# Solar panels for an RV?



## MJsLady (Aug 16, 2006)

My youngest has decided he wants to live in an rv and travel some. His job would support this, he works from home anyway.

He is looking at getting a Safari Trek and replacing the current commode with a composting one.

He also is looking to customize it with solar and wind power to cut down on electric use.

He is a pc tech and will be running at least 3 machines at a time. 

Is this feasible? Any ideas on how this might work?


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## Gray Wolf (Jan 25, 2013)

The trick will be in managing his power usage against the limited number of panels and batteries he can carry.

One thing I've wondered about is using the rolled PV strips they put down in the valleys of metal roofing. While not as efficient as a panel, it seems like more square feet of them could be stuck here and there on the roof in locations that you couldn't mount panels.

Wind turbine needs to be above surounding things that would disturb airflow. Vibrations inside the rv from the spinning windmill from any tower mounted on it will likely be unbearable.


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## PorkChopsMmm (Aug 16, 2010)

If he can get by with computers that use lower power CPUs (like laptops, netbooks, etc.) then he should be OK. We have a desktop computer that uses 130 watts just sitting there -- which is a lot. Our netbook uses between 7 and 13 watts. A huge difference in watts being used... but also processing power. It sounds like a good idea but he will really need to monitor his electrical loads.


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## TnAndy (Sep 15, 2005)

The wind power will work great when he is on the road.


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## MoonRiver (Sep 2, 2007)

Best resource on web I have found for rv mobile computing.

http://www.technomadia.com/


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## SolarGary (Sep 8, 2005)

Hi,
Lots of RV's use solar now -- some where solar is the only power and some with solar as supplement.

This place has quite a bit of info on it:
http://www.amsolar.com/

This is a simple solar setup done by one of the people who posts here:
http://www.builditsolar.com/Projects/PV/TruckPV/TruckPV.htm

I think that the composting toilet might be more of a challenge. 
We are planning a small RV conversion and plan to use a simple Portapotty kind of setup: http://www.amazon.com/Sanitation-Equipment-Visa-Potty-Model/dp/B000FBNWYK
Have used this before in a RV conversion and it worked fine.

Gary


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## MJsLady (Aug 16, 2006)

Thank you all.
My son is reading these posts just not replying.


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## Peasant (May 18, 2013)

I live in a solar-powered RV. It's stationary, parked in full shade.

First step is to reduce loads to the bare minimum. No air conditioner. No central heat. Replace light bulbs with LEDs. Eliminate parasitic loads.

I currently have two 158W panels, they're charging my two golf cart batteries (12V, 225 ah) without trouble now that it's summer. I plan on getting two more panels before winter. These are not mounted on the RV, obviously.

I'm not sure what itinerate RVers do to solve the paradox of solar panels mounted on the roof of an RV. On the one hand you want to park in the shade so you don't have to run your AC, on the other you need to be parked in full sun for your solar panels to work. Depends on time of year and location I guess.

I have my panels mounted on a cargo trailer parked in full sun, from which I run a line to the RV.


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