Our $16,000 RV Solar Gear -- TESTED IN THE REAL WORLD!

[@kevinbarry71]

That truck was available with a factory option for two alternators. Even so, you are putting a much more significant strain on the electrical system of that truck than it was designed to handle. Particularly true of the wiring and the connectors going to the back

[@ClassicCarTraveler]

Everyone always talks about there great solar install but never about how good or bad it works for them, thanks for the honest review!! (It still looks like its worth the money)

[@sethjacob797]

sorry to be so offtopic but does anybody know a method to log back into an instagram account? I somehow lost the login password. I appreciate any help you can give me.

[@deandreemmitt5346]

@Seth Jacob instablaster =)

[@sethjacob797]

@Deandre Emmitt I really appreciate your reply. I got to the site on google and im waiting for the hacking stuff now. Takes a while so I will reply here later with my results.

[@sethjacob797]

@Deandre Emmitt it worked and I now got access to my account again. I am so happy:D Thank you so much you really help me out :D

[@deandreemmitt5346]

@Seth Jacob glad I could help :D

[@airstreamnutsandbolts]

Thanks guys!

[@EverythingRVbyPat]

Do you work on other brands or are you exclusive to Airstream? Just curious. Pat

[@bcgrittner]

That was a great evaluation of your solar system. Your system is top-notch. I thought you had a current limiting device on your coach battery charging system. Maybe I misunderstood. Geez - a 370 amp alternator ! Dating myself, I remember when 55 amp alternators were considered heavy duty. Safe travels to you both.

[@carlschiel4754]

At 7:01 he shows his setup and there is a Renogy 40A DC-DC Converter so it should limit the charging to 40A.

[@bcgrittner]

@@carlschiel4754 I never gave it much thought, but 40 amps going to the coach batteries is a big chunk of the alternator's output. I can see why the alternator is coming up short. This is one of those things that I will file away for future reference.

[@Milesco]

@@bcgrittner : Yeah, 40 amps continuous draw for extended periods of time was too much for the old stock alternator.

[@LDhusky]

You and gone with the wynns are really good at teaching these things

[@jeffownbey6073]

We have 190 watts on the roof and 300 watts that we can deploy on the ground. We boondocks camp at some races and it is nice to not have to start a generator unless we need air conditioning. Just need to get an investor and lithium batteries to be ready to boondocks more. The ground units are nice because you can tilt them towards the sun.

[@88corinutza]

im currently doing same but with 8 BB's and 3400 watts solar nice video

[@robsycko]

I have 600 watts at 24 volt system on my 1972 Airstream Land yacht. 24 volt system saves money on gear like cables and solar chargers.

[@travelduckwonder8013]

Battleborn has a BIM, or Battery Isolation Manager, that operates differently than other solenoids by reducing power to your battery bank. It's not very pricey for that one component and will protect the alternator. That's its whole job. Give charging power while driving but also protects the alternator. So weird that blm spot you were in, I'm here right now this minute! Love yall, happy holidays to you Loloho!

[@donbrloks3959]

If that is true then there would be no reason to have a dc-dc converter. Anyone know for sure?

[@travelduckwonder8013]

@@donbrloks3959 a DC to DC charger works best when there is only one battery because the BIM likes a bank to spread across but either will work for 2 or more batteries.

[@glennguaraldi1047]

Great video! We have an Airstream, we have solar, and yes, it is our boat! 760 watts on the roof, 3000 watt inverter, and 4 Battle Born batteries tied into the outlets has made our travels so much less stressful.

[@diannehagar4707]

Loved the update video ~ but the best part: we are sitting on your exact campsite at Quartzsite! We pulled in this afternoon. SO...thank you for the drone views of our campsite! We could tell for sure by the vintage Airstream across the way.

[@kristymichael]

😄 that's awesome! It's a nice little site!

[@LongLongHoneymoon]

Ha! We just left today! It is a nice spot. Enjoy!

[@garycook1205]

Fantastic setup, not for everyone but if you are on the road frequently then it is a game changer. It was for us and sure opened up much more of the country to boondock or dry camp without losing all the amenities in your RV. Keep up the great work and excellent content.

[@kristymichael]

Yes! It really does open up so many amazing campsites! Previously we would have skipped them, only been able to stay a day or two, or would've needed to run the generator for hours.

[@Northfordtrailcam]

I installed 200w rooftop solar and 200ah lithium batteries last season. We spent 6 days under heavy tree cover and rain in Smokey Mountain National Park...getting a max of 35w of solar during peak hours. We ran our furnace a couple of nights and kept our accessories charged. On day 6, we still had 60% of battery capacity remaining. It was back up to full power before we reached our next destination. We didn't use the generator at all, the entire 30 day trip.

[@Hilmi12]

I installed a 150 Watts with 100 Ah Gel battery on my off-roader camper, all my lights are low power LED. This system runs my fridge and lights non stop even in winter. However I do have a tilt open roof that I can point to the sun for optimal efficiency. I also make sure to wash the solar panel with window cleaner every once in a while. Also I opted to go without air-conditioning, I just pick cooler temperature camp sites so I don't have to worry about heat. Don't even bring my generator with me any more

[@berthaduniverse]

Thanks for the take on solar. One reasonable fix for your daytime panel production is to use a tilting mount on your panels (almost no panels come with these outside of a "kit", so no matter what panel you have you'd need to buy these separately). Granted, it may require you to get up on a ladder to "open up" the panels to the sun (which is clearly a pain, and requires watching out for high winds). It would also require you to knowingly park/setup your trailer so the tilted panel(s) would face the sun (south in the northern hemisphere). Another fix is to use higher wattage panels. 100w panels are (IMO) kinda outdated and inefficient with respect to output per sq/ft. We are using a single portable (flexible) 175w panel and we place it for best angle to the sun, and it's really worked fine for us.

