Since we plan on doing a lot of dry camping when we retire, I bought our 2004 Newmar Mountain Aire fifth wheel with that in mind. Dual pane windows, Fantastic Vents, an inverter for the entertainment center, dual six volt batteries and solar panel and generator prep packages were on the option list with “boondocking” in mind.
Over the winter I spend a lot of time researching and pricing the remaining components that I would need. To complete the package I bought an additional four 6-volt batteries, all the cables, three 110 watt solar panels with a 40 amp charge controller, a 1750 watt inverter (since the entertainment center inverter is only rated at 400 watts) and a transfer switch. I already had a Cruising Equipment battery management system from my last trailer. This gives readouts of amp hours used, voltage and current readings as well as a ton of other useful information necessary to stay independent from the power lines.
My first project was the installation of the panels on the roof. It took some time to measure and plan everything so that everything would fit on the roof properly. I mounted the panels as shown in the photo being careful to seal the mounting brackets with Dicor self levelling sealant to prevent any leaks. I soldered all the connections between the panels and the trailer’s solar wiring to insure trouble-free installation. The three Shell Solar panels are each rated at 110 watts and will produce over 6 amps each at over 17 volts. They were mounted flat to the roof using the brackets provided with the kits.
The UV resistant wires were run through a water proof connector through the solar wiring access panel on the roof. Again generous use of sealant will prevent water leaks down the road. The solar wiring from the roof terminates in the large compartment under the bathroom where there is ample room to install the Trace Engineering C-40 charge controller which is completely user adjustable for different battery types and conditions. From the charge controller, the Newmar factory continued the 8 gauge solar wiring through the underbelly to the sliding battery tray at the rear of the trailer.
The sliding tray is designed to carry the spare tire and two 6-volt batteries. Since I took the trailer to the local hitch shop for a hitch receiver to accommodate my bike carrier, I had the shop weld trays for the additional four 6-volt batteries I would be carrying. The spare tire went into the back of the pickup. I also added a plywood panel to mount the inverter fuse. The batteries were connected in three groups of two to provide 12 volts and 675 amp hours of capacity. The solar wiring is protected with a 30 amp fuse. The inverter wiring consists of heavy 2 gauge cable and was routed to the electrical compartment which would house the remaining components. The Xantrex 1750 watt inverter is protected by a 200 amp fuse in the battery compartment and a remote switch is provided for turning the unit on and off from inside the coach. The ground circuit for the entire 12 volt system is routed through a 500 amp shunt which provides the feed for the battery management digital readout.
A 30 amp transfer switch was also installed in the electrical compartment. I ran 110 volt cable from the AC distribution panel microwave oven circuit breaker to the transfer switch. The default side of the transfer switch is connected to the 110 volts provided by the inverter. The common side of the transfer switch is connected to the microwave oven circuit. I added a receptacle to the circuit for powering a coffee maker or vacuum cleaner when needed. When the rig is NOT plugged into shore power the transfer switch connects the microwave oven circuit to the inverter. Obviously only one appliance can be powered by this inverter at a time which is not a problem for us. When shore power is available, the transfer switch automatically connects the microwave circuit to the breaker in the AC panel and all works as it did originally. The transfer switch automatically connects the best available power to the circuit.
Since doing this modification, I have found that we have plenty of “juice” for at least four days of heavy use and the panels have the battery bank recharged by the time the next weekend rolls around. Even on overcast days the panels provide enough power to the reefer and other electronics without taking anything from the batteries. Overall, I am very pleased with the operation and performance of the system. It was a lot of work but well worth it. The system is quiet, produces no pollution, needs little maintenance and uses no fuel. While it comes close to the cost of a generator, the neighbors won’t complain about the noise the panels DON’T make and I am hoping that this setup will provide for our power needs when we hit the road six months at a time.
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