I watching several of your previous electrical videos, I wondered if you were an ET lol 🤣 I guess an AT is similar but on airframes lol. Thanks for your service shipmate! 🫡
I put 4 Battleborn batteries, 200 watt of solar panel and Victron solar controller also a 3,000 watt Victron inverter and color control monitor in a class B, 2017 Mercedes Benz sprinter motor home. Love it, works great. In the morning I can make coffee without having to start the generator. My neighbor's are happy campers, no noise.
Thanks for your command performance Chad. Nice to see that the respective manufacturers are getting great ideas from you & are implementing them for the benefit of all RV Platforms. Hats off to you Chad.
Wow. Great job and an even better presentation. I worked as an IT consultant for 35 years and one of the biggest challenges was how to communicate a highly technical solution in a way that made it understandable for non-technical people. You accomplished that in a way that was clear without coming across as condescending. BZ.
Not gonna lie, In my humble opinion these folks have more money than they know what to do with. Which is great for them. And the benefit is they can do the things we've been dreaming about, so we can kinda see how stuff is done or what might be stuff to work towards.
10 grand in batteries alone! I love watching these videos, but without a sponsorship, it's out of reach of most of us working folk. Nice video though, and I enjoy you guys. Well presented.
Yeah if was paying I'd probably go with SOK at about half the price per watt hour. Battle born makes a good product but its not worth double the cost vs what is still a very good battery to me.
That's such a clean job, I find it so cool yall can be in the middle of nowhere and be able to use all your amenities with out a noisy generator. Thanks for the Video!! I'll be looking forward to the boondocking with solar video.
You are the ‘Tim the Toolman Taylor’ of things RV. Urg Urg Urg…..Great, great presentation as always….Thank you for doing these love watching you guys!
Having extensive low voltage experience from thirty years in the custom A/V industry. I can say this is one of the best solar how to videos I have seen. Thanks for the concise information.
You are a great instructor Chad. I have a short in my unattached garage. The problem may be under the new cement that was just laid for our RV. Instead of digging a new line 75' I was thinking Solar panels. Seeing this I understand more what is needed. Garage door opener, 3 over head lights, 4 outlets to run occasionally air compressor for tires, miter saw and connect to our 30amp RV. Wish my dad and grampa, both electricians were still here. Safe travels. When you were in Cleveland, you ran close to us, nice to see.
As always, very informative and not so steeped in technology that the average owner can follow and not be lost. Kudos, Chad! (And fantastic editing job and great music, Tara :-) ) This gives me a far better understanding of the simple system on my rig and what options I could look at if so desired to increase it safely.
There is one positive offshoot of installing solar panels on any roof and especially RVs you created a lot of shade because the solar panels are suspended above the roof and underneath them is shade which is a lot of roof that’s now not in direct sunlight and probably makes your AC a little more efficient as you’re not getting as much radiant heat coming from the roof I’m curious what an infrared thermometer would see if you look at the ceiling inside the RV and the differential between where a panel is installed and We’re direct sunlight is hitting the roof?
Completely impressed Chad. You are a stud when it comes to stuff like this. I’m not sure I would have the courage to tackle a project like this. Great job…
I have to say you did a great job for never doing that install. I would know because I own 2 of the best Electronic Installation Companies in the world! (Not just my opinion)!
Thanks for putting out all this informational vids. I just picked up the Mobile Solar Power book and started watching his videos. SEEING how these things go together goes a long way for all of us! Please keep up these videos :)
My husband and I saw you all yesterday. We were looking down from the bridge. We hope you enjoyed your visit. Can't wait for the videos from both you and You, me and the RV.
GREAT JOB !!!! By Far the best laid out video that I've seen. This is the same system I'm getting ready to install on our 39' Diesel Pusher with the Multiplus II 2x120. Once again, well done!
So much Knowledge……and cash for your system. Just the Batteries alone. I learned a ton. I love the fact you said I want AC to perform all the the time. Me too. Design the system around Heat and AC for Boon-docking!!!!!
I'm so far behind..got it on the 98 38ft bounder ..was learning for the upgrade..I'm a tree service.. wronged skillset...lol.. I weld,build(ingineering) do inverters on my trucks..4000 watt. But no battery storage on them..alternator runs those...Rv came with 2 100 watt??..can I add battery's and pannels? Nobody has answers so far..I didn't install them so no idea whats there except pics I took
Ive been watching a TON of these videos as i am in the beginnig stages of the journey to DIY solar, and the wife needs her AC while boondocking. This was by far the nest I've seen. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!! I really appreciated the timelines in particular. So many of these videos make it seem short and easy when it is obviously anything but. Thanks again!
