Need How To Solar Info

[AirMama]

Hello!
Please tell your info about how to set up an airstream for solar power.
We are in the process of purchasing our first airstream.
We will need to use solar (or other non grid) source of power 80%
of the time.
I am very appreciative of any advice or lists of equipment needed you
are able to supply.
I have done some research, but felt it would be nice to hear from others with experience.
Thank you kindly!

[2airishuman]

welcome

start with this thread...

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f448...ice-39392.html

then read a few dozen of these...

Generators & Solar Power - Airstream Forums

there are as a many wayz to configure and mount solar as there are starz n da sky.

cheers
2air'

[Wabbiteer]

Solar is complicated.

If thinking of mounting solar panels on the roof remember tree shading kills solar - and three or five solar panels are not enough to power air conditioning even in dawn-to-dusk sunlight... A compromise (w/o air conditioning) is parking your trailer in the shade and having portable photovoltaic (PV) panels... but then they are fragile so they need sturdy frames & anchoring and essentially have a big "STEAL ME" flag on them!

If you calculate your needs and will be camping year-round in NW Arkansas the short days of winter only hold 55% of the energy potential that July has for you there; the furnace uses battery power to force propane heated air around and eats battery charge pretty fast.

Explaining more of what you have to work with can get you better answers...

[JimmyT]

Study, study...do some web searches...read as many Forum posts as you can as there is excellent information here...And there are many companies out there. I chose to go with a local Denver company (rvsolarconnection.com) because they are knowledgeable and local. I wanted to be able to talk and work with somebody right here..I will try to attach a PDF of what we did for our AS. Basically an external panel (yes, you better find a way to lock it - we use a long bicycle cable and padlock) that plugs into the batteries directly. I can park in the shade and put the panel in the sun. Our 130 watt Kyocera fits our needs very well. Calculate your amps consumption per day and that will tell you how many amps you need to put back...Good luck.

[AirMama]

Thank you for the help with solar ideas! We presently are in the process of purchasing. Airstream will mostly be used in one spot, but moved periodically. Would be nice if Solar system can go, but not necessary.

[arodriguez60]

Here is a forum site on renewable energy. It is very informative. everything you would want to know about solarpower. Not to much about airstreams though. Solar Electric Power Discussion Forum by Northern Arizona Wind & Sun - Powered by vBulletin

[2airishuman]

"used in one spot but moved periodically" ?

if the stream is gonna be PARKED such that the power reserve can be GROUND mounted...

look into RESIDENTIAL off the grid systems.

whether solar or generator or wind or hydro/electric,

there are BOOKS at the local library or online for this.

and giant websites on 'off the grid living' that can help.

the LEAST expensive setup initially might be a big o' generator and fuel tank and bank of batteries in a shed.

longer term, a solar grid that tracks and a bank of batteries might be LESS $...

but could cost more that the trailer to setup initially.

there is an energy tax credit for folks installing these things.

more VERY BASIC info on mobile/rv set ups...

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f448...ing-11634.html

most larger streams are equipped with TWO 12v deep cycle batteries

that can cover MOST camping needs for a few days of trippin'

and the LP GAS systems (fridge, water heater, furnace, cook stove) are the REAL camping power supply.

cheers
2air'

[arodriguez60]

I just bought 2 100 watt panels and a morningstar mppt controller from solar blvd for 560.00. I installed it myself and they are doing great. You need approx a watt for every amp hour of battery for optimum performance. I have 2 27 group batteries that come to 220 amp hours more or less

[68 TWind]

Check out the book "Managing 12 Volts", by Harold Barre. You can get if from Randy at Bestconverter.com or maybe Amazon. It gives detailed info into how to figure your electrical needs which you then can decide the best solar setup. Anyone running deep cycle batteries in a boat or RV can benefit from the info in this book.

[JimmyT]

Great book idea. I'll have to go get that. Thanks.

[dljosephson]

There's a lot of happy nonsense out there about solar and 12 volt systems and Airstreams. As an engineer who has built a few remote-site solar systems that operate 24/7/365 (and who has built systems for his two Airstreams and his girlfriend's Winnebago) I think I can offer some advice.

