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5guyshunting

Rv solar battery charger

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Can anyone recommend a solar charging set that will keep the batteries toped off. I dont care about the inverter for anything, I just want to charge batteries so I dont need to fire the generator every night or every other night.  Thanks

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I went on ebay and bought a 200 w portable solar panel and its awesome. Tops off batteries daily

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15 minutes ago, AzDiamondHeat said:

 are you looking for a portable system or mounted?

Agreed, are you wanting to be able to point and move it, or have it permanently fixed..

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I have the amazon Renogy-Mono as well. They also have a poly version, more durable but not as efficient. With extended leads to the inverter so I could just lay it on top

of my little teardrop style camper it ran about 180 overall. The 10 ft extender leads are like extension cords so you can position the panel however you want. I use  30dollar walmart car

battery which can be fully charged from below50% in 4-5 hours. Runs all of my lights, usb ports etc. I've read where the Harbor Freight kit is not nearly as good as the amazon one

but have not compared them.

good luck

goma

 

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When I first started with the solar thing I wasn;t sure I wanted to commit $ without knowing for sure how effective it would be.

I started with the harbor freight because on sale, it is pretty inexpensive. The panels are bulky and heavy and very under powered, but they work. I would not use them for "full time" battery maintenance due to the controller having a tendency to over charge and ruin your batteries. I did have one set of batteries ruined.

I then upgraded the controller to an inexpensive but much better "sunpower" one. Worked great.

My new trailer has a single panel that is more powerful and does a fantastic job. But obviously more expensive.

In my opinion, harbor freight is "ok" for occasional use IF you don't mind the bulk. Personally I would spend a little more money and buy one that is lighter and has a more trustworthy controller. Those mentioned above seem to be well received.

 

 

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Quote

"I went on ebay and bought a 200 w portable solar panel and its awesome. Tops off batteries daily"

Yup, it's also very efficient and environmental-friendly.

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4 hours ago, Joel said:

I bought this kit along with a mounting kit that I basically made into a folding stand so that I can move the panel around. It works great! Even in partial sun it keeps my battery topped off. I've been really happy with it.  https://www.amazon.com/Renogy-Monocrystalline-Solar-Starter-Kit/dp/B07QCXM7H6/ref=dp_ob_title_garden

I read the description, but i'm not seeing the length of the cables. How long are your cables?

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3 minutes ago, 5guyshunting said:

I read the description, but i'm not seeing the length of the cables. How long are your cables?

Product description

Size:PWM 10A

The Renogy 100W Solar Power Starter Kit is perfect for new customers wanting to get a start in solar. The Starter Kit is great for off-grid applications, such as RVs, trailers, boats, sheds, and cabins — providing many benefits, including, but not limited to, quiet power production and grid independence. This solar kit comes with the tools necessary for a new system: one Renogy 100W 12V Mono Solar Panel, one 10A PWM Wanderer Charge Controller, one 20ft 10AWG MC4 Adaptor Kit, one 8ft 10AWG Tray Cable, and one set of Z-brackets. Start your solar adventure with a Renogy Starter Kit.

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