Solar vs Generator use

[JIMBO]

:sombrero: Mine is really simple, I pull a TENTRAX and my only Battery draw, is my ENGLE 35 and lights at night,Radio, now and then an air compressor for the tires or air mattress's

Going solar has one addt'l advantage for some; it's just fun. For some reason, I find powering off the sun's rays pleasing. I guess it harkens back to childhood fascination with the sun and electronics. Like Martyn said, it is really about having a plan--and that can be fun too.

I have 2 group 31 AGM's and a smart charger
http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=20061
for keeping batteries all juiced up and well conditioned --back up #1 is shore power. With the loads we use (LEDs for camp lighting, Engel, and swamp cooler) we have more than enough reserve -- back up #2. So I'm just playing around with keeping ahead of it with my 80-watt panel . And, with one exception early on, I always have. I had fun learning from that experience--tweaking my system and adjusting my routine. I like monitoring the amps generated and how that varies depending on ambient temp and altitude. Now it's like a sub-hobby within the whole camping experience. I love going out for a day of exploring and coming back to camp with two fully charged batteries ready to go each evening. If it's rainy or cloudy, I know I have the reserve to handle it until a sunny day. :victory:

So my 60 watt solar panel (thru 7 amp controller) keeps EVERYTHING functioning during the day and automatically recharges the ONE battery I have in the TENTRAX and I NEVER use my JEEP Battery, so any battery loss won't effect my vehicle

:coffeedrink::smiley_drive::safari-rig::safari-rig: JIMBO

 

[BigJim]

How much current will you be drawing?

A 400 dollar generator can output 3500 watts of 120 VAC. It will be noisy, smelly and obnoxious.
That is nearly the equivalent of 292 DC Amps at 12 VDC.

To get the equivalent power from solar you will need most of the money remaining in your 401K.
Panels, sunlight, batteries, inverter etc.

I enjoy both.

But I run a small 120 VAC Sine wave inverter. Nice and quiet. I run any appliance or lights on 12 VDC when possible. If I want to use my electric blanket I just switch on my inverter.

I have solar power on my "to do (eventually)" list for my trailer, and the PowerFilm unit is quite intriguing.

However, and I hate to start a debate that may need it's own thread, the cost-benefit analysis between solar and a small Honda or Yamaha dino-powered generator is keeping me stuck in the "planning" stage.

Cost/Benefit
Sure, I know that solar is silent, renewable energy, but the initial cost of the panel and controller is about $250-300 dollars more than the used-but-not-abused Honda and Yamaha generators that I have found on CraigsList and other Internet sources. At $2.17/gal for regular (what I paid this morning), I could run more than 100 gallons through a small generator before the cost of generator plus fuel would equal the initial purchase price of a solar system.

My calculations of anticipated generator usage suggest that that I would use approximately 1 gallon of fuel per 2-day weekend (and likely less), with that use primarily if not entirely during daylight hours or other times that other nearby vehicles are already operating or the sound of the generator would not disturb others. Since my trailer typically gets out no more than one weekend each month (10 months of the year), plus about two weeks in the summer, it appears that I could operate a small generator for 4 years + before the acquisition and operating cost would equal the initial purchase price of a solar system.

Noise
I know one of the main arguments in favor of solar vs. a generator is the lack of noise. However, those of us on this board are typically engaged in "mechanized expeditions" where there is already vehicle noise. I am having a difficult time reconciling the argument in favor of "silent energy" with the reality that a small Honda generator, used responsibly, isn't going to add much if anything to the ambient noise of an offroading weekend. In fact, such a generator makes less noise than the vehicles we use to get offroad.

Versatility
There are times that I need 110v and don't have access to "shore power." (Power outages, projects beyond the reach of extension cords, quickly charging other people's batteries (and some of my own) , etc.) It seems to me that the versatility of a generator is a plus.

Ease of Packing
The flat solar panels are bulky, and the configuration of my trailer is such that it is actually more of a problem to find space for a flat solar panel than a small generator. The folding panels are another story, but until the larger capacity folding solar panels have been long-term tested for durability, I will have to reserve judgment.

Those are just my thoughts. What are yours?

 

[adventureduo]

Well, someone just made up my mind for me. A friend of mine (the PO of the SMB) wants to sell me his Honda EU2000i for $450.00. He's used it a handful of times

Guess my decision is made over solar panels. Shoot.

Now i just plug in the SMB whenever i need shore power. No install needed.

 

[CSG]

I know this is an old thread but I wanted to make a comment on the solar vs. generator thing. I would love solar on my camping van but it would be expensive and useless for the two main needs I have. One is to run the microwave. My Honda EU2000 will run for 1-10 minutes if we're making something. The other reason is because I've got an a/c unit in the van that needs AC or the generator to run. Lastly, I can charge the van group 27 batteries if needed.

I don't like generators anymore than the guys who want peace and quiet but as we tend to camp alone anyways, it's a moot point. When camping with kids, the microwave is a godsend.

 

[UNI]

We have both, Brunton foldable solar panels and a Yamaha 1000 watt generator. We mainly base camp and explore from there. Here in the midwest (Missouri/Arkansas Ozarks) we have lots & lots of trees (Thick canopy). So its hard (Not impossible, but hard to find) a campsite that has consistant sun light (Unless we're camping in a field). So we need both options to keep our batteries charged. I know several of you have pictures posted of your campsites out west with open skies, but for the most part that isn't the case here in the ozarks. We even have trees on top of our Ozark mountains, there is no tree line here. Don't get me wrong we love our trees here in the Ozarks, but solar panels alone are not the total answer in this part of the country.

We are in here, can you find us. (If you were flying overhead, It would be like trying to find Waldo) :sombrero:

Note: This pic was taken in early spring, before all the trees were in full leaf.