Thanks much for this video, Chad. I just completed my first solar install, and I studied this video like I was cramming for finals!!! It has been a tremendous help! We are part-time RV'ers, usually out about 5 days per month. So when it's in storage I watched forlornly as my battery slowly died. Now when I see the battery getting low, I just flip the solar breaker and watch it charging up! Never thought watching a battery charge could be so much fun!!!
You guys have the best how to videos of any rv'ers out there. Love this video. Have been watching for more then a year now. Super awesome content. Keep up the good work. Tara we know your the real brains behind the scene.
Bravo, great video, ton of editing work too. Thanks! Love the uses of CAD (Cardboard Assisted Design)... Thanks for the inspiration and keep on trucking!
Having put 400W and 400Ah of LiFePo4 with a 3kW inverter charger in my little 21ft trailer just a couple months ago, I can appreciate the effort you put into your massive system. I love being able to stop for a break and run the AC or microwave without any worries about power or breaking out the generator.
All I can say is that I am so humbled and inadequate to take this on, that I will never be able to do this addition. I have so much to learn…thank you and so cool to watch for sure!
I'm guessing you stayed with a 12 volt system only because you already had a 3Kw 12 volt inverter installed. One thing I would recommend when you buy your new Victron inverter would be to switch to a 24 volt system and add a DC to DC converter for your 12 volt loads. 1000ah of battery is a bit much for a 12 volt system and you'll have less loss with high amperage loads on the inverter with a 24 volt system
You did a great job of explaining the process and you used language we all can understand along with the diagrams very useful 🥳 can’t wait for your updates
Hi Chad, question for you, as I follow your video, I noticed that at the end of the duct where the solar wires came down (minute 29:58), the wires were not insulated to protect them from the furnace heat. Wouldn't that be too much heat on the wires? Could that be a problem down the road. Thank you for sharing that great video. Sergio.
Thanks for this video chad,as an ex tank mechanic,I appreciate anyone that can do this themselves,were sitting on 1200wts of solar waiting to go on our roof.....keep up the good work....go army
I'm sure Chad wants to provide the best for Tara. I have no doubt she feels the same towards him. I remember Tara told us about being flat on her back for days with her horrible Lime disease. This has be a lot of his motivation. Not ever meeting or talking with them, I still think of them as friends. We all need to put in a little prayer time in for both. And, if you don't believe, it still wouldn't hurt to do it for them. We all luve you both:-) -keith
That Military Training came in Handy, makes that solar install go much smoother, on the electrical side nice job on making the cables, professional job, loved the schematic layout it easy to understand the process, I followed how the system was setup very easily, my military background as Electronics Technician I was able to keep up on how you were explaining the process. looking forward on the updates how the system preformed.
I love it! Would definitely want to see the Victron Inverter! I'd also really be interested in seeing the whole Victron ecosystem working together with the Victron Cerbo GX and the touchscreen!
We have lived off grid on our ranch in the boonies for over 20 years, and most of our power is solar. We do have a generator to charge the batteries on cloudy winter days, We are a bit more spartan than you are in that there is no furnace (wood heat), and our only AC is an ancient evaporative cooler, but we have most of the other modern conveniences. You will like your new solar system!
Chad you always impress me with the knowledge of diy and mechanical/electrical aspects. But the in depth understanding you displayed and explain here is absolutely incredibly astounding. Kudos for not only know these kind of things, but also and maybe equally or more importantly, putting it in layman's terms for those with less knowledge that you, to understand and process easily.
Great video as always guys. Really good information presented in a professional yet easy to understand. I have a very similar background to you with over 42 years in the Avionic/Electrical Engineering of Aircraft. I just wanted to clarify a couple of areas where you may want to correct for your listeners 1. There is no such thing as Watts Law. James Watt (a fellow Scotsman) and whom the Watt is named after is calculated using in a similar way to ohms law using amps x voltage 2. The Watt is unit of Power not Energy 3. The unit of Energy is the Joule. It is calculated using Amperage, Power and voltage. This is NOT a criticism merely an observation in the internet of accuracy. Love the channel!!
