The solar charge controller by Renogy is a great solution for ensuring efficient operation of your solar panel system. In fact, this is an advanced MPPT (Maximum Power Point Tracking) controller, which significantly increases the efficiency of solar arrays use. Thanks to the special smart tracking algorithm, the Tracer 4210 delivers electric energy to the battery by the most adequate and efficient portions, optimizing the use of the entire solar PV system. More precisely, the solar charge regulator provides peak conversion efficiency of 97% and tracking efficiency of 99%, which is actually one of the biggest advantages of MPPT controllers over conventional charge regulators.

• Solar Panel Controller Wiring Diagrams

If you’ve ever wanted to create your own solar panel, you’re in a small but sizable minority. Below, we collected a hodge podge of DIY solar panel plans. Some of them hack together solar cells into innovative designs, while several (#9 and #13, for example) show you how to actually build your own solar panel.

It is important to notice that the tracking algorithm implemented is completely automatic, so you won't need to manually adjust the device parameters during the operation. To ensure fast, efficient and, most importantly, safe battery recharging, the Renogy Tracer 4210 features the 4-stage smart charging algorithm, which employs Bulk Charge, Boost Charge, Float Charge, and Equalisation Mode. These four charging stages optimize the charging of your battery, preserve its overall efficiency for a long time and, therefore provide its long-term performance. The advanced protection features prevent the solar charge regulator from being oversupplied by solar arrays as well as from undersupplying the connected electrical loads. The model is equipped with advanced features, such as built-in protection from overload, short circuit, and reverse polarity. Use of an MPPT solar charge controller requires careful reading, understanding and observing the installation, operating and safety instructions.

Please, read the following instructions carefully:1. Do not disassemble or attempt to repair the charge controller by yourself. 2. Do not let the water get inside the solar charge controller. Ensure that all electric connections are tightened. Never connect the solar panel module to the charge controller without a battery connected.

Always connect the battery first. 5. Verify that the controller input voltage does not exceed the 100 VDC to prevent a permanent damage to the equipment.

For the Tracer-4210RN, the Short Circuit (Isc) of the solar array have to be less than 40A. Use only sealed lead-acid, flooded, or gel batteries of the deep cycle type. The battery may emit explosive gases while charging.

Be sure that the room has a ventilation capable of removing such gases. 9. Do not allow the positive (+) and negative (-) terminals of the battery connect. The Morningstar ProStar PS-30 is a solar charge controller intended for the use with medium-power solar PV modules. The charge regulator is compatible with 500W solar arrays with the rated voltage of 12V and 1000W panels with the 24V voltage. One of the biggest inherent advantages of the device is that it detects the voltage level automatically.

The patented optimized PWM charging algorithm efficiently and precisely controls the amount of power transferred to the battery and provides longer battery life and improved system performance. This charge regulator is perfect for both domestic and professional environment. As the final touch, the manufacturer covers the product with the 5-year warranty!

However, the Morningstar ProStar PS-30 has other important features. The automatic temperature compensation enables the charge regulator to dynamically adjust target output voltages during the charging according to changes of the battery temperature. The feature guarantees a safe and optimal recharging process, and positively influences the battery performance. The Night Disconnect function automatically disconnects the solar panel at night to prevent reverse current leakage from the battery. To ensure the most accurate charging, the model is equipped with special Sense wires that eliminate voltage drops.

The system continuously performs a self-test and informs you of any errors or system faults detected. In addition, the regulator features many types of electronic protection: short circuit, overload, overvoltage, voltage surges and spikes, overheating, reverse polarity.

The ProStar PS-30 PWM Solar Charge Controller is mounted on a vertical surface. Allow for a space above and below the controller that is needed for air circulation. Ensure that the nominal output voltage of solar panels matches the nominal battery charge voltage. 3. Connect the battery to the controller unit first. Make sure that the Battery Status LEDs blink one time. Tighten the battery connections.

4. Connect the battery Sense. 5. Connect the solar module. Make sure the Charging LED is on in the sunlight. 6. Connect the load.

If there is an error or a fault, the LEDs will begin blinking (refer to section 4). Choose the right charging option for the battery used. The ProStar will automatically select the appropriate charge voltage for 12 and 24V batteries. If you use a 24V battery in the system, make sure that the battery charge voltage is above 15.5 volts. Make sure that the LEDs and digital meter show a normal operation of the regulator. The manufacturer recommends grounding the system.

