Date:         Sat, 16 Jun 2007 13:29:40 -0700
Reply-To:     Don Hanson <dhanson@GORGE.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Don Hanson <dhanson@GORGE.NET>
Subject:      Solar panels for your Vanagon..
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="Windows-1252"

Solar is the way to go.  I agree with Rocket J. Squirrel about having them "remote" from the van..Mine has about 15' of lamp cord hard wired into the panel and the controller.  On the van, I have the female half of a regular plug..So that it won't short, from the auxiliary battery that the solar panel supplies.  I have mine built into an "A-frame" plywood case..  Deployed to gather sunlight, it resembles one of those sidewalk sign boards you see sitting out front of store, etc.  The base of this triangle become a cover for the front of the panel when folded up...All the cord goes inside, wrapped around a couple of cleats.  I have a handle on the outside..So, when folded up, it is just a big double sided plywood book and very well protected for packing other stuff without worry of it harming the panel or the controller at all.
  Dunno any of the numbers, but mine easily supplies my lights, my stereo and lap top, charges my cell phone and sometimes runs an inverter powered tool or two.  I've spent  months at a time in Baja without need of a generator, many times..I have one for the van, one for the Alaskan camper, and my wife just bought a travel trailer, also with a panel that works...until you forget to turn off a light or something...
  I don't know why every RV doesn't use em..You can charge your system chock full when traveling, then when you stop to camp, stick out the panel and it will maintain the charge...But it seems some RVers just love the sound of their own generators...I see em drive into a camp area and immediately start the generator...Often.. We love (joke) this one guy we often see/hear in the desert at a spot we frequent...He fires up his generator outside his travel trailer, then leaves for the day!  I asked him.."Hey Walt, how come you start your generator and leave?"  He says, "I don't like all the noise"...Clueless!
  Don Hanson