Solar power systems are a great addition to recreational vehicles that are used for any length of time in remote areas. They are relatively simple to install and if well maintained can provide years of clean, reliable electrical power without having to resort to the use of noisy generators which produce pollutants and greenhouse gases.
Most RV solar power systems of any size will require three or four basic components: solar panels, batteries, regulator (charge controller) and inverter. The solar panels are the source of electrical energy, which is converted directly from sunlight by the silicon cells in the panels. Batteries store this electrical energy and make it available for use at any time of the day or night. A regulator is required to maintain the batteries in a good state of charge and to prevent harmful overcharging. An inverter is necessary if only if mains voltage AC power is required.
Solar panels are manufactured in three basic forms: monocrystalline, polycrystalline and amorphous. These terms refer to the type of silicon cells used. While monocrystalline panels are typically the most efficient, there are good reasons to consider amorphous panels as they are much more tolerant of heat and shading than other panels, and they are also more robust. The only drawback associated with amorphous panels is that a larger area of panels is required for the same energy output.
While many types of batteries are available, the most practical and cost effective solution remains the tried and proven lead-acid battery. In a recreational vehicle, sealed AGM (absorbent glass mat) or gelled electrolyte batteries are a good choice as they cannot spill electrolyte (sulphuric acid) and can even be mounted on their side or upside down if necessary. These batteries are also low-maintenance because the electrolyte does not require regular topping up. AGM and gel batteries must be charged with care, however, and it is especially important to avoid overcharging. This is the job of the regulator or charge controller.
Regulators control the charging voltage supplied to the batteries, ensuring that it is high enough to maintain a good state of charge without overcharging. Overcharging is a problem as water in the electrolyte is boiled off, making the sulphuric acid stronger and decreasing battery life, but also creating explosive hydrogen gas. It is therefore important that batteries are always well ventilated. A wide range of regulators is available, with the more advanced models providing multiple charging modes (boost, float and equalisation) and features such as programmability and data logging.
While it is possible to source 12 volt DC versions of most appliances, there is a growing trend towards the use of inverters, which make it possible to use standard mains voltage appliances with the solar power system. Typically, a greater range of standard appliances is available, at a lower cost, and standard plugs and fittings can also be used. The efficiency of many inverters is now over 90%, meaning that they can be used with little overall efficiency penalty.
RV solar power systems are flexible and can be configured in many ways. The solar system batteries (or "house" batteries) can be configured in parallel with the vehicle battery to allow the vehicle alternator to charge them while the on the road. Other configurations allow parallel batteries to run power hungry devices such as winches, and solar panels to charge the vehicle starting battery when necessary.
Using Solar energy you can create electricity to power RVs, residential homes and commercial properties. There are a variety of solar power systems available. Quite often the choice of which to go for is obvious but in other situations you may have to weigh up the pros and cons. This article will detail some of the options and explain the considerations.
If we consider an RV, for example, the ideal solar power system would be a portable system. These systems are economical, as they have a smaller number of solar panels and batteries than a larger stand-alone system. They may be moved around so that they can make the most of the sunny conditions depending on your location.
A stand alone solar power system is configured with a number of solar panels. The more solar panels the more electricity can be created. The electricity is stored in a battery or a series of batteries. The batteries store DC current and this needs to be converted to AC current using an inverter.
For those that like an each way bet or are new to solar power electricity there is the grid tie solar power system. This means that the home or business building is still connected to the grid but has a solar panel installed too. The grid-tie system will have an inverter that changes the DC current into the purest sine-wave AC electricity so that it will mesh with the utility grid. Thus there is a seamless connection between the solar and grid electricity.
When there is no sun or the solar panels do not have the capacity to supply the building then the grid supplied electricity can fill the gap. Thus there is usually no need for batteries which makes this system cleaner and easier to operate. It also means that electricity can be transported to the power station and used elsewhere.
Eventually, as people become more experienced with solar power they will move towards a completely stand alone system. That is an off the grid system. They will become completely self sufficient for energy needs. Of course this requires more management by the individual and more responsibility but it is cheaper than using grid power and more environmentally friendly.
A totally off the grid system will use more inverters. At the least it will contain two so that the system can cope with running large appliances such as air heating and conditioning devices. It is also a safeguard that the system will remain functional should one fail for some reason.
Another reason for going for an off grid set up is when there is no grid to connect to. This is the case in isolated areas where the utility companies have not got round to installing a network. In these situations the solar power system would be the primary source of electricity and would be a vital to the home or business that it operated in.
Hybrid systems are generally the best way to go when attempting to go self sufficient in energy creation or when in an isolated area. A hybrid system uses two or more energy creating systems in conjunction. So you may use your solar power system during the day and then rely on wind power at night. Or instead of wind power you might use a normal generator that is powered by diesel or gasoline.
It makes sense to have as many contingencies to your solar power system as you can afford. The sun can't always be relied on. However introducing three or four different methods of creating electricity significantly increases the complexity and may not be worth the effort in maintaining them for the benefits that you may receive.
Both Miguel Scaccialupo & Adrian Fletcher are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Miguel Scaccialupo has sinced written about articles on various topics from Vacation, Travel and Leisure and Adventure Travel. Miguel Scaccialupo is a qualified systems designer and cons. Miguel Scaccialupo's top article generates over 14800 views. to your Favourites.