Want to learn how to get started with portable solar panels for RV, off grid, boondocking or even camping? We’ve been living off the grid full-time in an RV for over a year now, and we thought we’d share what we know to help you with YOUR solar power needs!We’re actually working on building a full-blown home, but for now, we’re using a small portable solar panel setup to harvest free power from the sun ( watch the video to see our current portable solar power setup!), and to our surprise, it was quite affordable AND we’re offsetting our generator fuel bill in the sunny months. On this page you’ll find our personal reviews of industry-leading portable solar power units, but also our personal story with solar power and the solutions we’ve found for our personal needs. Read some, read all, but either way, we built this page for YOU!The Best Portable Solar Panels for RV, Boondocking and Off Grid UseIn our search for a setup that fit our needs, we considered a few different companies and products as there were many options available. The best portable solar panels for your needs might differ from ours so we’ve included a few different models and our thoughts on each. It’s hard to beat the balance of quality, output and price with the Go Power! A division of Carmanah Technologies, Go Power!

Ideal for limited storage space and conservative power needs the 80 watt panel from Go Power! Is the little brother to the more popular 120 watt system.With all the same high quality features like monocrystalline panels, LCD 10 amp PWM (pulse width modification) charge controller, 10 awg wire and Anderson connectors you can be confident this panel will perform and last for years.We use the 120 watt system on our off grid homestead and regularly see 7.4+ amps on sunny days meaning the array is overproducing based on the rated power output. With this small 80 watt panel you’ll likely get a similar experience.At 4.4 amps max current you’ll have to be conservative with power demands if using a single panel. If you have tight storage space, but need more power, consider two panels for twice the power.LED lighting is a must with these panels to keep power draw down. You’ll be able to conservatively use 12v pumps, fans and heaters, but extended use will likely outrun the panels production. Can be a great way to maintain a battery during the day to offset generator use. For heavy power demands a small portable generator may be best.Want more freedom to park in the shade?

Look for the available 30’ extension cord available to give you that extra reach for full sun.All Go Power! Panels include a ballistics style case which provides more than adequate protection during storage. Two connection options are included which are classic style clamps as well as lug style connectors to give you options for quick or semi-permanent setup.

We prefer the lug style in tight spaces so you can simply connect the Anderson plug and you’re up and running. Needing to reach back into tight battery compartments, around propane tanks etc can result in accidental reverse polarity or a weak connection. On the budget end of portable solar panel options the Eco-Worthy products feature a slightly less efficient panel technology that is polycrystalline.While the power ratings are similar to monocrystalline panels you’ll see a slight drop in efficiency which can exceed 20% in some circumstances. Offering a budget friendly option to portable solar the Eco-Worth portable panels feature polycrystalline panels and feature overall features, but excel in value.The 80 watt version will provide enough power to handle conservative use of LED lighting and most smaller 12v items such as pumps, fans, tvs and radios. At 4.4 amps you’ll see perhaps about 30 amps total power gain through a good sunny day.While this panel won’t handle heavy demands on power, it can certainly maintain a battery through the day and help reduce overall generator use.Be aware that the price point does mean you’ll be sacrificing features available on other models.The 15 amp PWM charge controller does not have any readout so you’ll be unable to determine just how much current is coming in, the battery voltage or cumulative power gained. Wiring size is smaller than other panels at 16 awg which under full load can begin to warm up resulting in power loss.Cable length is shorter as well at 9 feet which limits options for connecting to your RV or other use while still having freedom to access the sun.

No extension cables are offered. A competent person could modify the cable if needed.Nickel plated clamps are the only connection offered so you’ll need to have reasonable access to the battery you’ll be charging for setup and takedown.

No carry case is provided so you’ll need to exercise care when stowing the panel to protect the exposed glass.The included polycrystalline panels offer a budget alternative to monocrystalline panels but do suffer from lower efficiency in low light (dusk and dawn) as well as partial shade as in cloudy days.Some users have complained about the sturdiness of the leg setup and have improvised to get the panels to be secure. Be advised during stiff wind more stabilization such as sand bags etc may be needed. As a leading company in solar at all levels you can be confident when investing in a Renogy product. With the lowest cost per watt for a monocrystalline panel you’ll find the output of these panels to be on par with the more costly models.At only 100 watts you’re on the edge of being able to power your RV or boondocking effort with ease and needing to be conservative.Most panels in the category are 120 watts which give you a small amount of power in reserve in most cases. With the 100 watt array you’ll need to be more energy conscious with use of LED lighting pretty important and moderate use of 12v accessories like pumps, fans and tvs.Through a day you can expect approximately 40-45 amps (12v) of power to be provided in good sun. Putting your panels out early in the morning will result in even more power as the monocrystalline arrays can begin collecting power in low light so keep them out overnight or get them out early for max power collection.An easy to read LCD 10 amp PWM charge controller is standard which provides information like amps being generated and battery voltage.SAE connects and classic clamps are included. Many RV’s are now coming factory with a plug for an SAE connector so you may be able to plug the array straight into your RV!The included 15 feet of cable gives you much more freedom to park your RV and still be able to access the most sun.

