https://rvwiki.mousetrap.net/ 2026-04-10T10:12:25+00:00 https://rvwiki.mousetrap.net/ https://rvwiki.mousetrap.net/lib/tpl/dokuwiki/images/favicon.ico text/html 2025-12-24T22:58:38+00:00 Anonymous (anonymous@undisclosed.example.com) https://rvwiki.mousetrap.net/doku.php?id=electrical:solar:builds&rev=1766617118&do=diff Words of Wisdom: “The difference in bright sunlight between the least efficient and the most is little. What a panel does in cloudy conditions can make or break your system.” -- jimindenver Real world solar configurations This is a collection of real world solar setups used by nomads. They are grouped roughly by nominal panel rating and include as much info on use and functionality as available from the owners' own words. The text may be edited for clarity or brevity; follow the footnotes f… text/html 2025-12-24T22:58:38+00:00 Anonymous (anonymous@undisclosed.example.com) https://rvwiki.mousetrap.net/doku.php?id=electrical:solar:car&rev=1766617118&do=diff Resource: gentle intro to solar Solar for car and SUV dwellers Solar power can be extremely helpful for car dwellers, especially those living in cargo vans or other vehicles with large, high, and flat rooflines. Solar is more challenging for cardwellers due to limited roof space. SUVs are somewhere in the middle. text/html 2025-12-24T22:58:40+00:00 Anonymous (anonymous@undisclosed.example.com) https://rvwiki.mousetrap.net/doku.php?id=electrical:solar:charge_controller&rev=1766617120&do=diff Words of wisdom: “Any Solar is better than no solar, but having too much solar is difficult. The best solar systems are those which can keep the batteries the happiest. Happy batteries are those which are recharged quickly after depletion.” - SternWake Solar charge controllers text/html 2025-12-24T22:58:40+00:00 Anonymous (anonymous@undisclosed.example.com) https://rvwiki.mousetrap.net/doku.php?id=electrical:solar:charge_controller_setpoints&rev=1766617120&do=diff Solar charge controller setpoints Solar charge controller, converter, and DC-DC charging behavior is guided by setpoints, which are settings stored in the controller. They may or may not be configurable by the user. The two most important setpoints for battery life and performance are charging voltages: text/html 2025-12-24T22:58:40+00:00 Anonymous (anonymous@undisclosed.example.com) https://rvwiki.mousetrap.net/doku.php?id=electrical:solar:charging_vehicles&rev=1766617120&do=diff Can I charge my electric vehicle with solar? No. text/html 2025-12-24T22:58:40+00:00 Anonymous (anonymous@undisclosed.example.com) https://rvwiki.mousetrap.net/doku.php?id=electrical:solar:daily-gentle&rev=1766617120&do=diff Gentle intro to daily power requirements [note: this section was split out from the gentle intro to solar in order to streamline it] Bill wrote down each item, how much power it uses, and how long he would use it each day. Yes, this was annoying but he didn't try to do it all at once. text/html 2025-12-24T22:58:40+00:00 Anonymous (anonymous@undisclosed.example.com) https://rvwiki.mousetrap.net/doku.php?id=electrical:solar:faq_mppt_series&rev=1766617120&do=diff Is MPPT required when wiring panels in series? MPPT controllers are not required for series panel wiring. Counterexamples: * Imagine a 24v battery bank being PWM charged by two 12v panels in series. The series configuration itself is not important, but the relationship between panel voltage and charging voltage is. text/html 2025-12-24T22:58:40+00:00 Anonymous (anonymous@undisclosed.example.com) https://rvwiki.mousetrap.net/doku.php?id=electrical:solar:frugal&rev=1766617120&do=diff Making the most of your solar setup [this is a dump of a reddit post I made; will clean up later. fs] This page is more about making do with what you already have than about about what to buy if you are starting from scratch. system sizing Large solar installs are can be useful but are overkill (in size, output and expense) for many campers. Even text/html 2025-12-24T22:58:40+00:00 Anonymous (anonymous@undisclosed.example.com) https://rvwiki.mousetrap.net/doku.php?id=electrical:solar:gentle_complexity&rev=1766617120&do=diff Gentle introduction, Pt 2 This is a collection of illustrations that things are more complex than can be revealed in a one-page intro. Again, drill