Best solar & wind power products according to redditors
We found 930 Reddit comments discussing the best solar & wind power products. We ranked the 387 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
We found 930 Reddit comments discussing the best solar & wind power products. We ranked the 387 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
Using solar in a van is simple if your expectations are in line, and unworkable if not.
First, the bad: If you want to run devices that heat or cool with electricity, such as coffeemakers, hotplates, A/C, toasters, hair dryers, etc., you will not make your numbers or anywhere near them. Give that all up. There is a reason whole-house systems cost $30k, it is heating and cooling.
For a quick example, say you have a tiny 700 watt A/C unit. This represents half a normal small window A/C, or half a hairdryer. A 100Ah marine cell (basically a car battery that swaps maximum acid/lead contact area for thicker internal lead plates) from Wal-Mart ($100) has 100Ah, which translates to roughly 1200 watt hours. You do not want to run a wet cell like this below 50% or so; a fully-charged marine cell will run a unit like this for about 50 minutes. So, if you want to run it 10 hours a day off batteries, you will need 12 fully-chrged batteries, costing $1200 and weighting 700 pounds. You would also need a semi-sized trailer covered in panels to charge them. Oh, and the A/C compressor takes double the load when it starts up — which will tire the batteries out quickly, so expect that $1200 in batteries to be a yearly thing.
Now, the awesome: IT WORKS. I ran 30 feet of LEDs, a laptop, a small but nice stereo, a PoE wireless antenna, a wireless hub, iPhones and iPods, 18v DeWalt battery packs, a fan — plus whatever I am forgetting — off of 2 x 100W solar panels and 2 x 100Ah marine cells while boon docking in my camper for ten weeks.
To run a full system you will need a solar panel, an inverter, a battery, and a charge controller.
First you must go ahead and do all the math of your usage, because we are are still at the stage where we must all do all the math, and math is good, but when you are doing all the math to the third significant digit, and looking up the model of that rechargeable flashlight you like for its charging amperage requirements, maybe say screw it and start with half what works for my boon docking setup; one beefy panel, one solid battery. You can then add another panel later if your location or climate require it to keep the battery charged.
As to wiring, your charge controller will have connections that include a legend where to hook up your batteries, panels and inverter, so easy peasy there. See the link below for an example. I recommend spending the extra on an MPPT controller, which converts some of your extra juice (the 12V panel below can run almost 19V) that normally is dumped when charging into increased amperage of the charging current. Do the math of your expected load, it's possible you will want a 20A.
YOU WILL WANT TO DO THE MATH on wire sizes. There are calculators online. For your small setup, the important run is going to be between the battery and the charge controller. This is where the fires start. If you think you will EVER add another battery dig deep and wire for it. Also, fuse your system correcly, there is a schematic on the charge controller link below. Don't skip this, you can get the fuse holders and fuses at your local auto parts store.
For inverters, I feel better about everything by getting a well-respected pure sinewave unit. I run a Cotec 350W for the solar, and it seems bulletproof. I also run a Xantrex 600 in my 4Runner and it seems just as solid. You could save a ton by getting a cheap modified sinewave one and seeing if it meets your needs. Either way they will have outlets on them, so you don't need to wire it further.
Also, no wet cells inside the vehicle unless properly secured, sealed to the inside, and vented to the outside.
Solar panel:
http://www.amazon.com/RENOGY-Monocrystalline-Photovoltaic-Battery-Charging/dp/B009Z6CW7O/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1417553121&sr=8-1&keywords=100W+solar+panel
Charge controller (10A likely okay, do your math, I got the 20 amp)
http://www.amazon.com/Tracer1210RN-Solar-Charge-Controller-Regulator/dp/B008KWPGS6/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1417552788&sr=8-2&keywords=mppt+charge+controllers
Inverter:
http://www.amazon.com/COTEK-SK350-112-INVERTER-OUTLETS-CABLES/dp/B006W9IPA0
Definitely check out couchsurfing.org and create a profile and try to connect with some folks. I'm sure you could spend 2 nights one place, 2 nights another, or maybe even all week in one place.
Otherwise, you could also stay at the Minneapolis International Hostel which has some pretty low rates.
Uptown would be a good place to stay, I think and you could take a bus into town for some stuff. There are free publications all over downtown that have different events and shit going on.
Check out the MetroTransit Fare Page for getting a week pass for both the light rail / Northstar line / and busses. Not that you'd need to take the Northstar line anywhere...
There is a KOA campground in Maple Grove, Minnesota and according to this Google Maps transit information, it would be a 2.5 mile walk/drive to get to this place from the closest bus stop.
Where are you coming from? You could take the Amtrak into town with your bike, bus out to the campsite... set up shop with said bike. Bike to the bus stop, and most (probably all) buses have bike racks on them... take the 38 minute bus ride into town in the morning, bike around town all day... come back, bike to campsite, relax.
Or rent a bike when in town, and then just walk 2.5 miles to that campsite.
I'd suggest getting a solar charger like this one
if you plan on staying there, so that you can charge your phone in the morning, during the day, etc and will always have a GPS thing. There are so many handy apps to have for navigating around the area, finding current arts and shows information, connecting with people, etc!
Heck, maybe even make a Craigslist post stating you are looking for a place to stay for a week, or respond to some sublet ads! I'm sure there are some people with an empty room who would gladly take $100 or something so long as you give significant background information!
Lastly, here is a link to a USA Today Article about what to do in Minneapolis in terms of camping and here is another, similar USA Today Article
The title is rather innacurate, I agree. But let's look at what he has actually made.
His machine takes these solar panels, which cost $0.50 per watt (peak output), and wires the components into a series then seals them against the elements (likely costing ~$0.25 for plastic/glue/ect, wild guess there). Meaning you can get $0.75 per watt for a solar panel that you can stick anywhere.
For comparison, a medium scale solar panel costs around $1.15 per watt. This includes a charge controller, which costs about $70 on its own (and the $70 has been included in the cost-per-watt).
So instead of having a huge panel that may need repair and may have one component fail which takes the whole thing offline, you have a hundred plastic packet solar panels. That each cost less than half as much.
If it works as advertised, it has the potential to bring home solar panel costs way down by a third, and make maintenance easier (just throw it out and replace the broken ones). As well as making installation costs easier because you'd really just need a big box that has divots to place the plastic wrapped solar panels in.
I drilled a hole in the roof and ran them through there. Didn't consider for very long if I could feed them through the door or not. DIidn't immediately look like it, so through the roof it was!
I haven't anchored the batteries yet. This is a little bit halfway done honestly. I did the solar and the vent at the same time, and that took all day, so the mess of wires isn't permanent it was just a quick "Let's see that everything works mess" haha. I need to build the bed frame, for that what I'm gonna do is start at the rear of the wheel well and go forward, and then put a couple of boards up vertically so that the very back will be a space for our bikes, and probably have a board going horizontally over my tools and the battery shit.
