Solar vs generators?

[Wag482]

Have always had issues with my camper while dry camping/hunting for extended trips.

Looking into better/best options for keeping batteries charged while on extended trips. Ideally i would like to leave my trailer as a base camp for 2-3 weeks at a time on the mountain. Currently have two 12v deep cycle batteries but considering going to lithium or AGM batteries (but they are pricey).

Am i better off just running a generator while at camp to try keep batteries charged or investing into a solar setup (400watts)? The solar setup would run me around $1000 setup and installed.

Looking for what others have done that works.

 

[victor3ranger]

I would look into solar with good lithium batteries and a good pure sign wave inverter

 

[victor3ranger]

Maybe even have a small generator for a backup

 

[memtb]

Have always had issues with my camper while dry camping/hunting for extended trips.

Looking into better/best options for keeping batteries charged while on extended trips. Ideally i would like to leave my trailer as a base camp for 2-3 weeks at a time on the mountain. Currently have two 12v deep cycle batteries but considering going to lithium or AGM batteries (but they are pricey).

Am i better off just running a generator while at camp to try keep batteries charged or investing into a solar setup (400watts)? The solar setup would run me around $1000 setup and installed.

Looking for what others have done that works.

We have and use both!

We have 800+ watts of solar, plus a little Honda 2K generator.

We use a lot of battery as during our typical hunts, nights are often in teens to single digits. A large camper, and with water in the system …..we must keep the forced air furnace running to keep tanks warm.

If we have mild temperatures with clear days…..we can go two to three days without using the generator. If very cool and overcast…..the generator will see use everyday for 2 or 3 hours.

If you can only have one……a generator! memtb

 

[victor3ranger]

We have and use both!

We have 800+ watts of solar, plus a little Honda 2K generator.

We use a lot of battery as during our typical hunts, nights are often in teens to single digits. A large camper, and with water in the system …..we must keep the forced air furnace running to keep tanks warm.

If we have mild temperatures with clear days…..we can go two to three days without using the generator. If very cool and overcast…..the generator will see use everyday for 2 or 3 hours.

If you can only have one……a generator! memtb

Does the 2k generator cover all the power you need???
I am learning about this too

 

[dmj]

We camp for about 2 month or little better period of time. End of July to mid October. We use a large (30,000 but propane heater). Doesn't take any battery and is plumbed into our trailers propane system. I've tried solar, seems to do fair early in our trip but as it gets later in the year starts to struggle and have to resort to a generator. We have a 2000 honda generator it will do everything but run the air conditioner. My wife likes her TV. I feel fortunate that she wants to go with me, so I try to make it enjoyable for her as possible. Anyway we run the generator about 4 hours every evening, we also use 2 heavy duty 6v batteries. Keeps us going and always have power. This is what we have found works best for us. Sure that others will have different ideas. Good luck.

 

[memtb]

Does the 2k generator cover all the power you need???
I am learning about this too

It won't run an AC without a special electrical component, that I've have heard about but never researched. Supposedly it will allow a 2K to start and run an ac.

We rarely camp in hot areas…..even in summer up here, the nights are tolerable. At night we open a couple windows in the sleeping area, turn on two ceiling mounted Fantastic Fans pulling out from the camper ……drawing cool air through the BR. Those two fans pull very little wattage……plus the days are much longer for the panels to keep the batteries charged.

Confession time! Being of a survivalist nature and following the philosophy of "one is none and two is one"……we have two Honda 2K gennies. We can link them together for 4K….which can easily run one ac.


I failed to mention, when early fall camping with temperatures not getting below freezing for long periods of time, we have a ventless, wall mount Olympian Wave catalytic propane heater that will keep the camper warm enough for comfort. We generally keep the inside around 60 - 62 F. That alone will really save on battery drawdown! memtb

 

[adam32+P]

Have always had issues with my camper while dry camping/hunting for extended trips.

Looking into better/best options for keeping batteries charged while on extended trips. Ideally i would like to leave my trailer as a base camp for 2-3 weeks at a time on the mountain. Currently have two 12v deep cycle batteries but considering going to lithium or AGM batteries (but they are pricey).

Am i better off just running a generator while at camp to try keep batteries charged or investing into a solar setup (400watts)? The solar setup would run me around $1000 setup and installed.

Looking for what others have done that works.

