Is solar option on Solitudes and Momentums available yet?

[Second Chance]

This summer someone who had checked with their GD rep said that a solar option with a 300 watt panel and a 2,000 watt inverter was going to become available as a factory option. It doesn't seem to be on the "Build and Price" for the 310GK. Is this option available yet and, if so, what is the cost?

Rob

[OffToHavasu]

Yes it is. I've been busy, but I have a number to call who will layout how everything is setup. Once I get it that info, I'll post it up here.

[howson]

This summer someone who had checked with their GD rep said that a solar option with a 300 watt panel and a 2,000 watt inverter was going to become available as a factory option. It doesn't seem to be on the "Build and Price" for the 310GK. Is this option available yet and, if so, what is the cost?

Rob

GDRV-Emily or GDRV-Megan ...

[GDRV-Megan]

This summer someone who had checked with their GD rep said that a solar option with a 300 watt panel and a 2,000 watt inverter was going to become available as a factory option. It doesn't seem to be on the "Build and Price" for the 310GK. Is this option available yet and, if so, what is the cost?

Rob

Hi there! This is now available! We have just updated our website. Thank you for pointing out that it was not on there yet.

[Second Chance]

Hi there! This is now available! We have just updated our website. Thank you for pointing out that it was not on there yet.

Thanks, Megan! After our experience in Southern California this week (power outages due to fire hazard), I think we'll be making this part of our build.

Rob

[TucsonJim]

Rob - I saw the new set up at the Elkhart rally and man it's sweet. It sure saves a lot of trial and error or expensive after-market experimenting.

But one of the biggest questions that comes with solar is how are you going to power the coach? In other words, what would be your plan for batteries? If you check out the presentation I posted on the solar section of the forum, the first thing you'll need to do is calculate the power that you'll be using daily. The next step is to determine how much battery power you need to meet that need, and finally how much solar you need to charge the battery bank.

Unless something has changed from the rally, the new solar options will include different levels of solar power. Two, four or six panels.

Jim

[TucsonJim]

Moderator Note: Since GDRV (Megan) has already answered the question, I'm moving this thread to the solar section of the forum.

[OffToHavasu]

Rob - I saw the new set up at the Elkhart rally and man it's sweet. It sure saves a lot of trial and error or expensive after-market experimenting.

But one of the biggest questions that comes with solar is how are you going to power the coach? In other words, what would be your plan for batteries? If you check out the presentation I posted on the solar section of the forum, the first thing you'll need to do is calculate the power that you'll be using daily. The next step is to determine how much battery power you need to meet that need, and finally how much solar you need to charge the battery bank.

Unless something has changed from the rally, the new solar options will include different levels of solar power. Two, four or six panels.

Jim

Jim,

Maybe you can help since you saw the system and might save me a phone call. Let me try my overview first to see if it helps:

I watched the video of GD advertising the system on YouTube and looked at the parts from the parts lookup page.

First the YouTube video. I see the 300W panel, the charger controller, and the inverter, which is a 2000W Magnum. He says in the video, "It powers your couch, refrigerator, and all outlets." (save that part in your mind for reference later).

Now when I look at the parts and cross reference some of the stuff, the inverter does not pass through, which means is separate and goes through a transfer switch. Ah, there is a transfer switch rated a 20 amps. Hmmm.

So with that bit of information, here comes the question. IF they are using the 20 amp transfer switch, that means all of those things are on one circuit. That seems like a lot. for one circuit.

Can you confirm that this what you saw?

In case you haven't seen it, here's the YouTube video for reference.: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_5Mn1v7K_A

Thanks Jim!

[TucsonJim]

Curtis - They didn't have it installed, so I saw the piece parts layed out on a display table.

But if you do the math, 2000 Watts/120 Volts = 16.7 Amps. So a 20 amp transfer switch is appropriately sized. Just remember to be mindful of your electrical usage when using the 2000 watt inverter. You can run a coffee pot, or a microwave, but not both at the same time. And it's not large enough to run an AC. In fact, unless you build a very large battery bank, you can't run an AC very long, even if your inverter was large enough to do so.

Jim

[OffToHavasu]

Oh I fully understand load shedding. But here's the thing that has peaked my curiosity. That transfer switch is a single circuit 20 amp transfer switch. So their claim that it powers the seats, refrigerators, outlets, etc. would mean in the panel, all those items are on one 20 amp circuit. That seems like a lot for one circuit without even having the inverter as part of the equation.

