Biggest/best Solar Panel

We just started a build on a new 560 Ultra. We are anxiously looking forward to picking it up this spring. We went with the CTEK Charger/Controller and AGM Battery upgrade options. I am just wondering what experience people have had with this set up when it comes to solar. What's the best type and sized solar panel to complete this system? Are there any other options/accessories to consider? I am assuming all I need is a solar panel that will plug into the trailer. How wrong am I?

 

I’m sure others will weigh in, but I have a 125 watt Zamp solar suitcase that I have been very happy with. Not the least inexpensive option but high quality.

I will offer this advice. Most portable solar suitcases come with their own charge controller. If you go that route, you will not need the CampInn controller or the CampInn controller will have to be bypassed. The other thing to think about is to pick out your panel now and have the matching female receptacle installed with your build. Zamp for example has a proprietary plug configuration. The default solar receptacle that comes with the build I believe is the cigarette lighter type. Then you have to figure out a way to hook a male cigarette lighter plug on your panel. Having your build include the specific solar receptacle that matches the panel you go with avoids that.

Hope that helps!

Randy

 

Welcome.

On top of what Jenn and Randy have offered, you have to ask yourself:

1) What output? Which also translates into... what physical size? Most of us are very happy with a 80W at a minimum and 120W at the top end.
2) Under what circumstances am I going to use it? Even in sunnier environs, most will opt for parking the trailer in shade if any is offered. Which leads you to how then are you going to place the panel in full sun? The emphasis being on full, as part sun, or even a little bit of shade, is nearly useless in terms of production. If you're on the road during the day and only set up while the sun is going down, then it will be useless. Furthermore, any campground site in the Northwest and east of the Mississippi will be severely limited in terms of full sun exposure.
3) Am I going to be around the trailer all the time when the panel is working? And if not, how do I secure it from theft?
4) If the panel is not secured to the top of the trailer for transport, am I comfortable with (and have space for) transporting it inside the trailer or the tow vehicle?
5) Do I opt for a thin flexible panel or a suitcase style, or a heavier standard non-folding glass panel?

Once you've answered some of these things, then the picture, including your final connections (as Randy has alluded to) and the decision on whether or not to get the CI solar connections, becomes clearer. Many of us have gotten into the solar game, well after the build, and our trailers did not include any of the factory connections.

All of these considerations have been touched upon in several other solar-related posts and each of us who have panels have reached our own particular solutions and systems that work for us. There is no one-size-fits-all. Which is why CI offers only the solar connector and not the panels themselves.

It's sometimes hard to visualize how and why you will use the panel, when you don't even have the trailer yet. But the other posts may help.

Steve

 

I also forgot to add...

6) What am I trying to power that the trailer battery can't, before it gets recharged on the road? Electric fridge/freezer? CPAP?

That's probably the most important starting point.

 

In addition to all the great comments above, I’ll add that for those who are moving every day or two, the CTEK 12v/12v charger will do a nice job of topping up your battery from the TV alternator or from the solar panel, switching between them as needed.

I’ve never run an electric fridge - couldn’t speak to power use there. And I haven’t run solar, because we tend to be out-and-back destination campers, not so much extended driving trips, and we’re always looking for shade.

There is math to do if you’re running a fridge or other large power consumer (cpap in my case). Along the lines of how many watts for how many hours of sun, how much of it full or partial, to replace how many watt-hours of use of the power. OTOH, my sense from reading here is that the right range is between 100 and 200w of solar, depending on how much sun and how much power use.

 

Congratulations on your purchase! We picked up our new 550 this past April and that anticipation and excitement is still fresh in our minds.

Those are all great comments above so I will try to not repeat anyone. I did quite a bit of research during the order process and decided to go with the Zamp option as many other have. I also decided to forgo all the calculations and estimates, and purchased the largest panel (125W) my system would handle (one AGM battery). I have only used it a couple time so far but it allows me to charge as quickly as possible and then put it away - I do not leave my panel deployed while I am away from camp. We currently only run lights and minor electronics from the CI, but the larger panel will allow us to upgrade to an electric fridge in the future. The additional advantage of a Zamp or other panel with its own charge controller is that I could, if needed, charge my TV battery or any other battery with the included alligator clamps. This is additional peace of mind when I am camped remotely.

Dean

 

I would also add that I am able to run my dometic, fan, TV, etc. just fine with the Zamp 125 watt. I did change all my bulbs to LED and am able to also leave my ”porch lights” on all night. It does require repositioning the panel several times during the day in relation to the sun location. If you do go Zamp, recommend buying the extension cord.

Randy

 

In addition to all the good points made above, I would buy the largest Zamp panel that you can lift/deploy/carry by yourself, and that will fit in your tow vehicle. Probably a 200 watt. I don't believe that you can have "too much" solar, but I KNOW that you can have too little.

Also, there are a lot of advantages to owning a standalone/portable LiIon battery (ie Yeti GoalZero). So many good uses for it (including powering your CPAP or fridge while camping; providing backup power at home; can move to where the sun is (when charging while in camp)

-Al

 

Thank you for all of the replies. I think I have it narrowed down to this...
-Goal Zero Boulder 200 Watt Brief Case
While this is more than enough for my camping needs, I also want to use this with the development of an off grid property in the next year or two. My thought is that I can plug the solar panel into a Goal Zero Yeti for my power needs at the property. In the mean time, I can haul this in the camper and get the fastest charge for the CI battery when I need it. Everything else I have looked at in this size and style includes the solar charger, which I won't need with the CTEK charger on the CI.
This makes sense to me, but I don't have any actual experience to go off of.
I think I also need to let the folks at CI know what plug in I'll need. Or is it pretty universal?

 

We camp a good bit on the east coast where enough sun is frequently an issue

 

Damn small phone...

east coast, cloudy skies and shady site make solar panel use frequently an issue. One point I can make about you setup is the utility of the CTEK.
We camped in Canada back in august and had both cloudy skies and a shady site but found that the CTEK makes our tow vehicle a really excellent generator. Because it gives our agm battery exactly what it needs, 30 minutes of idling can add a significant number of amp hours. And cars are almost silent compared to almost any generator. We do use a dometic and have found this feature allows us to make it though a night after a cloudy day. Nope, not ideal but still a nice feature.