Things we run on our "Boondocking Solar Power"!

Viewing 15 posts - 1 through 15 (of 15 total)
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  • #44406
    Eddie & Aileen
    Participant

    Howdy Campers! I put a short video of the things we run on our solar power storage system.

    Happy trails!!!:bye:

    #44652
    Slim Lundeen
    Member

    So what size inverter do you use and how many watts solar.  I have 500 going onto Tilly when she finally gets here.  Going to be fun doing a power survey and figuring out if I need more.  One of the most interesting project is going to be mounting 4 batteries on the front of a conventional trailer.  Good battery boxes are expensive.

    #44654
    Eddie & Aileen
    Participant

    Howdy Slim! We run a 2000-watt pure sine, and a 1500-watt modified wave inverter. We have over a 1-K of solar in our array charging 900-AH’s of battery bank.

    Try looking at a truck side rail tool box or short in-bed PU box for a battery storage on a TT.:bye:

    Happy Trails!!!

    #44691
    Slim Lundeen
    Member

    Hadn’t thought of a truck tool box for a battery box.  You can get some of those pretty cheap.  Well reasonably cheap and I am still working for a while longer.  Great idea.  So how many batteries is 900 ah?

    #44693
    Eddie & Aileen
    Participant

    Slim, in our case it’s (8)-T-105RE (GC2) batteries. Less Batteries with L-16’s, but we did not have the vertical room for them.:good:

    Happy Trails!!!

    #44781

    Good information in the video. And thank you, Eddie. for the great information on the YouTube videos both your videos and Rays. I had some of the information needed to get my solar setup started. Right now it’s just set up in my garage here in Fairbanks on a board that’ll get installed in the front storage bay of the fifth wheel. The actual panels (4×100 watt Renogy) are in OR and the trailer is in WA so I won’t get any of this installed until this May when I drive down. Only half of the compartment is available as there is a metal divider with the propane tanks on the other side. I’ll have a week to get the rig ready to go before my wife flies down.

    I’ve been testing the setup with a borrowed Kyocera 130 watt 12 volt panel. And seeing what type of things I can run off of the battery bank and for how long. And working on a Raspberry Pi to log data from the Tristar. I don’t think I would’ve even known where to start without your knowledge sharing. Thank you!

    DC Backboard

    #44845
    Slim Lundeen
    Member

    Looking at Better Built Chest type boxes.  A little expensive but at first blush it looks like I could put 6 of those L16 batteries in there.  But I am going to have to wait till Tilly gets here.  I don’t know how much room I have between the front of the trailer and the propane tanks.  But the options are pretty much endless.  Giddy I tell you, Giddy.

    #45077
    Eddie & Aileen
    Participant

    Howdy Campers! Along with the things we run on solar power, people have asked what our system in our RV looks like. So I made a video on the power supply in the “Mobile Homestead”. We did the solar power in stages, refitting/replacing as it grew in size. If I could, I would have wired heavy in the beginning, (like I do on most of my payed installs) then we wouldn’t needed to change wiring each time.

    Happy Trails!!!  :good:

    #45091
    Jd
    Participant

    So I purchased the intella charger like you have. If I put it close to the batteries in the front compartment and hook it directly to my batteries do I have to disconnect the OEM charger or can I run both if I am on my generator or sure power.

    #45093
    Eddie & Aileen
    Participant

    Howdy Jd! You could leave the old converter hooked up. The Intella power charger will take lead and the OEM unit will follow, Master & slave set-up, you could also just unplug or turn off the 120-volt beaker to the OEM unit until you needed it again.

    Hope you liked the video!:bye:

    Happy Trails!!!

    #45097
    Thierry
    Participant

    Great Videos Eddie,

    thanks a lot always ton of informations.

    Ice cube maker really cool idea love it. Did I mist something you never use the Microwave or is it one of my old timer moment and I was not listening correctly 😉

    Thierry, Nicole, Ben and… crazy Maya

    #45107
    Slim Lundeen
    Member

    This is such a great thread.  Thanks so much for the great education.  Right now I am going to stick with the 500 watts that I have and tell Ginie to run what she wants and see what we need to do.  I am not a total Solar Snob but I sure would like to only run the genset in the morning for a couple of hours at the most if I have to.  We shall see.  Let’s have an adventure.

    • This reply was modified 6 years, 2 months ago by Slim Lundeen.
    #45110
    Jd
    Participant

    Thanks for the info pretty much what I thought. Putting the charger in with 4 AGM 12 volt batteries then next 400 watts of solar.

    #45114
    mikemonster
    Participant

    Hi,

    I’m new to this forum, but I’ve been lurking the RV sites for a number of years.

    1st- Eddie thanks for your video.

    Slim- I’m in the process of gathering my components for a first phase solar addition to our RV. I have a towable Toy Hauler, so like you, I have the “battery placement” problem too. I’m a DIYer and after many searches bought a “truck sidebox” to hold my batteries. Rather than hi-jack this thread I’ll open a new thread to follow as I progress.

     

    Thanks,

    Mike

    #45158
    Slim Lundeen
    Member

    I just made a quick check to see what is out there.  Haven’t even looked at the side boxes yet.  I didn’t want to get all spun up on something just to find out it won’t fit.  I ordered my trailer with solar installed; just got too good of a price.  It is coming with two batteries but I know I am going to want more.  This waiting for Tilly to get here is excruciating.   But man I am getting excited.  I look forward to seeing the thread/progress that you make.  Yeah Buddy!

    • This reply was modified 6 years, 2 months ago by Slim Lundeen.
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