If you have a RV solar system get this if you don’t have a shunt-based battery monitor.
If you are planning on installing a solar system on your RV, buy this first. It can be used to determine your energy needs before buying solar panels. I will be publishing a guide on how to size a solar system in a few days.
This post will explain what a battery monitor is and how to install and set up a TriMetric Battery Monitor.
Electric engines are the most efficient means of moving heavy loads. So an electric tow vehicle might just be the perfect tow vehicle! Or is it?
Back in June of 2020 we installed a solar system to combat the drastically increasing rate hikes. How has it worked out? Pretty good.
I upgraded our travel trailer’s 225AH (amp hour) battery bank with a 300AH lithium iron phosphate (LiFePo4) battery. This post will share why I made this decision, what I have learned about lithium batteries, some challenges of installation (it wasn’t a simple battery replacement), the significant differences between lithium and flooded lead-acid batteries, and the changes one may have to make to their own systems to maximize their installation.
The conversation is about large batteries (capacity greater than 100 amp hours) that are appropriate for RV use.
Continue reading Upgrading an RV Battery Bank with Lithium (LiFePo4) Batteries
I have been an advocate of solar power for almost 20 years, ever since we installed our first solar system on our camper in 2003 and then on our next two campers. Solar isn’t for everyone and it isn’t applicable for every situation.
Back at the end 2016, after we completed extensive energy efficiency upgrades to our house, I asked posed the question is a post here (click for link), “Is home solar lipstick on a pig?” What this means, is solar just a Band-Aid for an energy inefficient home. I was advocating that homeowners should address the inefficiencies in their house before installing a solar system. I also mentioned that after a full year of data, after our energy upgrades, I would re-evaluate solar for us.
Given the accelerating costs of electricity rates, we decided to install a solar system. Continue reading House Solar Install