Home » Public Forums » GMCnet » Solar Panel Updates
| Solar Panel Updates [message #245030] |
Tue, 25 March 2014 15:59  |
RadioActiveGMC
Messages: 1020
Registered: November 2010
Location: Hot AZ desert
Karma: 0
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After always being laughed at and never knowing "anything" I rarely ever come on and support this site anymore. Its funny how all my crazy non working ideas have come together on a motorhome 30 years past its prime. I love how people turn this coach into a idol, and forget its just a old motorhome, with a cool unique design.
Anyway, I was laughed at for removing my smelling, stinking, loud, takes the peace out of camping onan, and installing a solar setup with battery bank. But it was absolutely the best upgrade I did and I will not stop preaching that people should get caught up with the modern era and stop thinking solar and wind is new fangled and odd.
I have never once not even one time, used a generator after installing my solar setup. I have two kids, and a wife and we have never had a need for a drop of extra power with just (4) 100w mono panels, (1) Mppt charge controller, and (6) 6v golf cart batteries. My other 100w panels are collecting dust since I never need to install them.
Taking out the old way out of date RV type furnace and replacing with with a fuel sipping Mr. Heater Buddy, yanking out the power sucker upper AC, with my TurboKool Swamp Cooler, and every light, fixture and appliance being low consumption I have never remotely run out of power.
I have ran for testing purposes (1)1400 watt microwaves (1) 550 watt microwave, a power saw, every light, my ice maker, swamp cooler, 115v fans, (2) 12v fans, all at the same time for so long that I got bored with the test and just realized I would never need more power. It fired up a 7000 btu Window ac with no problems. My low consumption ice machine makes tons of ice and works great on the panels.
While I do perfectly understand that having AC might be a deal killer depending on where you travel in humid areas, I freeze in AZ where I park my coach. But it is at 6400 ft. Down here in the desert, the swamp cooler worked but in the deep summer, during the afternoon 115 degrees with a black painted RV, I'll admit, I'd rather be outside then inside. But insulating the heck out of the GMC. Painting the roof with ceramic paint, tons of insulation, and I do have to use bubble insulation in the stock windows when its under 35 degrees for draft purposes, and over 90 when the sun is beaming, otherwise works great. Taking down the ceiling and insulating and armafoil ceiling might not look show quality, but it stops the heat, and doesn't look bad IMHO after I painted it.
Getting rid of the water heater and going EZ 101 instant water heater was a no brainer. Works so much better, and the water burns my fingers off!
My only regret is doing all this on the GMC and not a bigger coach. Maybe a 26 fter would of been better then the 23 ft, but I stink I would of gotten a minimum of a 28 ft conventional coach, since (2) adults, and (2) kids in a 23ft is a big snug.
But thats ok.
My next project is to remove that small propane tank and install a 100 gal one, and I have a new idea for water, but that will require a external tank and pump, hooked up to the coach but of course not attached.
For those who read this forum and get paranoid about "You have to balance the coach for drive-ability" That IMHO is full of bull. I have loaded the coach about every way possible, and it never affects the ride, when I switched to "OMG" steel belted tired! OMG NOT RAG WALLS! Soon as I switched to steel belted tires I can load my RV any way imaginable and it rides perfect. Of course you do have to follow the keep the back lower rule. Measuring the distance for air bags, never ever do it. Just fill the bags, till it even looks like the rear is slightly lower then the front and go. Tire pressure. 65 lbs all around never check them either and they ride perfect.
Its amazing how complicated this site makes owning a GMC seem. You can't do this, you have to do that. Don't use rubber fuel lines, OMG YOUR GOING TO DIE! MY rubber fuel lines don't leak a drop, I never have fuel issues, and my coach drives perfect. When I followed the advise of the "experts" man everything seemed to confusing. Why someone would have to bore themselves in sitting in seminar on GMCs while on vacation makes me scratch my head.
***"Gettin There"-1973 23' Sequoia-
Michael, Onans smell, "Go solar/wind power!"
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| Re: Solar Panel Updates [message #245054 is a reply to message #245030] |
Tue, 25 March 2014 16:47  |
Steve
Messages: 506
Registered: September 2013
Location: East Greenville, Pa
Karma: 1
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Senior Member |
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Hello Radioactive GMC,
I will have to commend you for your energy efficiency and ability to live off the grid. I think conservation is the only true long term answer to our energy needs. When you match conservation with solar you have a winning set up.
I have not been as extreme on the conservation side but have done many things to make my truck mounted camper as efficient as I can because we do more boon-docking where you could be off the grid for a week at a time. My furnace does require propane but it does not require the blower to be on so I can reduce my electrical consumption to LED lighting and running the water pump occasionally. That approach has worked well in fall, winter, and spring. Summer is a different story due to high humidity and I need the little Honda 2000 to power the AC. I had a swamp cooler that worked in the desert but not here in the East.
