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To all you rv owners, has anyone used one of those solar panels to charge their camper battery? I don't want to bring a generator if I don't have to. Any info would be great!
I don't know for sure but I would think they would have a hard time generating enough electricty to keep up with an A/C and fridge (unless the panels are fairly BIG.) Of course, I don't know which system you're looking at. It would be nice to have but I'd bring a genny as a back up.
Since I have a pop up I wasn't going to worry about the ac. Although, with everyone saying how hot it gets, I might just reconsider the generator. I was just wondering if those solar panels have enough juice to keep the battery charged for lights and low power stuff? Well, I think I will just bring both. I'm thinking way too much about this stuff. Time to just be happy I'm going!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bring both! Charge the batteries during the day and use the genny when the batts die. You'll save on fuel, which means less cost and not having haul so much gas.
You can buy smaller panels to "maintain" charge on your batteries. Or Larger panels to generate power and maintain your batteries.
Remember that you can not use your air conditioning on batteries, not even with a inverter.
If you have a smaller camper and need to charge up the battery because of drain for using interior lights, water pumps, refrigerator and water heater use then just connect it (camper) to your tow vehicle and start that up for around 1/2 hour once or twice per day.
Some if not most water heaters and refrigerators use some electric for the electronics even tough they run on propane.
Good luck..I'll stick to the generator and the AC.. No offense to solar panels, but if you don't need air conditioning, you can buy a Honda (very quiet) generator for under $1,000. then you can have power day or night.
I have a Honda EU3000is, that is enough to run the camper and the AC. Link:http://www.hondapowerequipment.com/ModelDetail.asp?ModelName=eu3000is
I have that same Honda generator and it does power all the equipment on the rv. I like the solar panels for maintaining the batteries without using up all that fuel. If you want ac the generator is a must, but if all you require is the lights and radio, the panels will take care of that. I wish everyone used those Honda's, they are so super quiet. Yamaha makes a quiet running gen. too. I don't have any experience with those.
