Grid interactive RV

[CraziFuzzy]

So, I have a few different wishes that are converging.

- I have a 25 ft travel trailer that is used once a month or so about 9-10 months of the year. The rest of the time it is parked along side my house.

- Now that my wife is getting more accustomed to RV live, we have started doing more dry camping. This has led me to increase the battery storage on the RV (currently 2 golf cart batteries)

- To aid in the off-grid stay time, I'd like to add a few solar panels to keep the battery charged, and minimize messing with a portable generator.

- I also would like to install an inverter in the RV to allow some infrequent use of 110 appliances (coffee maker, microwave, etc) off the now solar maintained batteries.

So, this means I'm looking at buying:
Solar Panels
Charge Controller
Inverter
Associated mounts and cables

This looks an awful like a compete off-grid solar system, which makes sense.

So, here's the rub. MOST the year, the RV is sitting on the side of the house, connected to a 120V/30A outlet. It seems to me it might make even more sense, with all this going in at once, to instead make the system grid-interactive, which would provide the ability to sell excess solar back to the grid as the RV is parked (technically, it would just be offsetting my house loads). The first 12V grid interactive inverter I've come across is the Outback GFX1312, which looks like it will do the job quite nicely (which it should for its ample price tag), but I'm wondering what other offerings are out there.

Also, any opinions on this plan?

[Wy_White_Wolf]

To start you need to contact your Power Company and county/city code inforcement to see if they will allow such a hookup.

WW

[Sunking]

I seriously doubt any utility would allow it.

[mschulz]

Great plan in theory but its never going to happen if you live in the lower 48 states. 1) They will want a hard wired system. 2) They are going charge you $$$ for the permits and to do the inspection. 3) They will red tag your house if they catch you trying to do it with out the inspection and permits. 4) you will not be able to put enough PV on your trailer to cover the costs of (2).

For your dry camping, forget your solar and battery system is you want to run a coffee maker, microwave, toaster. You will not even be able to run one of those. You need Generator. If you can live with out those items, solar panel could help keep your system charged.

[CraziFuzzy]

For your dry camping, forget your solar and battery system is you want to run a coffee maker, microwave, toaster. You will not even be able to run one of those. You need Generator. If you can live with out those items, solar panel could help keep your system charged.

I have a generator. The idea is to minimize its use. And to say you can't use a coffee maker, or microwave on an inverter is silly. Larger rigs have ample battery and inverter systems and are easily able to handle these tasks. The average RV microwave only draws about 1200VA, and is used an average of 2 minutes at a time. A keurig style coffee maker draws 1400VA, and the heating element is only on for about a minute or two per cup of coffee brewed. Obviously, those would not work great with the little 1300VA inverter I was looking at using, but those aren't really my ideal usage, and in most cases, I probably would fire up the generator for those uses. My primary draw when dry camping is the furnace blower, which is well under the capacity of the inverter. Still, the fact that the Outback has a generator assist feature would allow it to keep the speed (noise) of the generator at a minimum when I do need to use hig power appliances. I've also had issues with my smaller 2000W generator not being able to supply the microwave at high altitudes, due to significantly lower capacity, and the generator boost would allow me to still use those features.

Ultimately, the grid-interactive feature was to help pay for the better inverter and probably a larger array. On my 25 foot box, I can easily fit 700W of panel. This is not something that makes financial sense on an RV, unless it can be used full time.

[mschulz]

I have a generator. The idea is to minimize its use. And to say you can't use a coffee maker, or microwave on an inverter is silly. Larger rigs have ample battery and inverter systems and are easily able to handle these tasks. The average RV microwave only draws about 1200VA, and is used an average of 2 minutes at a time. A keurig style coffee maker draws 1400VA, and the heating element is only on for about a minute or two per cup of coffee brewed. Obviously, those would not work great with the little 1300VA inverter I was looking at using, but those aren't really my ideal usage, and in most cases, I probably would fire up the generator for those uses. My primary draw when dry camping is the furnace blower, which is well under the capacity of the inverter. Still, the fact that the Outback has a generator assist feature would allow it to keep the speed (noise) of the generator at a minimum when I do need to use hig power appliances. I've also had issues with my smaller 2000W generator not being able to supply the microwave at high altitudes, due to significantly lower capacity, and the generator boost would allow me to still use those features.

Ultimately, the grid-interactive feature was to help pay for the better inverter and probably a larger array. On my 25 foot box, I can easily fit 700W of panel. This is not something that makes financial sense on an RV, unless it can be used full time.

Sound like you have it all figured out. Good luck.

[jimindenver]

Great plan in theory but its never going to happen if you live in the lower 48 states. 1) They will want a hard wired system. 2) They are going charge you $$$ for the permits and to do the inspection. 3) They will red tag your house if they catch you trying to do it with out the inspection and permits. 4) you will not be able to put enough PV on your trailer to cover the costs of (2).

For your dry camping, forget your solar and battery system is you want to run a coffee maker, microwave, toaster. You will not even be able to run one of those. You need Generator. If you can live with out those items, solar panel could help keep your system charged.

I beg to differ. Lots and I mean lots of people use solar for dry camping.