[@camperjack2620]

I imagine Ronnie could pick out and install solar panels as window awnings, the old style that fold down over the windows when you travel, then are held up with bracket arms when you set up. If they had decorator side edges on them, maybe they could be made to look attractive and retro. They could face east in the morning and west in the evening on each side of the trailer, assuming your were parked north south- and the tilt would work better.

[@LongLongHoneymoon]

Cool idea!

[@machfive916]

I think "lifestyle choice" is the perfect description. For Loloho's style of camping, it seems like a perfect fit. Thank you for showing the good and "bad" aspects.

[@LongLongHoneymoon]

Yes, it's a lot of money... in theory it will save some money over time (fewer campground fees, gasoline, etc) but it's hard to justify purely on that basis. It is a great enhancement to RV travel though. We may be in New Orleans soon. If so, we'll give you a shout!

[@machfive916]

@@LongLongHoneymoon That sounds awesome!!!

[@sidneylandry1076]

We installed solar last year in our 5th wheel. Almost the same as you have, we just added a 4th battle Born 100 ah battery. I decided to install a total of 4-210 watt solar panels. The Addition of the 4th battery was to give us more time. We have a residential refrigerator. I also installed a Renogy DC/DC Charger while traveling it’s a 60 amp. Where ever we stop our batteries are usually fully charged. We are usually good using all appliances except air conditioning fo about three days with partly cloudy sky’s. Now with the 4th battery we’ll see our duration at certain sun conditions.

[@badgerpa9]

You really should isolate your truck battery from the camper even if you add the larger alternator.

[@kdkd693]

I was surprised to find you only installed 600 watts for the $16k. Not enough to really be independent of other methods IMO. Better Panels are relatively cheap. But good on you for making the leap into solar, it’s definitely the way to go. Those 100 watt panels you selected are not that effective for their size. Probably you could get 8x 200 watt panels on your airstream roof. I have 6 x 160 on my old motorhome, similar sized roof area to yours. Plus a trailer with 4x300watt. Total 2160 watts. I have seen up to a record 2000 watts in, but in winter usually around half that. We can live independently (of fossil fuel) boondocking on this amount, Including hot showers and refrigerators. (Although I agree 3 way absorption fridges work most efficiently on gas, we now prefer compressor) I have the same Victron inverter system and it’s good. So good choice on that. As a tip for viewers, I recommend to plan your solar size in watts to be 3x the AH of your lithium bank. Eg. 1200 watts solar for 400AH lithium. I found a a 2x ratio was not enough, so I added more solar after a year. This means you can recharge fully in the morning on a Sunny day, or if cloudy you can still mostly recharge the bank. It is no fun taking 2+ days to charge your batteries and being limited to what appliances you can use during that time

[@henkbouhuyzen8255]

I have a 2020 25' Flying Cloud and with the amount of "stufF" on the roof I wonder if I can install 4 100 watt solar panels on the roof. There just is not enough space on the roof of these trailers. I do like the idea of the flex type panels. However, I do not yet have $$ to invest in solar and lithium batteries, so I hope that technology improves over time, with the cost going down & the energy density of the batteries going up.

[@bendoucette3530]

Hello Sean and Kristy, Thanks for another great video, I always learn something. We installed a 300 watt system while we were camped in the desert in the Quartzite area a few years ago. It has been great for our needs. Mostly to power two Engels, one set as a fridge, and the other set as a freezer. We also run a small microwave oven and an electric kettle in the morning for coffee , two more kettles for two hot showers. We are really going to miss our journey down through Pennsylvania and Tennessee to the south west this winter. We would have been leaving home today. Your videos will help get us through until next year. All the best to you both Ben from Nova Scotia

[@herb7877]

Good presentation of your system. I too have told people that our RV is my golf, boat or antique car. 4+ years ago I "studied" solar for too long. I was getting paralysis by analysis ; so i jumped in with a simple Renogy 100W panel & PWM I Bought some connectors and away I went. We do most of our camping in the Pacific N.W. in wooded areas. Panel's are not mounted. We are NOT full timers but are out every month 4-5 days at a time & a 2 month snowbird trip to AZ. We boondock about 75% of the time. I learned that if panels are not in direct sun they do little to no charging. So I "chase the sun". I bought a new Champion 2000 Inverter generator for backup and occasional 110V. Doubtful I've burned 5 gals of fuel in 3+ years. Last year I added a 2nd 100w panel (in parallel) + a 400W portable inverter. We use the inverter to charge the phones, iPads, cameras and laptops. The 2nd panel was a real game changer. Not only much quicker charge times but we often take off in the truck to explore or we take a hike and are gone 1/2 the day. We point each panel about 45 degrees apart from each other to allow for the moving sun. Works like a dream. All in for

[@Yukonjackman1]

I updated to that alternator months ago so far so good, the tilted panels were a concern also so I picked up a couple flex panels and built a pvc frame and can adjust those 2 panels as needed light weight and I set them where ever the sunlight is we love the solar i did it myself and we are less tech but it work's good if you ever get to sun city arizona look me up.

[@lorilust6150]

We feel that alternator pain. We had to upgrade ours. Game changer. Yes we have solar and love it!! Hardly use the generator anymore.

[@LongLongHoneymoon]

Thanks, we are doing the alternator Wednesday! I hope this solves our issues. Cheers!

[@SteveH98264]

@@LongLongHoneymoon You still need the ability to isolate your truck from the trailer at the flick of a switch.

[@yelworb]

Solar is a must have with all the free boondocking out here on the west coast, we figure it would pay for itself and we no longer seek full hookup sites. Now we seek the must rewarding camping sites and destinations.

[@kristymichael]

Yes! The free camping opportunities out west are so plentiful that we finally took the solar plunge. It has been awesome!