The tan box is actually silver but appeared tan in the picture for some reason. It's a 1000W inverter with 2000w peak load. It's just a china brand since I'm broke.
As for price I'll add most of the stuff up here, but I might forget some small stuff I got from home depot or such.
Column A | Column B
---------|----------
Sikaflex | $13
Inverter | $160
Charge Controller | $20
Wires | $22
VHB Tape | $30
100W Solar | $170
2 Batteries | $200 + $18ea core
total | $651
I didn't really have any tools so I spent like $200 at homedepot/lowes on shit too. Including some wire, wire cutters, jig saw, zip ties, caulk gun, etc.
I've got one as well -- Solar + 2AA batteries + usb. With a full charge on the AA batteries, it gives me about 55% charge on my iphone, however.
EDIT: I have this one, here:
http://www.amazon.com/PowerFilm-USB-AA-Solar-Charger/dp/B001RMBHMK/ref=sr_1_cc_3?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1346784782&sr=1-3-catcorr&keywords=powerfilm
First of all, I don't agree that a generator is an important prep unless you have a specific life-or-death need, e.g. medical equipment or an electric-powered well. The average apartment-dweller should be able to get by without electrical service for a few days. Stock up on spare batteries for flashlights and such. Get some non-electronic forms of entertainment. Get a hand-crank radio — many of them can charge your phone as well. Get food that doesn't need refrigeration or cooking. Learn which food actually needs refrigeration for safety; don't throw out your whole fridge on day one of an outage.
That will cover the short term and, in a long-term disaster, fuel will be in short supply so a generator is of questionable use.
> Unfortunately, i live in an apartment in socal. Can generators even be used in an apartment? I have a small balcony.
Do not risk it. Carbon monoxide can get inside the building. Do not risk it.
As an alternative, consider a portable power pack, and remember to keep it charged up! Some can be charged from solar as well. Or DIY with a bare panel, a charge controller, a marine deep-cycle battery and an inverter. (Also, a lot of things such as LED light strips can run directly from the 12V battery and don't need an inverter.)
> How long do they last if i buy one and just throw it in storage?
All prepper equipment should be tested regularly. I'm not an expert but I would say run it for 30 minutes every month or two. Remember that gasoline goes bad after a few months. They also have starter batteries that need to be topped up like a car battery. You'll need to check the oil and air filter and replace if needed.
> Once i buy a house, what is the best generator to own?
Like any "what's best" question, it depends on your needs. How much power do you need? Look into a dual-fuel gas/propane generator as well. Propane is much safer to store and it stays good for decades assuming your tank doesn't leak.
Also for the love of god, don't jury-rig a connection to the house wiring. There are about seven ways to kill yourself or someone else by doing that. You need to use a proper transfer switch or at least a breaker interlock plate. The easier option is to rely on extension cords and not the house wiring.
At Luna we get asked this a lot. So here is some info. I have added this to the knowledge base for Fixed for future reference.
Considerations for adding second battery for more range
Generally speaking this is not advisable. It would require extensive modifications and could compromise the battery. Please note that Luna can not take responsibility for the consequences if you break your bike or battery. There are a few separate proposals, we will discuss each below.
Manually switching batteries: Physically unplugging battery 1 from the controller, then plugging battery 2 into the controller. This would be the most straightforward, and eliminates a lot of potential danger in doing the other methods incorrectly. As long as the second battery is a normal 36v nominal battery that should be fine.
Parallel wiring: The idea here being that you would put another battery in parallel. Generally this is strongly discouraged on bms protected packs unless you are unplugging them from eachother when charging, and are making sure both batteries are identical, and both batteries are same voltage at time of connecting them. Given that this would be difficult to meet these requirements there is another way you might go by using a diode to block current from flowing back into the other battery. This page goes over that in more detail. For a working example of this idea in practice, see this page.
Theoretically you could use Luna remote switches on each battery in that parallel circuit, and switch back and forth by turning the one battery off and then turning the other battery on. This would not be advisable due to the possibility of accidentally not turning the other battery off, which would lead to a massive influx of power which could cause a fire. It might be possible to modify a couple remotes to use the same button with a circuit to control making sure that one remote is always off before another one is turned on, but this is outside the scope of what we can advise on.
Charging integrated battery via the charge port: This is unsafe for multiple reasons. Primarily because any second battery you want to wire up will have a discharge rate ten times higher than the safe charge rate on the charge port. This will burn out the charge port instantly and is also likely to damage the integrated battery on the bike. The port expects something like 2-3A, and another battery can put out 20-30A, maybe higher.
Additionally, as with any BMS-protected battery the charge port is how the battery bms is reset if something trips it. So if you are charging the original battery while in use, if something like a short happens in a cell, (which normally the BMS would protect against by shutting down the battery) you may be forcing it to reset despite it not being safe to do so.
In theory you could limit the current of the discharge on the secondary pack using some custom circuitry, so when you plug into the charge port it is not charging it at some massively high rate of current. For example something like this, which can also do CC/CV charging, an important safety consideration. However, you would still be resetting the BMS on the original battery whenever you are charging it. Do so at your own risk.
The best thing you can is build a bed platform and some full length drawers for storing all your stuff, then install a decent high capacity (150ah+) secondary battery set up. This is a great write up on how to charge the secondary battery from your alternator. Once you have that you can have a fridge, get a decent 12v compressor and it'll last for ages, we have this wynter one and absolutely love it. As a fridge we've had it running for 4+ days off our 225ah batteries without recharging. Once you have a fridge the food you can keep makes all the difference in the world. We lived for 3 months in our bus with this setup and it was so nice.
From there you can add some cheap solar panels and you can stay in one spot for ages, although we have one, we barely use it because we were driving every couple days.
The best thing about this setup is that it's all totally removable, so if you want to sell or upgrade later you take it all out and put it in your new rig. Plus you're not limiting your resell market (most truck owners don't want an overlanding rig).
You have yourself an awesome truck, I loved our 96 T100, with 225k miles and it still ran like a champ, never broke down on us and everything except the shocks and wheels were stock.
What about something like this
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0111RNZDY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_6NYryb63QQ67P
No
60 Watt Panel
Charge Controller
Battery
Light
12v Cig Adapter
I'm not an EE, but I know a bit about batteries. Low amp is fine, better for overall battery life. But, lead acid batteries get some kind of build up on the cells that needs to be zapped off with high-amperage from time to time. Solar charge controllers and automatic battery tending devices will go through a number of different cycle types throughout a month, for the health of the battery.
Your battery is probably damaged by now if it's been depleted several times. Best thing you could do besides buying a new battery is get some kind of trickle charge setup, so that it stays topped off. Whether it be a wall plug charger, or solar charger.