down for more info. ---------- Solar panel output will almost never be as high as the claimed output. In fact it will probably hover around 75% of that number under the best conditions; this is called text/html 2025-12-24T22:58:40+00:00 Anonymous (anonymous@undisclosed.example.com) https://rvwiki.mousetrap.net/doku.php?id=electrical:solar:gentle_intro&rev=1766617120&do=diff " A good solar system is one that meets your needs. -- jimindenver" " “...trying to take the comfort level you had in a house into your mobile life [is] tough to do for a boondocker.” -- akrvbob (Bob from Cheap RV Living)" " Setting up solar that text/html 2025-12-24T22:58:40+00:00 Anonymous (anonymous@undisclosed.example.com) https://rvwiki.mousetrap.net/doku.php?id=electrical:solar:mppt_design&rev=1766617120&do=diff MPPT integration There are benefits from using higher voltage panels that can be realized when a system is designed for an MPPT controller. $/watt ratios can become quite favorable with large, used panels and overpaneled controllers. The downside is that MPPT requires some amount of excess panel voltage over charging voltage to do its work (see below). MPPT advantage may be minimal or nonexistant when nominal panel voltage matches nominal battery bank voltage (12v panels and 12v battery, fo… text/html 2025-12-24T22:58:40+00:00 Anonymous (anonymous@undisclosed.example.com) https://rvwiki.mousetrap.net/doku.php?id=electrical:solar:nonessential&rev=1766617120&do=diff opportunity loads [based on http://www.chargetek.com/basic-information.html] Solar power installations are generally designed as if the load[s] will be steady around the clock. This can lead new folk into buying too much battery. In practice, actual loads may be heavier in the daytime (as when working with power tools) or at night (as when watching movies or running a forced-air furnace). text/html 2025-12-24T22:58:40+00:00 Anonymous (anonymous@undisclosed.example.com) https://rvwiki.mousetrap.net/doku.php?id=electrical:solar:offthepanel&rev=1766617120&do=diff Running loads off the panel RVers and 'dwellers speak of running loads off the panel; they mean the loads do not affect the battery bank's state of charge because excess power is available. Mobile solar power installs are not putting out full power all of the time, even in direct sunlight. This can happen when the batteries are charged and there are no loads on the system. When power is needed the controller jumps into action and lets the panels make power again; it's almost instantaneous… text/html 2025-12-24T22:58:40+00:00 Anonymous (anonymous@undisclosed.example.com) https://rvwiki.mousetrap.net/doku.php?id=electrical:solar:output&rev=1766617120&do=diff Words of wisdom: “In theory, Imp * Vmp = panel Watts. There's an awful lot in the real world that can affect that.” -- Cariboocoot Factors affecting solar panel output For various reasons it will be a rare event when your panels put out their full rated power text/html 2025-12-24T22:58:40+00:00 Anonymous (anonymous@undisclosed.example.com) https://rvwiki.mousetrap.net/doku.php?id=electrical:solar:overbanking&rev=1766617120&do=diff Overbanking Overbanking means having a battery bank oversized compared to charging power (particularly in solar-only scenarios). The solar:battery ratio might be something like 1:2. Overbanking is the opposite of overpaneling. Lithium chemistries are not bothered by partial state of charge so overbanking is a non-issue for them. The camper might have a lot of lithium capacity to take advantage of text/html 2025-12-24T22:58:40+00:00 Anonymous (anonymous@undisclosed.example.com) https://rvwiki.mousetrap.net/doku.php?id=electrical:solar:overpaneling&rev=1766617120&do=diff Overpaneling Overpaneling has two related meanings; both refer to having more solar panel output than a system might otherwise require. * Most common meaning: - battery bank and charge controller are evenly matched; panel nominal or actual output is more than the MPPT controller's rating. This is the most common meaning. Note: PWM controllers should not be overpaneled as they have no way to limit incoming current to protect themselves. text/html 2025-12-24T22:58:40+00:00 Anonymous (anonymous@undisclosed.example.com) https://rvwiki.mousetrap.net/doku.php?id=electrical:solar:panel-bank_ratio&rev=1766617120&do=diff