Solar that you can put on an RV won't power air conditioners, don't waste your time. But please, don't take my word for it but do the arithmetic for yourself. About 1 kW of solar energy lands on every square yard of your roof in peak sun conditions. The most efficient solar panels convert about 16% of this to electrical energy. You can expect about five hours of peak sun per day, so for a 31 foot Airstream, the available roof area (with air conditioners and vents excepted) permits about 500 watts maximum of solar panels (I didn't try to squeeze the maximum, I have 360 watts on mine). Air conditioners require 900-1,200 watts to run, to which you must add all the losses in the inverters, batteries, wires etc. It is practical to run everything else from solar but not a/c.

Batteries are not very efficient, and they prefer not to be discharged more than 50% of "capacity." Their life is also directly related to temperature: for every ten degrees above 77 degrees F, the lifetime in number of cycles is reduced by almost half. This makes them a pretty poor choice in hot weather, but you have no option -- just treat them carefully. The Bell System called a set of them a "battery plant" and thinking of them as another sort of plant, that you need to care for, is a good start.

Small generators, particularly diesel ones, can be practical and efficient. They are noisy and require maintenance, but if you plan carefully you can build an off-grid system built on a combination of batteries, solar, wind and generators that will supply your needs and not need to run all the time. The other references in this thread, particularly 2air's summary, are valuable in deciding what those needs really are, but realize that if you choose to operate your own power company you will need to learn all this stuff. It's like gardening, or raising goats, a whole new skill set you will have to absorb. Reducing your requirements, and understanding what's practical in terms of generating capacity, are key to this process.

[Arrowstream]

Check out this site.
builditsolar Solar energy projects for Do It Yourselfers to save money and reduce pollution

[dlb435]

Originally Posted by dljosephson

There's a lot of happy nonsense out there about solar and 12 volt systems and Airstreams.

I'm also in engineering and agree. There is just not much bang for the buck with solar. Running your own generator is also much more expensive than buying power from the grid. With todays technology and power prices; it just doesn't pay. The only justification is to have some power when you are way off the grid.
On the practical side, there are a few things that can be done. Change all of the lights to LED, install a small solar panel to charge the battery. Run everything you can on propane. As long as you don't need the A/C, you can go a long time off grid.

[Dave Park]

I have 3x15W solar panels on my TW, which I installed as a cheap form of "insurance" for battery maintenance when not in use, though I find 45W and LEDs are an effective combination.

I placed the panels over the living area of my AS, and my infrared thermometer, at 2pm, records a ceiling temperature of 115F where there's no panel, and 102F where there is panel shading of the roof, when in full sun, on a 105F-in-the-shade day.

My conclusion is that panels will slow down the heating of the trailer in the morning, lower the peak thermal load midday and allow earlier passive cooling in the evening, with a 5-10F benefit in passive indoor temperatures depending on the area of your panels.

As a side observation, I have used a portable panel, placing it on the floor by my airstream so the sun hits it directly AND reflects off the side of the AS onto it, increasing output of that panel from 40W to 55W - until someone stole it, anyway... This caused me to contemplate the ugly hack of putting hinged panels on the side of the AS and using it as a glorified solar collector - but... sacrilege!

[2airishuman]

Originally Posted by dljosephson

There's a lot of happy nonsense out there about solar and 12 volt systems and Airstreams...

yes indeed.

and i LIKE the happy nonsense imagery, it's SO fitting for a lotta gizmoz these daze.
__________

ANYone wanting to read some really useful exchanges HERE on sola' and other magic energy...

should take the time to FIND 'moes older posts on this or david T's info.

not picking on ANY 1 member but the ? often asked by silver suz back then ...

and counter point/answers supplied by 'moe and dt' are VERY illuminating...

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f448...kage-7066.html

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f46/...-etc-9989.html

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f448...lar-11082.html

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f448...lar-11439.html

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f287...tor-11886.html

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f448...ors-14925.html

many folks may drown while trying to swim through the details

but the details these guys took the TIME to post in 03 and 04...

are still very very useful.

cheers
2air'

[lewster]

These are the folks that 'wrote the book' on RV solar

Welcome to AM Solar - Your RV Solar Specialists since 1987

The 4 X 100 watt panels on the roof of my service van provide up to 28.5 amps of charging to the house battery system due to their higher output voltage and the current boost feature of the charge controller.