Secondly, open the battery and make sure that the lead cells are fully submerged. Add distilled water if the cells are exposed to atmosphere. Some car batteries are sealed and not able to be maintained in this way.
**Edit. Check this out, Battery Tender 021-1163 5W Solar Maintainer https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004Q83TGO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_ypxAyb2SXVHSN
Thank you, didn’t see it.
So honestly, super easy project that anyone could do, I called it diy but it’s 99% just connecting wires. For speakers, I’d recommend scouring craigslist for a set of bookshelf speakers. You should be able to get a good set for under $30. The most important thing to look at is the sensitivity rating and the impedance of the speakers. Sensitivity is essentially how loud the speaker gets with less power running to it. Get the speakers with highest sensitivity (preferably 88+) and a low impedance (4 or 6 ohms if you can) if you want to be lazy, these are a damn good value. You could probably find better on craigslist but if you don’t trust your speaker buying go with that pair.
Next step is the amp. There are two pretty easy options that come immediately to mind. First, the “diy” amp you can go ahead and install this in one of the speakers. Parts express has videos showing you how this could be done. The second option and the one is probably recommend is this as far as I know it’s the same amplifier just this one comes housed, there may be small differences.
The final problem is how to power it, and once again you have options. The two basic options are either off some double a batteries or off of a large lithium ion battery pack. Between these options I’d say just go with the aa batteries for cost and just come down with a whole bunch (hit up Costco or bjs and buy like two packs of them). With the first amplifier you’ll have to buy a seperate battery pack to held them, with the second it actually has a place for the batteries already. Now, the coolest option but more expensive is what I’m hoping to do this year. Your car battery is actually 12V dc, exactly what you need. Therefore you can power the amps off of your car battery, just make the connections when you’re there and leave the wires running out of the hood with some quick disconnects (not necessarily this one but something similar) so that it’s easy to take down and set up every day. If you go with the second amp you will need the correct plug. Now, to ensure you don’t kill your car battery, you’ll need a solar panel, preferably with a with a trickle charger. I believe this is probably the best option. You can go cheaper but this is a well known brand so I trust it not to screw up my cars battery. This can sit on your roof all day if you have a tall car. Still do something to make it an inconvenience to steal. If you have a short car just leave it on while your there and use quick disconnects again to make packing up easy, or run the wires inside the car when your gone and have it charging through a window.
Hopefully this all makes sense, it seems like a hassle but for about $100 you’ll have a damn good sounding festival set up that you could take home and set up in a room and love the sound just as much at home as at the festival- I’m telling you, bookshelf speakers sound soooooo much better than your average Bluetooth speaker, just ask r/audiophile, and it’s a cool conversation piece while there. Anyone has any questions I’m happy to help!
Not a bad price on that kit. Personally I pieced together my own, using a Renology 100W panel and a cheap Mohoo PWM controller, and what you're looking at looks pretty comparable for a comparable price.
To try and actually answer your question, though, here's a fairly quick run-down of how to roughly size your battery. I'll use my own situation as an example; I have a small popup camper my wife and I use in the boonies, nowhere near power, for days at a time. This will assume you're using decent quality, sealed AGM deep cycle batteries, not the garbage RV/Marine "deep cycle" batteries, which are not true deep cycle, just slightly tougher starting batteries.
First step is actually the hard part, the rest is easy. You need to know what you want to run, how much power it draws, and how much you want to be able to run it between charges. That sizes your battery. Finding the current draw on your items if you don't already have them can be the hard part - if possible, it's often best to have what you want to run, and measure it for actual numbers.
For example, my main loads are:
My worst case overnight loads basically work out to 20Ah (fans) + 3Ah (lights) + 4Ah (phones) + 5Ah(mods). That's about 32Ah of load per day, pretty much worst case in hot weather.
Now, you can do a few different calculations to get a minimum battery size from that.
Number one, you really don't want to regularly cycle your battery below 50%, unless you want to be replacing your good batteries a lot. Hence, your absolute minimum recommended battery size would be 2x your load between charges. In my case, that's about 64Ah. A deep cycle discharged to 50% will usually last about 400 charge cycles.
Now, given the choice, you really don't even want to discharge that low. A deep cycle discharged only 30% (roughly 1/3) will usually last 1100-1200 cycles. I generally recommend you size for at least triple your daily load. This pays off big time in the long run. For 50% more battery, your batteries will usually last nearly 200% longer (3x as long). Enormous cost savings long term.
Hence, my recommended sizing would be 32Ah x 3, or 96Ah. I'm running a 100Ah battery, UPG UB121000, part number 45981. In practice I'm not regularly discharging this battery more than about 25%.
Now, you get some extra benefit from oversizing as well. By sizing to 1/3 discharge, I can run two days without charging if I have to, and not be worse than a 70% discharge. That's a good emergency backup, since if you regularly discharge anywhere near 100%, your battery usually won't last more than 100-150 cycles. That covers me in case I get a day with absolutely zero sun. In practice this isn't a big worry for me, as on days with poor sun I'm only running the fans about half as much anyway, and if I couldn't get topped off during the day, in a pinch I'd just connect jumper cables to my van and have the battery at full charge after about an hour at idle.
Next, once you know your average daily usage, you can also size your solar panel. You actually need to size more by charge time than by pure wattage, since a 100W panel will not produce 100W using a PWM controller. My 100W panel produces about 5.3A at 19V under ideal conditions (that calculates to 100W), but since the PWM controller just knocks the voltage down to an appropriate battery charge voltage, I'll never actually get 100W out of this panel. The current maxes out at 5.3A, but my battery pulls the voltage down to around 13.5V at charge, so at most I'm actually getting about 72W out of it.
To size your panel, look at the optimum operating current (usually listed as Imp), and use that to size in amp hours instead. Plus, you also need to include any loads you'll be running while you charge. In my case, my panel puts out about 5.3A, but if it's a hot day, I'm going to be running one of those fans on medium (2.25A) for our sheepdogs in the van, so I really only have about 3A to work with to charge. If I can get a solid 8h worth of good charging light, that's about 24Ah useable per day. As you could see, I'd really do well with a second panel. As it is, it's been just sufficient with one panel to mostly keep me topped up, since I haven't had a ton of hot weather where we've really had to run the fans a lot.
If I added a second panel, I'd have roughly 8A to charge with even with that fan running, and could reliably charge my bank all the way with only about 4h of good, full sun.
I know that's a bit long, but hopefully it'll be a help to get you going in the right direction!
For about $200 you can be charging laptops and cell phones and running some fans and lights in your house. Here's the breakdown:
Solar Panel - $106
Charge Controller - $38
Inverter - $20
Battery - Anything 12 volt, ideally "Deep Cycle" but a car battery will work if you have one. This can be between $30 and a lot, depending on what you want to run.
