Portable solar generator vs custom install

[wmcneil]

I have a 2011 FC 25FB that currently has no solar, no lithium, no inverter. I have replaced the factory converter with a Progressive Dynamics PD4655VL converter.

I have been thinking/researching a “portable” solar generator(EX: Anker, Bluetti, Yeti) and briefcase solar panel vs. a custom solar installation(EX: Victron/Battleborn). I am not sure that I will use the Airstream enough to justify the time/cost of a custom install. The advantages that I see of a solar generator is that the modifications to “install” it are much less, and it could be used for other uses such as charging my electric car, or as a backup generator for my house, etc. One disadvantage is that a suitcase type solar panel array is going to be probably less efficient/convenient than panels mounted on the roof of the AS.

I would be interested in feedback from anyone that has gone the solar generator route. Thanks in advance for your feedback.

[Genboy]

I love my solar generator. Portable, cheaper than fixed system, versatile, expandable, I use it at home around the property, it's perfect when combined with my 2200w propane generator for extended power outages or no sun when camping. For $500- $1000 you can get a 1kwh solar generator that includes everything needed, 1800 watt output, which is the same as a receptacle in your home, battery, ac-dc charger, mppt charge controller, inverter, complete metering package with bluetooth to your phone, 27 lbs. Throw it in your tow vehicle for power away from campsite. Keep it in your house for emergency power outages, recharges in about an hr from generator or wall plug or 3-4 hrs from good solar input. I highly recommend them.As far as portable solar panels being less convenient, true but not that bad. Porable solar panels can be more efficient because you can place them in the sun when the trailer is in the shade

[Peter417]

I would get a proper generator before I invested in solar. A solar generator is just marketing.
The system you are describing is a solar panel, and battery and an inverter. You already have batteries.

Remember a few winters back when the Texas grid almost went down because they had to much dependence on solar, wind and gas lines that can freeze. Get a 2k generator that is under 80 pounds so you can move it around easy enough. It will be much more versatile. Cloudy cold days happen. What if you park in the trees?

[Genboy]

Originally Posted by Peter417

I would get a proper generator before I invested in solar. A solar generator is just marketing.
The system you are describing is a solar panel, and battery and an inverter. You already have batteries.

Remember a few winters back when the Texas grid almost went down because they had to much dependence on solar, wind and gas lines that can freeze. Get a 2k generator that is under 80 pounds so you can move it around easy enough. It will be much more versatile. Cloudy cold days happen. What if you park in the trees?

. Couldn't disagree more, a solar generator combined with the small generator you are describing is absolutely the best thing for power outages, unless you like running out of fuel when the gas stations are down. I have never been through a hurricane, but reports from N Carolina show people moving them around where they are needed. They also seem to like the small gasoline and propane generators the best because larger generators are blowing through fuel so fast that people ran out and were unable to refuel. These small solar generators will not run your complete house forever, so don't expect them to. They will provide the power you need when camping or in an emergency if used properly.

[wmcneil]

I understand the duration limitations of using a solar generator. I have a dual fuel generator that I use for backup at my house. It is a portable generator, but too loud to take RV camping. It also is not inverter based, so it causes some glitches with a few of my devices....If I want a fuel-based generator to add to the RV camping mix, I will get a propane-powered generator that has an inverter.

It is also possible to recharge a solar generator (when no sun is available) by running the TV engine and using the 12VDC trailer wiring harness. Ball park estimate for my TV, the wiring harness provides a little less than half the max power one would get from a 2k propane generator.

[Peter417]

I'm not sure how. 1000w divided by 14v comes to about 70 amps. That would require quite afuse and very beefy wire.



12 guage wire can run about 20 amps.

[uncle_bob]

Hi

I have a number of various sized "solar generators". They do what they do.

Some math:

A "typical" lithium setup in a trailer is at least two 100AH batteries. They store away someplace unused in the trailer (possibly out in the battery box). 200AH x 13V = 2,600 WH. Already you are well past most of my nice light weight / easy to move around "solar generators".

Many folks fairly quickly move up to another pair of lithium's. That might involve putting them here or there ( = not quite as easy to fit). You are now up to 5,200 WH. I do have solar generators in that league. Light weight and portable .... hmmm ..... is 135 pounds portable? I guess technically it is. I certainly would not call it light weight.

Can I find space for the "big guy" in a 30' Classic? Yes I can. It will go in the middle of the floor "over there". It's not going to "tuck away" someplace.

Next step is to get it tied down so it is safe sitting there. That will take a bit of work. After that one wonders just how well this ~$3000 item does under the shock and vibration of rumbling down the road. They do not really seem to have the built in tie-down points for that sort of thing. You also will need to get various cables to and from it. (Note that the cost does not include solar panels).

Cost wise:

A set of 4 100AH lithiums on Black Friday likely will run you < $700 delivered. A hybrid inverter charger should be < $600. A solar converter might add $300. Like the solar generator, panels are "extra".

