I have looked up this topic and most here (that I found) are several years old, so looking for updates.
I am in the final stages of planning my solar need for my Hawk Shell. It’s going to be light at first, probably 1 AGM battery, no fridge, only a furnace that will rarely get used, 2 fans that may get used at night and may not even use the camper lights that much. BUT I know that will change, I see a portable fridge in our future and will go to Lithium when the AGM is gone. So my question here is how to balance the solar/controller that will handle the “growth”. I know I want to instal a controller now that will handle future power, most likely Victron, so what size?
I thought about going 2 100 watt panels on the roof but am now thinking I may not need that much and why carry all that weight around everyday (it will be my everyday driver) so would I be better off starting with say 150-170 watt and add more down the road when needed?
Which brings me to my real dilemma. Since we don’t always camp in full sun would I be better off going with less on the roof and remote solar. Less weight to carry around daily etc. Most of the suitcase type panels I have seen have a controller built in usually a PWM so I assume I would not run that through the one in the camper but would it be less efficient? And when I go Li would it work? And if I go with something that doesn’t have a controller I assume the rear solar input is set up to wire into the camper controller? AND, finally, if the roof top solar is not putting out that much and I put out the portable do I need a controller that could handle all of it, roof and portable, or would one that handles the rooftop suffice?
I hope this makes sense, I have been researching this all afternoon and my head hurts. Thanks!
I am in the final stages of planning my solar need for my Hawk Shell. It’s going to be light at first, probably 1 AGM battery, no fridge, only a furnace that will rarely get used, 2 fans that may get used at night and may not even use the camper lights that much. BUT I know that will change, I see a portable fridge in our future and will go to Lithium when the AGM is gone. So my question here is how to balance the solar/controller that will handle the “growth”. I know I want to instal a controller now that will handle future power, most likely Victron, so what size?
I thought about going 2 100 watt panels on the roof but am now thinking I may not need that much and why carry all that weight around everyday (it will be my everyday driver) so would I be better off starting with say 150-170 watt and add more down the road when needed?
Which brings me to my real dilemma. Since we don’t always camp in full sun would I be better off going with less on the roof and remote solar. Less weight to carry around daily etc. Most of the suitcase type panels I have seen have a controller built in usually a PWM so I assume I would not run that through the one in the camper but would it be less efficient? And when I go Li would it work? And if I go with something that doesn’t have a controller I assume the rear solar input is set up to wire into the camper controller? AND, finally, if the roof top solar is not putting out that much and I put out the portable do I need a controller that could handle all of it, roof and portable, or would one that handles the rooftop suffice?
I hope this makes sense, I have been researching this all afternoon and my head hurts. Thanks!
