Are you making an attempt to determine between Photo voltaic vs Generator on your RV? We’ve got been dwelling in, and touring the nation in, our Fifth Wheel RV for over a yr now.
Like most of us, a part of our journey plan was to get distant from everybody and out into the uncharted wilderness. This brings its personal challenges on your day after day RV Dwelling, like water administration, waste water, showering and even simply holding your batteries charged.
The age previous query of can we go together with RV Photo voltaic or a Generator is one which we couldn’t reply both, so we obtained each and have been testing dwelling day after day on one or the opposite.
We’re going to go over the nitty gritty of each choices with among the issues we have now discovered alongside the way in which so that you will be higher knowledgeable when making an attempt to make the identical resolution.
What’s In Our RV
This can be a key element to this take a look at, because the issues you’re powering will make a distinction during which system will give you the results you want, so I’m going to present you a fast run down on what we have now, so you may regulate our findings to fit your setup.
We’re touring in a Montana 381TH (take a stroll by way of tour of our RV right here) that has Two AC Items on the roof, that we have now added the MicroAir straightforward begin’s to (Hyperlink to Set up Video), which can let you run Two AC Items on 30 amp service by avoiding the large energy spike once they first kick on.
We even have a Samsung Residential RV Fridge, which runs off a 1500 Watt energy inverter when we’re not plugged in at a campground, and in accordance with the Data Sticker on it, it makes use of 360 Watts of energy when it’s operating.
We selected to go together with an off the shelf cheap choice for each our RV Generator and our RV Photo voltaic setup in an effort to make it an ‘Everybody Check‘ that may truly be one thing all of us might be contemplating, relatively than a generator that would energy a small metropolis and a very customized RV Photo voltaic setup.
The RV Generator – $800 at time of buy
Primarily based solely off of value compared to different fashions accessible to buy at generally accessible large field shops, we went with the Harbor Freight Predator 3500 Tremendous Quiet Inverter Generator. The fundamentals on this unit are that it maxes out at 25 Amps of energy, has the whole lot it is advisable fireplace it proper up and plug it in to your RV’s 30 amp plug (or adapter) besides the quart of oil it is advisable fill the crankcase beforehand.
The RV Photo voltaic – $500 at time of buy
Primarily based solely off of being an all inclusive package, accessible by way of a single click on on Amazon, we went with the Renogy 400 Watt RV Photo voltaic Package. The essential on this package are that it comes with 4 100 Watt photo voltaic panels, the wiring, a 40 amp cost controller, and all wanted {hardware} to put in it.
So far as being funds pleasant the Renogy RV Photo voltaic Package was already within the lead with a 30% head begin out of the gate. Doing a bit deeper of a dive into the set up, we did must additionally buy roof sealant, a caulk gun, and a wire go by way of to get the cables down by way of the roof in a water tight trend. Nonetheless, a win for the Renogy RV Photo voltaic package on the Funds class.
Preliminary Setup
The Generator – Lower than 10 minutes to prime off the oil within the crank case, and fireplace it up for the primary time.
The RV Photo voltaic – Full day of set up earlier than it was producing any energy in any respect. (Hyperlink to Set up Video)
Within the Time Till Useable class the win solidly goes to the Predator 3500.
Each day Price Of Use
The Generator – 2.5 Gallons of fuel per 11 hours of run time at a 25% load. Common value of $3.86 per gallon X 2.5 Gallons = $9.65 per 11 half day (day gentle hours)
The RV Photo voltaic – $0.00 per half day (day gentle hours)
Price Of Use win goes to the RV Photo voltaic Package.
Annoying Neighbor Issue – Sound Stage
The Generator – Whereas it’s truly Tremendous Quiet so far as turbines go, it does nonetheless produce a sound stage when operating, so in case you are in shut proximity to different campers there will probably be an annoyance issue.
The RV Photo voltaic – No sound produced. No annoyance issue.
Sound Stage win goes to the RV Photo voltaic
What Can I Truly Run – Energy Issue
The Generator – The Predator 3500 will energy your total RV, in addition to run your battery charger to maintain your batteries full. With none further equipment you may cost your batteries, in addition to run a microwave, TV, followers, and an AC unit.
The RV Photo voltaic – The Renogy RV Photo voltaic Package will solely energy the cost controller and preserve your batteries charged. With none further equipment you may cost your batteries, in addition to run something that solely makes use of 12 Volt energy, like your RV Lights, an ordinary RV 12V/Propane fridge and so forth.
Energy Issue win goes to the Generator
Now this take a look at was to match the 2 programs solely on holding your batteries charged, with an off the shelf system. The Generator does value extra, does have a every day utilization value, and provides extra weight to your rig than the RV Photo voltaic system. The truth that you may run 120 Volt home equipment with it’s a bonus win for the generator.
Issues To Think about Earlier than Shopping for
1 – If there are quiet hours the place you’re tenting, often 10pm to 7am that we have now observed, neither system will probably be offering energy at night time. The RV Photo voltaic system will begin to produce much less and fewer energy about 2 hours earlier than sunset till the solar units, and won’t produce energy in an considerable quantity till about 2 hours after dawn.
2 – With both system, there will probably be an over night time draw in your batteries. If the ability draw in your batteries is larger than the quantity of saved energy in your batteries, or greater than half the Amp Hours on customary deep cycle batteries that are available most RV’s, you’ll not make it by way of the night time till you’ll be able to cost them once more with the system you select.
3 – What sort of RV’er are you?
That is going to play an vital consider your resolution making course of when buying one system or the opposite. In case you are like me and wish that espresso pot fired up at 7:01 as a result of the percolator over the camp fireplace simply isn’t going to chop it, I’d lean in the direction of the Generator
When you don’t thoughts the percolator, and are simply trying to preserve the low battery alarm from going off earlier than the solar rises within the morning, I’d lean in the direction of the RV Photo voltaic Package.
4 – Facet Notes
After dwelling on the highway for over a yr now I can say that your selection of batteries goes to play a pivotal function in your day after day complications, with both system you select, however extra so with the RV Photo voltaic Package.
The usual deep cycle batteries that include your RV are rated in Amp Hours. When you have a 200 Amp Hour Battery, and are utilizing 10 Amps an hour, your battery will final for 20 hours. The Caveat to that is which you could solely discharge a Customary Deep Cycle to a most of fifty%.
In order that 200 amp hour battery that in accordance with the maths will final 20 hours, is barely going to make it a Max of 10, and could have much less and fewer power behind it because the night time goes on. Consider it like certainly one of your youngsters toys who’s batteries are dying, sure it nonetheless works, however it goes slower and slower the nearer to lifeless they get.
When you substitute the usual deep cycle’s you’ve gotten with the identical measurement and amp hour score Lithium Iron Phosphate (LifePo4) you’re going to get a constant energy till it’s lifeless, and you’ll discharge it to 90% with out damaging the battery. They do value significantly extra on the entrance finish, however final between 3 and 10 instances longer than their lead acid counterparts.
With the LifePo4 batteries you gained’t NEED to fireplace the generator up at 7:00 on the dot to keep away from the battery alarms going off, like we did our first strive at boondocking, and be that annoying neighbor who woke everybody up on a Saturday morning. Likewise with the RV Photo voltaic Package you gained’t be staring on the horizon hoping the solar will rise quicker at present than yesterday as a result of the lavatory gentle is so dim you may’t even discover the bathroom.
Renogy RV Photo voltaic Package Evaluate, Is It Price The Cash?