The parts aren't special, they were just the cheapest I could find on amazon, and while they took a little longer than I wanted to get there, they did get delivered to San Juan. Now my family is charging and running all kinds of things off the sun while the idiots in government continue to suck at their jobs.
I've done it. I used a single 100w panel hooked to an MPPT charge controller with variable output voltage. It would only charge higher voltages than 18v, but that was okay since my bikes are 24, 36, and now 48v. Obviously, it was slow going. But i was able to put in about 50wh over an hour. Not the best efficiency, but it did work.
500,000 tons of coal ~ 4 billion kilowatt-hours. Say solar panel lifetime is 30 years, producing electricity 8 hours a day. That means you need 45 kilowatts of solar panels. That means you need 22.5 Watts per pound of sand. A 100 Watt solar panel is [16 lbs] (https://www.amazon.com/Renogy-Watts-Volts-Monocrystalline-Solar/dp/B009Z6CW7O). That would mean ~ 25% of a solar panels weight was silicon. Seems about reasonable.
I have a solar panel and power station. In tandem they allow me to power basic electronics. Eventually I'd like to get a generator hooked up to the circuit breaker in the garage and have it automatically switch on. Being in the South, A/C is paramount.
I actually just finished going through all of this.
1b) I have 2 vent fans installed in my roof, and it does wonders on a hot night. Set one to blow in, and the other to blow out, and you'll get some great airflow. Humidity is another story though. Even with the two fans humidity can be rough, but at least its something.
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If you are worried about solar being too expensive, it really isnt. You can get a full 100 watt solar panel kit for $118. That give you all the wiring, a panel, and a charge controller all at once. Then all you need are batteries, which you can get a set of 4 for $250. You don't need those specifically, but just make sure whatever batteries you get, you make sure they are DEEP CYCLE batteries, and not starter batteries.
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Hope this helps! If you have any other questions, feel free to ask, and I'll be glad to help. Anything to help another vandweller so they don't have to go through all the hell I did trying to figure it all out myself. lol
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ok lets start off with correcting your requirements..
Phone 3.24Ah x 3.7v = 12Wh
Laptop = 42 Wh (per spec sheet)
Fan .5Ah x 12v = 6Wh/hour of run time
LEDs 0.8Ah x 4.5v = 3.6Ah (assuming 3 batteries)
With 7 hours of run time on that fan lets call that an even 100Wh/day that you will need to generate which that panel should be able to crank out in about 1 hour of direct sunlight if it was perfect with no loss anywhere so plan for 2 hours and you will be very safe if you never have a cloudy day without charging.
In theory a 20Ah 12v battery will meet your needs based on your stated design with only a 50% discharge. (less if you recharge the laptop while the sun is out)
My suggestions:
Use this panel kit instead https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BFCNFRM/ . Same rated output but the mounting kit saves some headache and gives flexibility on the charger about what kind of batteries it can feed.
For batteries I would highly recommend looking at a pair of 35Ah 6v golf cart batteries run in series.
For lighting just get some 12v LEDs and run the straight off the battery and don't mess around with AAA batteries.
Extra note - Any time you are charging something else there is a voltage change and you are going to lose some energy in the step up/down transformers or inverters that can be as horrible as 20% loss. Just keep this in mind when doing calculations.
Hi, I was recently looking for the same thing. This is the set up I am ordering:
For the panels--http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00IK19VF6/ref=ox_sc_act_title_5?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A05654602L3XUQ70M87BV
Battery bank--http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BUH0VB0/ref=ox_sc_act_title_9?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A33OOXQLQV58WQ
Charge controller--http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FB3OPKM/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A05654602L3XUQ70M87BV
Inverter--http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007SLDDHQ/ref=ox_sc_act_title_8?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=AWZ3LXPHZK09
I'm pretty new to this too, this is just what I've come up with from doing research and assessing my (basic)needs. I would like to hear other opinions as well.
I drilled a hole through one of my vents and sealed it with polyurethane caulking. I don't recommend this option. Its starting to leak already.
Check out these mc4 glands:
http://www.amazon.com/LINKSOLAR-Weatherproof-Plastic-Connector-Campervan/dp/B0111RNZDY/ref=sr_1_1?s=industrial&ie=UTF8&qid=1456967919&sr=8-1&keywords=solar+gland+roof
Lets do a quick run through so you can compare:
The Yeti 1250 is 12v 100ah and 1200 watts for $1250. It has 3 USB and 3 standard plugs + other ins and outs in addition to a solar charger.
A 12v 100ah deep cycle battery off amazon is $159. You would need a charger unit ($50 on amazon) in addition to some basic electrical wiring ($20-50). Then you would need an inverter (this one is $65 w/ three plug ins and two usb inputs) for 1000 watts. Last you would need to invest in a solar charger unit (often comes with solar panel kits and those can run around $30. So probably close to $350-400
So then however you want to store these (plywood box construction and a little DIY elbow grease) you can build essentially the same unit for about 1/4 the cost.
https://www.amazon.com/ERAYAK-Inverter-Alligator-Refrigerator-Cooler-8099U/dp/B019PXILXA/ref=sr_1_17?ie=UTF8&qid=1482364654&sr=8-17&keywords=12v+inverter
https://www.amazon.com/Universal-UB121000-45978-100AH-Cycle-Battery/dp/B00S1RT58C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1482364350&sr=8-1&keywords=12v+100+ah+deep+cycle+battery
https://www.amazon.com/Controller-Regulator-Intelligent-Display-12V-24V/dp/B018ICLC3K/ref=sr_1_4?s=lawn-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1482364823&sr=1-4&keywords=solar+charge+controller
How about a solar panel for all your off-grid hamming needs?
I just wrote this in another post in this subreddit yesterday and attached (mostly) a copy here. One caveat: don't use automotive batteries! They are not meant to be deep cycled and will quickly be ruined if you try and use them that way. A less expensive option for batteries are used golf cart batteries (6v) which can be wired up in series and parallel into a configuration which is 12v and a reasonable number of amp-hours.
Here is a 100w solar panel for $170 add a 30A Solar Charger for $90. You will also need an extension cable to get the solar to the charger, a 12v deep cycle battery of 30+ amp-hours $100+ (Here is a really good battery for $230), a small inverter for $53 and some cables to connect the inverter and charger to the battery.
The grand total above would be less than $600 with the expensive battery. Buy it a piece at a time and spread it out over a few months. When you're done the charger is large enough to add 3-4 more of those solar panels. If you do that you should add batteries as well.
For more ideas I would listen to The Survival Podcast episodes with Steve Harris. I don't agree with him on everything but none of his advice is bad.
Looks like bullshit to me.