We exclusively dry camp in a 25 ft trailer and our 720w system allows for use of a 1375w microwave, auto drip coffee maker, hair dryer, vacuum, TV/sat, even a window shaker even though it is rarely needed at 10,000 FT. Our banks are small and we use little over night but in the day time the 50a @ 12v the solar puts out keeps the sag down for the short runs of larger loads, smaller loads like the furnace wont even bring the batteries out of float. The air conditioner uses less than 400w once started, it runs as long as the sun shines. Our system is portable and tracking so it gets as much as possible whenever the sun does shine.

Don't need all the toys as in coffee can be made on the stove ya know. we started out with a 230w panel before we had a big inverter. that was more than enough and let me tell you, even in mid summer it get down in the 30s at night. we like the stat at 74* so the furnace runs a lot. We do have LED lighting so that helps.

So do you HAVE to have a generator? Not in decent weather and I don't find sitting in a 200 sq ft box for a week while it rains much fun. Our generator sits at home and gets exercised once a month. I wish it were a inverter type as I can't stand the sound. The problem is that at 10,000 ft it takes a monster to run the roof top air. Any of the popular 2800w inverter generators peter out around 8000 ft and a 3500/4000 will just get the job done if the converter is off but man does it suck the gas.

[CraziFuzzy]

So do you HAVE to have a generator? Not in decent weather and I don't find sitting in a 200 sq ft box for a week while it rains much fun. Our generator sits at home and gets exercised once a month. I wish it were a inverter type as I can't stand the sound. The problem is that at 10,000 ft it takes a monster to run the roof top air. Any of the popular 2800w inverter generators peter out around 8000 ft and a 3500/4000 will just get the job done if the converter is off but man does it suck the gas.

That's one reason the Outback GFX1312 is so appealing. The generator assist will kick in and supplement the generator for high power loads, like AC. At high altitude, the generator cannot start the A/C, though it would be able to maintain it. If i had the inverter, I could set the max amp draw from the generator at a comfortable level depending on what altitude I'm at, and it will help out when load exceeds that amount.

[SunEagle]

That's one reason the Outback GFX1312 is so appealing. The generator assist will kick in and supplement the generator for high power loads, like AC. At high altitude, the generator cannot start the A/C, though it would be able to maintain it. If i had the inverter, I could set the max amp draw from the generator at a comfortable level depending on what altitude I'm at, and it will help out when load exceeds that amount.

The Outback G series inverter/chargers are nice (but expensive) equipment for a Hybrid Grid Tie system. I could be wrong but the problem I see is that your POCO may not allow one of those inverters to be connected to their Grid if it is mounted in a "moveable" structure like your Travel Trailer. You need to check with them for what equipment and installation requirements are allowed for a grid tie system

[thastinger]

Seems like a complicated life to me. I don't have a single panel on our camper, just doesn't make sense to pay for the solar capacity and seldom use it. As soon as we get to the campsite, I turn the key on our Yamaha 3000ISEB and it runs on eco mode until we pull chocks. If not running the AC, it'll run 44 hours on 3.5 gal of gas, only thing on propane is the water heater.

[SunEagle]

Seems like a complicated life to me. I don't have a single panel on our camper, just doesn't make sense to pay for the solar capacity and seldom use it. As soon as we get to the campsite, I turn the key on our Yamaha 3000ISEB and it runs on eco mode until we pull chocks. If not running the AC, it'll run 44 hours on 3.5 gal of gas, only thing on propane is the water heater.

While I support the use of solar technology I agree with you. Better to keep it simple and low cost.

Some people believe that they need to use solar to be "Green" and don't like the idea of using any type of fossil fuel power generation. While up front this sounds nice but they do not realized the true costs associated with that Technology.

If you can keep your loads low then the costs aren't too high but once you add the creature comforts (AC, Micro, Coffee maker) to your loads the price for a solar/battery power source goes through the roof.

[mschulz]

While I support the use of solar technology I agree with you. Better to keep it simple and low cost.

Some people believe that they need to use solar to be "Green" and don't like the idea of using any type of fossil fuel power generation. While up front this sounds nice but they do not realized the true costs associated with that Technology.

If you can keep your loads low then the costs aren't too high but once you add the creature comforts (AC, Micro, Coffee maker) to your loads the price for a solar/battery power source goes through the roof.

Exactly- It really comes down to an excel spreadsheet. If saying you have solar panels on your roof helps justifying paying 4 times more for energy, then by all means go for it. "Keep it Simple Stupid" E. Deming comes to mind on this one.

[SunEagle]

Exactly- It really comes down to an excel spreadsheet. If saying you have solar panels on your roof helps justifying paying 4 times more for energy, then by all means go for it. "Keep it Simple Stupid" E. Deming comes to mind on this one.

Of course I took this stand after I spent $2500 to build a portable solar/battery system to be used at home or at my RV. Live and learn.

[Sunking]

Of course I took this stand after I spent $2500 to build a portable solar/battery system to be used at home or at my RV. Live and learn.

Well that is why we try to educate folks first. You were not a Happy Camper when you first came here. Most folks do not want to hear reality as it does not fit their agenda and beliefs. It is not Politically Correct to be honest and open. People prefer to be lied to so they feel good.

[CraziFuzzy]

The high cost just for 'camping convenience' was the reason I was looking to tie it to the house. This takes the cost aspect out of the equation, and it becomes 'do i want to save on my electric bill at home while ALSO gaining the ability to camp without worrying about hearing the generator'. I also, realize, don't have a built-in generator on my trailer, it's a portable that takes setup, pull start, etc.