1.2 KILOWATTS OF SOLAR POWER......ON THE MOVE

Solar Energy Systems
an Amish owned company
of Nappanee, Indiana installed our 9 panel 1200 watt system so now when we are of a mind to do so we can dry camp comfortably "off grid".

When camping off grid (not plugged into what in the camping world is known as AC "shore power") one relies on the RV's inverter to "make" AC electricity from the DC energy provided by the RV's batteries.   Because our motorhome is totally electric (no propane on board) we have not one but two (2000 watt) inverters as well as eight deep cell AGM batteries....and by being so equipped, the addition of a solar system very suitably expands our "on board" capacity to go off grid without having to exclusively rely on our 12.5 KW  generator.    For every twelve hours off grid and on batteries, our generator would have to run 2 or 3 times to charge the batteries back up to the proper level.   With our new solar system our off grid capability increases to the point where the generator will not start until such time as our battery bank is reduced to 40% of its charge capacity.   With luck (and plenty of sunshine) that eventuality can be significantly prolonged.

 

Let's take a look at the system from the top down.......

 

 

Nine of these 130 Watt solar panels now populate the roof of our home on wheels.  They are wired in three strings of three panels, whose wires take the sun's energy to the combiner box (see top photo), which acts like a junction box and feeds the wires down into the back closet area of the motorhome and into an electronic switching box called a "hub".   The hub is also connected to our two pure sine wave, 2000 watt inverters as well as to a charge controller, which oversees all our power inputs from solar to battery to inverter to AC and generator.  

This is one of our two Outback pure sine wave inverters.  Each provides a capacity of 2000 watts and is able to take battery generated DC current and modify it to our AC needs in the RV.   As we learned more and more about how solar power works in an RV environment, we learned the significance of having "pure sine wave" inverters as opposed to "modified sine wave" inverters.  The pure sine waves exactly replicate how AC current is used to run appliances, whereby the modified inverters can only simulate that AC current.  It becomes important as the new electronics in computers, cell phones, LCD TVs and the like operate much more efficiently and without potential for surge that can accompany modified wave inverters.  It has even been proven that refrigerator ice makers and in door ice water devices will often not work with modified sine waves and work perfectly well with pure sine wave.  Interesting stuff.

A close look at our Outback Charge Controller shows here the voltage input and voltage output of our combined systems at the point in time this photo was taken.  The buttons on the front panel allow us to toggle amongst many charge controller functions to take a look at solar input as well as battery input, generator and other AC inputs, etc.  Since the controller is physically located in an outside basement compartment, as are the two inverters, the system is also wired from the hub to a control box mounted in our electrical cabinet, located in our bedroom.

The Master Electrical Panel

This Outback "Mate" screen allows us to toggle the same "status" functions as shown in the Charger Controller's screen but from the comfort of our bedroom.   It also allows us to manually over ride the automatic settings for such things as generator start, battery equalization and battery charge levels. 

Aside from our plans to use our new found "sun power" off grid, especially when we get out West and can camp under the open skies on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands; it is very comforting to know that our solar panels will be charging our batteries as we move down the road to our next destinations.  

 

Uncle Sam generously provides us with a 30% tax credit on our new solar investment.....yes, it applies to second homes as well as primary ones and motorhomes qualify as both!!   We would have had the system installed regardless of the tax credit, but it sure makes this Scotsman's smile a bit broader to know 30% of what we spent is underwritten!!

In closing, here is our traveling companion lounging in the SES showroom while the system install is going on.

Ali was on her feet to greet all new customers when they entered the store during the two days we were there.  She was Solar Energy Systems' official greeter.   We should also add that all the folks at SES treated us very warmly as well as professionally during our time there.  Brian, the owner, Mike in Sales, GM Eric and installers Ron and Kevin all worked hard installing our system.  And Becky and Rose and Melinda in the office kept us company as well.   All new friends and great folks in Nappanee, Indiana.