A sturdy carrying case is provided which helps protect the glass during storage.Aluminum frame and legs means the array is light at 29.8 lbns enough for most all folks to manage and will stand up to winds without toppling. Fits well in tight storage areas as well measuring 30x27x3 inches when folded. Two of these arrays could be a wise investment for those needing more power.

Offering 200 watts of total power at nearly half the price of the Zamp 200 watt system and without needing to pack around nearly 50 lb panel.Customer reviews are good. Some do complain about the strength of the legs with some commenting they needed to add some support during high winds. Renogy has done some work to improve the leg design with users commenting that it’s working much better.Overall value, features and user satisfaction the Renogy 100 watt panel is hard to beat.However the size is the biggest limiting factor. 120 watts is what we consider a minimum for full time off grid or boondocking. Remember you’ll only be able to offset your generator use with even a 120 watt panel.Moving down to 100 watts means you may be reaching for the generator more often lacking those additional 150-200 watts afforded by a slightly larger panel in a day. The smallest portable solar panel available is the 60 watt Renogy setup.

Really this panel is for those who have extremely low power needs or are very conservative.This panel, or two of them, could be used to offset generator use during the day or to simply maintain a battery for any systems that might draw off the battery during the day. Expect to be very conservative with LED lighting, 12v pumps and fans.Unlikely you’ll be able to run even tv’s or radios for long with the small panel without discharging the battery.With the monocrystalline panel you’ll be able to collect power even in dusk/dawn low light conditions and in partial shade such as cloudy days so even though it’s smaller you may see a power gain over a slightly larger polycrystalline panel.At 3.37 amps you can expect somewhere around 25-30 amps of power per day. Enough to roughly charge up a single deep cycle RV battery.For extremely tight storage needs this panel offers a clean, quiet power to generator use! The lightest array available means no heavy lifting. Two of these panels could produce a 120 watt equivalent without needing to manage a larger, heavier array.The included 10 amp PWM charge controller has an LCD for monitoring current and battery voltage. 10 feet of cable means keeping the array close by and will limit freedom to access sun while parking in the shade.SAE and clamp connections are both included which may allow you to plug directly into new RVs which offer SAE ports for solar. A ballistics carrying case is also included for safe storage.Some users have complained about a weak leg design.

Renogy has responded by improving the leg structure, but in some conditions such as high wind some reinforcement like sandbags may be needed to prevent toppling the array. This system is borderline for portability. We’d classify this as a semi-permanent portable kit due to the size and weight.Fully erected it’s nearly 5 feet wide and 3.5 feet tall. Add in that you’ll be wrangling a nearly 50 lb. Array it could be challenging for some to tackle.In some cases it may be more wise to opt for a dual panel setup with a couple 120 watt arrays. There are some bonuses though!Power output is substantial. At over 11 amps DC 12v it has the highest output of any portable solar panel we know of on the market.

For someone with serious power needs who doesn’t plan on setting up daily this setup would be great!Also a good choice for boondocking or off grid in the winter when solar potential is lower. Having an oversized array helps get every ounce of available power during the limited daylight hours.A few Zamp exclusives that you could live without but really enhance the solar experience include a exterior plug system to simplify setup of your solar panel.

Install the permanent exterior plug port once and you’ll not need to fiddle with attaching the panel to your battery.A bonus if your battery local is difficult to access or cramped. You’ll also love the flip out leg design. No nuts or bolts to tighten or flimsy leg supports to blow over in a stiff wind.Finally the LCD display 15 amp charge controller is easy to read, displays super helpful information such as current (amps), voltage and estimated amps/hour and is hinged for easy reading saving your back from stooping and bending. A traveling case is included with each Zamp portable solar kit.

If we had to choose a perfect array, this just might be it!It’s on the large side for most boondocking or RV needs, but for winter it’s just enough. Summer time you should be able to handle moderate power usage.Don’t get confused here. You’ll likely not want to run your blow dryer, vacuum or microwave here.

