Solar for the Elk

[Redhawk]

After reading the threads here discussing solar and doing a lot of research, I finally placed the order this morning. Kyocera 140W panel with a Morningstar Prostar 15M controller. The hardest part was deciding between the MPPT and the Prostar, but for the $150. difference, I could add another panel if I ever thought I needed it. Which I doubt. Total package was $618 w/shipping.

I found a lot of the online solar dealers are nothing more than some people with an office and no inventory, when it got down to it, it would be over a month to get the panels etc. I finally ended up using http://www.solarpanelstore.com/ mainly because they are located here in CO and had inventory. The guy I worked with was able to answer all of my questions immediatly, and called me back when he said he would, not the case with the others, they usually emailed me the spec sheets that I already had. So....check around is the moral here.

Question....does anyone have any experience or suggestions on where to mount the controller? I'd like to be able to see it since it has the LCD meter on it and hide the wires too.

[brulaz]

There's a thread on this forum, I think, where the panels are mounted on a frame (plastic plumbing pipe?) separately from the trailer. That way you can move them around independently and select the best lighting conditions. And then store them securely in your truck when traveling.

As for the controller, I've thought close to the batteries, under the seat, or maybe even in the bathroom in one of the low shelves?

EDIT: May be cut out that (currently unused?) round furnace duct into the battery compartment and use that space. Not eye-level, but ...

[rumbleweed]

Check out http://www.windsun.com/ These guys are very good and have great prices. Their site has excellent information on solar options.

[Redhawk]

Hummm...the bath room shelfs are something I will check out closer, I could use a blanking panel and make it look pretty good. Thanks for the suggestion, and the site Rumbleweed.

[Bill]

There's a thread on this forum, I think, where the panels are mounted on a frame (plastic plumbing pipe?) separately from the trailer. That way you can move them around independently and select the best lighting conditions. And then store them securely in your truck when traveling.

That was Rumbleweed, and it looks like a great mount.
http://www.trailmanorowners.com/forum/showthread.php?t=11467

[scrubjaysnest]

We did portable stands like rumbleweed from scrap 3/4 pvc. Here at Silver Jack, in partial shade and 2 inches of rain over the last few days our two 80 watt panels placed on the roof have more then kept the batteries up. We are moving up to Spruce Grove on Grand Mesa NF tomorrow if you want to run up that far from Colorado Springs to look at the set up.

[Redhawk]

That would be great Scrubjay, but we are leaving in the morning to spend 3 or 4 days in the mountains. I'm hoping that with some careful use, the batteries will last till we come back. Or get flooded out!

Thanks a lot for the offer, wish I could.

[Redhawk]

Finally finished the solar panel install today. On the Elk, I found that the vent coming out the roof from the black tank had enough room around the pipe that I could run the 10 ga wires into the interior fairly easily. I removed the angled panel in the bathroom that hides the vent tube, drilled a hole in the wall and mounted the solar controller on the wall above the existing battery monitor in the main cabin area. The 10 gauge wires aren't real easy to work with, and they are visible on the bottom of the controller, but I like having it where I can see it.

It was heavily overcast, but the panel was still putting out 1 amp to the battery. I am very happy with what I was seeing compared to the 85 watt panel we had on our 2619. Let's go camping!!!

I want to thank all that have posted their experience with mounting and installing solar on this site. It helped me tremendously.

[brulaz]

So, you've got the solar panel mounted on the roof, the wires running down beside the black water vent pipe to a controller mounted on the other side of the bathroom wall in the main cabin and from there down to the battery? Or ...?

I am a little confused about the "existing battery monitor". Mine, the original that came with the Elkmont, is mounted under the sink; far way from the batteries and bathroom vent pipe.

[Redhawk]

You got it right, that's where it is mounted. My battery monitor is on that same wall, pretty much straight up from the batteries. I should have taken a photo or 2, but didn't have the camera. The panel fit very nicely right next to the A/C unit.

[brulaz]

Very nice placement for everything. Hope to do something similar before we go out west next time.

Now that Everglades N.P. has electric sites, the only other place we dry-camp out east is the Smoky Mountains N.P. And that's, well, pretty "smoky" when we're there in the spring and fall.

[Redhawk]

Yeah, we do 50/50 parks and dry camping, the biggest factor for me is that I can't get the camper to the house to charge the batteries, so this is a good solution for keeping them topped up.

With China flooding the market with solar panels, prices are pretty good for a decent panel right now.

[Beak12]

We keep our TM (Elkmont) in a storag lot with no power or water. And we can't bring it home to charge the battery or fill with water (14 story condo) on a cul-de-sac. So we had a solar panel 80 watt installed when we ordered it. We do not dry camp and the batterys always have a good charge and I'm able to mess around fixing stuff at night in storage. :)

[brulaz]

Never heard that rationale for solar before, but it really makes a lot of sense.

[PopBeavers]

I am waiting to buy solar until the new version that works in the shade becomes available.

[Beak12]

I am waiting to buy solar until the new version that works in the shade becomes available.

Is that tongueincheek? They really will have them work on the shade???:)

[T and C]

I am waiting to buy solar until the new version that works in the shade becomes available.

I'm waiting for the night capable version. ;)

Tom

[Redhawk]

If you don't have a good contoller, they work very well at night...only in reverse. :) I guess that would apply to shade too..

[PopBeavers]

I always try to park the TM in the shade. In deep canyons with tall trees all around this is not difficult.

I could park in the bright sun. Then the solar panels would work. but I would need to run the a/c nearly all day. I doubt that is a reasonable trade.

So I'll stick with my generator and a pint of gas per day.

I do sometimes wonder, if you camped in the desert (100+degrees) and ran the a/c from sunrise to sunset, how many solar panels and what size battery bank do you need to run 13,500 BTU on solar.

[rumbleweed]

I'm waiting for the night capable version. ;)

Tom

You just need to order the Lunar Panels.

[Redhawk]

Seems it really depends a lot on where and how you camp whether you use panels or a genertor. I usually dry camp in the cooler mountains and rarely would be hanging around or in the camper during the day, so not a big deal to park in the sun. Now if I were in the desert a lot....different story. I'd probably use both.