OK, after what I stated all the chit above, I'll describe the equipment in the pic above and justify WHY I selected each item...And list the ruff price I paid for each item....Including the panels or batteries which are NOT depicted in the above pic....BUT, before any of you wanna post arguments or start a pissin contest, REMEMBER, this is how I-ME decided to go after considering the countless possible ways to go....JUST ME for my particular system and boondocking lifestyle, and my life experiences that taught me I needed redundancy and backups.
OK, starting with the inverter....I selected the inverter first based on the voltage and watts I required, then because I desired pure sign wave, then the battery post connect configuration, and also as a major concern, it's reputation and solid reliability...For me, it resulted in this Xantrex 1000W PSW inverter...This inverter was shipped to me for $285 shipped free.
But, because I also desired a hard wired auto 120V transfer switch, I selected the Kisae 15 amp model...Once again because it appeared to have very good ratings and reliability....Cost about $45 shipped free.
Then because I also desired the ability to monitor and count amps into and out of my battery bank, I selected the Bogart 2030RV along with a Deltec shunt and Bogart connection harness...Once again also based on it's reliability, AND it's abilities..About 200 bucks shipped free
OK!, now for the solar charge controller, and HERE is where lotsa folks are gonna pee their panties-get up on their hind feet-Hiss-Spit-Claw and prolly make other folks laff...WHEEE!...This is a Blue Sky 3000i that I carefully selected for many reasons. First of all, I already have two of them working flawlessly in my main RV solar system. Second of all because they have no fan and radiate heat via their face plate, so they can be installed in the wall without concerns of ventilation. Thirdly because they allow me to precisely set absorb voltage and schedule eq's, and select absorb charge timing and all sortsa stuff that many cheaper MPPT controllers don't/can't.
.............And yes, this particular controller, even tho it is MPPT, is RESTRICTED to only 12V panels connected only in parallel, and only 400W total, and only up to 30amps with a low 40V Voc input...Yes, I am very aware of those limitations, so all my 10 panels are all connected in parallel and divided into three separate arrays into 3 of these controllers....BECAUSE this configuration is exactly what I wanted because it offers me MAX redundancy and reliability and MAX resistance to partial shading, and MAX ability to still have decent solar power in the event of panel failure or controller failure, and I also have two separate inverters for the exact same reason....Solar controllers each cost delivered $290 including temp sensing cables.
Panels.....FOR MY SYSTEM, I selected the smallest 100W panels possible. Those are presently Renogy 100w Eclipse....I desired small, highly efficient panels to allow me to scatter them on my RV roof in ways I would totally avoid shading from all the crap on my roof...Yup, Renogy Eclipse at $230 bucks each free shipping....OH, but now on super sale today at Walmart for just $130 bucks each!...Gotta be a mistake, but wallyworld has already shipped at them to me yesterday at that price, because I wanted an extra 3
So folks, including wiring, fuses, panels, breakers, and all the stuff you see in the pic above, I have almost $2,000 invested in my 400W backup solar system....YES, of course you can do it much cheaper depending on your needs.
This is MY system designed and speced for MY particular needs.
OOPS, edited to include my house batteries which are presently simply 2 new Duracell 6V 220amp golf cart batteries connected series for 12V output...These batteries are flooded wet cell batteries that require routine water level checks and are not expected to live long even with the most rigorous monitoring...I know that...But they are just my house batteries, and they are located in the OEM location under my steps and easy to access for water level checks and they only cost me 82 bucks each at Sams...NO, these batteries will in the next year or two be replaced with another pair of Lifeline batteries like I have in my main solar system.....After they die....The LifeLine batts presently sell for about $360 each delivered.
Good luck with your system.....PLEASE study all there is to know about RV solar systems and equipment. There is lotsa sells hype out there, and lotsa stupid crap offered on these forums. So YOU will really be challenged doing your homework to end up with the very best system YOU require at the cheapest price with the best longevity, reliability and safety.
All I posted above is simply based on my studies and experience and my particular needs to assemble systems designed for my particular RV and usage requirements....It is JUST my selection...Yours will differ.
Please design your own system and post it and your selections and reasons, here. OK?