However LED lights, 12v pump, small tv, and fans are no problem in good sun.The array fully erect is manageable at about 3.5 feet square and it’s heavy enough that it won’t topple in a stiff wind. The 16’ cord allows parking in the shade but still getting good sun.Want more freedom? Be sure to invest in the available extension cord for extra distance.Bonus features on all Zamp portable systems include an exclusive power port so you can quickly setup your array without needing to access your battery compartment, hinged 15 amp LCD display charge controller for easy, won’t-break-your-back, viewing and a quick setup leg system.A traveling case is included with each Zamp portable solar kit. Ideal for the average boondocker, RV or budget minded off-grid starter this kit provides enough power to feed basic daily needs including most RV needs like LED lighting, which is pretty essential at this power level, 12v pumps and fans.In strong summer sun you’ll also be able to power a small LCD or newer style TV, but that’ll be about the max for this array. Keep in mind most small TV’s at in the 2-3 amps range so if possible use them while the array is in full sun!Zamp exclusives include a plug system that eliminates the need to access your battery each time you setup the array, hinged swinging 10 amp LCD display controller for easy viewing and sturdy bolt/nut free leg system that’s easy to setup/stow away.A traveling case is included with each Zamp portable solar kit. On the smaller end of the portable array spectrum, this array will offer noise-free charging for the most basic power needs.LED lighting and conservative use of pumps and fans is essential to keep your battery charged with this array.

Two of these arrays could be used to provide options without the bulk of a larger array.Also as the lightest panel it’s easiest to transport and maneuver. If you expect to be in heavy wind environments you may need to sandbag or secure this array as it’s light enough that a stiff wind could be a problem.Tight camping spaces and small stow compartments aren’t a problem as this array is 3.5 feet wide fully erect and less than 2 feet when folded. A great way to offset generator use and keep power systems running all day.Zamp panels have a higher cost per watt than other panels in this category but justify that added cost with features you won’t find elsewhere including bolt/nut free leg system, hinged 10 amp LCD charge controller with data readout and a Zamp exclusive plug system eliminating the need to access your battery compartment to plug in your panel.A traveling case is included with each Zamp portable solar kit.

Things to Consider When Choosing Portable Solar Arrays 1. EfficiencyThere really is an array for just about every budget, but keep in mind budget-minded products will require some sacrifices.As an example, a monocrystalline array (typically very black in color) of equal size can be as much as 18-20% more efficient than a polycrystalline array (typically have a blue color). So the ratings might be the same, but efficiency is considerably less. DurabilityAnother consideration is connector quality, style and durability. We move our panels quite a bit so unlike a stationary solar setup, you’ll want to give consideration to the durability of construction, wiring and connectors.Materials are equally important.

While you won’t find any gold in these setups, copper is the next best thing.Budget models often sacrifice copper for a nickel-plated alternative in the connectors. While nickel is conductive and gets the job done, there is more power loss than with copper. Again small sacrifices. Connection OptionsHave a super tight battery compartment? Consider a unit that offers a permanent exterior plug as an alternative to the clamps.You’ll only find this feature on the Zamp systems and it’s included with each kit.This will make connecting your panels much less of a hassle and prevent accidental reverse polarity or even poor connections. Read-Out DisplaysWhile you won’t find highly-sophisticated reporting on the portable solar arrays, some models do offer an LCD display which can give you instant data like voltage, amps and even an estimated amps per hour on some models.Why is this helpful? Solar really is about trying to moderate your energy consumption.

Use what you produce or better yet, use a little less. Use too much power and you’ll deplete your batteries, leaving you without power or needing to run a generator.These displays help you stay informed and are very empowering when you become energy conscious.

Having a super solar day? Use up that power! Better conserve.

Solar Power Recommended Reading Tiny House Engineers Notebook: Volume 1, Off Grid PowerThis book is described as being not too simple but not too complex – the perfect place to get started for your off grid needs. The author is an engineer that is able to use laymen terms to deliver the best information. Complete with easy-to-understand information, this book also contains a series of charts to help you size YOUR solar power system.

Great reviews overall take a look for yourself. Photovoltaic Design and Installation for DummiesLike most of the “for Dummies” books, this aims to give you not only an introduction to solar power, but is aimed at giving you the ability to design your own solar power system. If you really want to know more than just the basics, this book gives you the option to delve into the depths of solar. This may be a bit over the top if you just want a small system for you RV or for camping, but it should give you great insight to solar nonetheless. Why We Waited So Long to Jump Into Solar PowerGoing off grid and solar seem to be ubiquitous, but not for us. We sketched out many scenarios during the pre-work before. Let’s be honest – we really wanted to get solar right away.

Soalr is SO EXCITING!However, reality had a different flavor. The conclusions for every solar scenario amounted to a few things. We had no idea what kind of solar potential we’d actually have on our property.We basically arrived on our property right before winter, so we had no real chance to experience summer sun.Solar potential was a in choosing our property (and heaven almighty did it have a huge Southern,non-obstructed view!).That said, we still didn’t know the reality of how much sun we would get. Would it be a decent amount, or a MOTHER LOAD? We had no idea what our power needs would be.Coming from on-grid, we simply had no clue how to live with alternative energy.While we had run endless and tried our best to understand what our laptops, cameras, cell phones, lights, fans, heater and power tools needed daily, we just couldn’t really get a solid baseline.Even carefully reading our power bills for months prior left us unsure of what our actually energy needs would be living an off-the-grid lifestyle. Solar panels, while somewhat affordable, are nothing more than collectors and are not a complete system without various additional components.Without an equally suitable storage medium (batteries) and a properly suited extractor (inverter) the system isn’t worth much.It’s hard to harness something as unpredictable as the sun.

