Need help with Electrical system

[KateB]

Bought a converted Skoolie. The seller also gave me the 4 solar panels she had intentions of adding. Skoolie has 50 amp for shore power hook up. I’d like to add the solar but not sure what I need besides the batteries (I'm sure I'm missing many components. Anyone know business that set up solar for motorhomes near south Philadelphia or even south Jersey? Every where I've called says they only deal with homes and commercial buildings. Thanks in advance.

[dzl_]

Originally Posted by KateB

Bought a converted Skoolie. The seller also gave me the 4 solar panels she had intentions of adding. Skoolie has 50 amp for shore power hook up. I’d like to add the solar but not sure what I need besides the batteries (I'm sure I'm missing many components. Anyone know business that set up solar for motorhomes near south Philadelphia or even south Jersey? Every where I've called says they only deal with homes and commercial buildings. Thanks in advance.

If you plan to do any of the electrical work yourself, then your quite capable of doing the solar portion. If you prefer to pay someone, I'm sure there are plenty of electricians and/or solar installers that might be interested in extra work right now, but personally if I were going to pay an expert for any single part of the electrical, it would definitely be the AC side of things and shore power connection since that has the greatest ability to kill someone, or the grounding system.

The basic components you need for solar are:
1. PV panels
2. An MPPT solar charge controller
3. A battery bank
4. Properly sized stranded copper wire rated for outdoor/UV and a circuit breaker or two

If you want to power AC (household) appliances from your battery bank and don't already have a way to do so, you will also need a pure sine wave inverter.

Here one example of a basic 400W solar setup:
Video
Written guide

Another beginner resource

[KateB]

Thank you!

[dzl_]

No prob, if you have any further questions, I'm happy to help if I can

[GourdGoddessRenae]

Originally Posted by dzl_

If you plan to do any of the electrical work yourself, then your quite capable of doing the solar portion. If you prefer to pay someone, I'm sure there are plenty of electricians and/or solar installers that might be interested in extra work right now, but personally if I were going to pay an expert for any single part of the electrical, it would definitely be the AC side of things and shore power connection since that has the greatest ability to kill someone, or the grounding system.

The basic components you need for solar are:
1. PV panels
2. An MPPT solar charge controller
3. A battery bank
4. Properly sized stranded copper wire rated for outdoor/UV and a circuit breaker or two

If you want to power AC (household) appliances from your battery bank and don't already have a way to do so, you will also need a pure sine wave inverter.

Here one example of a basic 400W solar setup:
Video
Written guide

Another beginner resource

This is a wonderful Explanation for me (newbie). Thank you so much!

[Doktari]

Careful when you buy your lead acid batteries. Buy them last. Ive seen a lot of ruined lead acid batteries that have sat for a year or two because the owner didn’t get around to installing the energy system.
Also, the battery chemistry determines the type of equipment you need. If you go with lithium batteries look for equipment designed for lithium.
Also if you are going with only solar panels then you need enough of them. I charge with solar, grid, generator, and alternator. The equipment list is longer for my system than plain solar.
Also your equipment list will depend on what voltage and power requirements you have. Will you use a 12, 24, or 48 volt system?