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Question about expanding current solar setup
Hi, not sure best approach, so looking for suggestions!
I currently have a single 80 watt panel hooked up to a Specialty Concepts Mark 22 solar controller (max array voltage 26V, max charging current 22A), 4x T125 6v batteries, total of 480 AH cap.
This is sufficient to help extend our dry camping stays, but we still need to run the genny to fully charge every few days.
In most situations I'd like to avoid bringing the genny, and since panels are much cheaper now than the one I first bought, I'm looking to add another panel.
We're not super heavy consumers on the battery (rarely use the furnace, LED lights, couple of hrs of TV at night), but I like being topped up and not having to worry.
I'm looking to add maybe another 130 - 180w panel (depending on price). I assume I need to wire this in parallel to the existing panel. I already wired from the first panel to the controller assuming max amperage and the run is not long (4 ft), so that's not an issue.
Anything I need to consider otherwise?
Thanks
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phemens
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05/25/12 06:26am |
Tech Issues
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RE: Cleaning the tent ends
if you use PUGs or solar blankets, you don't need to clean the canvas.
X2, and as a plus it keeps out the light and cuts down on heat.
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phemens
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05/23/12 08:40am |
Hybrid Travel Trailers
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RE: A question for our Canadian friends
Sure are! It's basically just a spaghetti meat sauce on the hot dog.
You can get them at most fast food places or diners. Try La Belle Province or Lafleurs. They also serve it as italian poutine.
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phemens
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11/30/11 06:33am |
General RVing Issues
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RE: The usual. Boondocking, short power on battery etc.
Agreed, even with 1 battery you should not see that kind of drawdown based on usage you are describing. Time to upgrade the battery. It could be on warranty, but if it is the one that came with the trailer, you're likely better off getting a single higher capacity battery, like a group 31.
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phemens
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09/30/11 05:28am |
Tech Issues
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RE: Price on Jayco X21M
X2 on what Chuck and dadmomh said, there is no reason to pay that price. I've purchased from RV Direct (similar setup to RVW) they know the drill for importing back to Canada. Well worth the small hassle of getting your trailer inspected at Canadian Tire.
I saved over $6K, and that was when the Canadian dollar was at 70 cents US.
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phemens
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09/13/11 10:16am |
Hybrid Travel Trailers
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RE: Electric Awning and Controlling Rain Runoff
Never had to bring mine in during a rain storm.
If you want to control where the run-off goes, just level your trailer slightly to the front or rear depending on your preference.
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phemens
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09/12/11 09:12am |
Travel Trailers
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RE: Adding an Outdoor Shower (update with photos 1-28-12)
I've always wondered why people bother to reply to valid questions with exposition on why they don't understand why the person is asking the question because it doesn't fit in with their perceived view of how things should (or should not) work.
I, for example use the outside shower to fill our dishwashing bins - we then wash dishes outside and properly dispose of the gray water.
To the OP, it is a pretty straighforward installation, make sure you have the right PEX tools for the job (crimper). Are you just storing the hose & shower head in the compartment or are you installing the full shower enclosure? If you are just putting in the hose & head, I'd suggest storing it in a rubbermaid container just in case you get dripping.
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phemens
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08/25/11 11:38am |
Do It Yourself Modifications and Upgrades (DIY)
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RE: Power awning question ! ! !
We've had our power awning for 4 camping seasons, and we've never had any problem with flapping. The straps I bought when we got the trailer (don't we always buy all sorts of stuff we think we'll need but never do!) have been sitting in a storage compartment ever since. Auto-dump works as specified, as long as you leave a slight incline when you level to the front or rear to help drive the water.
Stop worrying about your awning and enjoy camping. They're called 'carefree' awnings for a reason (unless they meant carefree cleaning, in which case I disagree completely...)
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phemens
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08/22/11 05:35am |
Travel Trailers
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RE: Propane hookup to an outdoor grill
Depends on your stove - I use a Camp Chef 3 burner which is low pressure and hooks up to the quick connect without the need to modify anything. It pumps out 30K BTU per burner, which is certainly not low-pressure like!
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phemens
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08/17/11 06:38pm |
Travel Trailers
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RE: Lookin' at my roof today...
Rather than patching over the small hole in pic 1, just take a plastic scraper and remove the Dicor and redo it completely, won't take much longer anyways.
Would not worry about the bubble.
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phemens
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08/17/11 03:03pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Solar/Battery question
Just another thing to check: my solar controller has a small dial on the back side to adjust the peak voltage. Might be worth seeing if yours has one too and whether it is set to 12.5 by default. Mine was set to 13.6 and I bumped it to 14.8 (I have 4 x T125's, so I need that bulk charge)
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phemens
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08/13/11 11:00am |
Tech Issues
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RE: Honda/Yamaha 2000s for 15K BTU A/C?