Nice to see you do it correctly … from kill switches to breakers, to wire gauge. I’m a huge fan of welding but cable, and often get asked if it isn’t an overkill. Well worth the money. My system isn’t as elaborate, living in a cooler climate, but I still the have power when I need it. Well done on your presentation!
Chad, Well done shipmate (yea, I know you were an airdale, but Navy is Navy!!). Being a former Fire Control Tech working on and teaching Phalanx CIWS back in the day, your video and commentary left no doubt that folks with our training and background would typically be able to do this. Thank you for the channel and sharing the knowledge and experiences of Tara and yourself being full timers!
Super great video! One thing for you to consider is adding an Ooler bed pad to your boondocking portfolio; it can significantly reduce the need for your AC. We LOVE our Ooler and have never slept better ever!
The only thing I did different. I ordered directly from a china battery manufacturer. 4-200 ah lithium batteries with BMS. $3900. delivered to my door. Great batteries for less than 1/2 price. www.rj-lithium.com/
Ive been wanting to add solar to my old 1987 class a. As an electrician, it has driven me nuts with the limited info available for setting up solar in an rv. I have reached out to multiple people to no avail. This is one if the best videos that I have seen, explaining the different peices of equipment.
@@ChangingLanes I agree and there doesn't seem to be any standard as far as things like where you need a mean of disconnect. I've seen systems smaller than yours with 5 or 6 shut switches and yours is one of tge few that I've seen breakers installed (which makes sense to me)
This was so interesting. I use to work with my brother who is a Master Electrician. I’m familiar with the language and you made this really easy to understand. I too need A/C so if I ever were to boon dock I’d have the same set up. Very well done. Enjoy!!
Thank you Chad for sharing all of your knowledge. I just installed 200ah BattleBorns with 200 amp solar panel and it is exciting to see you gain power on your system while the frig and other power is on.
Really great job. I'm so impressed with you guys. Learned a lot but watching you do each step gives me confidence that I could do this as well. Thanks so much Brent
Excellent work Chad. I'll be going through the same install soon. Being an electrician myself I'm going to add a smoke detector or better yet a remote smoke detector to the hole just in case something goes wrong. It could give you valuable minutes to get out.
When you are in Florida the solar panels give you orange juice!! The manufacture should know you need plenum rated cables and wire if it is going in the air duct, they should not bring the solar in the air plenum at all. Glad it is working well for you. Stay safe and healthy.
Awesome video. Thanks for sharing. We are a family of 5 and going to spend the winter in our trailer down south. You guys inspired us to give it a try 😀. We bought the same trailer as we feel the layout is perfect for us. I have a solar installer doing a 48v victron solar system with 13,000wh of batteries and a 5000w converter to run both legs at once. Very similar to your setup with similar goals. You video is well timed as it will help our installer. Your learnings around running the wire from the roof down will be insightful for sure. Thanks again.
We have no intentions of getting solar, but I absolutely love listening to Chad explain all of this! Lol. It’s fascinating and great information to refer to if we ever decide to go for it! Thanks, from a loyal viewer in 🇨🇦
Nice job Chad (Tara too)! The solar teaser you gave us a few weeks ago was killing me. Really looking forward to your performance follow-up video and potential Victron inverter install.
Wow!! Is about all I can say. What an incredible solar system. I thought I was a genius hooking up our micro-air easy starts to the AC's 😆. With you being the grand electrical sorcery wizard that you are Chad.....I'm sure Micro-Air would gladly give you and Tara a partnership for tossing those on your rig and lesson your amp draw on those AC's. Especially with this new kit you whipped up. Maybe be able to run 2 if not all 3 AC's with the Micro-Air's all talking to your system......
What a phenomenal video, Chad. So much info in one place. And from someone who’s not an expert, you sure sound like one. I can imagine the added convenience that solar will provide y’all now. Superb explanation and great editing, Miss Tara. 😉 This vid just became a prime resource for RV solar. Looking forward to the follow up. Thanks guys. Oh yeah, ahem, been missing a certain “redhead” named Lucille! Just thought I’d mention it. 😜 Troy
Chad I gotta say this may have been one of your most informative and interesting videos to date. Love seeing the improvements and I’m looking forward to the date we go full time! BTW you’ve got a better tool box in your rig than I have in my 3-1/2 car garage!
Thanks Chad, this is a straight forward video. I just did a 1800 watt system on my fifth wheel. This was spread out over the course of maybe 3 months waiting on parts. You doing it in 9 days means you were a very busy boy. I agree that it's not for your average person to do such a complex install. Please give us a future update on how well it's working for you.