Panel:Bank ratio A common rule of thumb for sizing batteries to solar power relates nominal panel output in Watts to bank capacity in Ah. It is not gospel. It is not a commandment. It is a quick heuristic to understand how your system is biased. text/html 2025-12-24T22:58:40+00:00 Anonymous (anonymous@undisclosed.example.com) https://rvwiki.mousetrap.net/doku.php?id=electrical:solar:panels&rev=1766617120&do=diff Solar panels Solar panels, also called photovoltaic (PV) panels, produce DC power from sunlight to charge batteries and provide electrical power. The panels can be used single or in series or parallel arrays. To avoid overcharging, a charge controller is placed between the PV and the battery bank. text/html 2025-12-24T22:58:40+00:00 Anonymous (anonymous@undisclosed.example.com) https://rvwiki.mousetrap.net/doku.php?id=electrical:solar:pvwatts&rev=1766617120&do=diff return to the solar harvest article or insolation subsection PVWatts You can use PVWatts to find solar harvest estimates for a particular place, month, array size, etc. You can use this info to * find out how much panel is required to make a certain amount of Watt-hours (Wh) daily; or text/html 2025-12-24T22:58:40+00:00 Anonymous (anonymous@undisclosed.example.com) https://rvwiki.mousetrap.net/doku.php?id=electrical:solar:pvwatts_assumptions&rev=1766617120&do=diff solar assumptions Assumptions made in the PVwatts estimate: * flat-mounted, air-gapped panels * with an unobstructed view of the sky (no shade or snow accumlation) * on an MPPT solar charge controller These averages are based on insolation and meteorological data for many years and are specific to that location. Actual daily harvest will vary, so text/html 2025-12-24T22:58:42+00:00 Anonymous (anonymous@undisclosed.example.com) https://rvwiki.mousetrap.net/doku.php?id=electrical:solar:pwm&rev=1766617122&do=diff Chinese pwm controllers Renogy Renogy rebrands and sells controllers from other Chinese makers, both MPPT controllers listed elsewhere and the PWM/shunt listed here. text/html 2025-12-24T22:58:42+00:00 Anonymous (anonymous@undisclosed.example.com) https://rvwiki.mousetrap.net/doku.php?id=electrical:solar:pwm_configurable&rev=1766617122&do=diff Configurable PWM solar charge controllers Because of the lower price point of PWM controllers they are often less configurable than MPPT controllers. Still, PWM controllers with configurable setpoints do exist. Morningstar TriStar PWM The TriStar TS-45, and TS-60 PWM professional grade controllers are configurable with a cable. text/html 2025-12-24T22:58:42+00:00 Anonymous (anonymous@undisclosed.example.com) https://rvwiki.mousetrap.net/doku.php?id=electrical:solar:pwm_tweaking&rev=1766617122&do=diff Tweaking a PWM controller for maximum power PWM controllers are inexpensive and durable. Their chief downside is their ability to generate power is limited when battery voltage is low (MPPT output is unaffected by battery voltage). This page is intended to help people get the most out of their PWM system. It assumes the 'dweller owns text/html 2025-12-24T22:58:42+00:00 Anonymous (anonymous@undisclosed.example.com) https://rvwiki.mousetrap.net/doku.php?id=electrical:solar:rationing&rev=1766617122&do=diff Words of Wisdom: It is cheaper and easier to use less power than it is to make more power. -- highdesertranger Rationing solar power Sometimes normal awareness is not enough to keep a solar setup functioning with usable power. In these situations one might need to take steps to minimize loads and maximize power generation. text/html 2025-12-24T22:58:42+00:00 Anonymous (anonymous@undisclosed.example.com) https://rvwiki.mousetrap.net/doku.php?id=electrical:solar:series_vs_parallel&rev=1766617122&do=diff Series and Parallel solar arrays TL;DR * With MPPT solar charge controllers and 12v house battery bank there is often little practical difference between parallel and series solar arrays. * PWM controllers run arrays of the same nominal voltage as their battery bank: 12v and 12v, 24v and 24v. text/html 2025-12-24T22:58:42+00:00 Anonymous (anonymous@undisclosed.example.com) https://rvwiki.mousetrap.net/doku.php?id=electrical:solar:shading&rev=1766617122&do=diff Words of Wisdom: “The response