Propane versus Electric

[Glenn Baglo]

The solar unit won't be directly running anything. It is used to charge the battery or batteries ( if you use twin 6Vs instead of a 12V ). Your battery will likely be running the lights, water pump, furnace fan ( heavy draw ), fridge controls ( with propane cooling ) and be used to charge iPads, phones, view TV etc.

[steve dunham]

Originally Posted by Jimp

Is it then apparent, the only thing a small solar unit is good for is running the LED lights ?

A small solar panel is used to charge your trailer's onboard 12 Volt battery.
You could run 12 VDC LED lights during the day off solar but at night without a battery you would be in the dark.
I have solar and it works well for its' intended purpose.
If you want want to run an A/C or electric heater then plan on camping with utilities or buying a generator.

[Jon in AZ]

Solar doesn't directly power anything. It charges your battery(-ies). What you can run off batteries depends on (1) storage capacity of the batteries, (2) wattage of what you're running and how long it runs, and (3) recharge rate of your solar array (which depends on hours of daylight, sun angle, cloud cover, in addition to the rated output of the unit itself...).

A high wattage, brief use appliance like a microwave is possible. A low wattage continuous use appliance like a vent fan is possible. But a high wattage, continuous use appliance like an electric heater is not.

12VDC appliances are more efficient because they run directly from the battery. 120VAC appliances require an inverter, which is less efficient due to internal energy losses.

[Jimp]

I know it will keep the battery charged enough to run a couple of lights . I will not be using it for anything else . With lights off at night , is there enough juice to operate the 1500w (set on low ) plug in 120v AC 60Hz heater for 8 hrs. , without draining said battery ?

[Jimp]

Thanking everyone for quick responses .

[Glenn Baglo]

Originally Posted by Jimp

I know it will keep the battery charged enough to run a couple of lights . I will not be using it for anything else . With lights off at night , is there enough juice to operate the 1500w (set on low ) plug in 120v AC 60Hz heater for 8 hrs. , without draining said battery ?

Not a chance.
And, you don't want to drain your battery below 50 per cent charge. If you do get that low, it could take days to recharge.

[David B.]

Elinor, we camp/live in our "All Electric" Lil Snoozy trailer for 5 months at a time, and we purchased it only because I really liked the floor plan, the total fiberglass shell (even the floor), and no intrusions through the roof, and disc brakes. I converted it to solar & propane eventhough we have a "quiet" 2000 watt generator, just so we would have as many camping options as possible. We dry camp mostly, but when plugged into shore power it sure is nice to utilize every appliance at once, something not possible with just a 2000 watt gen set.
Dave & Paula

[C&G in FL]

Originally Posted by Glenn Baglo

Not a chance.
And, you don't want to drain your battery below 50 per cent charge. If you do get that low, it could take days to recharge.

Or not recharge at all.

[patrick crawford]

well...all good replies most making points that i agree with. i'm one of those campers that would rather not be limited with regard to where i sleep. so, i have it all. propane, 120v 'tricity, solar and a small generator. i use a small electric space heater when power is available, a wave3 propane heater (and yes, i ventilate the cabin and have a working warning device). my travels run the gamut ranging from sitting in one spot for long periods of time (camp hosting) to dashing across the country to some distant destination and am not at all interested in paying for a place to sleep en route. rest areas, wal marts and cracker barrel lots are all on my list of options. when i do park it for a while it's usually without hookups and solar is a big deal.

my trailer is my magic carpet and limitations are not something i choose to deal with.

p@

[Mitzi Agnew-Giles]

I love my all electric Snoozy and when we've had boondocking weekends we're in the optional generator use area. The generator runs the 12V truckfridge and LEDS and power spike for recharging cell phones, personal massager and computers. I have not plugged in my H2O heater yet. The genie also handled both the 1000/1500 watt heater and the 200 w heater, used the first for temps in low 30s and the second for low 40s (F).
The massager is the same model my masseur uses, great for chronic pain.

[Darral T.]

Here's my take. We bought our SCamp 2010 w/o the furnace (still would). I did get the 3 way fridge, gas stove top and gas waterheater. I've since taken out the stove top and converted the area to storage (we use a small $9 electric single burner) , added a HottRod to the waterheater to make it electric and capped off my propane and removed the tank.

NOW! with that said... I dont like to boondock but there is a model aviation event I go to out in an open field. I add my tank back on the trailer and use a gen at night. So my propane is still readily available and I use it if I'm off the "grid". Propane in the daytime for fridge and waterheater....both which requires VERY little propane. The gen at night for A/C or heat, electric Wh & 120v fridge.

When we're back to electric, I remove the tank and cap off the connector on the Scamp. Kinda the best of both worlds?

[Jon in AZ]

A generator at night is a no-no at most developed public and private campgrounds.

[steve dunham]

Originally Posted by Jon in AZ

A generator at night is a no-no at most developed public and private campgrounds.

I believe that the newer generators shut themselves off automatically at nightfall or at least the ones near my campsite
magically / mysteriously do.

[C&G in FL]

Originally Posted by steve dunham

I believe that the newer generators shut themselves off automatically at nightfall or at least the ones near my campsite
magically / mysteriously do.

Steve, I've also heard they have been known to go for a midnight swim. Is that true?

[steve dunham]

Originally Posted by CPW

Steve, I've also heard they have been known to go for a midnight swim. Is that true?

I have never heard of them swimming only sinking but anything is possible at midnight , especially if I am trying to sleep !

[jen b]

I like having both electric and propane to cover most of the possible campground bases. I camp at Assateague Island a lot where the federal section doesn't have any hookups, so...

* Propane lets me cook in the trailer, not interested in outdoor cooking
* solar keeps my battery topped off so I have lights
* little catalytic heater that runs on 1-pound fuel bottles when night temps drop below 40-45 (I don't have a built in furnace)
* I keep a shore-power space heater on board for when I have campground hookups
* 3-way fridge offers much flexibility, but I also find that with some planning, it's easy to have a camp menu that does not rely on modern refrigeration, depending on the length of the trip. I've done week long trips with at most a cooler and some ice. But I've also appreciated having the fridge on propane when at a campground with no hookups.

A hot water bottle and this insanely warm down comforter my mom got me for $1 at a yard sale keep me pretty warm on cold nights. It's just the getting out of bed part that is difficult, when it's below freezing, the sun's not up yet, but you want to get out to be in place for morning photography just ahead of sunrise.

[Darral T.]

But if yer gen is electric like mine....you cant hear it!! LiPo batts to power it... 8 hour run time...no fuel... no pollution.... yessir... rocket-science gens of the future that shuts up the naysayers!

Originally Posted by steve dunham

I have never heard of them swimming only sinking but anything is possible at midnight , especially if I am trying to sleep !

[Radar1]

Originally Posted by Darral T.

But if yer gen is electric like mine....you cant hear it!! LiPo batts to power it... 8 hour run time...no fuel... no pollution.... yessir... rocket-science gens of the future that shuts up the naysayers!

Darral,
Are you talking about a LiPo battery pack charged by solar? Wouldn't that be just like having solar panels on your camper? Can you run your A/C and microwave for 8 hours on whatever it is you have?

[Jon in AZ]

It sounds like the fabled perpetual motion machine to me...

[Darral T.]

Sorry sir. I dont believe in microwaves in Scamps.

Originally Posted by Radar1

Darral,
Are you talking about a LiPo battery pack charged by solar? Wouldn't that be just like having solar panels on your camper? Can you run your A/C and microwave for 8 hours on whatever it is you have?