What’s
it gonna be this winter? The
desert? The beach? Are you staying put in a northern
climate? Or, some mixture of all
three? Where you plan to store, or even
travel, during the winter can have an impact on the performance of your solar
powered system. Here are some general
recommendations to help the new solar user think through the options for every
component of your system.
Batteries
Of all the components of a solar powered system, the
batteries are your biggest concern during the winter due to how sub-freezing
temperatures impact their operation.
You’ll want to consider if you plan to store your RV or use it during
the colder months and what type of battery
you use, as storage, charging and operating temperature ranges can
be quite different.
Storage: Your best bet is to
bring the batteries into a dry space such as a basement, or garage, that does
NOT freeze during the winter and put the battery bank on a trickle
charger. Alternatively, you can leave
them in your RV on a trickle charger if you know that the battery won’t be
exposed to sub-freezing temperatures. The trickle charger could either be a
solar panel, or a wall outlet version.
This basically keeps the batteries active and topped off while in
storage.
Use: If you plan to use
your RV during the winter, consider that each battery type has
a unique minimum/maximum temperature range; it’s important to follow
the manufacturer’s recommendations when you know you’ll be traveling in areas
that could be outside of these temperature ranges. Keep in mind, this range refers to the
battery temperature itself, not necessarily the temperature inside or outside
your RV. Where you keep your batteries
will make a difference on its temperature.
Renogy makes a temperature sensor
that works with all of their charge controllers for just this situation. You might also consider installing a
thermometer on the battery itself and/or insulating the battery during the
winter.
For
instance, with our Renogy Lithium
Iron Phosphate (LiFePo) battery, there is a difference between the
temperature range in which it can charge (32 to 113°F) vs. the temperature range in which it can
discharge or be used (-4 to 140°F). Although we tend to travel where it’s warmer,
we do find ourselves traveling through areas where temperatures can drop below
freezing, both day and night. If the
battery has a decent charge, we can still run the lights and appliances within
the discharge temperature range without a problem. But, since the battery sits on the floor
tucked away in a corner of the camper, it is exposed to nearly outside
temperatures, so we won’t charge until it’s above 32°F. In order to combat this issue, we insulate
the battery itself with insulite foam during the winter.
Solar Panels
Storage: Snow can be the main problem
with storing your panels during the winter.
If you’ve got flat panels installed on the roof of your RV and you plan
to leave it outside, the snow load could become heavy enough to damage the
panels. You’ll want to pay attention to
how much snow accumulates on the roof, and try to keep it to a minimum. One
option is to store the panels at an angle so that the snow can more easily
slide off. Alternatively, you can remove the panels and store them inside if
you don’t fancy the idea of climbing on top of your RV and brushing off ice and
snow in a blizzard.
Use: Since panels have a much wider temperature
performance range than batteries, the largest concern of using panels in the
winter is snow and sun angle. For
Renogy’s rigid
panels, the operating temperature ranges from -40 to 176°F; and the flexible panels range from -40 to
185°F. You may want to consider
altering the solar panel
angle depending on where you live for both maximum sun exposure and
snow meltage. If this sounds like too
much hassle, just make sure you remove any heavy snow load. The black panels do a great job of
self-clearing with light snow followed by a generally sunny day. More often than not, our Folding Solar
Suitcase is clear of snow that has come down overnight by the time
we’ve finished breakfast.
Charge Controller & Inverter
The parts of the system which are of least concern during
the colder months are the charge controller and inverter, as they both have a
very wide storage and operating temperature range.
For storage of both the charge controller and inverter, we
recommend keeping them in range of -31 to 175°F. If you plan to use them during the winter,
safe operating temperatures range between -4 to 158°F for an inverter and -31
to +113°F for a charge controller. We
simply can’t imagine any human wanting to live in an RV in these types of
extremes!
Pesky Rodent Issues
For
those who choose to store their RV over the winter consider the pesky rodents
who like to move in, mess things up, and chewing through wire insulation. If you aren’t planning to offer a cozy Air
BnB to the local squirrel or mouse population, here are some helpful prevention tips. Keep in mind, that these are just
preventative and not foolproof. It’s
always a good idea to complete a full maintenance
check before heading out in the spring.
Putting
the RV or van away for the season is always a little bittersweet, but just
think about the adventures you’ll be able to enjoy in the spring! Wherever you may end up this winter, we wish
you happy and safe travels…and hope to see you on the road. Honk 3 times if you see happen to see Hamlet!
Learn more about Shari & Hutch’s solar
powered adventures on their website
and join them on the road via social media at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube!