[@AskRemy]

I run my AC on my victron- all I need now is a few more battle born batteries

[@jellybean7253]

I installed the same system in my Arctic Fox 1150 truck camper, but, I went with four Merlin FX48L 220 Watt Flexible Solar Panels. The flexible panels by Merlin are super durable and so much lighter than glass panels. I started with only two panels, but, with the ever inconsistent sunlight I could never stay charged up without running my generator several hours a day. So, now I have 880 Watts of solar potential on my roof. I also carry a 200 Watt portable panel that I can follow the sun with. I will probably add two more batteries this year and that will be spectacular for boondocking. Happy Trails

[@johnelliott8971]

If you're going to use your truck alternator to charge the lithium batteries, a dc to dc charger will eliminate many problems.

[@BearUkulele]

Consider the Victron Energy Orion-Tr DC-DC Isolated Converter instead of (or in addition to) the larger alternator.

[@royrobbins2214]

ABSOLUTELY I have replaced my batteries in my motor home with 2 BattleBorns. Someone warned me that I may burn my alternator up.The first time I started my motor home, my Victron 712 was reading 139 amps to the battery. The lithium batteries will take ALL the power the alternator can put out and it did. Lithium batteries have little resistance, unlike lead acid. there are a few videos on KZbin to prove this point.

[@royrobbins2214]

On my truck, I added a 12v - 48v / 32 amp in & 8 amps out, transformer which instead of running a #6 wire to the rear, I could use one 1/4 the size. In the trailer, I had to convert the power to 16v anyway so I just used a solar charge controller and programmed it to my lithium batteries. I limited my alternator output to 32 amps (12v) while running small wires and 24 amps (16) to my batteries. Try it Dennis, works great.

[@dmeyer8937]

If you look closely at the setup you will see a Renogy 40 amp dc/dc charger. It is already in the system! I don't know why you need a 370 amp alternator when you will only be adding a 40 amp load.

[@AngelTorres-se9zf]

Hello LoLoHo, Have you guys looked into or have thought of possibly getting one of those new 12v refrigerator. I think with that new solar upgrade it would be a awesome addition to conserving fuel. Thank you for sharing, stay safe and happy camping.

[@camperjack2620]

How about a propane Air Conditioner?

[@tampajohn3375]

I do have an EE and payback will be after my death compared to generators. 1 gallon gas 8 hours economy mode on ryobi 2200. I can't hear anyway.

[@ozarkliving7263]

Truth…. EE here too

[@untetherednomad6393]

Great video, nice to see how the silver RV burrito side lives!

[@97bophack]

Getting ours installed in March and can’t wait.

[@LongLongHoneymoon]

You will love it!

[@TheDryCampers]

We look forward to it, Bryan!

[@trippingtommy3691]

I run solo, in a 20 foot jayco that I have highly modified for my tastes. I have 580 watts of solar panels and one battle born battery. I use a 1200 watt inverter and it's integrated using an automatic transfer switch. I built my ATS so it also takes care of the converter issue. I love my carefree system. I do nothing and it always works. Life with battle born battries is nice. One button system, super simple

[@carolynmesser7199]

Good info guys . We spent last winter in Quartzite , planned to do it again this winter but, because of Covid we decided to stay home . Hopefully next winter will be different. Hope to see you guys sometime in the future . 💕💕

[@LongLongHoneymoon]

Thanks Carolyn, hope to catch you in Quartzsite next year!

[@tommcl386]

Great video!!! I like the perspective. I think a portable solar suitcase will be my first exposure to solar. Current camping locations do not have enough sun in the North East.

[@ozarkliving7263]

Yup, propane generator looking better and better…. Love that color controller and I’ll be adding it to our 2022 FC 23CB Bunk

[@johnnylightning1491]

It would be interesting to know how much of what you bought was for hardware and how much was for installation. Inquiring minds want to know. Keep the good stuff coming.

[@vrbricksaunderson7384]

Generally we do not need AC using just DC meets our need - thus we run 200w solar on the roof of our International 25 CCD + additional 160w suitcase when shade is an issue. This then powers 2x100 lithium batteries . We also carry a Champion 3400 which we run on LP. Basically all we do is boondock, usually 14 days at a time throughout the Summer June-September. So far so good. Needless to say our system was no where near 16k - never the less I am happy for you and thank you for sharing your Lithium upgrade journey.

[@openskies4245]

We have 600 watt panels on roof and installed them so they can lift to angle, but it wouldn't be practical if moving often. We also have 4 batteries (built a cabinet beside the bed for them (hubby uses it as a step into the bed) and a 3500 watt inverter under the bed. Still, we watch the usage and may need more panels when we become more than weekend warriors.

[@Thewanderingturtletale]

Hi Sean (sp), we have a '21 Grand Design 381M with ~1500 watts on top and 6 BB batteries also with the Victron system. The real test will be Quartzite in February '21 with the GD rally. So far so good, we can run the A/C about 4 hours and still have juice in the am for stuff. They charge back up quickly (~2 hours). Installed by James at Northern Wind and Solar in Flagstaff, Az and couldn't be happier. The freedom solar gives is well worth the ~$15K. I love it. See ya if you are still there...

[@z50king29]

You should get a 12v fridge... Ours is huge and draws about 36 watts when running

[@tsmofeire]

We went with a slight variant of your Victron setup. 1200 watts on the roof and 3 Lithium batteries. After daylight and Overnight and breakfast we get down to about 65% battery life. System starts charging around 8 am and by around 11 am we are back to 100% . During the day (short of running the air conditioner and electric water heater) We have plenty of energy to run anything without concern. Note we have not run into cloudy days yet. We do have a backup generator but haven’t used it or shore power since we installed the system.

