Cost of electrical and solar system Phase One - RV-Dreams Community Forum

Dixie · RV-Dreams Family Member

Cost of electrical and solar system Phase One

Dixie · RV-Dreams Family Member

Here is Phase Two cost estimate:

AM Solar SunRunner AM 100-30DR System with 4 panels, 4 Rocker Foot Mounts, one HPV-30DR Charge Controller, one HPV-30DR Solar Monitor, Combiner Box, 100-30 Wire Harness and 4 Tilt Bars

3030.00

Phase One 9090.00

Phase Two 3030.00

Total 12,120.00

These prices may not be exact but they are very close. I took this

"system design" partially from Jack Mayer's wonderful website and

also from Howards electrical solar system set up.

I hope this helps someone besides just us. Please let me know if I missed anything.

Have a super terrific day,

Dixie

Jack Mayer · RV-Dreams Family Member

It depends on how you wire things whether you need to go with the 3000 watt inverter. You might consider wiring in a subpanel and using a magnum 2812 or 2012 with battery monitor. It would eliminate the trimetric for monitoring the battery. The downside is it would cut your charge section down a little. With the AGMs you can use all the charge you can drive (depending on battery state of charge). Other than that, you have the generalities covered.

When I speced Howard's system we used a spreadsheet which we sent back and forth to each other, as the design changed (you know Howard and spreadsheets - well I am as bad, if not worse :)). In the end, after implementing the entire system I think we were within $40 of the estimate....Howard can correct me if I am off. So the planning process is very important. You should figure on at least $400 in wiring costs in this system.

wmalefyt · RV-Dreams Family Member

Yikes that's expensive! I think we'll go with a couple of Honda EU2000 generators! biggrin

thebearII · RV-Dreams Family Member

Bill and Linda,

The Honda 2000 eu are quiet enough to stand right by them and carry on a normal conversation even under full load.

At one of our favorite places to boondock I have to position the generators on the curbside of the 5th wheel. Even when I'm sitting in the lounge chair, under the awning reading a book and sipping a cool one about 10 feet from the running generators, they are not distracting.

We were set up selling, at the California RV show across from the honda booth one year, and for the two weeks of the show, I watched the honda salesman, he would deliberately squat down next to a running generator to do his sales pitch, it was a very convincing way to show how quiet they are.

Still no where near as quiet as solar.....

We get about 8 hours per gallon of gas when using the computer, satellite receiver, TV all day along with the microwave or other small appliance off and on throughout the day.

I have four batteries with a 2000 watt inverter to use from 10PM until my wife gives up the TV or computer around 2AM during quiet hour restrictions.

This setup meets our needs quite nicely.

I still would like solar someday.... maybe I'll hit the lotto....

RVDude · RV-Dreams Family Member

I think it has been said before, the decision to go solar is one of lifestyle, not necessarily economics - at least for now. And as Howard has described, the silent power producing solar boondocking lifestyle is something to be proudly smug about!

A side note. If the solar firms are able to hold on in the current economic climate, we will see exponentially dramatic changes in our RV mountable solar options in the next 2-5 years. We will also see the same for battery technology. Imagine solar panels that produce 2x-10x the output they do now at half the cost all feeding a bank of NiMh (or other advanced technology) batteries. Well, you can almost picture running your AC units off of solar - for real. Solar and battery technologies are at the brink of radical innovation unlike any time in the past. Partly driven by battery technology by the global car makers and partly driven by solar innovations across the globe. These technology advances already exist, they are in the commercialization stages right now.

bjoyce · RV-Dreams Family Member

I agree with RVDude, the technology will get better because there is so much money to be made. I will also add that Electric double-layer capacitors (Supercapacitors) are also on the drawing board, which could replace batteries.
But it will not come fast and we don't want to give you an excuse to not go with the current technology. You don't see homes and businesses waiting for the new technology to come online, they are jumping in today with the tried and true. Having dealt with more than one technology that was going to come online in one to five years that never came out commercially, I am always a skeptic.
I would also measure the space where the AGM batteries are going and see if you can use the taller GPL-6CT 6volt batteries or even some 4D or 8D sized 12volt ones. You might get more amp-hours in the space. Just a thought. Remember the AGMs do not need to be vented and can be mounted on their side or even upside down if needed.

Dixie · RV-Dreams Family Member

Thanks Bill and everyone

Im sure space is at a premium so using the taller AGM batteries may be something we will consider once we get our fifth wheel. As far as what RVDude said about the future of solar, I agree, but life is short and I don't want to wait that long. I am going stir crazy waiting now, getting this house ready to put on the market. The only thing that is keeping me sane confuse

is the planning and research to go full timing. Hopefully all will fall together by July 4th, our going fulltime date. Stay tuned.

There is much to learn and I enjoy learning and knowing how everything works. I think it is important for women to know everything just in case they need to do it on their own someday.

Dixie