Hey everyone! I'm new to this solar power stuff and could use some help understanding a few things. I'm moving my RV to my cousin's property in Southern Ontario, where I have plenty of space for solar panels. I want to turn my RV into a livable office and hangout space. I'll be using a 30 amp hookup from the house, but I'm trying to figure out how to set up the solar array correctly.
1. Is there any way to measure the amps, watts, and volts I'm drawing from the house using a 30 amp plug or adapter?
2. I'd like the solar panels to charge the batteries for night use and power things like the fridge during the day. Is it possible for the extra power to flow back to my cousin's house once my batteries are full?
3. Can the solar array and shore power work together to increase my amperage? If I only have a 30 amp plug, can the solar help bump that up to 50 amps?
4. My RV has an inverter that converts shore power from AC to DC. Should I connect the solar setup directly to the 12-volt system of my RV or convert it to AC at the breaker panel? If I'm not sending power back to the house, do I still need an inverter?
2 Answers
1. To measure the amps, you can make a plug with separate wires and use a multimeter with an amp clamp. That way, you can get accurate readings.
2. Most hybrid inverters should be able to help you with that, but keep in mind that connecting to the grid usually involves some red tape with your utility company.
3. Technically, you can combine solar and shore power, but it’s not a practical solution. It's better to just upgrade to a 50 amp connection if that's what you need, rather than relying on solar to boost the amperage, as it could trip breakers when solar isn’t producing.
4. A grid tie inverter with a 12v output could work, but it might be tricky to find. I'd suggest looking into that further!
Yeah, and don’t forget about getting any necessary permissions from the utilities if you're going grid-tied. Safety first!
You should definitely understand the difference between grid-tie and off-grid systems. A grid-tied setup can send power back to the grid (or your cousin’s house), but it often comes with a lot of regulations.
Off-grid systems don’t connect to the grid and generally need larger batteries because they can't push power back. Your description mixes both systems, which sounds complicated and might lead to issues with regulations.
Also, remember: watts (W) measure power, while watt hours (Wh) measure energy over time. You need to keep track of both for off-grid setups. And just a tip: avoid focusing solely on amps; look at the entire picture with volts and watts!
You can also measure directly at the breaker if you want an alternative method. Just make sure you’re careful with those measurements!