It's taken me a little while to gather things together, but here are some pictures the solar install in our 2016 22FB Sport. I did extensive measurements of the roof layout and generated a CAD plan to look at options of how to arrange the panels to optimize the panel size and fit. I included the roof plan showing what I ended up with. I was trying to use economical panels rather than something like the very pricy long narrow Zamp panels. Note that I choose to extend outside of the white painted roof area at the front and back, which made things fit best. VHB tape and Sikaflex installation, no screws, and all holding up very well so far.
Specs are:
Three 100W Renogy Compact 100W solar panels on the roof
Renogy 100W portable folding "solar suitcase"
Rooftop combiner box with fuses
Renogy 40W MPPT solar charge controller
New 8-2 wire through the roof to the front bed area
Exterior whip for portable solar connection, wired to solar controller
Two 100Ah BattleBorn batteries, stacked in a fabricated box
Xantrex Freedom Xc 2000 True Sine Wave inverter/charger with remote panel
Victron BMV-712 monitor
2/0 wire to the inverter
Two Blue Sea disconnects: one turns off ALL battery power, the second is a two pole that turns off incoming and outgoing solar power to/from the solar controller
Various bus bars, disconnects, etc.
All installed in a compact fashion under the front bed roadside, with no impact to the storage bins. I also installed bracing for the flimsy bed box and gas lift struts at the same time.
We use the microwave and a hair dryer frequently, and the worst case was getting down to around 70% battery capacity per the Victron after four days parked under heavy tree cover with little or no solar charging, prior to when I had completed the portable panel connection.
jmickow, what do you estimate the net change in weight is with your install? I assume that you don't have the 12v lead acid battery on the tongue of the trailer anymore.
How often to you have to bring out the portable panel?
Good question on the weight, but I don't really have anything other than a guess to go on. I did eliminate the battery on the tongue, so going from a lead acid battery at 50-60 pounds to a pair of BattleBorn batteries with the box at around 70 pounds, so not a huge change there and the weight is farther back off the tongue.
Then the inverter, solar controller, wiring and accessories plus the solar panels probably still adds up to less than 100 pounds total added weight.
On the portable panel, I only use it if we are in full tree cover and we need to get a charge. When in summer sun, the three solar panels will fully charge the batteries by 10am even if I am down to 70-80% battery capacity, which rarely happens. We only had two panels for a while and that works fine in the summer, but I wanted to add the third panel for winter use when the sun angle is low, just in case.
I must admit, when I first installed the system I tracked the battery capacity and solar performance carefully for the first outings trying to get a feel for how the system performed and how much energy conservation we needed to do. After a while, I realized that even with microwave and hair dryer and occasional TV use we were barely taxing the system capacity, and so I rarely even check anymore other than to make sure things are turned on and working.
I can only recall a couple of times when we used the portable panel and then only because we were in the trees for like four days.
100 lbs additional for all that sounds like a wise choice for weight to functionality!
Did you consider the flexible panels when deciding on the Renogy panels? I was looking at their panels and the flexible ones look like they would follow the curvature of the Airstream roof perimeter. I am not too sure how well built they would be compared to the flat panels or how efficient they would be but I like that they can be adhered to the roof.
When I was researching my system initially I did not read anything good about the performance and longevity of those panels, so I went with the typical rigid solar panels and don't have any regrets.
Also as noted, my panels extend beyond the boundaries of the white painted roof panels so they cross over the wide, fat caulk joint airstream created where the white and silver meet. Not sure how you would deal with that if using flexible panels adhered to the roof.
I retesting layout, and I can appreciate how the front two split the difference around the antenna. I went a different route, with a 170w Zamp panel mounted sidelong at the front, leaving enough room for 2 90w narrow Zamp pa els along the side. 3 panels (possible), 350 total watts with a portable 140. Also did the under bed install of the battery and MPPT.
Very nice job on the interior install, looks clean.
Sounds like a nice system and pretty much maxes out the Bambi 22 solar capability. What did you do for batteries to store all that power?
I’m waiting for the pending Battle Born update. Once they release that, I’ll decide between 100 or 200 ah of lithium. My current small capacity AGM is not cutting it
1966 24' Tradewind
1995 34' Excella
Lynchburg
, Virginia
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 4,225
Quote:
Originally Posted by mshumer995
Pictures please, we also have a '16 22FB and are planning a mini split HVAC install. I promise to document the process with pix.
Since you are installing a minisplit and also lithium batteries, this may allow you to operate the minisplit from your batteries and recharge using solar. Removal of the RV air conditioner may also allow another 200 watts of solar. More solar may also be installed on your TV if you have a bed cap or you could supplement your permanent panels with some portable panels. I have installed 400 watts of solar on our Tundra bed cap and we sometimes use 200 watts of portable panels in the winter when the sun is so low.
We have found that we can operate our small 5k A/C in our Tradewind using our two lithium batteries. The SOC doesn’t go below 35%.
