Go power solar system?? Installed, previous owner... not sure what we have

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tanglemoose

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May 14, 2013
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Purchased a used rv with awesome solar set up... but have no paperwork... have the 30 amp digital controller and two 6 volts HD utility golf cart batteries... one large solar panel on toof... but no idea how many watts? It is a GO Power set up... ?? Camped for three days and never got generator out of the rv. .. and ran furnace! ! Thanks
 
Nobody can tell what you have either but it most likely is a 100 to 160 watt panel feeding your batteries and having only the one panel is going to get you by with good sun but it is not the most powerful system out there. You can check the wire sizing to get an idea of what you have and add to it if wires are big enough and you may want to consider getting a good monitor like a Trimetric. 
 
This is the kind of post that rings my chimes,,I can't imagine doing maintenance or making changes to my M/H with out fully reporting all pertinent info in a log, including date, mileage, parts used, from what source, and when next due.  The next owner will have a wealth of information on the coach>>>Dan (And its great to refer to when needed)
 
Go Power rox!!

Hard to say what you've got but if you get with Go Power I'm sure they can walk you thru and give you an introduction.

I'm a fulltime boondocker and:

I have the Go Power 160 watt panel mount with 30 amp charge controller on my rig and I also purchased the Go Power 120 watt portable unit with built in 10 amp controller. So have 280 watts total & controlled. I bought a Go power 300 watt pure sine wave inverter as well.......... I also have 4000 watt onan gen and the trailer has 40 gal gas capaicity tank along with 2- 30lb propane tanks I got it covered everywhere on every level.......

For me (unlike many) I don't care for the 6 volts concept and have 2 Trojan 12 volt T 150 GC 's: same rated cycling #'s as the 6 volts T-105's but have 300 amp hrs vs 225 (unless one has 4 6 volts) AND if I have an issue with a battery I still have 12 volts............

Am with ya - Yeah rox!! thanx.........INTJohn 
 
INTJohn, thanks for sharing what you've got and how it's working for you.  I'm just getting started with research so it's good to hear about as many set ups as possible.

tanglemoose, please keep us posted on what you discover with your set up!  :)
 
Kool.......good luck.

Do your research and it will pay off big time down the road. there are alota peeps on this site that have GREAT ! info and commentary.

When I bought my trailer to live out of I did a lot of research  and I admit I'm abit of a special case. But I wanted solar and a generator. I ended up buying a toy hauler  - not because I haul 'toys' - I don't. I just like that they are roomy and I don't need slides and it has a VERY quiet generator and a 40 gal gas tank to run it if/when I want.

My live in box also came with the Go-power solar 160 watt  system and I've had ZERO issues with it - has done all its been advertised as from my use so when I wanted to add a portable unit and found they had the really nice 120watt portable; and I got lucky one day and stumbled into a young couple camping who had one; I was able to physically examine the thing prior to purchase and then I got one..........

I don't have a big wattage inverter like many have. Again I ended up buying the Go Power inverter (it ain't broke why fix it). I wanted a Pure Sine Wave inverter to charge my MacBook Pro and all I need for that is the 300 watt. I don't need an inverter to run toasters; I don't own a TV and don't want one; I don't need it for the micro wave or anything else really; Go Power PSW inverters are UL approved and not many inverters are.

Just need a 300 watt PSW inverter to keep my Macbook Pro going and on chilly nights I like to plug my electric mattress pad in to heat the bed up some then as I climb in I turn it off.

Bottom line to all of this???? Unlike most wastefull spoiled decadent Murahkans, I don't use a helluvalot of amps. 

Also I use 12 volt TRUE deep cells - not 6 volts. I'm ina big minority there as  most fulltime boondockers espouse the virtues of 6 volts and if you're going to have 4 of em and you need lotsa amps cause you're a high maintenance Murahkan  sitting back in the boonies watchin TV for hours its probably a good thing for you I guess....... BUT if all you have is two batteries there's really no reason not to go with 2 TRUE DEEP CELL 12 volts vs 2  TRUE DEEP CELL 6 volts....... but here again ya gotta do the research cause there are alota 12 volt batteries out there that  pawn themselves off as 'deep cell' when in fact they're not.

BUT the Trojan J 150 GC (GC for Golf CART!) 12  volts are TRUE DEEP CELL and so are the Trojan 1275's.

OK I'll end my long & windy diatribe......

Thanx.........INTJohn



 
 
INTJohn, thanks again.  Very useful info since too am not a microwave, hair dryer or tv/dvd/ cable user.  I do like my little toaster oven for convenience but could easily give it up for slow cooker and grilling. Also I have an oil heater that goes up to 1500w but that's the highest of three settings.

The battery options have me going back and forth. Was considering going for 4 6v but will look into your two 12v.  Also the expense of inverters 1500w and up is just too much. I'm trying to buy USA made of course, hoping I can swing it  :)
 
If I were you I wouldn't waste a whole lot of time wondering about batteries. They sure do  get a helluvalota press coverage on all these rv forums and the reality is THEY ARE EFFING CHEAP!!!! when compared to the overall investment  of everything else 1 needs in order to full time boondock.........

If you like 4 6 volts go gettem - the $ difference really is nothing in the overall scheme of things. I just getta kick out of peeps who go on on about their 2 6 volts vs 2 12 volts true deep cells but wha e'er. There really is no $ difference per amphour in which ever way you go.  Keep in mind here I'm talking TRUE DEEP CELL flooded batteries - apples to apples.

eg: Trojan 105 6 volts at about 150 ish $ per battery  - 2 = 300$
      Trojan 1275's's 12 volts about 200ish $ per bat    2 = 400$

      Now the 2 105's wired for 12 volt are 225 amphrs  which =  1.33$/ amphr
          the 2 1275's wired for 12 volt are  300 amphrs which =    1.33$/ amphr

Both systems are rated for 1200 cycles......... cost per amphr identical.

But the security advantage lies with the 1275's cause both batteries are 12 volt so IF you have an issue
with one of them , you've still got a 12 volt battery to live off;
but if you have an issue with one of the 6 volts YOU ARE OUT OF BUSINESS!!

Moral to the story - if you're going to go 6 volt you go a system of 4 batteries or you're just a dumas.........

Now if you do go 4 6 volts - you double your voltage to 12 but you also get to double your amps
So with 4 6 volts you've got 450 amphrs vs 2 12's at 300  amphrs and the $ 's is still basically the same: 1.33$/amphr

Here's where I factor in my personal situation: There's only one of me. which means at 2-12volts wiith 300 amphrs its 300amphrs per person...........

Where those out there living as a couple even with 4 6 volts at 450 amphrs/ couple  = 225 amphrs/ person
........and considering I don't have a woman living with me who needs an 1800 watt forced air furnace to dry her effing hair every day or every other day........ (what? your in the boonies!! is a helicopter going to descend ffrom the sky in order to pik you up and fly you off to the Emmy's??)

In short 2-12volt trojan deep cells suit me fine - but thats just me not the rest of humanity.  8)

Thanx...............IINTJohn



 
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