What are you trying to keep running? AC? Propane Heater? Electric heater? Mini split? TV and lights? Water heater?

 

[Noobie]

The typical RV has two 30 pound propane tanks. These typically have to be filled at a propane supplier. If one or both are 20 pound tanks, you can change them out 24/7 almost anywhere for running your space heater and your propane fridge.
As far as a generator goes, diesel is nice because you can store a lot of fuel safely. Fumes might be an issue so it must be properly vented. Most travel trailer hookups have 30 amps at 120 V in order to start/run the A/C, almost 4kW. Guessing 2kW should run everything if you don't need A/C. 4kW will run the A/C and everything else. You might want to look into getting a really quiet generator, makes the outdoors more pleasant for you and fellow campers.
Big deep cycle marine batteries are easier to manage and less dangerous than Li types, and a whole lot cheaper. Keeps the lights on between generator runs.
Solar puts out only a fraction of the rated wattage because panels don't work at night and aren't very efficient unless pointed directly at the sun on a sunny day. Nice to keep the batteries topped up when not in use though.
Edit: For solar you must have a pure sine wave inverter for running motors like your A/C compressor or they will burn out eventually.

 

[memtb]

I would look into solar with good lithium batteries and a good pure sign wave inverter

Lithium batteries don't like sub zero temps and we do a bit of sub zero camping …..jus say'n!

If the batteries can be mounted where they can be kept fairly warm…..they should be good to have! memtb

 

[memtb]

When winter camping, propane consumption is another issue. We bought a 50 "gallon" propane fuel tank that was used in a pick-up truck. Even with our 2 40 pound bottles…..they go fast in cool temperatures.

As we sometimes spend 3 weeks out at a time…..that saves having to waste a day driving into town to fill bottles!

Solar Panels: I also failed to mention this. As the daylight periods in fall/winter are much shorter, we designed ours so we could elevate/angle them to the soother sky to get maximum charge during the winter months. If you look closely at our avitar …..you can see the elevated panels! memtb

 

[victor3ranger]

It won't run an AC without a special electrical component, that I've have heard about but never researched. Supposedly it will allow a 2K to start and run an ac.

We rarely camp in hot areas…..even in summer up here, the nights are tolerable. At night we open a couple windows in the sleeping area, turn on two ceiling mounted Fantastic Fans pulling out from the camper ……drawing cool air through the BR. Those two fans pull very little wattage……plus the days are much longer for the panels to keep the batteries charged.

Confession time! Being of a survivalist nature and following the philosophy of "one is none and two is one"……we have two Honda 2K gennies. We can link them together for 4K….which can easily run one ac.


I failed to mention, when early fall camping with temperatures not getting below freezing for long periods of time, we have a ventless, wall mount Olympian Wave catalytic propane heater that will keep the camper warm enough for comfort. We generally keep the inside around 60 - 62 F. That alone will really save on battery drawdown! memtb

I do have a couple of those 2k Honda gennys

 

[memtb]

I do have a couple of those 2k Honda gennys

Are yours designed to be linked together? If so…..good deal! memtb

 

[Noobie]

When winter camping, propane consumption is another issue. We bought a 50 "gallon" propane fuel tank that was used in a pick-up truck. Even with our 2 40 pound bottles…..they go fast in cool temperatures.

As we sometimes spend 3 weeks out at a time…..that saves having to waste a day driving into town to fill bottles!

Solar Panels: I also failed to mention this. As the daylight periods in fall/winter are much shorter, we designed ours so we could elevate/angle them to the soother sky to get maximum charge during the winter months. If you look closely at our avitar …..you can see the elevated panels! memtb

50 gallons is 200 pounds of propane, roughly equivalent to ten standard 20 pound tanks. You can only get 80% fill, mandated by the intake tube I believe, so 50 is 40 and 20 is 16. The kids stayed in our non-winterized RV during the winter once and they were constantly headed for the exchange.
The ultimate solution was to buy a 1000 gallon grain drying tank such that liquid can be tapped, and building a DIY filler hose. Now I can fill a twenty pound tank for about $6 instead of the $20 exchange. Lest you be tempted to connect to the liquid tank drain on the top of a standard 500 gallon setup, I was told by me propane guy that most of them are stuck open and all the liquid will geyser out if you open the drain cap. Propane is heavier than air so it will flood your nearby basement, etc. and very bad things will happen.