You can use a compressor powered, 12VDC portable refrigerator and freezer effectively on the go, but you're going to need some dedicated solar power production. Let's run through some numbers:
31 liter capacity portable fridge/freezer for $611
They have a 10.5 liter capacity version for $316 if you need to go really cheap. Reviews say this unit draws an average of about 3.75A, or 45W. For quick math: watts = volts x amps.
As a comparison, you can just how much different an actual refrigeration system is from the portable unit linked above. Looking at the pricing and weights further shows just how far off this system is from being able to actually safely refrigerate your food.
In total, This is $1100 in hardware and 127lbs of equipment to be able to properly maintain cold food storage. The thing you linked is a backpack sized beverage cooler only.
Here's a list and example found on amazon for all the major parts. I'll also include a wiring diagram at the end.
Solar Panel $169.99 - 100W Flexible & Thin
Solar Cable $18.99 - 20ft with male and female heads (cut in half for + & -)
[Charge Controller]
(https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B019QSX0CG/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) $34.99 - 30A gives you room to add more panels
Battery $160 - 100Ah AGM will provide enough power depending on fridge but requires no maintenance
Fuse Panel $35 - 6 circuits with negative and cover
12V Sockets $6 - Get some of these for plugging in appliances and phones. You can buy 12V adapters for almost any electronic besides most kitchen appliances.
Pick up some 10 gauge stranded wire from your local hardware store (home depot) to wire the battery and fuse panel to the charge controller. You shouldn't need much since you want the battery as close as possible to the controller. You can buy smaller wire (16 or 18 guage) for wiring outlets/appliances to the fuse panel. 50ft of that should be fine unless you want multiple outlets on the other side of the van.
You'll also need some ATC blade fuses for your fuse panel. You can buy these at a local auto parts store pretty cheap. 15 amps should be enough than anything you'll be pulling.
To connect the wire ends to the battery and fuse panel you will need these wire terminals for the corresponding wire guages you are using. Along with these female terminals to connect to the 12V sockets. All of these can be found at your local auto parts store for cheap sometimes all together in a kit.
You'll also want a pair of wire strippers/crimper for wiring.
This is the best wiring diagram I can find. Most are so overcomplicated. This diagram does not show the fuse panel but you can see the empty slots on the far right of the charge controller where you insert the wiring for that, it's called the "load." This diagram also shows an inverter which is something I didn't go into because you will only need that if you HAVE to run a 110V appliance. I know you mentioned a kettle but maybe you could just install a gas stove in your van and use that to heat water? That's what we use :) Installing the inverter should be pretty straight forward though if you need it but remember you will waste energy going from 12v to 110v so 12v is more efficient.
Hope this can help you (and maybe others) in some way. I plan on making a more in depth version of this guide in the near future along with a video but finding the time has been difficult! Let me know any more questions you have :D
Nice... The controller you posted is unavailable, but a newer version is offered on Amazon.
There aren't any battery chemistries that run at 5V +/- 10%.
It sounds like you should get a 12V deep cycle lead-acid battery. They are very common, cheap, can take heat, have solar chargers available, and come in the capacity you need.
All you need is a 12V > 5V regulator, which is also very common, cheap, and available.
edit: This one has a 5V regulator built in, so you could run it straight off the USB ports if your load is < 3A
For controllers, I've been happy with this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B018ICLC3K/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1
It's simple and the two USB outlets are very convenient. I haven't tested it on the playa yet but it works great in my backyard!
SUNKINGDOM still has a massive sale going on right now for panels: https://www.amazon.com/SUNKINGDOM/b/ref=bl_dp_s_web_9956573011?ie=UTF8&amp;node=9956573011&amp;field-lbr_brands_browse-bin=SUNKINGDOM
For battery, I 'm going to pick up a 100+ AH deep cycle in reno. Even without my 39 watt panel, it should be enough to run my swamp cooler for several hours a day. That said, I like having the back up trickle.
I use similar gauge to wherever my part uses and I use these to connect them: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B015OCV5XO/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1
These are easy to set up.
Battery Tender 021-1163 5W Solar Maintainer https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004Q83TGO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_n0.pzbQQMHT2C
I hope you're joking.
One human unit of power is equivalent to 600 watt-hours. A "decent" electric car has a 60,000 watt hour battery bank (60 KWh).
The smallest decent portable solar panel is about 100W in size.
So after a full day's worth of charging (sun and no clouds) for six hours on your exercise bike in the woods, you'd be at 1.05 KWh, or 1.75% of battery charge.
According to random internet forums, that would get you about 3 miles of driving in the woods.
Uhh. No, it so can't. It has 100Ah capacity. Rule of thumb for 12v DC to AC conversion is 1 hour @ 100w AC draw = about 10A being pulled from the DC battery. 1000w would run it flat in one hour. Likely much less since that would be a very high discharge rate for such a battery and that generally reduces capacity.
While I admit I don't have a solid answer to your original question in my response I do need to express interest in why you're set on the goal zero platform? They are laughably over priced. The Yeti 1250 is 1600 bucks in Canada, and it's not a generator at all. It's a 12v Absorbent Glass Mat battery with 100Ah capacity, with a 1200w pure sinewave inverter and a Maximum Power Point Tracking solar charge controller. It's all stuck in a box with some connections and a nice display. It doesn't come with a solar panel to charge it at all either.
That 100Ah may seem like a lot, but it's not. Especially considering you shouldn't really discharge a lead acid battery more than 50% So 50 amps a day is all you can pull. About 2 an hour. Depending on the duty cycle of your fridge that's it right there. I'm a big fan of 6 volts for dollar/Ah, and you can grab two T105 Trojan batteries most places for 300 bucks. They are good batteries and can take a lot of abuse. I also like USBattery, and have picked these up in Alberta for 100 each. http://usbattery.com/products/6-volt-batteries/us-2200-xc2-lf/ that's 230 Ah for 200 bucks. My last load test on a pair of heavily abused ones that are about 6 years old now still pull just over 100A before 50% discharge. I can't argue with that quality. That leaves us with 1400 bucks to play with, and more capacity to run things from. Since we saved money on storage, I'd spend the money on a good inverter like this. Naturepower and Go Power should be avoided, but might be available a lot cheaper so by all means take the risk if you wish. That's 1500 watts vs the 1200 from the Goal Zero package. So we now have 800 to spend on a charge controller, a box, and 12v output/input options and a box. A box could be simply constructed with plywood and scrap 2x4's and could probably be sourced in any nearby alley. Charge controllers can be had for very cheap or for a little more depending on your requirements. The charge controller in the Yeti appears to be able to handle 20A, so our 13 dollar and change controller above works. Even factoring wire, nuts, bolts, crimping supplies and the time to build it all you're going to be coming out with 600 bucks in your pocket for solar panels. The Yeti doesn't even come with solar panels. They want TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS for 30w in Canada! Unbelievable! Another 30 bucks gets you more than 3x the charging potential. It's also in a nice aluminum frame suitable for reinforcing and adding hinges for portability should you want to pair it with another with all the money you're saving. There is absolutely no way you'd get me to support their over priced gear when it can be done so simply and cheaply on your own, all with better results.