Hey Chad - Great attention to detail and all the context on why you made the decisions you did to work for your scenarios and goals. I enjoy these videos and look forward to seeing more as you continue your journey.
I always like watching you at work. Because I can count on you paying attention to detail. Maybe because I can easily relate with other Veterans. ..... so you worked on a carrier?? Wish You guys best of health and safe travels.
@@ChangingLanes I was Army, started as a generator mechanic, finished as a Motor Ssgt. been in many different types of units, all over the world. finally called it quits when I returned from Iraq in 91. Thanks agian, you did a lot of planning and prep the same as I did (with the cardboard cut outs.) of course in this heat, I am not getting as much done as i would like daily. safe travels
Chad, great video and you did a phenomenal job presenting the information. Solar is difficult when you start talking math and understanding what you can do with it. YOU KILLED IT! Thanks for the shout out and keep it going brother. 👍
Really great job on the install. You really educate yourself to a professional level and then pass on your knowledge! I appreciate it very much. Two questions for you. 1. I presume you wired your battery bank at 12 volts because you were reusing a 12 volt inverter. If you were starting from scratch would you go to 24 or even 48 volt battery bank? 2. What do you think about a DC to DC charger charging powered off of the tow vehicle’s battery? Even with a big cable your upper limit would be 70ish amps. But on days with little solar gain it would be a nice addition to the battery level. Always enjoy and learn from your videos. Thank you!
Thanks! 1. Yes. I'm not sure about 24 v or not... Lower amperage might be worth it but not sure there's that big of an advantage. 2. Those are a great idea, but with 1000Ah now, we can run the fridge on travel days no problem.. even if we didn't have solar.
I’ve said this before “Chief”, I have a masters in Engineering and consider myself pretty good, but DAMN! You are professional grade!
Thanks! 😊
Wait, you made Chief??
So PO -2, whatever!
Yea.. but not the Navy kind.. 😉
@@ChangingLanes Ah, that's what I thought from past comments. I retired in 2006 as an E6, but we all know some rates you could make E7 in 8 years.
Love how you keep it interesting while giving great information. Great video!
Chad, your one of the smartest guys I know you should be a electronics teach to the youth. You would be fantastic as a teacher. Outstanding video.
I watching several of your previous electrical videos, I wondered if you were an ET lol 🤣 I guess an AT is similar but on airframes lol. Thanks for your service shipmate! 🫡
⚓️ 👊🏼
I put 4 Battleborn batteries, 200 watt of solar panel and Victron solar controller also a 3,000 watt Victron inverter and color control monitor in a class B, 2017 Mercedes Benz sprinter motor home. Love it, works great. In the morning I can make coffee without having to start the generator. My neighbor's are happy campers, no noise.
Just a note that the Victron is a 2,400 watt inverter, that they badge as 3000 VA.
Outstanding video. Absolutely the best I have seen on RV solar install. Well done.
The Hummer community and our Navy Really lucky to have had you !
Thanks for your command performance Chad. Nice to see that the respective manufacturers are getting great ideas from you & are implementing them for the benefit of all RV Platforms. Hats off to you Chad.
I have a couple of ideas for GDI move the gen set to The rear
Wow. Great job and an even better presentation. I worked as an IT consultant for 35 years and one of the biggest challenges was how to communicate a highly technical solution in a way that made it understandable for non-technical people. You accomplished that in a way that was clear without coming across as condescending. BZ.
I agree
Not gonna lie, In my humble opinion these folks have more money than they know what to do with. Which is great for them. And the benefit is they can do the things we've been dreaming about, so we can kinda see how stuff is done or what might be stuff to work towards.
10 grand in batteries alone! I love watching these videos, but without a sponsorship, it's out of reach of most of us working folk. Nice video though, and I enjoy you guys. Well presented.
Yeah if was paying I'd probably go with SOK at about half the price per watt hour. Battle born makes a good product but its not worth double the cost vs what is still a very good battery to me.
Another channel I follow bought individual cells and built their battery bank. Check out I Ride Tiny House Adventures for that video.
@@cwshumate914 That's what I did. It's much cheaper that way.
@@mnotlyon me as well.
I'm thinking is someone has spent $250k on a fifth wheeler, $10k isn't an issue.
