Monument Solar
Off-grid RV Solar systems
What makes a Monument Solar Off-grid solar systems different?
At Monument Solar, we strive to provide the markets safest, most powerful, and most rugged off-grid solar systems. To do this, we incorporate high-grade materials and components into our systems, we test our systems and continually improve upon our designs, and we listen carefully to our customers to better understand their needs and expectations. As a result, our systems have developed into rugged, powerful, and safe off-grid systems.
Continue reading to learn more about what goes into one of our systems.
off-grid systems
Standard RV Solar
off-grid systems vs standard RV solar
So… what’s the difference? What makes an off-grid RV solar system different from a standard RV solar installation. An off-grid system is typically more powerful and gets your RV to think it is plugged into shore power all the time.
So What goes into an off-grid system?
An off-grid system consists of multiple sub-systems, each playing a vital role in providing you power. The Energy Production system is how you capture or produce your power, the Power Management system converts and directs the power, and the Energy Storage system stores the power. Each can be sized in different way to meet your needs and goals for your off-grid system.
I want to use solar… how much should I get?
Solar panels are getting very affordable. Our recommendation is to incorporate as much solar into your off-grid system as you can. This will prove valuable both when the sun is shining strong but also when there are clouds or tree cover where your production may fall to 10% to 20%. If you have 5000 watts on your roof, at 10% you would still get 500 watts… at 20% you would still get 1000 watts.
how do I add more solar?
By adding a Monument Solar Racking System to your off-grid setup, you should be able to double your solar generating capacity. With the racking system, solar panels can be installed in places where they otherwise couldn’t. For example, over a vent, pipe cover, or AC unit. It also allows larger, more efficient, and affordable panels to be used.
But I want to make sure to maintain access to my roof…
A Monument Solar Racking System allows you to adjust your panels 90 degrees to the right or left. This provides you near unobstructed access to your roof if needed. For example, when maintaining your AC units or redoing your water proofing. This also allows you to optimize the angle of your panels for better solar production or for off-season storage.
What do I need to manage my power?
There are a few key components which make up the power management system. Charge Controller - This component both converts the power into a form which is absorbable by your batteries and consumable by your inverters. It also limits the solar power coming in when it is not needed. Bus Bar - This is where multiple components are tied together and is typically where your fuses are integrated. Inverter/Converter - This component will pull power from the batteries/solar and convert into power which can be consumed by an AC unit, microwave, or other household appliance. It will also sense when there is city power/generator power available and will automatically pass that power onto your RV and charge your batteries at the same time. DC/DC Converter - This is incorporated if the DC voltage of the off-grid system is higher than 12 volts. In order to use the 12 volt system (lights, heater, propane fridge, jacks, etc.) the power must be brought back down to the 12 volt system voltage.
How much battery capacity do I need?
How large of battery you can have in your off-grid solar system is governed by 3 factors; weight, space, and money. However, there are requirements for how small your battery can be. The more power you plan to push into or pull out of the batteries at any given time will determine this. The more power going in or out, the larger the energy storage ability of the battery will need to be.
A quick intro on our systems
Each of our off-grid RV solar systems is designed to help you maximize the amount of solar power you capture while out on your adventures. In order to do this, we needed to find a way to safely support larger, more efficient, solar panels across your entire RV roof. We did this by creating a robust off-grid solar racking system which suspends the solar panels just above the highest obstruction on your roof, adding around 1 and 1/2 inches to your overall height (or level with the highest obstruction if the RV height has reached the 13’6” legal limit). This racking system also maintains a 6 inch “catwalk” between the two rows of panels which allows you to travers the full length of your roof without having to move the panels. This is helpful when cleaning the panels or inspecting the system before you travel. In addition to this, the racking system allows the panels to be tilted 90 degrees to either the driver or passenger side of the RV. With this flexibility, you are able to optimize the angle of your panels to capture more solar energy, gain near unrestricted access to your roof, and allows you to position the panels to deflect snow or other debris off your roof during off-season storage. The electrical system ties into both the 12 volt and 120 volt systems of your RV and can be incorporated into 20, 30, or 50 amp RVs. Once your system is installed, your RV will function as though it is connected to shore power wherever you go (limited to 3000 watts peak consumption, 2400 watts continuous with the base configuration). When connecting to shore power or a generator, the system automatically detects the AC power coming in and switches the inverter into charger mode while at the same time passing power on to your 120 volt system for consumption throughout your RV.
Each system is also upgradeable to allow for larger battery storage, greater ability to consume your power, and to better improve your system monitoring. The systems below demonstrate the minimum or entry level setups based on the number of solar panels which are incorporated into each system.