Gulf Stream Solar?

[coda]

Maybe I am misunderstanding. I bought the BT cruiser 5210 and it came with solar. If I understand correctly the solar is not for my use but to trickle the battery. If so I am disappointed as I was hoping to run the fans off the solar occasionally boon-docking. Does anyone have a different experience on using the solar that came with your Gulf Stream?

 

[Leisure Time Larry]

This is typical for how solar works in an RV set up: solar panels to a brain/charge controller to battery(s) to store the energy. Battery to 12v devices, or battery to inverter to 120v devices. This is actually great because it stores energy in the battery instead of wasting it. Furthermore, in full sun it's not a 'trickle'. 200w of panels can flow over 10 amps into the battery. (This is why folks who boondock often increase the battery capacity by adding batteries, getting bigger batteries or upgrading to lithium batteries. The more capacity, the more power you can use.) How do you think it works? Why do you think this is disappointing?

What kind of fans do you want to run? The bathroom fan? Do it! That's what I found was best to move air. Open the front roof vent and the bath roof vent and run the fan. It pulls air in the front, through the small coach and out the back. I did upgrade that bathroom fan though.

There are 12v fan options out there as well that just plug into the cigarette lighter DC plug. I have a RoadPro model that is popular online that does that. It will also run on 'D' batteries as well.

Finally, you can install some sort of inverter to run 120V fans and things. This can be a smaller version that you can plug directly into, or a larger version that is wired to power all of your 120v outlets. It's just time, convenience and money as to what you'd like to do there.

Stay cool, LTL

 

[Just two]

Solar ready.

My 5210 came “solar ready”. I found that only meant it had a wire from the house battery to a plug on the drivers side of the coach. I bought a solar suitcase that I put in the sun and run a wire to that plug. The suitcase has a charge controller and that helps keep our house battery charged. We use our 12 volt Maxfan and having the added solar works well.

That how we started. Our solar picture has change a great deal.

 

[[email protected]]

I use 2 200 watt Renogy solar suitcases, 2 109 ah lead acid and a 3000 watt inverter I plug my shore power cord into for the last three summers. Works great and can even run my 2 way frig for 4 or 5 hours in a sunny day to save my propane. Watch Tv, use Kurig coffee maker, microwave, CPAP,, toaster, lights, fan, charge electronics and other general stuff. Not an expensive system and usually never runs below 70% by am. Eventually I would like to hardwire into electrical panel with a manual or auto transfer switch with a few panels on the roof as well. Just have to get off my butt and do it. I did run 4/0 wire between the battery bank and inverter for safety. Works great for what it is. Usually never run genset when boon-docking unless it’s to hot and need AC.

 

[elsieyoung]

I totally get your frustration! It can be confusing figuring out how the solar setup is intended to work. Hopefully, someone here can share their experience with the Gulf Stream’s solar system and give us some tips on how to make the most of it while boon-docking.

 

[Just two]

Added solar to the roof

Added solar to our 5210 roof. 800 watts for 800 ah of lithium added a hybrid 3000 watt inverter/MPPT charger. The batteries are connected to 24 volts. Installed 2 B2B to supplement the solar so we get charged when on the move. We are still in the testing phase, so far so good.