[@rfleming7883]

Well, what can I say? A finely detailed explanation of a full-on lithium system. This is of amazing help to those considering lithium. Thanks!

[@LongLongHoneymoon]

Glad it was helpful! Thanks for your kind words.

[@michael1326]

Excellent real-world solar review, appreciate all the details.

[@JohnnyLawBMC]

This why we love you guys. Besides your travel videos and both of you, we love your honest, fair approach to the information you are providing Very nice job. I am a lithium battery person, RV and Boats, and this video will help so many people get a well rounded thought process if they are considering lithium or not. Lithium is great for some people and is definitely not needed for others. Tell me the whole story and we can discuss it lithium is for you. This is still a very nice video Brudda

[@davidwaddell4550]

You need a DC to DC charger to limit the current from your alternator. Depending on the output of your alternator you should limit the charge to your batteries to 40 or 60 amps. That will keep you from over heating and burning up your alternator.

[@airstreamnutsandbolts]

They have one. I installed a 40A Renogy DC/DC Charger but poor old Seemore’s alternator just is on its last leg.

[@projet2907]

@@airstreamnutsandbolts I was sure you had put it in, I don't know why it was not mentioned, it is a very good addition.

[@daveroe8612]

Being able to fire up the A/C or the furnace as you said 30 minutes before arrival would be amazing in a trailer! Motorhomes already enjoy that from running the onboard generator, but that uses up fuel. As always thanks for the great perspective and sharing it with the Lo Lo Ho Nation .

[@jimg2894]

I've got the same truck. I just installed an automatic battery isolator switch to protect my starter batteries while charging the house batteries in the Airstream. Works great. Redarc SSBI12.

[@ultramagapimpernel7992]

Liked the video, quite informative. Try going to POWER BASTARDS for high output alternators for diesel engines. Found a 300 amp model for my diesel Grand Cherokee. Original is 180. Best place to add weight on your rig is actually amidships, directly over your fresh water tank, over the axle, fwd justified slightly.

[@bobstellmaker3816]

Great article.I have 2 lithium batteries with 300ah. 480 watts of solar and a 2000 watt inverter, I still use the converter that came with my 5th wheel. I also have a 2000 watt generator for backup. he system works perfectly, I love it,would never go back to AGM batteries.I very rarely use my generator!

[@aterseraph]

We'll be down in quartzite in mid January. Would love to meet you guys if you are still around. We want solar on our new (to us) coach, had it on our bounder that we lost in the fire here in Oregon. Just don't have the money yet to afford the lithium batteries, victron and panels.

[@oursomedayisnow3915]

Beautiful System, hard to go wrong with Victron/BB, we're going with that combo on our new Bundutec Roadrunner!, should be as awesome as the last ones

[@craigjohnson2771]

When I go south for the winter 99% of the time boon docking I get by with 4 - 6 volt batteries , led lights , 12 volt tv and a Honda 2000 gen and can go days without charging batteries. I can see maybe a portable solar unit but at 71 years old I don’t think I would live long enough to pack back $16,000. If it works for that’s great to each his own . Been watching for years 👍👍

[@roberthunter6927]

We had a home PV solar system [no batteries] . It was 5kW, and cost around AUS $5500. On neat rick was to use mini-inverters ganged to only 2 solar panels each. And with the panels mounted at different angles around the roof, we got solar all day long. Lithium batteries were absurdly expensive then. Now at only $1000 each they are better value. The government run, semi-privatised power company purchased our exports to the grid at 6 cents a unit [during the day we exported quite a lot] , but of course without batteries we had to import units from the grid for 24 cents a unit. And we had to pay a grid rental charge. Even so, our power bills dropped dramatically, and at least in summer, we had to pay nothing or about $30 dollars if our use was very high [air conditioning] or environmental conditions like clouds reduced our input from PV solar. In OZ we can know get a 6kW system [with batteries] for about $8000 [Oz, not Uncle Sam dollars]. With that we can go totally "off-grid" in our home. Our folding electric bikes with "fatty tyres" [good for on or off-road] are going well. And we can go a really long way using only about a quarter of a charge or less. [Over three hours on a bike is enough, because one's butt tends to get a bit tender, at least at our age].

[@Skaters713]

Excellent assessment, personal use/choice the best part of decision. We have 180W portable suitcase for Airstream Nest with AGM batteries. Boondock most often. Does solar meet our needs, as you say it depends. Out west more than enough generate about 60aH a day in summer (our electric needs are about 35ah per day we are frugal), in midwest or east with tree shade, about 25 aH/day-10 aH/day. Suitcase is advantage as it can be moved for sun angle and surface can be dusted off. We do like the quiet compared to generator. As for cost a suitcase is inexpensive option $750 for smaller trailer

[@Banagal]

We usually use shore power though have 2 Battleborne batteries and 6 solar panels. We also have a Bluetti 2000 portable generator to be delivered soon w/it's own flexible solar panels designed to be portable. We have a generator for emergencies though have never used it.

[@headdown1]