I have a single Yamaha 2000, very satisfied with it, haven't tried parallel with it but I think the setup is pretty straightforward.
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phemens
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08/10/11 08:25am |
Tech Issues
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RE: Optimal choice to improve my boondocking situation?
I expect I could have easily gone 4 days before I was down to anywhere near 50%, and if I was honest with myself, I could have waited to run the genny, I just don't have that kind of patience!
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phemens
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08/08/11 12:04pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Resealing windows and have a question?
1: I'd go with 3/8
2: Not hard, I usually let it harden overnight and then trim with a butter knife. You can use Goo Gone or something else to remove anything else (depending on your siding)
3: No problem, I've done it lots of times. I usually trim the excess butyl slightly inwards (angling knife slightly outwards) so that I have a bit more 'grip' with the proflex under the edge of the butyl.
4: done that too, that would be my choice.
I'm not sure you really need to re-do the windows personally - I've had my Jayco out for 4 seasons so far and haven't seen any evidence of leaks around the windows.
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phemens
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08/08/11 11:56am |
Travel Trailers
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RE: Optimal choice to improve my boondocking situation?
Arise thread!
Back from 2 week trip. Overall, I'm very happy with the new setup. Batteries never went below 12.4v, and I recharged them for approx. 2 hrs every other day (had very little solar, well treed sites). This is with full lights (LED/Fluorescents) and a couple of hrs of movies/tv per night. The IQ4 bumped the charging voltage to 14.8 which was perfect and gave me that increased efficiency in charging off the generator.
Only setback is that I think I removed a little too much weight off the tongue. I originally had 2 x T125's there, which got moved to the extreme rear of the trailer along with another 2 T125's. I experienced some fishtailing on highway at ~ 70mph. I think I'll either add a couple of bikes to where the batteries sat on the tongue or one of those truck boxes. I don't think I need to add much weight, maybe 50 lbs or so.
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phemens
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08/07/11 12:34pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: TV/DVD -- Generator or inverter power?
I picked a 12v LED TV and 12v media player (WDTV Live) and hooked them directly into the 12v electrical. I don't need to worry about either that way.
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phemens
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07/21/11 11:21am |
Technology Corner
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RE: Optimal choice to improve my boondocking situation?
As a postscript, last night I decided to test everything out.
Ran all lights, TV & WDTV, bathroom fan, etc concurrently for 3 hrs, never dipped below 12.2 on the battery bank. I'm guessing total draw was ~ 15 amps/hr, which is higher than we'd normally draw. I have yet to replace the lights wih LEDs.
Plugged in the shore power, converter cranked to 14.8 with the IQ4 (first time I ever heard he fan kick in on the Iota, that's surely a good sign) and this morning it was back to 13.5 on float.
So it looks like everything is working as expected, I'm real happy with the capacity.
Side note: the Specialty Concepts Mark 22 solar controller I'm using needed to have the Charge Setpoint adjusted to 14.8 (default is 14.4), this is done via the adjustment trimpot on the rear on the unit, very simple to do.
We're off for 2 weeks of dry camping in MS, so this will be a great test!
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phemens
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07/21/11 06:12am |
Tech Issues
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RE: Need tire sizing advice
Nope, if you have a schedule that you stick to, you are fine. Most people I know of don't think to do them, so I was just mentioning it.
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phemens
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07/19/11 12:32pm |
Towing
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RE: Need tire sizing advice
Don't forget that 10-15% of your trailer weight is on the tongue, so there is some margin built in to the stock tires' capacity. I replaced the tires on our previous pop-up with much higher capacity tires, but in the same size. Watch your wheel wells and make sure you have adequate clearance, and most of all, don't fall into the trap of thinking that you can haul more 'stuff'. With the 29A you have oodles of storage space.
Make sure to do the bearings while you're doing the tires.
Good luck!
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phemens
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07/19/11 10:54am |
Towing
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RE: Arctic fox 1150 Bathroom project
Nice job! That's an odd placement for a bathroom though, never seen one off the main entry like that.The majority of truck camper floor plans over the years have placed the bathroom in either the left or right rear corner of the camper, next to the main entry door on the rear of camper, with the bathroom door nearby at a right angle to back wall of the camper. Truck camper floor plans that place the bathroom any place other than one of the rear corners of the camper are rare but do exist.
Agreed, mine is also adjacent to the entryway, but with the door opening to the main corridor. I've personally never seen one with the door opening out into the entry, wouldn't that get in the way when you open the door?
EDIT: My bad, I didn't realize it was a TC, thought it was a conventional trailer. Of course I completely disregarded what foum it was posted in! Please ignore my ramblings...
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phemens
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07/18/11 09:27am |
Truck Campers
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