Edit: the specs on the 30w panel say 2A output max, so they're only 24w peak. That extra 30 bucks on a real panel gets you (barely) more than 4x the charging potential. To max out the 20A capabilities of the Yeti 1250 using 30w panels would cost you 2000 dollars for 10 panels. Two of those 100w panels would be 460 dollars and cover just over 80% of that capacity. But why stop there? We saved 600 bucks, lets buy another pair of batteries for 200 to increase our capacity to 460Ah.
With over 4x the reserve you STILL won't be pulling 1000w for a few hours. Just about though, you might get 4.
My favourite part about this is I hate going retail and it's STILL cheaper to piece it together doing it that way. I could find a better inverter used thanks to the used marine market out in BC, for less, I could source a few used batteries after a load test for cheap. I could DIY panels for cheap using epoxy and reclaimed aquarium glass. About 80c a watt materials included. In Canada that's amazing for a single panel.
All Goal Zero prices were from here http://www.goalzerostore.ca/
The only opinion I can give you with pellet stoves is they are VERY expensive and installation is semi permanent, your landlord might even have to get different insurance if there is a stove pipe jammed out his roof. He's probably not going to be happy with having to duct the cold air supply in either. They are also equipped with hoppers for pellet storage, how long you intend to run it and what model of stove you get depends on how often you have to fill it. They are also electronically controlled, so it will need to be constantly plugged in for the auger to feed pellets into the stove to keep the fire going or between a specific range of temperatures. You want to do this for a month and that's a lot of effort for an experiment. You could probably get away with a propane heater of some kind, along with the appropriate detectors for safety. I wouldn't advise on running that unsupervised at all, and it's not going to be appropriate for cooking like a stove would be.
I can't seem to find the Ah capacity of that battery, but it doesn't look very big. What's the capacity? It won't always be sunny out, so I'd do an energy audit and build up the system such that you can run it for 2-3 days without dipping below 60%.
100W will recharge those batteries, but not very fast. I've only met one legit fulltimer so far IRL, he had a fridge on 100W. It barely ran; I suspect because the batteries were so low it wasn't getting a full 12V.
I went with Renogy 100W panels. I put 7 of them on my van, so I'm sure you can get a crapload of 'em up there. You might prefer a larger panel for simplicity, but balance that against the weight, height you have to lift it, and when one breaks you incur a bigger loss.
The mini fridge won't need too much power. 200W should be fine for that. 100W may be enough if you're careful about your usage and keep everything 12V. My 12V fridge says it pulls 7A @12V, but the reviews indicate it's closer to 3-4A. I barely notice its power draw. I would expect it to be much worse on a 120V dorm fridge.
There are 12V fridges and slow cookers. I hope you'll be getting those in 12V so you don't need to run the inverter all day. A full house-style 120V appliance will use more power, and you'll incur additional overhead from the inverter running. Unless you're on shore power, of course.
You may be able to find a 12V power supply for your laptop, but those are hit-or-miss. With the projector you're basically stuck with 120V. Which is OK as long as it's not a lot of the time.
Of course if you go with the big ("real") solar panels (the ones i linked, or larger), you'll need a charge controller and a bit more complexity. Not sure what your budget and knowledge levels are. The small one you linked has its own controller built in.
Definitely do that energy audit; I think you underestimate your power needs.
For 100ah goal zero price is $1599
For 215ah if you do it yourself (golf cart batteries, pure sine inverter, various plugs and meter) its about $400. It wont be as attractive,but for $1200 or so less and double capacity, ill buy some plywood for $20 and make a pretty vented box if i was worried about looks.
Even if you spend a little more for a 12v agm battery you will make out way better.
Its the same thing with the panel kits, less capacity for more $$. Their 1250 kit is 30watts in panels to charge 100ah battery ("generator")? Id not go much less than 1watt per 1ah or you'd be undercharging. So 1999-1599 (gen)=$400 for 30 watts in solar. You can get a 200 watt panel kit for $340, hook it into above.
Agreed. Renogy's kit is far superior to Harbor Freight: https://www.amazon.com/Renogy-Watts-Volts-Monocrystalline-Starter/dp/B00BFCNFRM?ie=UTF8&Version=1&entries=0
I had a similar idea a while ago and the general consensus is that a solar generator, while it seems practical, isn't much more simple than a DIY solar set up, but it is much more expensive.
Heres a simple list I could find that'll give you the same wattage (someone correct me if I'm wrong with this, I'm no electrician):
$185 [100w panel (comes with mounts for your roof)] (http://www.amazon.com/Renogy-100W-Mono-Starter-Kit/dp/B00BFCNFRM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1421722028&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=100w+solar+panel)
$189 [Inverter] (http://www.amazon.com/Cobra-2575-2500-Power-Inverter/dp/B00126K8DA/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1421722161&amp;sr=8-3&amp;keywords=5000w+inverter) (the gene you linked is a bit sneaky, saying 5k watts, but thats the peak, not the continuous, so this inveter is the same wattage). Also, the generator produces a modified sine wave. This means the inveter isn't suitable for things like lighting and (so i've heard) isn't good for expensive electronics, [you can do some research on the difference between pure and modified] (http://www.civicsolar.com/resource/pure-sine-vs-modified-sine-wave-inverters). The one I've linked is pure and good for any electronics.
$183 [100 AH sealed AGM deep cycle battery] (http://www.solar-electric.com/batteries-meters-accessories/batteries/unba/unba100amagm.html)
$100 for the extra wire you'll need. You have to get wire for the charge controller to the battery, then from the battery to the inveter, so not too much. The $100 is probably much more than you need.
So in total, thats ~$660 for the same power. You could toss the components into a box and seal it up and make your own generator if you really want to.
Just to add, I thought it'd be cool to see what I could do with the $1000+ the gene costs. For just ~$150 more, you could more than double the system with [these panels] (http://www.amazon.com/Renogy-Solar-Panel-Bundle-200Watt/dp/B00B8L8MD2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1421722532&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=200w+solar+panel), [this inverter] (http://www.amazon.com/Power-Bright-PW6000-12-Inverter-6000/dp/B002EA22YQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1421722161&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=5000w+inverter), and [this battery] (http://www.solar-electric.com/batteries-meters-accessories/batteries/unba/unba200amagm.html).
This? This whole get up? Well the camebak and bladder is from REI. The Solar panel is from Amazon. Dogs were rescued from ARF
Super cut a hole, and super be done with it. They have super glands for this. They are super.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0111RNZDY/
EDIT: Super!
Horn + Battery + Switch = Horn on Bike
Hell, you could fit all that into cargo pants and be a pedestrian honking at cars.