Hello from the Mojave desert. I have been enjoying your videos for years! I have been full timing for 3 1/2 years with a 38 ft 5th wheel. I had Starlight Solar in Yuma install my solar setup. Total cost was $15,000 US. I have 4 Panasonic 325 watt panels on the roof for a total of 1300 watts, and 3 - 303 amp hour LifeBlue lithium iron phosphate batteries for a total of 909 amp hours of storage. I have a 2000 watt inverter/charger. By far my biggest power draw is my huge Samsung home 120v ac fridge with ice maker. It uses more than half of my daily power. But having a home - sized refrigerator that actually works well was worth the cost of the solar installation to me. I can of course also run the microwave, coffee maker, deep fryer, and toaster no problem. Oh and my electric mattress pad! Most of the time I use a Big Buddy propane space heater so I rarely have the power drain of a furnace fan running. I'm an astrophotographer, and spend 6 months of the year in Arizona and California, and 6 months in Quebec. I get as far from other people and lights as I can while still having internet. And next year when Starlink internet from SpaceX is up and running, my desert winter playground triples in size as high speed internet will be available everywhere. At this time of year, late December, I still have to run the generator for about 5 hours once a week. My panels don't tilt, as they are too big and would eventually get ripped off the roof by gusts. But by April, I will be able to meet not only all my power needs, but have enough left over to power another RV as well. I know because I did it two years ago. In Quebec I am surrounded on most sides by 80 foot tall pine trees, and only get about 5 of 6 hours of direct sun a day at best. By fall I get much less than that, and have to run the generator every few days. I couldn't be happier with the system. The batteries have lost zero capacity in the 3 years that I have had them. I don't usually take them below about 50%, simply because 1 tank of gas for my generator will take them from about 50% to full. When I am driving from Quebec to Arizona and back, I will run them lower if it is cloudy rather than drag out the generator before I have to. If I have no sun at all, I can still go about 3 days before having to use the generator. Most of the time from about early April until fall I rarely need to use the generator. And if I were not in heavy trees, I likely wouldn't need it at all from early spring to late fall.

[@ADefenestrator]

If you find the battery capacity meter continues to drift over time, you can go into the BMV app and lower the charge efficiency factor or raise the Peukert exponent. I think BB suggests 99% and 1.05 respectively, but I ended up dropping it to 98%. I haven't done a deep discharge test to be sure, though.

[@Planedude60]

We've installed eight of the same Renogy Eclipse 100W panels (800W total) on top of our 18ft Coleman 1805RB trailer. At install time, the panels were for their size, spec'ed out as about the most efficient panels on the market. The 160-200W panels that many people say you should have installed are larger and don't always equate to the eight of the 100W panels, depending on the room on the roof. Roof real estate does drive how many panels, and also the wattage/size. Going larger, doesn't always equate to max wattage per square foot of available roof area. Small trailers like theirs and mine, limit the number AND size of the panels on the roof. Also, interior space limits number of LiFe batteries. We could really install only four 100AH batteries. Our 800W panel system almost always keeps the batteries 100% charged. We quite easily run our 11,000 BTU A/C on solar alone, without running down the batteries. Don't forget to install a high quality soft starter on the A/C system. We installed the same soft starter as LoLoHo's trailer. That soft starter allows us to start and run our A/C on a Champion 2000W generator. Generally, we carry only the 2000W generator to charge the batteries, and power our separate 20A service. In two years, we've only had to run the generator to charge the batteries twice because of a shaded camp spot. The five separate 20A outlets installed in our trailer are NOT powered through the 3000W Renogy inverter. So, when traveling in colder weather, we connect both our 30A power and separate 20A system to the 50/30/20A power pedestal. We installed the system when we dropped the trailer bottom to add insulation, insulate pipes and install fresh/grey/black tank heaters. When on shore power, we can connect to the 30A service, and the separate 20A service. We then run a space heater, hair dryer, etc on the 20A outlets without maxing out the 3000W inverter. Sure, you can get a larger inverter, but at 3-4 times the cost of the 3000W inverter, and those inverters are HUGE! When boon docking, we can also connect the 20A system to our generator for a total of approximately a total of 5000W. When on shore power, our small trailer easily stays warm (depending on outside temp) on the separate 20A space heater without running the propane furnace. Running both heaters significantly reduces the frequency of propane tank refills. Cheaper, and less wear on the 3000W inverter. Works for us. Sorry for the long comment. Honestly, Sean and Kristy have an elegant, superb, small and efficient system for the size and demands of their trailer.

[@LongLongHoneymoon]

Thanks, great insights!

[@joeo7257]

I have found that solar panels up on their edge works fine in the mid winter, and flat on the ground works from May to September.

[@Pack.Leader]

Wow. You can go ANYWHERE now. I could never afford to do such upgrades but how wonderful that you can. Merry Christmas, lovely couple! God bless you.

[@bbol745]

You don’t NEED to spend $16000 to have off grid power. I have a self converted minivan. For the power I bought a sungzu ska 1000 solar generator, sungzu branded solar panel and a tiny 1200w champion generator for when the sun goes away. All totaled I spent about $1300. That being said my biggest power draw is a 3.5 cu ft dorm mini fridge (a few hundred watts on startup and 96 watts when running) my lights are all highly efficient LEDs, my TV is the smallest one I could find and i AM ok with the fact that I will need to use my generator for my microwave.

[@beachliving3127]

@@bbol745 Respectfully, the power requirements and needs of two people in an Airstream travel trailer are probably a little more than what you require living a mini van. It’s not a fair comparison between their solution and you mini van solution. Different strokes for different folks. If you can do some of the the work yourself you will save some money but not everyone has the ability or time to install a solution. I do agree $16,000 is a lot of money but if they continue to travel for several years, they will recoup financial and lifestyle benefits many times over. Less gas needed for the generator, free electricity from the sun or when they drive their truck, longer lasting lithium batteries vs AGM/lead acid, quieter operation since they don’t run the generator, more capacity from lithium vs AGM/lead acid, greater use of AC devices while boon docking, flexible energy choices to maximize their trailer...

[@sued115]

***** Hi Sean & Christy, You may want to reconsider not getting that large alternator and install either a DC to DC charger or check to see if Seymour is capable of a dual alternator. DH has read where those large alternators has a tenacity of overheating. Just a thought. We have been AGM batteries and have used the DC to DC charger and have not had an issue at all. When we get to our CG it is fully charged (no solar yet). Please check the youtube video on "How to not blow up your alternator when charging lithium". It is by Victron Energy.*****

[@LongLongHoneymoon]

Thanks Sue, e will check it out!

