Solar Panel Question

The Phoenix 2552 unit is on my short list and appears to generally fit our camping style.  We camp mostly in parks without electrical hookup with many of them restricting generator use.

I would like to install solar panels to charge the two 6 volt batteries.  I don't know but assume the batteries provide about 220 amp hrs of storage.  A general rule of thumb that i have found reliable is to install a minimum of one watt of panel per amp hour of battery.  Therefore I would need two 110 watt panels.  Preferably I would like to install two 150 watt panels.

The factory says only a single 150 watt panel can be installed. 

I recall seeing a photo on this forum showing two panels installed and a comment from another contributor that he installed three panels.

Any input from those that have roof mounted panels would be appreciated.  I would like to have two roof vents in addition to the bathroom vent and a King TV antenna.  I don't know if any of these units prevent panel panel installation.

Fred

There is plenty of room for more solar panels. I have 435 watts on the roof and an additional 80 watts self deployed. There is a 95 watt panel that fits very well on the driver side roof that I put 3 on in addition to the 150 watt that PC installed. You will have to upgrade your solar controller as well to handle the added wattage. I have a 2552 with vent covers.

You need to increase your clean space on the roof.  Other things on your roof may need to be relocated, changed, or deleted.  For example, you might need to delete the roof top rack, relocate a vent, or even delete a vent.  I don't know if the factory still installs the crank-up Winegard antenna, but if you are slated to get it, it takes up a lot of space on the roof.  Ask for a smaller (more expensive) fixed digital 360 degree antenna.

You get the idea.

Chihuly, did Phoenix install all your solar panels?  I understand you put three 95 watt panels plus a 150 watt panel.  I was thinking of one 150 watt panel on the drivers side and one 150 watt panel on the passenger side or do you think I would need to go to three 100 watt panels? I am thinking PC 2552.  I think a total of 300 watts would be adequate for a single set of 6 volt batteries.  I understand with your higher capacity batteries the additional panels are needed.

Based on what you see do you think the two 150 watt panels could be installed as outlined above?  Where is your controller located?  You mentioned a portable panel how did you connect it to the system?  I have a 100 watt portable panel i would like to use when needed.  Are all panels connected in parallel through a common controller?  What gauge wire did you use from the panels to the controller and from the controller to the batteries?

If you could post a photo of your panel installation it would be most helpful .  Sorry for so many questions but having a good solar charging system is really important to how we intend to use the PC.

Thanks,
Fred

First thing I did was have PC move the antenna to make the front open.
Second the best thing I installed was the Bogart TM-2025RV TriMetric Meter, this tells you what % the batteries are charged to. It's impossible to know by monitoring the voltage.
I had PC install the charge controller, the Trimetric and the shunt and the wiring up to the arrays. I installed the arrays myself.
This is what I bought.
Morningstar ProStar PS-30 30A, Charge Controller without Display (12/24V)] EA  1    
Kyocera KD140SX-UPU 140W 12V Solar Panel with J-Box] EA  2  
Bogart Engineering TM-2025RV TriMetric Meter with Enclosure for RVs] EA  1  
Bogart Engineering 500A, 50Mv Shunt         ] EA  1    


Here is where I had them install the controls. Near door & batteries.

Here is the Trimetric, I had them move the inverter controls and the RV monitor all in same place near switch for awning.


2 pair of #10 stranded wires from the charge controller to the 2-solar arrays on the roof.
1 pair of #8 wires to the batteries from the charge controller.

This was 4 years ago, I'm sure newer arrays are available now.

Fred I am not savy on how to post pictures yet but I didn't have to move anything. Phoenix installed the 150 watt panel across the middle between the AC and bedroom vent. That was actually a mistake, lost in translation when I changed from "solar" to "solar ready" but it was already installed when I picked it up so I wasn't going to have them change it. The only problem is you really want all your panels to match. Mine do not and I loose a little with my NPPT controller but not enough to sweat over. The three 95 watt panels fit nicely on the driver side and if I park facing west I get maximum solar. I do recommend going bigger on your controller so that if and when you decide you want to add more panels you can.
   I hooked my ground deployed solar panel  to my batteries on a 10 gauge 20'line that has a quick connect on the end. I wired the other quick connect to the solar panel on a 12" pigtail. My ground deployed solar fits nicely in the back compartment. It has its own controller so it does not need any other wiring. The long wire is nice if I end up in the shade I can usually find some sun with it. I wrap it around the batteries when not in use. The other part I like is with another Quick connect fitting I can put the battery clips back on the solar panel and use it on anything else I want, Boat, Other vehicle what ever.
I don't know your primary use or conditions but for me using my PC in colder than normal climates I needed more battery capacity.
For short trips and general vacationing two batteries will probably be fine. If you plan on living in it for long periods of time you may want to consider doubling that. PC can put in a battery tray that holds 4 six volt batteries. I like to use the microwave/convection oven and turning on the generator every time gets old. I put 130 hours on my generator in three months. Since then I had "Starlite Solar" in Yuma install my solar and 400 amps lithium batteries and I haven't turned on my generator since. I had originally planned on installing it all myself but I would have had to come back to Alaska where I had all the necessary tools and I got tired of having to run my gen. They did an incredible job and stand behind their work. They are also very fast.
On a side note: I spent the last night on my way home to Alaska and it got down to -6. The only thing I winterized was the Mercerator pump and poured a couple gallons of antifreeze in the holding tanks and a little in the shower drain. I left the bathroom cabinet door open and kept the hot water heater on and the PC did great.
Good luck on your build. Most of the guys on this forum know way more than me and I sucked a lot of knowledge from them reading everything I could. Remember most Motorhome companies don't use them like these guys do.
Living in one full time compared to occasionally using one for four or five days a couple times a year is a whole lot different.
 

I was not as sophisticated or complicated as others that have commented.  

I simply bought two Renogy 100 watt panels, the Renogy wire and a simple controller from the same maker.  I installed the panels on top of my 2350, ran the wire to the battery compartment and installed the controller on a faceboard I made for the front of the battery area.  I also installed a small cheap digital voltmeter on the panel so I could make sure how everything is working and an automotive type on/off switch of 50 amp capacity.  I have now used this system for over a year, it works well and allows us to boondock for long periods.  Obviously, it would be better to have installed the meter and the controller inside the coach but that made it a much more complex modification and I just "country boyed" it.  

I bought all this gear from Amazon and the entire project was about five hundred bucks.   Now, this is on a PC2350 and the OP is looking at a unit almost exactly four feet longer, so I would conclude there is plenty of room for two panels on a 2552 model.

Incidentally, I installed the second panel a trip or two after the first.  I wanted to see from a practical standpoint how 100 watts and the system would work before I installed the second panel.  The cables I purchased also had Y connections available for multiple panel arrays.  Solar isn't rocket science any more.  The key I found was to just be sure to use adequate gauge wire and a controller which keeps the batteries from frying and overcharging.  

Paul