Or on kickstarter.
But why?
You could this so much better with a standard usb battery.
TalentCell Rechargeable 12V 3000mAh Lithium ion Battery Pack for LED Strip, CCTV Camera and More, DC 12V/5V USB Dual Output External Battery Power Bank with Charger, Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M7Z9Z1N/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_6W6SDbXQGKG8Z
$25 for something simple.
Or if you need a LOT of power,
TalentCell Rechargeable 72W 132WH 12V/11000mAh 9V/14500mAh 5V/26400mAh DC Output Lithium Ion Battery Pack For LED Strip and CCTV Camera, Portable Li-ion Power Bank, Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B016BJCRUO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_RY6SDb975MER2
$65.
For the controller, a quick amazon search comes up with several models, this being one of them.
The panels can be a bit trickier to find at reasonable prices, but here's one.
If 15W isn't enough to keep the battery going with all your accessories, Harbor freight sells a full-on 45W kit for about $170. However it's probably a lot more than you'd really need.
You can get panels in less than 15W, but it needs to be able to charge the battery up durring it's (we'll assume here) 10 hours of usable light.
You'll probably want to do some actual math on how much you're using. Your typical lead acid battery varries from 12-14.2V, and could go up to 17+ when it's charging (i'm not exactly sure on the circuitry inside the charge controllers). So make sure whatever 5V regulator you're using can keep up with your current draw.
http://www.amazon.com/PowerFilm-USB-AA-Solar-Charger/dp/B001RMBHMK
Backpacks in the picture were $315.65 and now are $157.82 . The price is still a bit steep on an item like this. It would be cheaper to buy a backpack and a foldable solar panel to hang on the back (like this) than it would be to do this. I'm sure this is someone's dream though.
http://www.amazon.com/PowerFilm-USB-AA-Solar-Charger/dp/B001RMBHMK/ref=cm_lmf_tit_4
I've been very happy with the Battery Tender brand. I have a friend who uses this on his boat (it's designed not to overchage).
http://www.amazon.com/Battery-Tender-021-1163-Solar-Maintainer/dp/B004Q83TGO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1416250584&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=battery+tender+solar
We use a traditional (plug in) tender on my wife's car. A fairly common setup is to permanently connect the terminals to the battery and then run the leads somewhere more convenient, like out the grill or fender. It makes connecting/disconnecting a lot more convenient.
http://www.amazon.com/Battery-Tender-081-0069-6-Terminal-Disconnect/dp/B000NCOKZQ/ref=pd_bxgy_auto_text_z
Idk, at a similar price point the mono from renogy is 47x21 while this one is 40x26 https://www.amazon.com/Renogy-Watts-Volts-Monocrystalline-Solar/dp/B009Z6CW7O/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1495738194&amp;sr=8-3&amp;keywords=monocrystalline+solar+panel
We agree that it would work with electricity; the point is that it requires enormous amounts of it.
Here's one estimate, which suggests it takes 5,550 to 13,900 watt-hours to produce one kilogram (about two pounds) of steel from iron. Glass is in the same ballpark at 5,000 to 9,700 watt-hours.
Glass and steel comprise the bulk of the weight of a typical solar cell (the rest being the fancy exotic stuff that's probably even most costly to refine and process). A typical 100 watt cell seems to run about 15 pounds or so, call it seven kilos.
7500 watt-hours X 7 kilos = ~50,000 watt-hours.
If you're investing 50,000 watt-hours to produce a single 100 watt-hour cell, you can see the problem. Just for the production of the glass and steel - never mind building the actual guts of the thing - you're running each cell for 500 hours of daylight.
If you just want to produce the frames, you're running 60 cells for every one you produce, and producing one per day.
The most recommended setup I see from other vandwellers in Renogy. They make pretty much everything you need, and it's competitively priced.
You can buy a kit and have almost everything you need but a battery or you can build from scratch. The big components are deep cycle battery, panel, charge controller. There are obviously lots of other smaller things you'll need as well such as fuses, wires, mounting brackets, etc.
This option is much more cost efficient but also requires a good working knowledge of electrical setups (or the desire to learn them) in order to do it safely.
What are you going to do with it? Unless you buy an inverter and a battery then all you really have is 4 shitty panels and a cheap ass charge controller. This is just a come-on price that suckers you into buying more things that you need to make it work. And at the end of the purchases, you could've built something better if you started with quality parts. Why not buy similarly priced stuff in better quality? Buy a good panel and charge controller. That way if you ever want to add to the system, you can.
Hi quality solar panel 100 Watt/12v
Hi quality charge controller.
Only 50 bucks more and you the beginnings of a modest system.
I've had good luck with the Renogy Panels from amazon and the price isn't too bad at all.
Edit: and they went down by 5 bucks since I bought one last week!
Portable or roof mounted?
I used the renogy kit from Amazon, works good, very very easy. Id suggest 2-6v trojan batteries in series if you dont have any batteries yet.
Yes, but you can get a better deal. This Renogy kit is the same price and includes a 100w panel.
Did more research on solar power. I live in an apartment now, but I am thinking about buiding a kit to experiment with. Possibly with this kit to start with.
If you're going to drive a lot each day, then you can charge it using the vehicle alternator by attaching it in parallel with the vehicle battery, but you should use a switch to make sure it's only connected when the vehicle is running (charging) so you don't drain your vehicle battery running electronics in the camper. Many trailer harnesses can't provide enough power for charging like this, so you'd likely need to run your own wire from the vehicle battery.
If you don't drive a lot, you'd probably want a solar panel. Again, this is one where you want to look at how much power each of your electronics are using and estimate how many panels you'd need to keep up with your usage throughout the day and battery size to get you through the night. E.g. you could use a panel and charge controller like this: https://www.amazon.com/Renogy-Monocrystalline-Negative-Controller-Connectors/dp/B00BFCNFRM/
Or if you're going to be parked somewhere with a power plug, just use an auto battery charger to keep your battery topped up.
Anyone have this Renogy Solar Kit and use it for amateur radio? Or, if you are a solar guru, how does that kit look features/price wise?
It's just one 100W panel at the moment propped up in the field about 70' from the cabin, it came with a 20' run of the cable and i bought another 50' extension. I've found a good spot for half the year, and then have to move it to another spot for the other half to get decent charging. This is the starter kit i got: http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00BFCNFRM/
I ended up replacing the PWM charge controller with an MPPT which performs much better under lower light conditions, made a huge difference with charging.
I use this while camping. Charges phones, tablets, and AAA/AA batteries. Works well even in the crappy NW overcast weather I usually run into while camping.
Goal Zero 41022 Guide 10 Plus Solar Recharging Kit by Goal Zero http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DD6B9IK/ref=cm_sw_r_udp_awd_CSHptb0EC9AV9
You need to stay within the amperage limitations of your wiring and charge controller.