[@jamesjoelsumpter7710]

Just keeps getting better ! To start off my favorite video’s have been the upgrades You’all have been making to the airstream, no doubt You’all have the nicest pull trailer we’ve ever seen, and until this video the two solar videos were my personal favorite, now Shirey’s was the Big trees park and Yosemite along with Glacier NP, this one was over the top with information on the equipment and the absolutely incredible things this system can do for people who do enjoy dry camping. For anyone who is remotely interested in something that will absolutely be a game changer in joys of being “off the grid “ so to speak. It just has a good ring to be able to say that doesn’t it ! Thank You for the information you are a truly gifted sales person! And I say that in the best sense of someone who only wishes to inform you of the equipment your interested in purchasing ! We pray You’all have the Happy Trails you deserve... Good By and God Bless All

[@LongLongHoneymoon]

Wow, thanks so much for your kind message! I will definitely be talking more about solar in the months to come. Overall we are loving our system. We have had a couple of issues (as mentioned in the video) but it has been a great asset and has enhanced our travels this year. The technology is really exciting. Cheers and God Bless to you also!

[@neidaheusinkvelt9346]

Excellent video explanation of how and why you upgraded your solar system. As a weekender with a Winnebago 10 VJ with no solar I have been toying with a cost benefit analysis of what upgrade is logical for my needs. The reality is I need a cooler temperature during the day for the veteran dogs left behind in the RV when I hike with the younger retriever plus I like it cooler during sleeping hours at night. Thanks for the info.

[@dmeyer8937]

Having this setup which will START and run your AC - you should be able to use a 2000 watt generator (1/2 the weight) when you need a generator instead of that 100 pound + unit you carry in the back of your truck. Just set the maximum input current from the generator to be around 13 -15 amps. When your ac starts the inverter will assist with the start and the smaller generator should be able to keep up with the load after start and have some extra for battery charging. Maybe another video on this? All those generators you tested that wouldn't start your AC probably would now with the help of your new inverter.

[@edrodrigues3333]

Two Interstate SRM-24 81 AH batteries. Two Renogy 100w solar suitcases. A Honda 2200i generator. For $1,800 rain or shine I’ve got all I need for my Lance 2185.

[@karenpolansky9097]

As a fulltimer who loves to boondock as much as possible I love my solar and Battleborn batteries. You were wise to keep everything upfront and all together. My system needed to be completely moved around because my inverter was too far away from my batteries. 💵 💵 💵 I’m a little concerned with being plugged in for the most part since Covid hit and I am much more stationary. I noticed my batteries depleting a little more quickly despite having the truck hooked up and driving all day, plus the sun. I have a 2015 F150, so I don’t think I need a new alternator. I’m wondering if my batteries have been spoiled with being constantly plugged in. On the side of schlepping, I sold my heavy generator and bought a Car Generator. Very cool, light system!

[@LongLongHoneymoon]

Thanks Karen, car generator looks great but no one would want to hear our noisy truck idling :D I will give a report on the alternator soon... installing it this week!

[@brucebugbee6604]

I bought a Titan "solar generator" (3000 watt inverter, 4 kwh of battery capacity and two solar charge controllers) and installed it under the bed in our RV. I wired the AC output from the Titan into a transfer switch which utilizes shore power if it's available, otherwise the camper runs off of the Titan. I installed 8 x 100 watt solar panels on the roof and also have extra ground based panels if the roof is in the shade. If you do everything yourself, you can save a substantial amount of money. I've got about $5,500 into my setup (including the cost of the Titan) and I am very happy with the outcome. The nice thing is that if/when I sell my RV in the future, it is very easy to remove the Titan and use it at home or in my next rig. The only thing I can't do is monitor status without lifting the bed to see the meter on the front of the Titan since it doesn't have Bluetooth or external monitoring capability.

[@joellofton7553]

Super clean install for the battle born system!

[@props-model-shop]

After watching your and other installs, I bit the bullet. Thankfully in my case, it's a home install (of sorts) and not an RV install. So, I decided to make it portable that could be taken with me if I sold the House. Solar panels also will be portable and angleler. Doing the work myself and buying everything on sale helped bring down the cost quite a lot... Quick note: finding everything on sale or discount does require much more time for the project..... many people don't want to wait is the drawback.

[@Yukonjackman1]

I have solar, a simple system wife and I do fine with it, some times a remote startup generator is a good thing lol for ac

[@timaz1066]

I will be there 1-16...fun times. You also need to put a charge limiter in so you don't burn up your new alternator. I just use my BMV-712 though my phone app. You can run any of your Victron equipment with your phone App. You really want AGM or lead acid batteries at float for 8 hours. I was just in QS with 700W but didn't get more then 350 at peak sun.

[@airstreamnutsandbolts]

They have a Dc/Dc Charger. We think Seemore’s alternator is on its last leg.

[@clydewilliams6574]

Great and informative video.

[@timaz1066]

@@airstreamnutsandbolts that's good.

[@LongLongHoneymoon]

We are currently in a campground with hookups... I'll resynch again after being at float for 8 hours...

[@LongLongHoneymoon]

Thanks Clyde, hope you are well!

[@michaelbrown2443]

LIthium Iron Phosphate. Lithium Ion is a different chemistry. Always enjoy your great videos!

[@bevvaughn7898]

Like you have 6.0 power stroke Ford. One of the options that came on my truck was 2 alternators. Seems to be factory and is speculated it might be associated with a ambulance option?? Just FYI for more power.

[@LongLongHoneymoon]

Cool! I did not realize that was an option. Will be installing the 370 Amp Mechman on Wednesday. Will let you know how it goes!

[@sparkenwolf7683]

@@LongLongHoneymoon Usually the 2nd alternator is the "snow plow" option

[@larrywiggins672]

After watching this I’m thinking , maybe a couple more stranded batteries and a good quiet gen would be a great deal for me.

