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AtomicNo13 · 05-26-2016, 10:37 AM

Sounds like you already know you want what the factory offers....
It is my opinion that for the money you will spend there, could be spent at a far better place on far better equipment. I believe the factory charges over $3000 for a 150 watt upgrade?
I have 1200 watts and top shelf controllers monitors and batteries.
You will also receive lots of screw holes at the factory... They do not use vhb for installation.

AtomicNo13 · 05-26-2016, 10:38 AM

I did not spend close to $3k

alano · 05-26-2016, 10:46 AM

Not sure what system the service center installs, but does it include a three-stage battery monitor with temperature compensation? If not, then you may be harming your batteries in the long run. Is the service center suggesting that you need to upgrade to AGM cells too? This is probably an expense you can avoid, so make sure the solar charger that they install has the option of charging wet cell lead-acid batteries as well as AGM lead-acid batteries. And lastly, is the service center going to add a remote display panel for the solar charger? And you want to add yet another panel for the Trimetric battery monitor? If you were able to select the Blue Sky controller with the IPN Pro remote, you'd only have one display panel to do it all and have the ability to change parameters for wet or AGM batteries and include temperature compensation. Whatever you choose, we hope you learned a few things. Enjoy.

AWCHIEF · 05-26-2016, 10:47 AM

OP, your mind is already set on having the factory rip you off on an overpriced underpowered system. I say Go for it, your money and your decision. The only thing you will be able say is that you stood by your decision and did not let the experienced folks here sway you one way or the other. Good luck.

carl2591 · 05-26-2016, 05:19 PM

Well said Micheal,,

you can lead the proverbial horse to water but we all know the rest.. sometime you have to learn the hard way. I know I have learn some valuable lesson that way then i found the internet and places like this..

I now let other do the hard learning adn I take the lesson and go forward not making the same mistakes..

I hope the OP does what he wants to.. at least with the bogart system he will learn rather quickly how undersized the factory system is..

to OP: check out handybobs solar help https://handybobsolar.wordpress.com/...andybob-solar/

spend a couple of days,, no weeks reading and then re read the info and then decide if you think the factory will work then have at it..

Quote:

Originally Posted by AWCHIEF

OP, your mind is already set on having the factory rip you off on an overpriced underpowered system. I say Go for it, your money and your decision. The only thing you will be able say is that you stood by your decision and did not let the experienced folks here sway you one way or the other. Good luck.

Jim Foster · 05-26-2016, 05:48 PM

Threads like this is why I am not nearly as active here as I used to be.
You buy them books, and buy them books, and all they do is eat the covers off of them.

Sent from my iPhone using Airstream Forums

kscherzi · 05-26-2016, 06:12 PM

Fortunately we live in a free country and can live our lives mostly as we see fit. I did have the factory install the awning package on my trailer and that worked out okay. But used AM Solar for the electrical.

PJohnson · 05-26-2016, 10:35 PM

Apparently, I offended some people by using the term "practice." Since I did cancer research at a university medical center I am accustom to using the term in the same context as "practicing medicine." I did not intend it to be taken in the same context as "football practice."

BTW -- there is no place in any of my posts that suggest that I have made up my mind. If I practiced medicine with the same regard for listening to people's concerns as some of you, a lot of people would be dead.

PJohnson · 05-26-2016, 10:54 PM

As for the comment about having the factory do the work on my trailer, I had a very bad experience with 2 separate Airstream dealers. The work they did to "repair" a leak on my 2010 cost almost $10,000 and the leak was not fixed. Since I had to return to the factory to have the leak fixed, I am a bit gun shy about having other people work on my trailer.

Again, I HAVE NOT MADE UP MY MIND ABOUT WHAT SYSTEM AND WHO WILL INSTALL IT!

gandttimes · 05-27-2016, 12:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PJohnson

I do appreciate the suggestion but I would rather have the factory do the work for the following reasons:
I prefer to not have the after market companies practice on my trailer.
.

I' m sorry but your use if the word "practice" was not taken out of context.

**Rocinante** · 05-27-2016, 09:34 AM

Instead of arguing about context and the use of a word, how about we provide potentially useful input?

Based on the experience, OP has expressed valid concerns about using a dealer for the work and favoring JC to do it. OP has also clearly identified goals for said system. Feedback here seems to be that OP can get a much more powerful system, well installed, for the same cost of a low power system at JC via some of the sources recommended here.

The rest of the commentary seems pretty irrelevant, though it would more likely drive the OP away from this group vs inviting deeper engagement. Nice.

It will be great to hear what OP decides to do and how that turns out.