In the GMC I have just achieved a milestone in getting the old Onan up and functioning properly. To me the smell is the sweet smell of success. I cant imagine ditching the Onan, and will likely still travel with the Honda 2000.
To each their own. Just What I Did, your mileage may vary.
By the way, we are in the middle of a full on blizzard right now, wish I was in Prescott Arizona or Montgomery Texas.
1978 GMC Royal
Eastern Pennslyvania
1968 Chevrolet C20 396 Camper Special
1969 Chevrolet C20 Camper Special
1985 Buick Electra Park Avenue
1992 Camaro 25th Anniversary Heretage Edition Black
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| Re: Solar Panel Updates [message #245077 is a reply to message #245030] |
Tue, 25 March 2014 18:34 |
habbyguy
Messages: 896
Registered: May 2012
Location: Mesa, AZ
Karma: 3
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Senior Member |
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I am considering some more solar panels for my roof, but they'll never totally replace my 6500 watt Onan Emerald Plus (a much more modern, quieter, more efficient generator). When I look at the hours I have run the generator (around 50 hours total in nearly two years), most of them are on the road while keeping passengers comfortable on a blazing hot Arizona / Mexico day. There's just no way that would work with any reasonable number of golf cart batteries. Even better, I can kick on both rooftop A/C units to get the inside of the coach down from 120+ to a comfortable temperature in pretty short order.
But other than the need for "extreme A/C", I'd no doubt be able to get by with a system like the OP.
Mark Hickey
Mesa, AZ
1978 Royale Center Kitchen
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| Re: Solar Panel Updates [message #245094 is a reply to message #245030] |
Tue, 25 March 2014 20:54 |
RadioActiveGMC
Messages: 1020
Registered: November 2010
Location: Hot AZ desert
Karma: 0
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Senior Member |
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It is tough to imagine life without AC if I was using my coach on the road for long trips. The AZ desert gets really hot. I have reduced heat gain a lot insulating. Working on cooling the engine compartment and such. My coach is 50% black. If I had the cash or desire I really would paint it white. I used ceramic paint on the roof and it reflects a lot of heat. But all the insulation in the world in the AZ summer in the desert it's not enough.
Where we dry camp which is our only use for the gmc on undeveloped land up north at 6400 AC isn't needed. Maybe mid day in August for a hour or two AC would be nice but at that elevation and the lack of humidity the swamp cooler works really well. I have fired up a AC and can't imagine not being able to use a small AC to cool maybe the back for a few hrs would be difficult but really haven't needed it.
I have plans for the future and many would go with 48v or 24v system but thus far the 12v system for my needs have been great. Only 400w of panels works well cause all our appliances are super low consumption. I found the tiniest draw microwave, smallest ice machine, and LEDs they draw nothing even with all of them on. I endlessly am charging by batteries for my battery operated saw zaw. Instead of a chain saw I use a blade designed for tree branches and prune trees and such.
I'm really not doing it in any extreme way. But when i get away I like to hear myself think. I don't like bringing the noise with me I'm trying to escape. But we do have tvs if maybe it's raining or something. And at night steam video on the iPad via Netflix for the kids. When I travel remotely I bring a Large yagi beam, and a cellphone amp and can hit towers far far away. So if I have to work I have 4g internet and phone. So I have all the comforts of home/office but still have peace And quiet. Hearing a generator running knocking out the sound of the wind and birds isn't my form of relaxation. I think balance is needed for everything. If I ever have a need for a generator I'm not against maybe a honda, but I rather spend that money in more panels, or batteries.
***"Gettin There"-1973 23' Sequoia-
Michael, Onans smell, "Go solar/wind power!"
[Updated on: Tue, 25 March 2014 20:54] Report message to a moderator |
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| Re: Solar Panel Updates [message #245110 is a reply to message #245030] |
Tue, 25 March 2014 21:54 |
cbryan
Messages: 451
Registered: May 2012
Location: Ennis, Texas
Karma: 3
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Senior Member |
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Michael,
It's great to read about your successes. I think the path to cooler coaches is different in east Texas, where the humidity is so severe that swamp coolers are just steam baths. I could be wrong. I am a fan of good insulation. Not so much of reflective coatings, though you have tried that beaded stuff. What degree of effectiveness did that provide, in your opinion? I have heard about it, but not too many glowing reports. Was it worth the trouble?
I remember summers in Colorado at 4800 MSL where a swamp cooler made things cold and shivery on very hot days. Love that low humidity. Cool nights, too up there.