They are mounted to a SS hinge. It is riveted above the rear window. It has 3M VHB tape behind to ensure it never moves. The solar panel is mounted to the hinge with SS lock nuts. I remove this panel in winter to allow the CalMark cover to fit over the rear.
When traveling the panel swings down and i remove the two arms.
The arms fit in the bumper. The arms when used can be used to adjust the angle to the sun
The panel is just above the bike rack. the two do not interfere
I too just installed the Zamp 170 watt rooftop panel. But I am very uncomfortable on how far it sticks out on the sides and the huge gap for wind turbulence to yank upwards on it. I may have placed the supporting bracket feet too close in order to keep the panel high enough not to touch the roof.
Any ideas on how to remedy the potentially destabilizing air flow from the sides? Maybe some kind of fin on the front sides that could serve as an added support while blocking the wind?
@viking1
if you place a baffle on the front side of the panels, the wind will go around and be far less likely to "pick up" the panels
try an experiment at home and model up a scale version. use the output of your vacuum cleaner and drop shredded paper /confetti IN front. though not 100% accurate, it will give you a better feeling on how it will work out
I just purchased the 2020 Bambi 22fb. I’m trying to get a better grasp on the limits of my factory solar option panel. It’s 90 watt I think? Anyway, when I check the battery level In the bathroom, is if true that I should not let the voltage get below 12.1? If it gets below 12.1 then what will happen?
The lowest Ive gotten it to is 12.5 and I shut off everything because I didn’t wanna drain my batteries. The manual mentions that there are lights that show green=fully charged and on down to yellow I believe. Where in my trailer are these color display lights?
I understand that I can’t run AC, microwave on solar. Can somebody tell me what I can run on solar and how much time I should expect to get before my batteries die?
I need layman’s terms lol. I’m so new to any of this it’s more than embarrassing! I did send my sales guy an email but he won’t get back to me until sometime tomorrow.
If you have the factory solar you will have a zamp plug on the roof that will accept two additional SAE plug to add panels I know there's not much room on our 20FB, but I did add a narrow 70W panel and will probably add another of the same a some point. That would bring us to 230W which is plenty for us
We have a 2016 22FB with no solar prewire (at least none that I know of), and have added three Renogy 100W panels on the roof, 2 at front and one at back curbside above the entry door, plus a 100W portable folding panel with a front connection for when we are under full tree cover. Added a rooftop connection box to tie all the panels together, with new 8/2 wire to a Renogy solar controller feeding 2 Battleborn lithium batteries, + Victron controller and 200W Xantrex inverter/charger. The whole system is working like a charm, no regrets whatsoever. We can boondock till the water runs out, and are free to use the hair dryer and microwave without ever having to worry about power use.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jmickow
Here is the roof plan in image form to make it easier to view without downloading and opening:
Wow thanks for sharing the detail, I was going to ask for pictures and then there they were. That is perhaps one of the most efficient use of space for solar I've seen on a 22FB, I am currently trying to figure out how to most cost effectively increase solar as we currently have a single 90A Zamp installed by the dealer for the original owner of our 2011. Seeing how you arranged those panels really helps, and the roof "floor plan" is really helpful as well. I was looking at just adding 2 of the Zamp 90L panels, but options to us Renogy sure makes the $$ go further
Quote:
Originally Posted by mshumer995
Pictures please, we also have a '16 22FB and are planning a mini split HVAC install. I promise to document the process with pix.
I'd be interested on your plans for this. Dometic makes inverter air conditioners for the Australian market, but they are 240V/50Hz only...so not overly compatible with our US market. I find it shocking that our RV market isn't big enough to get those higher efficiency units, I'd buy one in a heart beat. In the mean time I am contemplating upgrading to the Houghton rooftop A/C if I can figure out how to solve the condensation drain challenge.
Not being particularly electrically inclined, we kept out plans for boondocking simple. Switched over to a Lithium battery and Victron monitor and added a propane ready Honda generator that sips fuel and quickly re-juices the power. No need to carry gasoline and less than 50# added weight. Exceeds our needs, but then, we are not heavy power users.
1966 24' Tradewind
1995 34' Excella
Lynchburg
, Virginia
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 4,225
Bambi Solar Limitations
Quote:
Originally Posted by SilverHouseDreams
Dometic makes inverter air conditioners for the Australian market, but they are 240V/50Hz only...so not overly compatible with our US market. I find it shocking that our RV market isn't big enough to get those higher efficiency units, I'd buy one in a heart beat. In the mean time I am contemplating upgrading to the Houghton rooftop A/C if I can figure out how to solve the condensation drain challenge.
Is this the unit you are talking about?
I am confused as the voltage is for the Australian market, 230v/50 hz. Do they also make a unit for our market, ie.120v/60hz?
This unit is much more efficient than the typical RV AC unit but no noise levels are given. The minisplit is still more efficient by about 25% because it only requires 960 watts to operate. I suspect the minisplit is also substantially more quiet since the compressor is separate. It would be hard to even match a noise level of 36 dB for the minisplit air handler.
Here are the specifications for the minisplit I am planning on installing.
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