[TucsonJim]

Curtis, the way most transfer switches work is that they supply power to the main panel. So all those loads would be shared across all the different breakers in the panel. So the weak link is the 20 amp switch or the inverter. Draw too much power, and either the switch or the inverter will shut down. On mine, the inverter shuts down once I approach it's 2000W limit.

[OffToHavasu]

Agreed. But they also two legs for source. Example: Generator and shore power.

Now IF they don't run any shore power through a 20 amp transfer switch and it's only switches to the 20 amps coming from the inverter, I can see that working.

Here is a look at the transfer switch they use form the GD website:

[Second Chance]

Rob - I saw the new set up at the Elkhart rally and man it's sweet. It sure saves a lot of trial and error or expensive after-market experimenting.

But one of the biggest questions that comes with solar is how are you going to power the coach? In other words, what would be your plan for batteries? If you check out the presentation I posted on the solar section of the forum, the first thing you'll need to do is calculate the power that you'll be using daily. The next step is to determine how much battery power you need to meet that need, and finally how much solar you need to charge the battery bank.

Unless something has changed from the rally, the new solar options will include different levels of solar power. Two, four or six panels.

Jim

Jim,

Extremely valid and pertinent question. Bottom line... we are not boondockers. I wasn't even considering solar on our new build until our experience in southern California this week. Although we are over an hour's drive from the fires, we are in an area where SoCal Edison warned customers that they were at risk for a PSPS (Public Safety Power Shutoff) because of high winds, high temps, and extremely low relative humidity. So, we're sitting here in a large Escapees park (a little over 200 rigs scattered around the hills and ridges) with a frig full of food and daytime highs in the upper 80s. We currently have an RV frig and full LP tanks, but would need 12V power for the frig controls (and water heater controls if we were to use that on propane). That's all well and good except we have no way to recharge the house battery. I would be looking to the optional solar system to keep us juiced up just enough to keep the batteries charged to run the residential frig and power the lights at night. Anything left over could keep our phones charged and maybe run Laura's CPAP at night?... Are these unrealistic expectations for a 300 watt panel and a couple of flooded batteries?

Rob

[TucsonJim]

Jim,

Extremely valid and pertinent question. Bottom line... we are not boondockers. I wasn't even considering solar on our new build until our experience in southern California this week. Although we are over an hour's drive from the fires, we are in an area where SoCal Edison warned customers that they were at risk for a PSPS (Public Safety Power Shutoff) because of high winds, high temps, and extremely low relative humidity. So, we're sitting here in a large Escapees park (a little over 200 rigs scattered around the hills and ridges) with a frig full of food and daytime highs in the upper 80s. We currently have an RV frig and full LP tanks, but would need 12V power for the frig controls (and water heater controls if we were to use that on propane). That's all well and good except we have no way to recharge the house battery. I would be looking to the optional solar system to keep us juiced up just enough to keep the batteries charged to run the residential frig and power the lights at night. Anything left over could keep our phones charged and maybe run Laura's CPAP at night?... Are these unrealistic expectations for a 300 watt panel and a couple of flooded batteries?

Rob

With that minimal usage, a couple of flooded batteries and 300 watts of solar should be just fine!

Jim

[Glamping4two]

Jim,

Maybe you can help since you saw the system and might save me a phone call. Let me try my overview first to see if it helps:

I watched the video of GD advertising the system on YouTube and looked at the parts from the parts lookup page.

First the YouTube video. I see the 300W panel, the charger controller, and the inverter, which is a 2000W Magnum. He says in the video, "It powers your couch, refrigerator, and all outlets." (save that part in your mind for reference later).

Now when I look at the parts and cross reference some of the stuff, the inverter does not pass through, which means is separate and goes through a transfer switch. Ah, there is a transfer switch rated a 20 amps. Hmmm.

So with that bit of information, here comes the question. IF they are using the 20 amp transfer switch, that means all of those things are on one circuit. That seems like a lot. for one circuit.

Can you confirm that this what you saw?

In case you haven't seen it, here's the YouTube video for reference.: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_5Mn1v7K_A

Thanks Jim!

Jim,
just watched the video. He said a 2000 watt inverter running fridge and microwave plus outlets? My Furrion microwave is 1400 watts when it’s running. I’ve seen my Polarmax fridge pull 600 watts when the compressor is running. Did I miss something?