Solar Panels

[>>>---WW---->]

I just bought a popup camper for my pickup truck. So, I don't have a bunch of room to haul something as large as a generator unless I pull a trailer behind. I already have three 15 watt solar panels for a total of 45 watts. I also have the regulator to prevent over charging.

All I really need electricity for in the camper in the warmer weather is the water pump and lighting and refridgerator control. In colder weather there is a blower on the furnace to consider.

So , my question is, would one 15 watt pannel be enough to keep my one battery charged up?

[cnelk]

Did a little research online....

first figure out the output of the solar panel by dividing it's WATTS by it's Volts, which will give you it's output in AMPS. So. . a 15 watt panel DIVIDED by 12v = 1.25 amps Next, read the Amp Hour rating on your 12v battery. If we use a 50 amp hour battery for this example. . . DIVIDE 50 amp hours [required to fully charge the battery] by the 1.25 amp output of the solar panel = 40 hours of direct sunlight to charge the battery. Then add another 10% of time to his number, so figure 44 hours. Some more examples: 5watt/12vpanel=.42amp and 50amp hr/.42amp=119 +10% = 131 hours of sun.
30watt panel works out to 22hours. 50watt=13hrs 80watt=about 8 hrs. Of course all of these times are based a 50amp hour 12v battery.

[>>>---WW---->]

OK I'll buy that! But consider I will only use maybe less than 1/4 of the batteries charge for lights and water pump each day, would it be reasonable to assume that 10 hours of sun could bring it back up to full charge?

[cnelk]

Bill
I use a 5w solar panel to charge a deep cycle battery to run my 2 lights in my wall tent.
Each bulb is 40w, but i typically only use one.
I can get prob 3-4 days of use as the solar panel cant quite keep up.
Then I just use my truck as a generator, hook up jumper cables to the battery and let it charge for a bit to get a few more days
Remember that the direction of the sun in relation to the panel makes a big difference on how much charging you get.

If I plan to drive somewhere, I have a spare battery compartment under my hood.
I will hook up the spare battery to my engine battery and drive and charge.

I do know that those blowers on the furnace really draw the juice

My buddy took his furnace out and got a propane radiant heater for his camper.

[>>>---WW---->]

Thanks for the tech stuff Brad. I'll probably use a little propane heater also. And I may just end up using a 1000W inverter for the DC stuff. I have a 3500W generator but it is just too heavy load up in a small truck camper unless I pull a trailer and put it on there.

[Indian Summer]

What about one of the hitch receiver carriers for the generator as well as fuel and other items without dragging a trailer?

[Bowhunter]

I use a hitch carrier for a 13 cubic ft freezer and run it from a 1200 watt inverter. I like it much more than pulling a trailer. Especially trying to turn around on Forest Roads. I do have to crawl over it to get into my truck topper to sleep or get things. I plan to make some legs for it so I can remove it after I get to a camp spot.

[>>>---WW---->]

Great ideas guys. Thanks!