Just curious if anyone has purchased the solar kit offered by Scamp and installed at the factory.
Any input as to how well it works and ease of use would be appreciated.
Thu, 08/25/2022 - 18:20
#1
Scamps Solar Kit ?
I got one with my new Scamp. It's a 100w suitcase Renogy unit. The installation really consists of a plug being installed in the side of the battery box--not a real big deal. Unlike some of the other units I've seen (including what Scamp was selling at the time I ordered mine), the controller on this one is waterproof according to the manufacturer. It's well made, and seems to do a good job of charging the battery so far. Very easy to use--just plug it in and go.
I'll be putting it to its first big test in a couple of weeks when I'll be off grid for a week. I'm hoping it will keep the battery charged up enough to keep the compressor fridge and the Maxx Fan working. I'll find out soon!
Dave
Hi Dave,
Now that winter is here, how has the solar been with the use of the heater. Does the battery hold charge thru the night without
running battery down past 50%...? I'm getting my new Scamp with solar panel end of summer, so using heater since we camp in the mountains, a big part of the energy usage. Thanx for any feedback, Shelly
The Shellies
Meaning, it's not attached to the Scamp roof, you carry it to where it's sunny and run wires from it to the Renogy charge controller? If that's the case, and assuming Scamp Int'l charges a premium price for this option, I would do it myself rather than pay the premium.
A 100 watt solar pane with one battery may not get you through a week unless you have lots of sun and mild temps. If you have hot temperatures inside the Scamp, the compressor fridge will have to run a lot to keep cold...and if you have cloudy days, you may run the battery down. If you have a generator, I would take that along for backup. On my previous camper build, I installed a Truckfridge 12 volt compressor fridge. It worked great and didn't run all the time if the temperature inside the trailer stayed below 80 degrees. At first I only had a 100 watt solar panel on the roof and it couldn't keep up in hot weather, especially on partly cloudy days. I added a second 100 watt panel, and it worked better...although I only had one battery. I didn't have a roof fan, so running the Maxx Fan should help suck the hot air out of the trailer and improve refrigerator performance. Good luck.
I'm glad my Scamp 13 has the 3 way fridge. I don't why they did away with the propane option.
I did a 48 hours of day/night tests in my driveway with the fridge and the Maxx fan running and the solar panel hooked up. Highs were about 80, and the trailer was in direct sunlight a good part of the day. The solar panel was not in direct sunlight much of the day--the cable was too short to move it to a sunnier location (I ordered a 20 foot 10 gauge extension cord for it). Although not up to what it could do in good direct sunshine, it still worked well enough.
Verdict for now anyway--no problem at all. The battery charged and stayed charged, and still read 12.4 volts in the morning after running the fridge and fan all night. The real test will be the week after Labor Day, but I'm encouraged so far.
Dave
Selecting the battery type for the solar controller. The manual states that incorrect battery type setting can damage your battery. I ordered the 27 group battery with my new 2022 scamp. What is my battery type selection? Also is it possible to over charge the battery using my solar panel? Do I need to worry about any gas build up inside the battery case or should I remove the cover.
The 27 group battery that came with my Scamp is a regular lead/acid deep cycle battery. "Flooded Lead Acid." From what I read, the Renogy will not overcharge the battery--it tapers down the charge as the battery charges. I don't worry about gas build up--the box has plenty of air gaps that should let any gasses that might build up out.
Dave
Note that lead acid battery capacity is reduced when they are cold. If you do much cold weather boondocking then a Lithium battery may be a better option. However that would require a different inverter in your Scamp when using shore power, and charging from your vehicle may not work since the vehicle charging system is set up for a lead acid battery, which has different voltage charging setpoints than a Lithium battery.