More or less, your parts for a DIY are kinda sorta $1600 vs the sale price on a similar sized unit of about $2500 to $3000. There will be added this and that with either approach.

You can run the same math at various comparison points. What's above is simply looking at what I have in front of me here at home and what re-doing what's in the trailer would cost.

Fun !!!

Bob

[Genboy]

It may depend on how much time you spend in your trailer. For me I prefer the portability of a 1 or 2kwh solar generator. 27lbs and around 50 lbs respectively. They are also quite capable, I just winterized my trailer and used the 1kwh solar generator to power the compressor to blow out the lines. I think the bigger you go the cheaper if you diy. 2 kwh and below, solar generator for the win with portability and ease of use.

[wmcneil]

Originally Posted by Peter417

I'm not sure how. 1000w divided by 14v comes to about 70 amps. That would require quite afuse and very beefy wire.



12 guage wire can run about 20 amps.

You are correct. I was calculating amperage, and incorrectly writing/thinking power. My TV can provide about 9amps@12V, which is about 108 watts.

[wmcneil]

I have the skills to be able to do a DIY custom install, but I'm thinking I don't want to. By the time you add in all the costs of everything, with quality components, the cost is probably smaller, but not not that much less than a quality solar generator. But setting cost aside, there is a lot of hours of labor required for the custom install, and the solution is permanently installed in the AS. With the solar generator, the labor/wire to connect it to one of the existing sockets (30 amp in my case) is quite small. Yes, you have to figure out where and how you are going to lash the beast down. But I can come up with a system without spending a lot of time or money that allows the solar generator to be easily removed and used elsewhere.

I get the advantages of the custom install. I'm just not sure the return on labor investment makes sense for me.

[Genboy]

Check out Ecoflow dc to dc charger. Expensive but can charge at 800w. Other brands

[richard5933]

Another 'it depends' kind of question...

On our previous rig (a vintage motorhome) we used 180w Zamp portable panels. We had three of them providing 540w of power. They were connected in series to keep the voltage high and the amps low so that we could connect them to the motorhome with a long enough cable to keep the panels in the sun while we were still parked in the shade. The solar charge controller was in the motorhome and fed our on-board battery bank.

As far as providing us with power from the sun they did great. Maybe they were even a bit more efficient than roof-top would have been since we could go out and move them into the prime position to aim directly at the sun throughout the day.

But there were a few downsides which led us to install roof-top solar on our Airstream.

First, they are a pain to carry around and set up. Yes, there are lighter and smaller panels than the 180w Zamp suitcase panels like we had, but if you have panels big enough to actually provide a good charge they're not going to light or fun to schlepp around. But this wasn't the worst part.

For us the most inconvenient part of using the portable panels is their security. Even in nicer campgrounds or camping locations we were very hesitant to leave them out if we were off-grounds. Being portable means that others can take advantage of this when they decide to take them. It would only take a few seconds for them to walk away.

We carried a long (30+ ft) heavy cable with eyelet ends which we used to try and slow down a would-be thief - they were secured to whatever was handy (a wheel on our rig, a nearby tree, etc). But even with the cable they were a very attractive target for theft and we didn't feel safe leaving them out in many places when we left the campground.

In the end after a few seasons of traveling with them we probably only used them about half as often as we thought we would. Instead we kept trying to time our dry camping so that we could charge while driving or plug in once in a while to charge.

On our current Airstream we have 400w of rooftop solar. This usually serves all our needs. But I did keep the portable panels when we sold our motorhome and wired our solar charge controller so they can take the input from either the rooftop or the portable panels. The thought was that there might be times we needed to use them so we could park in the shade and still get the panels in the sun, but in three years with the trailer I don't think we used them more than once or twice.

In this scenario you're talking about using one of the portable solar generators which is really just a solar charge controller and batteries housed in a convenient package which can be carried around and charged with the portable panels. To me this seems like a short-term solution until you can get rooftop solar installed. Unlike our setup with the panels being outside tempting thieves, you've got the whole kit and caboodle out there with an even higher price tag to tease them.

[wmcneil]

There are some good prices out there now on solar generators (lots of "black friday" sales). Jackery has a solar generator with a 3000W continuous inverter (TT30 output is rated at 25amp max), 2K lithium battery, and 400W of solar panels for $1900 (on amazon).