That's such a clean job, I find it so cool yall can be in the middle of nowhere and be able to use all your amenities with out a noisy generator. Thanks for the Video!! I'll be looking forward to the boondocking with solar video.
That was the best explanation of AC vs. DC I’ve heard. Thank you
You are the ‘Tim the Toolman Taylor’ of things RV. Urg Urg Urg…..Great, great presentation as always….Thank you for doing these love watching you guys!
Lol, except he doesn't end up in the ER 4 times during the project!!
@@Joel-hr1uw Yes, I think we could build on this.....!
Having extensive low voltage experience from thirty years in the custom A/V industry. I can say this is one of the best solar how to videos I have seen.
Thanks for the concise information.
You are a great instructor Chad. I have a short in my unattached garage. The problem may be under the new cement that was just laid for our RV. Instead of digging a new line 75' I was thinking Solar panels. Seeing this I understand more what is needed. Garage door opener, 3 over head lights, 4 outlets to run occasionally air compressor for tires, miter saw and connect to our 30amp RV. Wish my dad and grampa, both electricians were still here. Safe travels. When you were in Cleveland, you ran close to us, nice to see.
As always, very informative and not so steeped in technology that the average owner can follow and not be lost. Kudos, Chad! (And fantastic editing job and great music, Tara :-) ) This gives me a far better understanding of the simple system on my rig and what options I could look at if so desired to increase it safely.
Looks like there is room for more solar panels, but that's a very good presentation and a very cool camper
Excellent solar/battery bank install video! Can’t wait for the follow up on how everything works together. Chad and Tara are going Boondocking!!!!
There is one positive offshoot of installing solar panels on any roof and especially RVs you created a lot of shade because the solar panels are suspended above the roof and underneath them is shade which is a lot of roof that’s now not in direct sunlight and probably makes your AC a little more efficient as you’re not getting as much radiant heat coming from the roof I’m curious what an infrared thermometer would see if you look at the ceiling inside the RV and the differential between where a panel is installed and We’re direct sunlight is hitting the roof?
From a 65 year old Electronics Engineer, great job. I’m impressed with how well you explained the concepts and the way you organized your components.
Is it only the centre core of the mc4 cable that carries the solar current??
Completely impressed Chad. You are a stud when it comes to stuff like this. I’m not sure I would have the courage to tackle a project like this. Great job…
From one Navy Vet to another, you did a hell of a job.!!
I have to say you did a great job for never doing that install. I would know because I own 2 of the best Electronic Installation Companies in the world! (Not just my opinion)!
Thanks for putting out all this informational vids. I just picked up the Mobile Solar Power book and started watching his videos. SEEING how these things go together goes a long way for all of us! Please keep up these videos :)
Thanks, Bill! 😊
My husband and I saw you all yesterday. We were looking down from the bridge. We hope you enjoyed your visit. Can't wait for the videos from both you and You, me and the RV.
GREAT JOB !!!! By Far the best laid out video that I've seen. This is the same system I'm getting ready to install on our 39' Diesel Pusher with the Multiplus II 2x120. Once again, well done!
Wow! Have you ever thought of being a professor?! Your explanation was perfect and kept me intrigued!! Great job Chad!!!
So much Knowledge……and cash for your system. Just the Batteries alone. I learned a ton. I love the fact you said I want AC to perform all the the time. Me too. Design the system around Heat and AC for Boon-docking!!!!!
I'm so far behind..got it on the 98 38ft bounder ..was learning for the upgrade..I'm a tree service.. wronged skillset...lol.. I weld,build(ingineering) do inverters on my trucks..4000 watt. But no battery storage on them..alternator runs those...Rv came with 2 100 watt??..can I add battery's and pannels? Nobody has answers so far..I didn't install them so no idea whats there except pics I took
One of your best videos! Way to go.
Ive been watching a TON of these videos as i am in the beginnig stages of the journey to DIY solar, and the wife needs her AC while boondocking. This was by far the nest I've seen. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!
I really appreciated the timelines in particular. So many of these videos make it seem short and easy when it is obviously anything but. Thanks again!
There's no Cable Channel like this. So well done and informative.
Thank you! 😎
The two of you make an awesome team putting these videos together
Watts is power and watt hours is energy. Great video! Very informative, I’d really like to something similar.
Love your videos. You explain things so even old ladies can understand what you are talking about.
Thanks much for this video, Chad. I just completed my first solar install, and I studied this video like I was cramming for finals!!! It has been a tremendous help!
