Ray, I could talk a bit about solar at a future western rally, but the value to most POG members won't justify the cost. Reducing generator run time a little will never save enough to pay for the panels. You've gotta be obsessed with quiet living to warrant spending the money and you really need a coach that isn't all electric. I'm now working to silence the jet roar of my AquaHot by tying in my solar water heating panels, but that's another story.

Bruce, If you can stay under the max height limit, a thin raiseable (and tiltable) 8'x12' deck roof of solar panels would be worth some engineering effort. Yes, my panels tilt to double the output in the winter months.

My solar panels are the BP 44 cell AM100's, http://www.amsolar.com/am100.html. They DO outperform other panels when used with this controller at 24 volts: http://www.blueskyenergyinc.com/sb3048.htm. I use a Xantrex echo~charge, http://www.xantrex.com/web/id/103/p/1/pt/8/product.asp, to keep my starting batteries charged. All are available from John Palmer of (shameless commercial plug) Palmer Energy Systems (http://jolynenterprises.com/) who will install everything for you or let you stay at his place in Lake City, FL to install all of it yourself and teach you how to dry camp at the same time.

Remember, my coach was an empty stainless steel and fiberglass tent with empty bays shortly before I wired up a 24 volt house battery bank using 8 8D Lifelines. I tied my single 4000 watt inverter directly to that battery bank. I use my charge controller remote panel and my old Link 2000 "e" meter (http://www.xantrex.com/web/id/99/p/1/pt/7/product.asp) to monitor the system. The solar charge controller automatically controls the solar panels and their levels of output (a 3-stage charge).

I was especially pleased that this solar system was able to provide the power to keep my DD Series 60 running smoothly to Tacoma, WA when I had a complete alternator failure in Canada. Solar powered bus, eh?

'Sorry 'bout the long post, but I hope this helps.