[Oldhip]

check out Bluetti AC70…great value…on sale @ Amazon $375

[coasttocoast]

I’m still using my GZ 6000X which works great. I could use it after a storm, but if the power were down for a week, I would want at least 600 watts of solar. It makes no noise, it makes no pollution, and it uses no gas. I have plenty of generator power at present as well, so I’m covered there. Here’s another potential option- Milwaukee makes portable power sources including a Carry On (which I have), and a Roll On. I have been in the Charleston area for the past two years helping an elderly relative, and I have a FROG apartment and a nice beverage cooler. When the afternoon lightening starts, I plug into the Carry On and coast right through it. I have a lot of batteries, so this made sense for me. You will not power your rig so much with a Carry On, but for fridge back up power, it’s great. Battery power is especially useful when the power goes out at night. You just plug your fridge into the battery and go back to sleep. A final note- I’ve been using solar generators for the past 6 years. Whenever this topic comes up, I see a lot of people suggesting the low wattage cheap option. This is to be avoided. You want to run for a few days, not a few hours. If you are thinking about Goal Zero, look at the 4000.

[uncle_bob]

Hi

If you go shopping for a "solar generator" there two numbers you will see talked about:

1) The output power number, in a DIY setip this would be your inverter size. Typically not a big deal once you get to around 2KW.

2) The energy storage capacity number. This one is what you very much *do* care about. In a DIY setup, this is your battery size / capacity. A 100AH lithium is roughly a 1,300 WH storage device. Anything under about 2,600W is a bit questionable in comparison.

Guess which number gets put up in the bold print in the add? Yup, it's the one you care less about.

Next up, the number given isn't what you actually can get out of the device. I've done a lot of testing on the ones I have. Something in the 80% range is doing *very* well. Indeed, you can find examples ( that one sitting over there ... ) that come in around 70% Will you find that number listed anywhere in any of the specs? Nope ....

With a good inverter, your DIY setup should get you a bit over 90% of the storage capacity.

No, this isn't a knock on the solar generators. They are what they are. You simply need to understand what you are buying *before* you put the money into them. I have significantly more money "invested" in them than in the systems I put into the RV's.

Bob

[wmcneil]

thanks to all who have replied.

The solar generator would be mounted inside the AS. It would need to be "installed" by: adding a cable between its TT30 output and reusing one of the existing AS ATS switch inputs. Or, install an additional transfer switch. The existing house batteries and 12VDC distribution of the AS could remain unchanged. Charging the solar generator battery when boondocking would be done with the portable solar panels and a long enough cord (run through an open window, or add a through-wall connector?), and possibly supplemented with 12VDC originating from the TV when it is running.

One of the goals of using a portable solar generator in the AS is the ability to use it for other applications, including backup power for the home. This got me thinking about 240V expansion capability (mainly to run a well pump).

I read a review of the ecoflow delta pro. Apparently it has a very efficient inverter, which means it does not consume much power itself when it is on but not servicing loads (this is an important feature so that the inverter itself does not put a big drain on the battery when it is on for several hours). If you want to do 240V, you can add a second delta pro unit, and buy a 240V adapter cable assembly. One delta pro has a 3600W inverter (so 30 amps at 120V), and a 3600KW battery. Current price for a delta pro with a 400W portable solar panel is $2400.

[DarthBrader]

I have a pair of Delta Pros that I use to back up a well pump and several other home circuits. They work great for that. From my experience, it seems that the inverters burn about 40 watts (each) while they're running. For camping trips I'll pull one Delta Pro and load it in the tow vehicle if we'll be off the grid for awhile. They're 100 pounds each, so pretty hefty but manageable for me. So far so good.

I also ended up doing a simple lithium conversion for the trailer (200 Ah), which has been great. The factory AGMs wouldn't even last a weekend with the compressor fridge, and now I can go a few days off grid even with no sun. Bringing a Delta Pro pushes well beyond that. I'll just plug in the shore power cable to it--no need to bother with transfer switches or other changes.

[wmcneil]

Originally Posted by DarthBrader

I have a pair of Delta Pros that I use to back up a well pump and several other home circuits. They work great for that. From my experience, it seems that the inverters burn about 40 watts (each) while they're running. For camping trips I'll pull one Delta Pro and load it in the tow vehicle if we'll be off the grid for awhile. They're 100 pounds each, so pretty hefty but manageable for me. So far so good.

I also ended up doing a simple lithium conversion for the trailer (200 Ah), which has been great. The factory AGMs wouldn't even last a weekend with the compressor fridge, and now I can go a few days off grid even with no sun. Bringing a Delta Pro pushes well beyond that. I'll just plug in the shore power cable to it--no need to bother with transfer switches or other changes.

Thanks...When you say you just plug in the shore power cable into your Delta Pro, you mean when you have the unit outside the trailer, correct? (I want to be able to lock up the unit inside the trailer, plus it is not waterproof)

[DarthBrader]

Originally Posted by wmcneil

Thanks...When you say you just plug in the shore power cable into your Delta Pro, you mean when you have the unit outside the trailer, correct? (I want to be able to lock up the unit inside the trailer, plus it is not waterproof)

Yes, in the tow vehicle (SUV) or sometimes outside in fair weather. For inside the trailer, I think you'll need a generator inlet and transfer switch. It also takes up a lot of space inside--I've done it for travel.