parks last summer...North Rim of Grand Canyon, Canyonlands, Zion, Arches, Mesa Verde. We were on the road for a month and the panel served us very well. Mind you, it will not run your AC or any other big electricity users, but for bringing your 12 volt system back to full charge in a pretty short time-span, whether you have two batteries or 1, that system works fine. It folds up into a suitcase that is about 3 inches deep and about 3 feet square. The controller is attached to the back of the panel and the stands/cables and connection are all included. I still like the solitude of backpacking or bike packing and I do not take much with me when I go, but I also like the company of my wife and dogs and fellow campers every now and then. The POD is great for that. I believe Amazon still carries the RENOGY Panels. They make several wattages. Since we're not big gadget users, the 50 or 60 works fine. ------------- Baypod |
Posted By: IdahoBoy
Date Posted: 18 Apr 2016 at 8:30pm
| I'm mechanically challenged so the plug and play is attractive. It will come down to the health of the old checkbook. Thanks for the great information. |
Posted By: bigcat
Date Posted: 02 Jan 2017 at 5:30pm
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Hi all, we bought our 179 last fall and have only used it once. We are looking forward to a full season of mostly boondocking, and solar is the way I want to go. Our Pod has the Zamp connector installed, but I'm leaning towards a Renogy 100w panel. I like the idea of using the prewired Zamp connector and have research ways to use other brand panels with the connector. If I were to connect the panel directly to the battery, would you all recommend clamps, or is there another connection type? I have two batteries so I'm guessing I will need to connect the panel to each one, right? Or will I only have to connect the panel to one battery and the juice will flow between the two? Thanks in advance for any advice. Ty ------------- Big Cat 2017 179 |
Posted By: CharlieM
Date Posted: 02 Jan 2017 at 6:03pm
You cannot connect a 100W panel directly to the battery. You must use a controller or you risk overcharging the battery. That said, Renogy offers a solar kit that includes a controller. If your batteries are two 12V batteries in parallel you just connect to one or the other. If you batteries are two 6V batteries in series you connect to one terminal of one battery and one terminal of the other battery. ------------- Charlie Northern Colorado OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD |
Posted By: bigcat
Date Posted: 02 Jan 2017 at 8:44pm
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Thanks CharlieM. My two battery's are 12v in parallel. Thanks for the info! ------------- Big Cat 2017 179 |
Posted By: Rick Nic
Date Posted: 04 Jan 2017 at 4:34pm
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Howdy, we are brand new owners and members and appreciate this forum a lot! Camping World sold us on a Nature Power 18 Watt panel and control box, and we are going to try it. We'll be 3-4 days each site...Southern California. The solar plug on the 2017 R-pod exterior now says "Solar on the Side" instead of Zamp. Is the polarity still reversed so that we'd need the adapter? I'd prefer not to do anything more complicate do than that. Thanks to anyone who knows! ------------- 2017.5 iPod 178 Oceanside, CA |
Posted By: Pod People
Date Posted: 04 Jan 2017 at 9:20pm
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We also have the Renogy 100 watt suitcase system. We love it! It is simple, effective and they work. we were out for 3 months and it kept our batteries fully charged . The only suggestion I have is if you leave in the morning to set the panels so that the sun will be directly shining on them mid day to get maximum solar input. Otherwise, if you are still in camp, during the day you can move/adjust their angle every few hours to maximize solar gain. I also suggest that you attach a short rope to the panels and tie it to a strong tent stake so that it will not turn over. I saw one panel that had been blown over by the wind--they are glass and they will break. Renogy has a very good customer support group-lots of answers to my questions. I had a warranty issue with the controller and Renogy sent a new one out immediately. I would recommend them without reservation. there is a post of my installation somewhere in the archives that probably could be found by searching. Vann ------------- Vann & Laura 2015 RPod 179 https://postimg.cc/0zwKrfB9"> 
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Posted By: bigcat
Date Posted: 04 Jan 2017 at 11:12pm
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Pod People, great info, and a cool mod!
http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=8194&KW=Renogy&PN=1&title=installing-a-renogy-100-watt-suitcase-solar-panel There was a comment on your post about how to use the installed Zamp solar port that comes installed on newer pods. I'd love to utilize this port. Thank you! ------------- Big Cat 2017 179 |