We are part-time RV'ers, usually out about 5 days per month. So when it's in storage I watched forlornly as my battery slowly died. Now when I see the battery getting low, I just flip the solar breaker and watch it charging up! Never thought watching a battery charge could be so much fun!!!
Congrats on completing the install!
@21:51 You missed saying that you inverted your inverter! Great video, thanks for being so informative!
Planning is the key to any project! Great Job!
You guys have the best how to videos of any rv'ers out there. Love this video. Have been watching for more then a year now. Super awesome content. Keep up the good work. Tara we know your the real brains behind the scene.
🤣 Thanks!
Bravo, great video, ton of editing work too. Thanks!
Love the uses of CAD (Cardboard Assisted Design)...
Thanks for the inspiration and keep on trucking!
Awesome job! This looked like a really intimidating project, but you took it in stride! Great video Chad and Tara!
Having put 400W and 400Ah of LiFePo4 with a 3kW inverter charger in my little 21ft trailer just a couple months ago, I can appreciate the effort you put into your massive system. I love being able to stop for a break and run the AC or microwave without any worries about power or breaking out the generator.
I bet there is never a dull moment in your RV keep it coming love your work
All I can say is that I am so humbled and inadequate to take this on, that I will never be able to do this addition. I have so much to learn…thank you and so cool to watch for sure!
I'm guessing you stayed with a 12 volt system only because you already had a 3Kw 12 volt inverter installed. One thing I would recommend when you buy your new Victron inverter would be to switch to a 24 volt system and add a DC to DC converter for your 12 volt loads. 1000ah of battery is a bit much for a 12 volt system and you'll have less loss with high amperage loads on the inverter with a 24 volt system
You did a great job of explaining the process and you used language we all can understand along with the diagrams very useful 🥳 can’t wait for your updates
Another great video full of great information, thank you! I spied a CVMA hat in this video, with 35-7 MI myself. Safe travels, keep the videos coming.
That was a fantastic video. Chad, you are awesome at explaining the details.
Hi Chad, question for you, as I follow your video, I noticed that at the end of the duct where the solar wires came down (minute 29:58), the wires were not insulated to protect them from the furnace heat. Wouldn't that be too much heat on the wires? Could that be a problem down the road. Thank you for sharing that great video. Sergio.
this video was awesome. chad explains thing in a way that is easy to pick up and learn from.
Thanks for this video chad,as an ex tank mechanic,I appreciate anyone that can do this themselves,were sitting on 1200wts of solar waiting to go on our roof.....keep up the good work....go army
Execellent video! Well organized, well presented.
Great install and explanation, Chad. Good luck with the system.
As usual for changing lanes this was an awesome video, very informative, thank you very much!
I'm sure Chad wants to provide the best for Tara. I have no doubt she feels the same towards him. I remember Tara told us about being flat on her back for days with her horrible Lime disease. This has be a lot of his motivation. Not ever meeting or talking with them, I still think of them as friends. We all need to put in a little prayer time in for both. And, if you don't believe, it still wouldn't hurt to do it for them. We all luve you both:-) -keith
Thanks, we appreciate your support. 🙏
Tara, great job of making Chad look good. Chad, lots of valuable info ,thanks.
That Military Training came in Handy, makes that solar install go much smoother, on the electrical side nice job on making the cables, professional job, loved the schematic layout it easy to understand the process, I followed how the system was setup very easily, my military background as Electronics Technician I was able to keep up on how you were explaining the process. looking forward on the updates how the system preformed.
I love it! Would definitely want to see the Victron Inverter! I'd also really be interested in seeing the whole Victron ecosystem working together with the Victron Cerbo GX and the touchscreen!
We have lived off grid on our ranch in the boonies for over 20 years, and most of our power is solar. We do have a generator to charge the batteries on cloudy winter days, We are a bit more spartan than you are in that there is no furnace (wood heat), and our only AC is an ancient evaporative cooler, but we have most of the other modern conveniences. You will like your new solar system!
Chad you always impress me with the knowledge of diy and mechanical/electrical aspects. But the in depth understanding you displayed and explain here is absolutely incredibly astounding.
Kudos for not only know these kind of things, but also and maybe equally or more importantly, putting it in layman's terms for those with less knowledge that you, to understand and process easily.