In fact, it’s quite sophisticated and thus, the technology that’s needed to properly and safely capture the sun and store it is sophisticated as well.The batteries and inverter, along with the necessary heavy gauge cables, are the most expensive components to any solar power system easily running into the $5,000+ range. It was expected that at least for a little while, we’d need a lot of on-demand power, regardless of weather or time of day.Being handicapped in any way (having to time our energy usage for sun-heavy days) would seriously impede progress at crucial moments.Solar and on-demand power are nearly antonyms.That proved VERY true during Windstorm 2015 when upon arriving home late at night in a driving hard rain our home was. Despite all the development in solar technology, the major components to this day are still not emphatically scalable which makes it hard to “tip toe” into solar.Once you get married to a component, it’s very expensive to upgrade as it typically requires full replacement.Since a system is no small investment, we just weren’t comfortable gambling that we’d miss the mark and pay dearly down the road in upgrades.

The Conundrum of Scalability of Solar PowerWinter ended early for us this year and we had full sunny days as early as March. Each day we were running our generator while the sun was shining and it just seems so absurd.To top it off, fuel prices had increased 20% since January which motivated us to finding a better way.

We were burning money left and right!With a few months sans power bill under our belt, mostly winter months at that, we had a pretty good idea about how much power we needed each day. Keep This Page Useful & Share The LoveIf you made it this far in the post, you’re a real trooper! You get a virtual high five and you’re well on your way to finding the best solar setup for your needs!We hope we were able to give you a tidbit or two to help you in your decision-making.If you have any questions, feel free to ask in the comments below! We’ll try to answer what we can and update this page with anything we may have missed.If you find this page useful, feel free to share the love by sharing it on Pinterest (pin the image on the right!), Facebook, Google+ or even Twitter! Or, learn how you can give back by supporting the blog.Did you enjoy this post?

If so, help us produce more of them! We put a lot of work into bringing you the best content possible.

Learn how you can support our blog. An entrepreneur at heart I enjoy practicing building things, helping people through the things my hands create and making the world a better place. Building a home, subsistence living and being independent are things I've long desired and am excited to finally be closer to achieving. I believe we are all capable of anything we put our minds to if only we free our mind from fear of the unknown and humbly start from nothing willing to ask for help. All anyone can do is practice, practice, practice.

Thankful to all my mentors along the way, both known and unknown. So blessed to share this journey now with Alyssa and have someone with like values, passion and mindset. I did 3 years off grid in a home I built using only my own 2 hands and parts scavenged from other building site dumpsters thought I’d pass on a tip. I had a well, and with a well I needed a gen big enough to turn on the well twice a day and pressurize the system. The Gen I got was too big for the job which was a good thing because I had a battery bank of 4 truck batteries that by doing garage sales and buying each battery a charger whenever I started my gen I charged all 4 batteries simultaneously and I picked up AA, AAA, 9 V., C & D battery chargers (used for like $3 a piece) and charged 12 of those sized batteries also simultaneously every time I fired that gen up. I also over insulated by at least a factor of 2. In the summer months, I’d fire up the gen with the AC on full, leave it run for 15 minutes and then leave the doors shut for hours of a cooled down house reverse procedure for heat in the winter.

Hot water is always a wonderful thing too I had access to 3/4″ copper tubing so I soldered together a “ladder” style collector, sat it in a 2″ X 4″ framed, plywood back and mylar lined box that I just laid a piece of glass over water so hot it’d remove flesh but it wasn’t enough so I laid 200′ of black hose on the roof in a looping pattern and connected it to the panel that gave me about 5 minutes of decent hot water to take showers with when I added a lot of cold to it at the faucet. Another tip is to quit turning the battery power into AC get 12V devices instead you’re losing about 1/3 of your stored power just to transform it to AC. That’s too much to lose. I had 2 – 6 pack cardboard coke bottle holders with empty coke bottles in them which I used to transport my $2.50 ea. Sidewalk solar lights into the sunshine every morning and then I’d bring them in every evening for ambient light. A 55 Gal drum that fills from rain is a good thing to have too. Us a 12V water pump, like the one in your RV to pump the water anywhere you need it like to the toilet or, what I did was take an RV water resevoir and mounted it in my attic.

