Dry Camping with Solar

I haven't yet purchased a coach but am leaning towards a '96-'97 Liberty. I plan to be a full-timer and hope to spend a lot of time off-grid exploring places less travelled. If I go with a Liberty coach I figure I'll have plenty of roof space for solar panels. I also want to have OTR air. Please feel free to jump in if there is another Prevost converter who might be better suited for a lot of dry camping/full-timing duties.

I've searched the POG posts which talked about solar but the ones I could find were fairly dated back when solar was more of a novelty. There have been a lot of improvements in solar technology in just the past 2 or 3 years which I think justifies a good look and consideration for someone who wants to spend a lot of time boondocking or dry camping.

Can someone who has installed solar on their coach please let me know your thoughts on the technology? What type of a solar setup do you have? Who installed the solar? Does it meet your needs when dry camping? What would you have done different? Anything else that would be helpful for me to know while I'm still kicking the tires?

Thanks.

p.s. Admin...I'm not sure if I picked the correct place for this post. If not, please work your magic to move it where it needs to be. Thanks

Kevin,

This is an older post, but it has some good pros and cons about Solar. http://forum.prevostownersgroup.com/...ighlight=solar

This is an article from a company about solar in a bus application: http://www.muniac.com/Power1.html

Thanks. I was reading that same POG post and looking at that muniac blog yesterday. That's a pretty nice solar setup those muniacs have on their coach. I especially like the flow chart diagram they put together. As my brain fills to capacity with useless knowledge I find pictures with arrows are always helpful.

If u want to boon dock and be off grid in a liberty in the summer solar reguvination of the batteries would be very bennificial in keeping the water in the fresh water tank cool. If hot out and running gen for a prolonged period with a liberty will make it diffkcult to keep any cold water with a generator in the plumbing bay. Vogue same issue.

Once u get north of mid 90s after 2 or 3 days if u r not going thru water and replentishing it it will get pretty hot and imho hot enough to be a nuisance.

I have showered in a liberty with the valve totally on cold and the water totally hot a few years back during an extended trip thru Tx. In the heat of summer.

Imo the general responce from most prevo guys on solar is normally not very receptive. ive seen solar fabrjc they make blinds out of it. Someome should do the topside of awnings with it. Good luck with your search.

Heating of the fresh water due to high outside temps is something that I hadn't thought of. I can see where that could be a problem if you want cold water but also how it could also be a benefit in saving electricity by not having to run the water heater as much. I guess that's all the most reason to go where the temps are moderate.

It seems like heating of the fresh water tank would be an issue that would affect most motorhomes, coaches, buses, etc., unless the fresh water tank is insulated from the outside temperature. Even then it would eventually heat up unless the coach a/c has a duct that is able to cool the tank. I know there are bay/tank heaters, but are there bay/tank coolers?

I didn't know there were blinds made out of solar. Doesn't surprise me. They don't sound like they would be all that efficient. I agree with you, there is a lot of real estate on the topside of the awnings that would be perfect for solar. I think they'll come a day when we'll be able to cover most any surface with solar cells. Heck, I've seen where they're making clothes that will recharge a cell phone. I guess it's just a matter of time.

Another thing to think about. If its mid 70s out or hotter but your bus is in the sun and your boondocking probably the gen and a couple air conditioners would be nessessary and that does not lend itself well to long term boondocking either. If shade is available most folks with the beautiful paint as most libertys r avoid trees so that is also a paradox.



Get a bus with as many windows that open as possible many have imho way too few.