Great video as always guys. Really good information presented in a professional yet easy to understand. I have a very similar background to you with over 42 years in the Avionic/Electrical Engineering of Aircraft. I just wanted to clarify a couple of areas where you may want to correct for your listeners
1. There is no such thing as Watts Law. James Watt (a fellow Scotsman) and whom the Watt is named after is calculated using in a similar way to ohms law using amps x voltage
2. The Watt is unit of Power not Energy
3. The unit of Energy is the Joule. It is calculated using Amperage, Power and voltage.
This is NOT a criticism merely an observation in the internet of accuracy. Love the channel!!
Fantastic solar installation Chad! Great editing work Tara, you make the RV stars shine!!!
Nice to see you do it correctly … from kill switches to breakers, to wire gauge. I’m a huge fan of welding but cable, and often get asked if it isn’t an overkill. Well worth the money. My system isn’t as elaborate, living in a cooler climate, but I still the have power when I need it. Well done on your presentation!
Great overview! Solar is perfect for RV's. Just gotta be safe and do it right.
You break it down pretty simple! You seriously understand this! Thank you!!
Watt a great video guys, really enjoyed this one. Great job .
Chad, Well done shipmate (yea, I know you were an airdale, but Navy is Navy!!). Being a former Fire Control Tech working on and teaching Phalanx CIWS back in the day, your video and commentary left no doubt that folks with our training and background would typically be able to do this. Thank you for the channel and sharing the knowledge and experiences of Tara and yourself being full timers!
Thank you for your service🇺🇲
Thank you for sharing this video. It really opened our eyes to using solar power.
Extremely informative Chad! I will defiantly save this as a favorite video. Thank You!
Super great video! One thing for you to consider is adding an Ooler bed pad to your boondocking portfolio; it can significantly reduce the need for your AC. We LOVE our Ooler and have never slept better ever!
Your gonna love your solar. We have 10- 180 watt panels with 800 ah lithium. I installed three years ago. It's a total game changer!
The only thing I did different. I ordered directly from a china battery manufacturer. 4-200 ah lithium batteries with BMS. $3900. delivered to my door. Great batteries for less than 1/2 price. www.rj-lithium.com/
Ive been wanting to add solar to my old 1987 class a. As an electrician, it has driven me nuts with the limited info available for setting up solar in an rv. I have reached out to multiple people to no avail. This is one if the best videos that I have seen, explaining the different peices of equipment.
Totally agree that it's a confusing topic. I think the reason is that there are about 1000 ways to built one.
@@ChangingLanes I agree and there doesn't seem to be any standard as far as things like where you need a mean of disconnect. I've seen systems smaller than yours with 5 or 6 shut switches and yours is one of tge few that I've seen breakers installed (which makes sense to me)
This was so interesting. I use to work with my brother who is a Master Electrician. I’m familiar with the language and you made this really easy to understand. I too need A/C so if I ever were to boon dock I’d have the same set up. Very well done. Enjoy!!
Thank you, this video simplified a lot of things for me. Is it gonna cost me a lot of money? YES! Will it be with it? YES! You guys rock xoxo
The moral of this story: experience and the Dremel are indispensable. Impressive video!
Oh, and cardboard.
Totally impressed. Very detailed and informative without confusing the process.
Thanks much guys. I have been waiting for this video since we kind of talked about it awhile back.
Thank you Chad for sharing all of your knowledge. I just installed 200ah BattleBorns with 200 amp solar panel and it is exciting to see you gain power on your system while the frig and other power is on.
Really great job. I'm so impressed with you guys. Learned a lot but watching you do each step gives me confidence that I could do this as well. Thanks so much
Brent
Would you consider installing for the right price?
Great video, Chad! Very detailed and very well explained! Happy camping!
Very informative video. Enjoy your time boondocking with Phil and Stacy.
Excellent work Chad. I'll be going through the same install soon. Being an electrician myself I'm going to add a smoke detector or better yet a remote smoke detector to the hole just in case something goes wrong. It could give you valuable minutes to get out.
Great episode .. can’t wait to see the completed series, especially the one of the new / upcoming inverter.
When you are in Florida the solar panels give you orange juice!! The manufacture should know you need plenum rated cables and wire if it is going in the air duct, they should not bring the solar in the air plenum at all. Glad it is working well for you. Stay safe and healthy.
Awesome video. Thanks for sharing.
We are a family of 5 and going to spend the winter in our trailer down south. You guys inspired us to give it a try 😀.
