Will this solar scenario work as an ongoing power solution?

RogerC

We've got a 2021 TAB 320 and could use some advice from a solar expert regarding battery re-charging requirements.  

We're in the process of moving to Northern California, where I'll need an office to work in daily while our home is being built.  The best location to park the camper is 200 feet away from our temporary electrical post.  For several reasons, just one being the $500-$800 cost of a capable 8 gauge extension cord, I'd rather not deal with running a cord to it. 

Our TAB has the factory roof-mounted solar panel that should get sun from 11AM-3PM.  I'm considering buying a 4-panel solar suitcase unit with the specs shown below, along with the current installed TAB battery specs:

Battery:  

Solar Suitcase:



My equipment usage will mostly be a laptop computer setup with a 34" external monitor and occasionally a small 12 Amp room heater for a couple of hours a day (we'll be near the coast, so it's cold in the morning year-round).   Those would be in addition to the TAB's room lighting in the morning and refrigerator all day and night. 

I can limit my total daily usage to 6 hours a day (with the exception of the refrigerator running full-time). 

Can anyone help me understand how to determine if I should be able to maintain the battery charge on a daily basis with only the camper battery and a 4-panel suitcase?    

My thought is, I could also run a 14 or 16 gauge 200 ft extension cord if that can be used to trickle charge the battery overnight.   

pthomas745

That is a "Group 24" battery, rated at "about" 80 amp hours. In order to keep the battery as healthy as possible, you should limit the amp hours used to 50 percent of the capacity...or about 40 amp hours.

During the day, with decent sun, that 120 watt panel might get you 5 amps per hour into the battery on a nice sunny summer day.  In the winter....and with lower sun angles....your solar may only provide about 3 amps per hour.  For a laptop, with sun hitting the panel and the battery reasonably charged up, you should have no issues with that 40 amp hour limitation.  In many cases, your solar input will match the laptop's power use, or close to it.

But...the 12 amp heater will be problematic.  If it does use 12 amps, and doesn't cycle on and off, your solar and battery combo is too small by a lot.  Even more: how will you plug in the portable heater?  Do you have an inverter in your trailer hard wired to the battery?  Or, what is your plan to power the heater? I use small inverters plugged into the 12V "ports" inside the trailer, with the caveat that the 12V ports are limited to a 15 amp fused circuit.

Your plan should include using the Alde on propane for heat, and not a portable heater.

What you want to do will work with your laptop and the panel you show in the photo.  There are many ways to measure and test the amount of power a laptop actually uses, and to do what you want effectively, using one of the devices that measure power use for appliances will help you a lot.

And: if that battery is the original trailer battery: a lithium upgrade to a 100 amp hour battery will effectively double your battery "available amp hours".

I have one of these sort of "home energy monitors" that I use to measure items I wish to use in the trailer.

https://www.amazon.com/Electricity-Monitor-Consumption-Analyzer-Monitoring/dp/B08LD53F3P?crid=2S4QJWQYXIOTC&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.YamiuMumYESNeDs0zLsRSlKFEiSZ0ESgb0E8_NKjHR4i83pAyDKOYiVANBCJpjcTUqfieBDHl5uIf9GXqkHqixLO9oy-fuWJ6FaheWZCrfJ7ysEj7WyO04JxH339qz0U5NI2nufBGM9EDhtF5nXT0L7zCn_yrmPfEOoJ_bwqdj0C4POW_KmcB6GdevzhHwSSfak0JX9DAxfrc-ZLbjdNI9iR7STEGy3M7opz6QtNTWG5_8pZKhBzQ5_5s1ys3Le-pSBHeVcjYyPcAmTpSXqdCLMEmon4dEql_3mnfRYjQfI.i_tK9eH96oNi5_8e1XVMPW-I5WKhWjohsqyjxPN_JQ8&dib_tag=se&keywords=home+energy+monitor&qid=1751667126&sprefix=home+energy,aps,166&sr=8-34

TourDeForth

Well, this isn’t an answer but just an observation, I have that battery, there’s no way it can run an electric heater for two hours even with all the extra solar attached. (I’m assuming it’s an AC heater and you’ll be using an inverter to power it from your 12 volt system.)

a small inverter generator would satisfy all your energy requirements and be much cheaper than the solar panels…

WayneW

A few thoughts. That battery likely will need to be replaced soon anyway, so upgrade to 100ah lithium as @pthomas745 suggested. You’ll love the features of the lithium battery. Then buy a 12/3 200 ft cord to run a 10 amp battery charger that will supplement the rooftop solar if needed. And as @pthomas745 also suggested, use the Alde for heat. Thats what it’s designed for and it uses very little juice. It’s quiet and comfortable. You should be set, rain or shine, for about $500-600 and you won’t have to worry about moving panels or filling up a generator. 

MuttonChops

IMHO . . . don't go for solar, use ROMEX 10-guage instead of 'portable' pricey extension cord.

Make your own 'extension cord  for half or less than price of an 'official extension cord'.

Power needs:
 - - Alde on  electric #1 [ 950watts ] for a few hours per day.
 - - Work laptop ~ 160 watts all day
So let's be conservative and say 1400 watts worse case.
At 120VAC that's ~12 Amps

250 feet of Romex 10-gauge will cost ~ $375 and can handle more than your 12 Amp load

Add in the Power Post & Trailer "plugs" and you have a power source.

{{ improve your power need calculation and might be able to use smaller Romex }}

WayneW

I like it!  A simple straightforward solution for a temporary office.