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tnky03
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# Posted: 24 Sep 2012 16:53
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We are ready to purchase solar panels to power our off-grid RV and could use info on best ones at a reasonable price. After getting a room done on our cabin both our children (and grands) moved from our area. In order to save a lot on gas and be closer for visits we started looking for another acreage. All has fallen into place and we sold our 4.5 acres and have bought 6.7 which has some great building sites (much more level). Since cold weather is closing in we will likely wait until Spring to build (again), LOL. We found a good older RV with a generator but want to get started with solar. The inverter is already in place so we're thinking we just need panels and a controller to hook up to our batteries. Does anyone have experience with RV's. One great part of this move is our new county requires NO permit to build, yea!
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MtnDon
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# Posted: 24 Sep 2012 18:49
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How many and what capacity batteries do you have?
How much will you run them down in an average day?
Is there a grid tie connection available?
How many average day good sun-hours have you? Or where are you?
Is the plan to try to avoid generator use altogether?
Does the existing inverter have a charger built in, called an inverter/charger?
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tnky03
Member
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# Posted: 24 Sep 2012 21:54
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We will use 2 12v marine batteries and can use generator when needed such as lots of clouds. There is electric nearby, we just prefer to live simply and be self-defense sufficiently. We are in Central KY, I'd say 5-6 hrs full sun. Will use 12v lights, charge laptops, 19 in. TV 1-2 hrs some nights with occasional DVD use. Fridge, stove and heat will be propane. I'm not sure if the inverter has a charger but I think it does.
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Dillio187
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# Posted: 24 Sep 2012 22:08
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might want to think about a couple 6V golf cart batteries in series instead of the marine batteries. Marine batteries aren't true deep cycle like the GC batteries and don't do as well in solar applications.
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MtnDon
Member
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# Posted: 24 Sep 2012 22:34
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Ditto Dillo on the golf cart batteries. IMO, the RV/Marine 12 volt batteries are a waste of time and money in off grid use. Depending on how much power you'd use in a typical day a pair of GC's in series may be enough; some folks need a couple of series strings in parallel for more capacity.
The starting point is to calculate the amount of power you anticipate using. Give it some real thought. You can do that on paper; do the AC loads and the DC loads separately. Number of watts times the number of hours gives you watt hours, the same way the power company measures use. There are online calculators as well. There's a link to a downloadable spreadsheet calculator HERE.
Once you know the power amount you can figure the battery bank size and then from that the panel array size. When you know all that then you can go shopping for the best deal.
Base the sunlight hours on the worst time of the year, unless you won't be using the system at that time of year. You may get 5 - 6 in summer but winter is more likely 3 - 4.
There's a map / calculator available from NREL.GOV You choose between average / minimum / and maximum sun exposure derived from US weather records. Then select the month. Then choose the type of collector and how it is tilted. Most of us use simple plat plate collectors that are tilted at latitude. To optimize performance in the winter, the collector can be tilted 15 ° greater than the latitude; to optimize performance in the summer, the collector can be tilted 15 ° less than the latitude. Then click for a map and find your location.
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tnky03
Member
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# Posted: 25 Sep 2012 11:24
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Thanks so much for the info will pass this on to hubby. 
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trollbridge
Member
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# Posted: 25 Sep 2012 20:51
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tnky03!
You sold your land and the "cabin so far" and bought new land??? I was surprised to read that!!! Wow...no building permits required is awesome though! Congrats on the new adventure...now you can build however you'd like and not have to hide the fact that you are dwelling in a storage shed! Yay for you!
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tnky03
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# Posted: 26 Sep 2012 13:13
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Quoting: trollbridge You sold your land and the "cabin so far" and bought new land??? I was surprised to read that!!!
Yes, I was a bit surprised by it all myself, LOL! So much happened so quickly. My 37 yr. old daughter has been diagnosed with a mass in one lung that is in a difficult place to obtain a biopsy and MD says surgery too risky. They have ruled out TB, Histoplasmosis and unable to rule out malignancy. The plan is to watch it six months and if it grows will have to remove it. Gas prices are just too high to drive between our family members so much (we also stay one night a week with hubby's mom who is 85 and widowed). Somehow all things fell into place and we'll be moving in the next couple of weeks. I am excited to start preparing to "build again". We've already started accumulating windows and such. This new place is also 3 miles from my best friend of nearly 30 yrs. too, can't wait!
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trollbridge
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# Posted: 26 Sep 2012 14:22
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Quoting: tnky03 My 37 yr. old daughter has been diagnosed with a mass in one lung that is in a difficult place to obtain a biopsy and MD says surgery too risky.
I'm very sorry to hear that you all have to live under this cloud but am so happy that you could find a workable solution! I will keep your daughter in my prayers. Please keep us posted.
Accumulating new materials for your build and having your best friend close by will be very nice distractions for you 
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tnky03
Member
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# Posted: 27 Sep 2012 22:54
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Thanks, TB and yes, those distractions will be a nice help. Feb. and the next CT scan can't arrive quick enough. All the details of getting settled in another place, upcoming holidays and enjoying lots of my grandsons basketball games will help a lot, too. I appreciate your prayers. Maybe I can post some pics of the new place before too long.
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