We bought the same trailer as we feel the layout is perfect for us.
I have a solar installer doing a 48v victron solar system with 13,000wh of batteries and a 5000w converter to run both legs at once. Very similar to your setup with similar goals.
You video is well timed as it will help our installer. Your learnings around running the wire from the roof down will be insightful for sure.
Thanks again.
Sounds like a great setup! 👍🏼 If your 397 is a later model, they moved the ducting over, so the drop should be between the ducting and frame...
@@ChangingLanes thank you! It’s a 2019.
We have no intentions of getting solar, but I absolutely love listening to Chad explain all of this! Lol. It’s fascinating and great information to refer to if we ever decide to go for it! Thanks, from a loyal viewer in 🇨🇦
Nice job Chad (Tara too)! The solar teaser you gave us a few weeks ago was killing me. Really looking forward to your performance follow-up video and potential Victron inverter install.
Wow!! Is about all I can say. What an incredible solar system. I thought I was a genius hooking up our micro-air easy starts to the AC's 😆. With you being the grand electrical sorcery wizard that you are Chad.....I'm sure Micro-Air would gladly give you and Tara a partnership for tossing those on your rig and lesson your amp draw on those AC's. Especially with this new kit you whipped up. Maybe be able to run 2 if not all 3 AC's with the Micro-Air's all talking to your system......
Great video and description. Nice work to both of you.
You do great quality work on your wire placement. Great job explaining the work
Thank you for the great information that I understood a lot of. Many questions answered! Hugs to you both!
What a phenomenal video, Chad. So much info in one place. And from someone who’s not an expert, you sure sound like one. I can imagine the added convenience that solar will provide y’all now. Superb explanation and great editing, Miss Tara. 😉 This vid just became a prime resource for RV solar. Looking forward to the follow up. Thanks guys. Oh yeah, ahem, been missing a certain “redhead” named Lucille! Just thought I’d mention it. 😜 Troy
Chad I gotta say this may have been one of your most informative and interesting videos to date. Love seeing the improvements and I’m looking forward to the date we go full time! BTW you’ve got a better tool box in your rig than I have in my 3-1/2 car garage!
Thanks Chad, this is a straight forward video. I just did a 1800 watt system on my fifth wheel. This was spread out over the course of maybe 3 months waiting on parts. You doing it in 9 days means you were a very busy boy. I agree that it's not for your average person to do such a complex install. Please give us a future update on how well it's working for you.
Great video. I like how you broke the project up into smaller parts. Well thought out.
Hey Chad - Great attention to detail and all the context on why you made the decisions you did to work for your scenarios and goals. I enjoy these videos and look forward to seeing more as you continue your journey.
I always like watching you at work. Because I can count on you paying attention to detail. Maybe because I can easily relate with other Veterans. ..... so you worked on a carrier?? Wish You guys best of health and safe travels.
Thanks! Yes.. I worked on E2-C Hawkeyes, deployed on the Roosevelt (CVN-71)
@@ChangingLanes I was Army, started as a generator mechanic, finished as a Motor Ssgt. been in many different types of units, all over the world. finally called it quits when I returned from Iraq in 91. Thanks agian, you did a lot of planning and prep the same as I did (with the cardboard cut outs.) of course in this heat, I am not getting as much done as i would like daily. safe travels
Chad, great video and you did a phenomenal job presenting the information. Solar is difficult when you start talking math and understanding what you can do with it. YOU KILLED IT! Thanks for the shout out and keep it going brother. 👍
Safe travels! 👊🏼
Well done Chad! A true craftsman!
Great video, Chad. You sure do know your stuff. Hope you and Tara are doing well.
Really great job on the install. You really educate yourself to a professional level and then pass on your knowledge! I appreciate it very much.
Two questions for you.
1. I presume you wired your battery bank at 12 volts because you were reusing a 12 volt inverter. If you were starting from scratch would you go to 24 or even 48 volt battery bank?
2. What do you think about a DC to DC charger charging powered off of the tow vehicle’s battery? Even with a big cable your upper limit would be 70ish amps. But on days with little solar gain it would be a nice addition to the battery level.
Always enjoy and learn from your videos. Thank you!
Thanks!
1. Yes. I'm not sure about 24 v or not... Lower amperage might be worth it but not sure there's that big of an advantage.
2. Those are a great idea, but with 1000Ah now, we can run the fridge on travel days no problem.. even if we didn't have solar.