I then used the AC Elec well pump to pump water up into it, giving me gravity water all day long. Put you 55 gal.

Drum high and it needs no pump. Another is that the fans used in desktop computers, when wired in series blow a lot of air for an elec.

Cost of almost nothing. I took a piece of 1/2″ square aluminum tubing and attached 10 or those fans to it side by side wired it up to work with a switch and had a room fan that was hard to beat. I’m in Ohio so I also welded together a wood stove. I used the same style fan configuration on it to blow the hot air out of it. And remember, when your well starts to smell pour a few cups of bleach down it. The bleach will dissipate in a few days but in the meantime it will kill all the germs. Don’t drink it right after you bleach it and don’t over-bleach it or you won’t be able to do anything with the water until it sits and airs off for days!

Life’s a journey not a destination. Love your ideas, especially the coiled black PVC pipe on the roof. When I was a teen my family had a small farm where we raised a lot of our meat and all our veggies. My dad did that coiled black pipe thing on the roof of our out building and the water could cook pasta it was so hot.

I thought that idea was awesome. I am going to install a “poop man’s” hot tub at my place this year. I plan of running black pipe a lot the top of my wooden chicken fence with a pump that will continuously pump the water through the pipe. So when I want to use the tub I’ll kick the pump on for a few hours and get the water warmed.

Solar Panel Controller Wiring Diagrams

Love this site. Oh yea I also went for the kerosene lights too. The old ones are great once you learn how to properly trim the wics see a youtube video. Lamp oil back then was $27 a gallon.

Kerosene was $4.30. Guess which one I used.And on cold winter nights get a few rocks about 8″ to 10″ across. Big enough they’ll hold a lot of heat but small enough that you can carry them pretty easily.

Heat them up for about an hour before bed time wrap in towels and throw in bed (I suggest you give them a thorough washing first though) depending on the type of rock, I’ve had some still giving off heat 7 hours later.And for coffee there’s nothing I have ever found off gridding that makes coffee as well and electrically cheaper than a French Press and a microwave. They really make great coffee too. $20 at your local Meijer store.

Somebody may have mentioned it, but you can get all of your lighting from the very cheap solar yard lights. Walmart sells the small ones for $ 0.97. They each put out about what a candle would. The larger solar spot and flood lights at $10-30 are plenty for room or reading lights and most have switches. I converted a 22 light motion detection security light into a permanent ceiling light.

The solar panel already had a long cord for permanent mounting outside.You can take the other lights out every morning for charging or detach the solar panel and add more wire and mount them on the roof.There are lots of other possibilities for using those cheap little landscape solar panels for charging batteries by hooking them in series, or in peralell to just charge AA and AAA batteries.If you are on the grid and just want to be prepared for emergencies, get several little lights for the yard, and just go outside and get them when the power goes out. I may never need oil lamps or lanterns again. I so enjoyed your information and am a little jealous of what you are accomplishing. (Just kidding). Being retired, I wish I was off in the woods and being off grid. But, just living in a small trailer, but want to go to solar badly.

You have given me the push I needed to get started. How much did you spend on the batteries and incidentals (not including the panels)? I have a very, very small budget and need to get all my costs together to see if I can afford the whole kit and cabbodle.

I checked the prices you gave and decided I can get the panels. (Thanks for that).

But don’t want to have them sitting around a year til u get enough together for the rest of requirements. Will continue to read your stories (life). Be safe and healthy. Hope our blog can serve as a valuable “getting started” resource! I guess to be budget-friendly, I’d first try to figure out how to consume as little power as possible. We really do run off our RV battery for our day-to-day needs, and we try to use electricity in the day when the sun is shining rather than at night. Our battery bank used was $760, but the batteries individually new are about $425 each.

We really didn’t need these today but thought they would be a great transition to having a whole-home setup. The Go Power! 120w portable solar panel kit can hook straight to a single RV battery to keep it topped off certainly within most budgets! Thanks for the kind wishes and best of luck with your research!

Wow, you all need to do more research, you scare me. My husband and I built our entire farmstead 20 years ago, bit by bit, up to code, all legal. We used a portable generator to charge the battery bank on low sun days for one hour. There are so many online sites for every budget. Safe systems, not cobbed together waiting to combust! Nothing is cheap or easy, bottom line.

Stop listening to people who tell you “I did this and this”Speak with reputable companies. Harbor Freight, Northern Tool, Tractor Supply,Windy Nation are a few places to purchase a small system to get going with little money. You need special batteries. Golf cart type.

