upgrade on board batteries or add solar

[Lance990]

I have an even better reason to run solar. I was in remote northern Nevada when my alternator quit. With a single 120 watt panel and Ctek D250s controller, I drove over 500 miles with no alternator. The system was charging my starting battery enough to run the engine and maintain 13.5 volts. I drove from Tonopah, Nevada to Laughlin and then from Laughlin to Southern California.

I can do the same thing but I have a Blue Seas Automatic Charging Relay (ACR) that will charge either side when a charging source is present and disconnect when the voltage on both sides drops to 12.75 volts. This way, I don't run my truck battery down using the camper, but it will charge the truck battery with the solar panel when the solar is charging. Best money I ever spent!

 

[Mighty Dodge Ram]

I have an even better reason to run solar. I was in remote northern Nevada when my alternator quit. With a single 120 watt panel and Ctek D250s controller, I drove over 500 miles with no alternator. The system was charging my starting battery enough to run the engine and maintain 13.5 volts. I drove from Tonopah, Nevada to Laughlin and then from Laughlin to Southern California.

My GEN light came on in town (not in the boonies!) and volt-meter started showing a drop in power. 45 minutes later and only one busted knuckle and I take the core in for a replacement tomorrow. I would have been screwed anywhere else. That's a great story!

 

[dizzyspots]

Doron is still in Vail...I lived around the corner from him until we moved out to Mescal...he's a good guy!

 

[deminimis]

It's an old thread, so you've likely made your decision. Batts first, then solar, in my opinion. If you can fit 31s, then I'd rec that. If you can service them, I'd rec that, over AGM (look at the specs for the same group batts from the same mfr and you'll see the difference in performance b/t wet and AGM). If I recall correctly, you'll want around 200 A/hrs before going crazy with solar. Over did mine with 420 a/hrs and 590w of solar, but I like to have a lot of juice. A 160w panel and a pair of Deka DC31DT batts (for 210 A/hrs) and you'll be golden in Baja. We survived Baja with just a single 110w panel and two DC31DT bats just fine (but we weren't inverting then and have since gone a little over the top). If you have a Sam's Club where you live, they were rebranding the DC31DT batts (Duracell) and selling them really cheap (well under $100, if I recall). No Sam's Club here, so I have no clue if they still have them. I did notice a pallet of rebranded batts going out of the Portland Deka branch when I picked up my last pair, so maybe. I think they do have the correct model designation of the rebranded batts, so that helps if going that route.