of a series parallel array to shade will be complicated.” -- sensij Partial shading Partial shading can have surprisingly dramatic effects on panel output. Perhaps counterintuivitely, partial shading can have more devastating effects on output than text/html 2025-12-24T22:58:42+00:00 Anonymous (anonymous@undisclosed.example.com) https://rvwiki.mousetrap.net/doku.php?id=electrical:solar:shallow_cycling&rev=1766617122&do=diff Note: this information should be regarded as experimental. It is being tested by secessus. Beginners may want to start with a gentle intro to solar. Here is a trimmed-down version of this page. microsolar without deep-cycle batteries This article describes a small, cheap, simple, space-efficient solar configuration that may be of use to car-dwellers or minimalist vandwellers. text/html 2025-12-24T22:58:42+00:00 Anonymous (anonymous@undisclosed.example.com) https://rvwiki.mousetrap.net/doku.php?id=electrical:solar:shunt_tweaking&rev=1766617122&do=diff Tweaking a configurable shunt controller [ <http://amzn.to/2mU84Hi> Note: this article was written by secessus about the type of controller seen on the right. They are called CMTD among other names. ] A configurable shunt (single stage) controller can be a very good deal, sometimes less than $10 shipped. While they share the same lower-yield issues with PWM and for the same reason text/html 2025-12-24T22:58:42+00:00 Anonymous (anonymous@undisclosed.example.com) https://rvwiki.mousetrap.net/doku.php?id=electrical:solar:sizing&rev=1766617122&do=diff Words of Wisdom: “I'd say 500 watts is the minimum for the [Pacific Northwest] in winter and you would be better off with [750 watts] if you can get it on the roof.” akrvbob Sizing a solar installation Sizing residential off-grid solar configurations text/html 2025-12-24T22:58:42+00:00 Anonymous (anonymous@undisclosed.example.com) https://rvwiki.mousetrap.net/doku.php?id=electrical:solar:slim_reserve&rev=1766617122&do=diff DRAFT Slim battery reserves Note: this section is likely not appropriate for newbies; if the ideas are implemented incorrectly it could result in battery murder and disappointment. Running slimmer-than-normal battery reserves saves space, money, and weight. Here we discuss some ideas about reducing calculated reserves. For purposes of illustration, we will assume the vandweller's daily power requirements are 100Ah, and that they are using lead chemistry batteries. text/html 2025-12-24T22:58:42+00:00 Anonymous (anonymous@undisclosed.example.com) https://rvwiki.mousetrap.net/doku.php?id=electrical:solar:status&rev=1766617122&do=diff Words of wisdom: "If you want to see lots more amps coming out of the [charge controller], put on a [significant] load... in the middle of a sunny day. -- John61CT" Is my solar working? TL:DR * if the panel voltage shown on the controller is ≤Vmp then the controller is making as much power as it can text/html 2025-12-24T22:58:42+00:00 Anonymous (anonymous@undisclosed.example.com) https://rvwiki.mousetrap.net/doku.php?id=electrical:solar:synopsis_puzzle2&rev=1766617122&do=diff This page aims to distill the knowledge contained in HandyBob's RV battery charging puzzle 2 page. Particularly useful and pithy statements are quoted directly under fair use. Synopsis: HandyBob's RV Battery Charging Puzzle [Note from Secessus: I do my best here to faithfuly summarize text/html 2025-12-24T22:58:42+00:00 Anonymous (anonymous@undisclosed.example.com) https://rvwiki.mousetrap.net/doku.php?id=electrical:solar:tracer-old&rev=1766617122&do=diff Previous Tracer models RN series The first affordable MPPT controller was the Tracer RN series: 1215RN was 10A, 2215RN was 20A, etc. It hit the market around 2014. Max input voltage on this series is 150V and would work with 12v/24v banks. Configuration is limited to battery type, battery Ah, and LOAD timer text/html 2025-12-24T22:58:42+00:00 Anonymous (anonymous@undisclosed.example.com) https://rvwiki.mousetrap.net/doku.php?id=electrical:solar:tracer&rev=1766617122&do=diff Chinese MPPT charge controllers Prior to the introduction of Chinese controllers, MPPT was an expensive feature found only on controllers costing hundreds of dollars. Chinese controllers cost about half the price of premium controllers. PWM controllers have