I think you can find differing opinions on our forum about most things and the more things seem different from common experience the more apparent disbelief you will find. I guess it is a law of human experience. If you are on the edge of the envelope, you just expect incredulity. It looks like you have pitched your tent on that edge and are just comfortable. Lots of us admire you and not all or even a large percentage of us have commented negatively. However, if it motivates you to try harder to prove the rest of the forum wrong, then I guess we are providing you a service by giving you a reason to prove us wrong. Glad to help.
I'm particularly interested in the solar setup. The wind tower seems iffy to me, but I guess if you don't have sun, you are at least more likely to have wind. West Texas has both at once.
Carey Bryan
Carey from Ennis, Texas
78 Royale, 500 Cadillac, Rance Baxter EFI.
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| Re: Solar Panel Updates [message #245114 is a reply to message #245030] |
Tue, 25 March 2014 22:15 |
RadioActiveGMC
Messages: 1020
Registered: November 2010
Location: Hot AZ desert
Karma: 0
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Senior Member |
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The negative forum members know who they are. They have ran enough off to make the gmc forum a club for those who agree with their antiquated ways and lack of open minded approach. It's certainly not the majority. But the minority is makes it so miserable for people to be open and honest on the forum the gmc community loses greatly out on a massive amount of knowledge because people, are to afraid to speak openly cause the " group " will yield judgement and make you feel like a outcast. It's a forum and can be run how ever the big cheeses in the boys club wish. But honestly if people feel strongly that the gmc should have a future and be preserved then instead of knocking new ideas down they should be allowed to be discussed in a non judgmental way. Otherwise one day the gmc motorhome will be a item in the field with grass growing through it. People take many hobbies and think change is bad ruin the hobby then complain why new ones aren't attracted to joining the ranks. But the same hardcore lover of the hobby should look at the mirror and realize they are causing the hobby to disappear with their close minded approach. New ideas drive society and sooner or later those with knowledge die. But hopefully the hobbies that were being supported by those with knowledge don't die along with them.
Anyway, I agree. Swamp cooling is not the way to go in humid places. There's no debate about that. If I full timed it in a humid zone of the USA, I would really have to come up with a different plan. It would never include a loud smelly old onan. But the Hondas and yamahas and some others are well worth the investment.
The ceramic paint works wonders. There's no debate about it. Stand on top of my gmc in the summer and the reflected heat will cook you. The ceiling in my gmc while it was parked in the desert radiated a ton of heat. I mean holding your hand on the ceiling the heat was amazing. Ceramic paint, its 80% cooler of course that's not a scientific 90%! Proven by graphs and charts. I was told by gmcers how bad a idea it was to use cause its ugly. Well while they roast my coach stays cool and never not once has a single person mentioned anything about my roof when looking at it. If you question using it maybe buy a small pint sized version and try it on something and if it works well then you will know. But as for me it works terrific and has helped a lot. I didn't prep my roof as well as I would of and it's not held up exactly as it should of. I didn't clean and prep the roof like I should of. But it holds up amazing well, for rolling right over dirt and silicone that was up there!
***"Gettin There"-1973 23' Sequoia-
Michael, Onans smell, "Go solar/wind power!"
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| Re: Solar Panel Updates [message #245119 is a reply to message #245030] |
Tue, 25 March 2014 23:05 |
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WildBill
Messages: 232
Registered: January 2014
Karma: 1
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Senior Member |
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Radio actives stuff is the kind of stuff I like to read about. I want my home to be a boon docker. Original gmc it's not, at this point the only originally wiring is to the tail lights, bag solenoids and engine and more of that will be replaced in the near future. I see the benefits of running the roof air while I driving in hot climates and hope to get to those eventually so keeping consideration for a nice quiet inverter generator however perhaps I can do it with a big honkin alternator off the engine and inverter. Want solar panels, want to be able to live without noise if possible.
Ceramic paint.. You have a link? Does it seal well as well?
[Updated on: Tue, 25 March 2014 23:06] Report message to a moderator |
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| Re: Solar Panel Updates [message #245123 is a reply to message #245030] |
Tue, 25 March 2014 23:23 |
RadioActiveGMC
Messages: 1020
Registered: November 2010
Location: Hot AZ desert
Karma: 0
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Senior Member |
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The paint I used if I remember correctly is called black jack. It's sold at Home Depot. It was expensive but I used a fraction of the amount I thought I'd need. It seals great. Since its elastomer it's expands and contracts well.
***"Gettin There"-1973 23' Sequoia-
Michael, Onans smell, "Go solar/wind power!"
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| Re: Solar Panel Updates [message #245128 is a reply to message #245030] |
Wed, 26 March 2014 01:41 |
RadioActiveGMC
Messages: 1020
Registered: November 2010
Location: Hot AZ desert
Karma: 0
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Senior Member |
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They sell different colors if I recall from the manufacturer. I remember, but they were less reflective.
***"Gettin There"-1973 23' Sequoia-
Michael, Onans smell, "Go solar/wind power!"
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