If you don’t know what you’re doing, you will be in trouble. Risking burning your house down or getting electrocuted to do it on the cheap is foolish and irresponsible. Yes, someone of you will get mad and disagree, tough luck. We lived this great life for along time. We’re seniors. Heading back to the country and doing it again.

Check with code enforcer before you begin, not only do you endanger yourself, but others if things go wrong. We had solar and microturbines. Started with basics and added as we had money. 24 volt, 12 deep cycle Trojan batteries(yes,they cost about $1,400.00)take good care of them and they last 19 years. Please, don’t bother contradicting me, as we sponsored open houses for years, spoke at public venues. And we’re featured in newspapers and magazines. We did all this as an older couple.

My husband is an old farmer with practical knowledge. We had low paying jobs and worked our rears off, trading, bartering and learning and networking. Think before you do something that will cost you dearly. I wondered if you have checked the battery terminals for the actual voltages they are being charged at. You will notice the lead ( thats the first in line) battery input voltage is likely higher than those further down the line so it protects the batteries to swap them round from time to time.Never let them get over 13.2 Volts and many will tell you that’s fine but my advice is don’t. They gas excessively which is what your batterys appear to be doing in your latest video,heat up and lead falls off the plates down to the bottom of the case. These days they are made with so little lead in the cross plate connectors inside the battery that they become thin and charge capacity drops quickly if you can’t get charge in.

If you are feeding 1 amp into your batteries at any instant of time then that 1 amp flows all the way through each cell in each battery to get to the other side. If it didn;t it would not work.So a good controller will be adjustable as to peak volts output and if you can’t buy one its an easy kit construction project and you can adjust it as you like that way. Much cheaper. The kits I use are about 10 USD a piece. Hello guys, I’ve started watching your vlogs on YouTube and I’m really glad I did because I didn’t know you could mill your own lumber until I saw what you folks were doing.I was doing a ton of calculations just as you were about what I would need to get an idea of what sort of power set up I would need and reading your post just made me relax so much. This seems like a great solution for my middle of the road needs coming up. I’m working on buying property and I’ll be setting up a boondock style of homestead in about a year.

You just took so much of my stress out with this information. Thank you so much.I do have a question about if you ever considered wind power at all? Good that you aren’t considering wind. I have a turbine as I got a free 50′ triangular tower but would not have tried it otherwise. As you said & I have, lots of wind in the winter but it is gusty & not at all a consistent speed, hour after hour. What is needed for good power production & to charge batteries is consistency & high wind speed. Large turbines & towers are just too expensive compared to solar, unless you have consistent, hour after hour after hour of the right wind speed.

Solar or hydro are better choices IME, again depending on your situation. Solar is probably the most versatile & economical IME, unless you perhaps get very little sunshine. Don’t even bother with wind, especially with the small “affordable” turbines, as the output is just plain poor even in high winds, unless you have high winds, hour after hour after hour after hour, but who would want to live with that kind of wind?

Large turbines, towers, cables, etc. Are just too expensive & require maintenance. I’ve been procrastinating climbing my 50 foot tower to see why my turbine has stopped outputting power. Hopefully just a wire has come off, but it’s still a PITA to climb & remove & or fix up there.

Wish I had spent the money on solar panels. My husband and I are building an off-grid homestead, also.

Right now we are powered mostly with solar with generator back-up. We are pumping water from our well into a holding tank with solar, powering both a freezer and refrigerator with solar, and also a Dish TV receiver with a large flat screen TV (2 of them, actually), lights, fans, and recharging phones, laptops and Kindles – all with solar. Our home isn’t built yet, but when it is we will be purchasing an entirely new system to run it. The old systems (the ones we are using now) will be repurposed to power our garage with small guest house above it in the future.

You can see how my husband set everything up on my blog. Back in the middle 1990’s we did a lot of dry camping and preferred out of the way places, of course they had no electricity.

We had 5500 watt generator but that was a hassel to run very much. S o I tried to look into solar power.

I found that information for RV s was non existant and had a very hard time finding any information on the subject. I finally ran on to a company in Glendale Az. The gentelman was very helpful in helping me select panels and equipment to get me started. In adding up all the usage in watts Frig., TV. Radio, small appliances etc.

We came up with two 75 watt panels, four 6 volt golf cart batteries, a regulator (one with a dial read-out not idiot lights), invert er. I later added a 75 watt panel that when I camped in the trees I could move it around to follow the sun.

The only problem was, the inverter put out a modified sine wave and the microwave oven would only operate at 60% so when we needed it we just ran the generator a few minutes.We no longer do dry camping but still use it to keep the batteries charged in the winter. I installed the system myself, a very interesting project. At that time the cost was $1800, not counting the added panel.