[@enriquelaroche5370]

Invest in more panels. and adjustable mounts. I see room for at least 3 300 watt panels. 50% more panel with adjustable mounts gets you another 50% Yield. half the batteries and half the expense . You can get a device to limit demand on alternator. a Predator 3kw inverter generator costs less than one battery. Can top off your batteries during the day for silent nights.

[@stevecolby6505]

A $16K turnkey RV solar system is one way to go, but if you are at all handy you can build a similar solar/battery/inverter system yourself for about 1/4 that price. The main way to save money is that LiFePO4 battery can be built from cells/BMS for about $500 for each 280 Amp hr battery instead of paying $1000 for a each pre-built 100 Amp hr battery. There are many KZbin videos on how to do this. However I do feel that Victron equipment, although pricey, is the best out there and is worth splurging on. Just my 2 cents....

[@campingalan]

Helllllooooo Redstone buddies! Thank you for this discussion about your experiences, so far, with your solar system. Yes....$16K is a pretty penny. But, it also does allow for a higher quality of life while not tethered to "the systems". I would compare it to the $5000 bicycle. Riding 40 miles a day, 2.25hrs in the saddle, 6 days a week; I'd say a 5k bike could worth it. Also, you two are not getting a new RV every year or every other year. There is absolutely nothing wrong with continuing to improve it. It is exciting to see the advances in solar, as well as ponder what the next steps for it will be (it's all about the energy storage; if we could crack that code, we'd be bazilliongazillionaires). Ha....I look forward to your video on the undercapable alternator! On that great day that I met you two, I really thought you were having truck problems with all of those stops. Little did I know, I was photobombing your drone footage. Could it be time for a complete update review on Seemore? I remember watching your "bulletproofing" video several years ago. Maybe it could be good to revisit your truck, the pluses and minuses so far, issues after bulletproofing, and such? The timing is great as our time to order our rig is coming up right after the new years! By rig, I mean that we've decided to getting a more appropriate towing vehicle that would be FAR more safe than the Tacoma I had that day, as well as ordering a travel trailer too (the make/model is still kind of up in the air; since we're getting a very capable tow vehicle, we are leaning towards more of a "4 Seasons" esque rig that we can still use in the rocky mountains later in the season, as well as earlier in the spring. Our truck, most likely, will be a lower trimmed 3/4 or 1 ton gasser. But, I know there is still a niche for a bulletproofed/dealer proofed older diesel such as yours. Safe travels and merry christmas to you two!

[@micktaylor7937]

Just a suggestion, we have had 2 Outdoors Rv trailers. A 2016 Creekside 21 rbs and a 2018 Timber Ridge 24 RKS both gave us no problems (zero) in over 300 nights of dry camping and 30,000 miles of towing in Canada and United States. We dry camp and boondock so we have done a lot of rough gravel road driving on BLM and Crown land(Canada). We pull the Timber Ridge with a Ram 3500 4x4 with a 6.4 Hemi with 4 10 gears and I would not go any lighter than a 3/4 ton with our trailer. Good luck shopping and enjoy your new rig.

[@campingalan]

@@micktaylor7937 Hi there!! Thank you very much for the input!! Ironically, I literally am looking through the Outdoors RV site right now; the 24rks specifically!! What timing! That is great to hear about how the ORV has done for you! I get the impression that it is very solidly built. And, to take the bumps of forest service and BLM and not fall apart is encouraging too. I "think" we will be doing the 1 ton as you suggest. I don't ever plan to do a 5th wheel, but I really like the thought of having the extra 500 or 1000lbs of payload capability. I have had a few "uncomfortable" towing experiences while doing it on a small margin; I did not like that at all. Sad thing is I had a ram 3500 SRW diesel up until 2 yrs ago. Oh well. Probably 3 yrs ago, we stopped at one of the RV dealers in the central mountains of CO to just look; they happen to have carried ORVs We walked out of there really liking that 24rks as it had the bathroom sink outside of the bathroom so as 2 could be getting ready. The sizes of the holding tanks are incredible!! My goal would to be able to comfortably get a week of time without having to do tank logistics. Do you have a solar setup with your trailer? I kind of need to study that a bit more; assess what our usages would be. I would not be opposed to not getting the ORV solar set up but to have the dealer install a more complete system. If you do have a solar system, do you supplement it with a generator also? Safe travels and happy holidays!

[@bobmccaslin2040]

Well done- you guys are always the GO TO source for great RV info! Blessings, Bob

[@rickrichardson5329]

Thank you for this video it answered alot of questions.

[@michaelsullivan1262]

Such a beautyful rig! The ceramic coating is the icing on the cake!

[@LongLongHoneymoon]

Thank you! Yes, we are excited about it!

[@dcordero1]

In case it hasn't already been mentioned, don't forget to take the Investment Tax Credit for the entire solar install. It's 26% for this year and 22% for next year. A nice chunk of change for $16K.

[@wazza8687]

I have 650w of solar, 200 ah of Lithium and a 3000w inverter. I don't run my AC from them and 200ah appears sufficient, but would like more, but room is my limitation. Like it has been said before use a DC to DC charger made to charge lithiums from your vehicle instead a direct cable from your 12v system. Lithiums are like an endless pit when it comes to charging and if they are down they will draw all the current they can get until charged.