Ray Eklund · 05-27-2016, 10:13 AM

My 2006 Safari had a Jackson Center installed solar package that came already attached to the trailer. It was... small, maybe 80 watts?

It was not wired into the trailer. Nobody bothered to check if the solar was working.

The RV Dealer spent hours to find the wiring and I said just drill a hole and drop the wires over the refrigerator. I was not impressed with anyone on this project.

mfrez · 05-27-2016, 11:46 AM

My used 2012 25fb came with a factory installed 180 watt Zamp system. Upgraded the house power converter to the Progressive Dynamics 4655, and batteries to Trojan T-105-RE's. Total upgrade cost of $600. While I wouldn't choose the Zamp system if I were doing it today, it has worked surprisingly well. Use it all day, including a plug in inverter for short stints with my laptop, and about 2 hours of TV at night. Still have juice left, and recharges fully by noon the next day. But if I run the furnace much, forget it...

If all you want to do is top off your batteries while in storage, you could just get a portable Renogy 100w suitcase for under $300 and clip it to your battery terminals.

gandttimes · 05-27-2016, 05:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rocinante

Instead of arguing about context and the use of a word, how about we provide potentially useful input?

Wasn't arguing and OP has had plenty of useful input.
I've learned a lot anyway.
Basically summing up, the factory is not the best choice for solar install after the build and there are lots of choices out there for getting what he wants at a more reasonable price and with a cleaner install.

J. Morgan · 05-27-2016, 06:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PJohnson

Apparently, I offended some people by using the term "practice." Since I did cancer research at a university medical center I am accustom to using the term in the same context as "practicing medicine." I did not intend it to be taken in the same context as "football practice."

BTW -- there is no place in any of my posts that suggest that I have made up my mind. If I practiced medicine with the same regard for listening to people's concerns as some of you, a lot of people would be dead.

That is the nature of just about ANY internet forum I have ever participated on.

On this forum there are a few hot button issues that raise emotion levels, solar is one of them.

Dont take it personal, and remember to "filter", and remember a few grains of salt.

That said, Lewster who is an installer and a poster on this forum, well we don't ALWAYS see eye to eye, but If I was going to have someone install solar on my trailer he is the man I would want to do it.

Superat stultitia.

PJohnson · 05-28-2016, 12:22 PM

Apparently, the consensus of opinions for those who responded about their experience with the Airstream service center was, at best, disappointment. Therefore, I need to investigate other options. Is there a consensus about which equipment is the best?

alano · 05-28-2016, 12:36 PM

For a small to medium system, you won't do better than the Blue Sky controller with IPN Pro remote, and either the Grape or Renology panels. This system will give you a proper three-stage battery charger, ability to program flooded or AGM cells, and a quality battery monitor. You can still reuse the existing solar pre-wiring and CAT5 cable and you'll only need to add one remote display for both the solar charger and battery monitor.

kscherzi · 05-28-2016, 02:00 PM

If the desire is simply to keep batteries charged while in storage so they are charged for a camping trip then I'd consider the low cost portable solar set offered by Harbour Freight.

lewster · 05-28-2016, 03:36 PM

Simple battery maintenance for storage purposes only is best accomplished by using a quality, complete system from companies like BatteryMinder.

Their 15 watt panel system has a fully integrated 3-stage solar charge controller that will keep the batteries fat and happy ........... But again for storage purposes ONLY.

Lew Farber
RVIA/RVDA Nationally Certified Master Tech
ABYC Certified Master Marine Electrician
Master Tech Energy Systems, Inc.
AM Solar Certified Installation Center*AMS Lithium Batteries
Lifeline AGM Batteries**Magnum Inverters***Victron Energy Components
541-490-6357

SilverGate · 05-28-2016, 04:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PJohnson

Apparently, the consensus of opinions for those who responded about their experience with the Airstream service center was, at best, disappointment. Therefore, I need to investigate other options. Is there a consensus about which equipment is the best?

Hello PJohnson. I, for one, have been very happy with my Airstream factory installed solar system during the build of my trailer in December, 2006. As documented in my notes, seen in post #194 of the thread, "Factory installed Solar Charging System", we continue to enjoy 5-day camping trips with no hookups and my two 53-watt solar panels bring our 2 Lifeline AGM batteries back to 100% by mid-morning each day!

New Airstream travel trailers, starting with the 2017 model year, now come from the factory with built in Zamp Solar ports.

If I were you (and considering your needs), I would look closely at the Zamp Solar Portable Solar Charging System (that has a built in controller and display monitor panel) and attaches directly to your batteries (no need to put any additional holes in your trailer)!

Good luck with this and please keep us informed on what worked for you!