We rnjoyed the convenience of solar power very much and considered it well worth the time and expence. Dear Jessy Alyssanice to have found you on our path. Your blog is been great and we are lately following you more and more as we about to go for the same life style.We are about to start our new life experience in the tropical island of Sumba Indonesia where we are about to go live off the grid in the middle of nowhere in front of the sea where we just got a land. Notice that we will build some huts instead of living in a RV so we will buy a fridge and others with no 12V line compare to what you have in your RV.We are a young couple of 35 and 33 years old italians and we need your helpFew question. While the battery is giving power to an electronic device (like a fridge) is it possible to charge at the same time the other batteries with the solar panels?I know it seems a stupid question but if you can give few info about how it works would be helpful to understand more. How many batteries can be connected under 1 portable solar panel? Example 100 watt or 200 watt.

Which are the different components that a portable solar panel needs to provide electricity compare to a fixed solar system?Like: portable panels controller batteries 12V output devices (if not: inverter?!)Fixed solar system: panels?And why is it cheaper? Less components right?We are at the same point were we are stucked before making the “decision” and many companies suggested to go big trusting them and let them do the job but we are really afraid to lose many and make mistakes.Best, Martin & Silvia. First ty tower your info on only 13.2 volts will ruin your batteries quicker!!!a fully charged battery on a charger will be between 13.5 and 14.1 volts depending on size of the battery and the charger.

The batteries need to gas. The bubbles mix the acid back up if you don’t only part of the plate will be working (with strong acid)and it will wear down quicker. A good automatic charger or charge controller will do this automatically!!! Buy a 3 stage automatic charger or a MPPT charge controller.

The battery manufacturer has guide lines for what voltage to charge with. Ie bulk/absorption charge, float charge and equalize. Some manufacturers will not warranty a battery that is not charged correctly. They can tell how it was charged by the condition of the plates when they inspect them (if their is uneven wear on the plates it means it was not charged right, then the warranty is void and then you are out a lot of money )you can save a lot of money doing it yourself or waste a lot too!! Most sites that sell solar will help you in you design and selection of components. Some will even set up all the settings on the charge controller and the inverter/charger if you buy it all from them so then its plug and play even with a bigger system!!!

With batteries, bigger is better but make sure you have enough amps from your solar and charger to charge it properly. Proper charge current ie amps should be 5 to 10 percent of the amp hour rating of the battery bank for the proper and efficient charging conditions.the systems I have set up they use 30 percent max of the battery charge in 24 hrs. Most though are designed for more like 20 percent depends on how much they want to spend!!!! The reason for this is battery life and having 2 days of power without a charging. When I was just getting started 3 or 4 years ago now, I bought a solar kit from Harbor Freight. The first reason was to help me have some hands on experience at a very reasonable cost.

The second reason was that the RV park we have been staying at has a lot of power outages thru the summer months. With that in mind, the little 45 watt kit has worked great to this day. Luckily during the power outages we don’t use our AC items. And only operate battery / propane operated items. THIS IS LESS STRAIN ON OUR SINGLE 12 VOLT DEEP CYCLE BATTERY. However like I stated earlier this is only our practice set. After doing all the research in the past 4 years we decided that “Go-Power” has what we are going to get.

Because we are not going to travel yet, we are not in a hurry to spend that hunk of cash so fast. Over $3000.00 for the solar kit and another $1000.00 or so for the batteries and box. I plan on doing all of the install myself so that will save a handful of cash also.

There is a lot to consider when installing solar. (1) weight and distribution of it on the RV. (2) adding up all your AC appliances amperage to figure out just how big of a system you will need. (3) are you going to install it or are you going to pay someone else to? (4) laying out your floor plan and determining the size, length and voltage drop you will end up with. (5) laying out your roof for mounting solar panels, how many of what dimension panels will fit (depends on length of RV. Are you going to mount flat or on tilt mounts?

Then before mounting read ALL of the SAFETY precautions. One thing that I overlooked because it was so simple is that as soon as the panel is uncovered it is producing solar energy which while installing could create a short if you accidently cross your wires so keep the covered till everything is installed and checked. Then as soon as you uncover them you will see in your meters what’s going on. These are just the basics I touched on. Great article. I am already hooked on “Go-Power” for the solar system we will be getting for our RV. We plan on getting the 3000 watt kit.

From what I read it’s the biggest the have to offer. The heaviest part is the battery pack. We are looking at about 6 each 6 volt deep cycle batteries.

Luckily our RV will handle the additional weight. We have been thinking of buying a few acers of land and doing what it looks like you are doing.

Was that a septic tank i saw you installing? And did you have to have a well drilled for you? I am taking notes on these things. I am sure the costs vary depending on where you are.

Good luck with everything.