[@danantes5223]

Your video is very well done. Are the renogy panel eclipse? If they are why did you pick them? Keep up the great videos

[@redfir22]

I chose to not go with roof mounted solar due to expense and when parked in the shade to be able to place portable solar panels in the sun. The downside is inconvenience, no solar gain while driving and theft potential. I installed 4 Battleborn batteries, an 80 amp Progressive Dynamics LiFePO4 charger, a Go Power GP-ISW1500 inverter and have (3) Renogy 200 watt portable suitcase solar panels for a total cost of ~$6000. When I park my 5th Wheel, I run a 30 amp cable from the inverter to the RV shore power connection which powers all my 120 vac receptacles in the RV and position the solar panels for maximum solar gain (solar panels on top of RV are less efficient due to poor sun angle). The 1500 watt inverter will power anything except the Air Conditioners. If I want to run one or both A/C units I do have an onboard 5.5KW Onan generator (seldom used). 90% of the time we Boondock or dry camp in Forest Service campgrounds. We are very happy with this setup, it not only powers the RV, but works great for keeping our electric bicycles charged (the inverter easily charges both bikes in 3 hours).

[@AlaninPHX]

Awesome. Thanks for the info. Hope you’re enjoying AZ! Safe travels.

[@cartersmith1654]

Very Nice system. I have a similar set up with 720 watts of panels on the roof and all the same batteries and other Victron components. My system was considerably less because I did a good deal of the work myself. I do have a background in electronics and I'm a member of my RV owners site, where I got some great advice. Note: Battleborn offers great discounts around Cyber Monday. I saved on many components at that time. After installing the panels on the roof and batteries, Multi Plus and Charger controller, under the couch in the Lance travel trailer, I had a professional connect it to the coach electrical system. Part of that process involved getting under the rig and drilling up into through the floor. Anyway, my total investment for the same system that you have is about $10,000. Money well spent - we love our system!

[@matthewwiemken7293]

replace ac and heater with mini split. seemed to work well for some

[@MikeJWingert]

Thanks for the great video on your system! I installed a similar system in my Globetrotter over the past two weeks. It’s a lot of work. Ronnie Dennis’ installs are top notch and worth it for those who don’t have the ability to do the DIY work. Have a great Holiday and New year!

[@mattclary2069]

I am very impressed with y’all. It’s so helpful to openly discuss the costs involved in a solar upgrade but doing so opens you up to much “criticism”. Also, now I understand your generator obsession. I had no idea you’re trailer came without an inverter! We did a similar upgrade on @tflyingsquirrel last January. GAME CHANGING

[@LongLongHoneymoon]

True. If we mention costs, we get criticized.... and if we don't mention costs, we also get criticized! We totally love the solar, and this week solved the alternator issue. Should be smooth sailing from now on.

[@stuartstuart866]

we ordered our new 2018 Casita trailer with the 140 watt Zamp solar kit, but only recently tried it out. There is something satisfying to being off the main grid but my system can really only be used in nice weather, since it’s obviously too small for an air conditioner here is the southwest

[@ScubaSteveCanada]

I have dual LiFEPO4 75AH batteries installed inside my Class B RV, 100 W panel on the roof, with an additional 200W suitcase (to point directly at the sun as it moves across the sky), plus an additional 100W suitcase solar panel. On multiple cloudy days, with minimal sun, I can idle my RV engine for about 30 mins to recharge my batteries. 99% of my system uses 12VDC. The only thing that uses AC is my battery charger for my electric bike and have a portable, 300W inverter for that. On travel days, the RV's alternator is more than enough to fully recharge my two batteries. For those Death Valley days, I have a built-in 4000W generator that can run the A/C or microwave (rarely use any of them). All fans are efficient ,12VDC. Furnace / water heater is propane (Truma Combi Eco-Plus) and uses minimal 12VDC power to run the blower fan. They also run via AC but need the noisy generator or shore power. Solar panels, 2 x LiFEPO4 batteries, solar controller upgrade, converter upgrade plus installation was roughly $3,000.00 (installation was done by myself). The purpose of the solar controller & converter upgrades was to have ones compatible for Lithium charging. Yes, you can use the standard ones but Lithium specific will charge the batteries in a manner specific to them, as opposed to lead acid ones.

[@pamconley2847]

Thanks for the honest information and review, so many do the upgrades, and only mention the cost of the batteries and other parts, but don't get into the cost of the labor. Least you give folks a reference point to consider, not all are youtube electricians and like me, would have to pay to have it installed.

[@krak0n0s]

at 17:45 , i see a real highlight of the video when the T@B Trailer with a Jeep zooms buy.

[@LongLongHoneymoon]

ha, is that you? that was in Death Valley NP...

[@llipton6291]

Dexcellent episode. I did my own solar on my boat- wonderful to not need to run engine for electricity

[@frankcates3909]

Good to see & hear about your solar upgrade. My 2020 AS 23' Flying Cloud has a solar panel, just one. I know it's not really enough for heavy use of the trailer. However I'm one of those you called 'weekend worriors'. I might be out for 4, 5 days or 1 to 2 weeks. In my case, unless I went to a full-time situation, I wouldn't put more into my unit. It was very helpful though as usual, to get the inside scoop from you on what's involved. That helps one get the info to make a better decision. ...... as was the case with your vid on Champion inverters. I might go with a suitcase style added solar panel system to keep it all simple for me. So thanks again. CamperFrank with my Silver Conestoga Wagon.

[@edrodrigues3333]

Where I camp, it’s usually in the wooded mountains. I have solar, and it keeps my batteries up while on the side of my house, but this would not be an option for me.

[@robertschulke1596]

$16,000 kind of leaves us in shock. How much of your install was labor?

[@CITAP1]

Good informative video. Yes Sir, solar and a big alternator is a game changer for the RV. I could definitely use more wattage and amp hours than I have but that will have to wait till I upgrade to a newer Truck and Truck Camper for extended living and exploring on the road. Quartzite, Lots of friends down there right now. Doubt I'll be going this year. Other plans....Take care and Merry Christmas!

[@waynehogue2499]

Thanks Sean for a honest review of the good and bad of solar! Safe travels into 2021. When are you guys coming through Virginia?