Go Power solar for my new 284BHBE 2016 Eagle

[gtimmons]

All-

I am looking for a decent price 5 watt unit for my 284BHBE 2016 Eagle.
Recommendations?

Gary

[Mustang65]

Originally Posted by gtimmons

All-

I am looking for a decent price 5 watt unit for my 284BHBE 2016 Eagle.
Recommendations?

Gary

Do you want to keep your FULLY charged battery topped off while in storage? Charge your battery?

5 watts (about a 1/2 an amp) is produced in FULL BRIGHT SUN LIGHT. I do not recommend anything less than 20 or 30 watts, 50 watts is what I would look at. the sun may not shine for days or a week at a time, so that 5 watts will be producing nothing, where a 50 watt panel will be putting out a useable output.

You need a SOLAR charge controller also.

Don

[bansai]

Agreed. 5 watt panels are really too wimpy for RV charging, but if all you're planning on doing is keeping your battery at a decent float voltage, I guess it could work OK. With that small amount of power, you might not even need a charge controller. I don't see a panel that size cooking a large battery. You might even lose more than you gain, over time. You'd want to keep an eye on it for a week or so. The good thing is this approach is super cheap. Amazon has a ton of 20 dollar 5 watters.. I don't have any recommendations as to which one.

Between the smoke alarm / monoxide detector use, 'parasitic drain' and natural battery losses, not sure if it would keep up. Requires more math than I can do at this point in the week

Edit - just remembered something.. that 5 watt panel, on a good day, is only going to give you about a 0.5 to 1 amp hour to your battery. Not sure how big your battery is, but I'm guessing you are losing more than that with the battery just sitting there.

[Mustang65]

The problem with the inexpensive SOLAR panel kits is that when the sun goes down they become a load and discharge the battery. Most of these do not have a blocking diode installed in them. Eventually it becomes a losing battle. Especially in the Fall, Winter, Spring, when the sun is not shining as much on the SOLAR panels.

Don

The reduced output of my 250 watt panel is noticeable now, compared to June, July and early August's output. That .5 amps output will even be affected.

[gtimmons]

Tanks all for your input.