For instance, this is a good charge controller that can do 75v and 15 amps, so in theory you would think it could do 1125 watts. But that's not the way it works. You need to keep peak voltage and amperage under 100/15, and load voltage and amperage will be a good bit less.
You could run three 300w panels like this in parallel with a charge controller that can handle 40v 30 amps, or you could run the same panels in series with a charge controller that can handle 120v 10 amps. The wiring needs to handle the amperage, so much smaller wiring would be needed for the latter.
If you did more, smaller panels, like six 150w panels, you could do a series/parallel combination for something like 80v at 15-20 amps. That would go very nicely with this charge controller.
And then there's the decision of how likely you are to want to expand the system and if you should buy equipment that can handle more panels.
Create a short list of your preferred charge controllers and their capacities, then start shopping for panels and do the quick math. If the panels were the same dollar-per-watt I would probably do six 150w in series/parallel with the controller I mentioned above. If you think it's likely you may expand capacity, I would go with three 300w panels in parallel with this controller, then you could add 6 more of the same (2700w total) in series/parallel without changing your charge controller or wiring.
I was concerned about drilling any holes in my roof. Being a born pessimist, I figured if anything can go wrong, it will go wrong. The fewer holes in my roof the better.
I started looking for a roof rack. What I really wanted was a full-length roof rack with a diamond-pattern, "hardware cloth" platform surface upon which to mount my solar panels. All the racks I could find were around $600. Getting a rack custom built was estimated at $1300. Too much.
I finally found a very heavy-duty-looking rack made of black-painted round tubing for $311. "That's more like it," I thought. I ordered it off the internet.
When it arrived, I was annoyed to see that all the parts weren't there. Two long side panels seemed to be missing. I called the vendor, and after a very confusing conversation, it turned out that I had only ordered "half" the rack. The other part number was the side panels. Guess how much they cost? $300. ($611 for the whole rack. Dammit.)
Once I got the whole rack at my house, and started trying to install it, I realized that it's a two-or-three-man job. I finally got it installed, but Lord, what a pain in the ass!
I bolted a piece of 4x8 plywood to the rack tubing using large U-bolts. The PV panels bolt to the plywood.
I feel pretty sure that bolting the panels directly through the roof would work just as well, maybe better.
A really good book that describes solar panel installation is "Photovoltaic Design & Installation for Dummies" by Ryan Mayfield. He is the president of the Renewable Energy Associates solar power company.
A solid wire is called a "wire." A bundle of wires together covered with plastic insulation is called a "cable." You want cables of at least 6 gauge diameter. (The smaller the gauge number, the larger the cable. I know, it seems backwards.) A lot of solar power kits come with 8 gauge or even 10 gauge cable. TOO SMALL. Cable this small is inefficient for DC current, for our purposes.
You will need a "cable gland" (Amazon) and a good quantity of "Dicor self-sealing lap sealant." (Amazon). Be generous with the Dicor. Every time a cable goes through a steel bulkhead or floor you MUST put a grommet of some kind (rubber, plastic) there to protect the cable insulation. If you ground out a positive cable, it could cause a fire. Ground the negative (black) cable of the system TO THE VEHICLE'S FRAME, directly to clean steel (NOT PAINTED STEEL), through the floor. Bolt the ground cable connection securely to the frame. Don't forget the grommet.
https://www.amazon.com/Link-Solar-Weatherproof-Project-Campervan/dp/B0111RNZDY/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1506480381&amp;sr=8-2-spons&amp;keywords=double+cable+gland&amp;psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/Scosche-WPG8-10-Gauge-Waterproof-Grommets/dp/B00OYGLP32/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1506480517&amp;sr=8-12&amp;keywords=8+gauge+cable+grommet
https://www.amazon.com/Auto-ranging-Multimeter-Resistance-Capacitance-Frequency/dp/B01N014USE/ref=sr_1_14_sspa?s=automotive&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1506480598&amp;sr=1-14-spons&amp;keywords=clamp+style+multimeter&amp;psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NWGZ4XC/ref=dp_cerb_2
Always use BLACK cable for the negative (ground) side of the circuit and RED cable for the positive side. This will prevent you from screwing up and short-circuiting your system. Hopefully.
Do not hook up the PV panels until everything else is installed and you have tested it for continuity with a digital multimeter (DMM.) The kind that has a "clamp", automatic ranging, and an audible alarm is best. (It looks kind of like a lobster claw and doesn't necessitate puncturing the insulation of the cables.) You start wiring from the storage battery bank and work backwards to the PV panels. Keep in mind--if those panels are exposed to the sun, they are GENERATING ELECTRICAL CURRENT POTENTIAL. Cover them with cardboard or heavy paper and tape until you are ready to energize the system. You don't want to get electrocuted accidentally. The risk of shock is small, but it does exist.
You need either a fuse (good) or a DC breaker (better) between the positive cable between the PV panels and the charge controller, and also between the charge controller and the battery bank. If you install an inverter, you need a breaker on the positive cable between the battery bank and the inverter. (Inverters burn amps just sitting there hooked up. You need to be able to "turn off" the DC power supply to the inverter. Turn the power to the inverter back on to use it.)
https://www.amazon.com/MidNite-Solar-Photovoltaic-Circuit-Breaker/dp/B004EQK8SA/ref=sr_1_7?s=automotive&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1506481155&amp;sr=1-7&amp;keywords=DC+breaker
Try to make the cable runs as short and direct as possible, within reason. The longer the cable run, the more resistance and the more voltage drop. All cables should be secured to the bulkhead with cable clamps in a neat, tidy, workmanlike fashion. If it's worth doing, it's worth doing correctly.
https://www.amazon.com/TalentCell-Rechargeable-12000mAh-Multi-led-indicator/dp/B00ME3ZH7C
edit : or this https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07H8F5HYJ/ref=emc_b_5_t
this one is quite cool:
12v + 9v + USB outputs... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01337QXMA/ref=emc_b_5_t?th=1
Did you know Amazon will donate a portion of every purchase if you shop by going to smile.amazon.com instead? Over $50,000,000 has been raised for charity - all you need to do is change the URL!
Here are your smile-ified links:
this
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Never forget to smile again | ^^i'm ^^a ^^friendly&nbsp;bot
Try this one: https://www.amazon.com/TalentCell-Rechargeable-11000mAh-14500mAh-26400mAh/dp/B016BJCRUO
I've taken this beast with me on multiple backpacking adventures. Powers my phone 24/7 for a week easily. Even offers 12v outputs up to 3A for special electronics that might need it.
No need to mess with solar chargers. In my experience, they are all useless. Too slow, too expensive, and too cumbersome. I eventually ditched these solar panel systems in favor of this option. When you are backpacking, you really don't want to dink around with solar; just plug and go devices.
It sounds like managing to keep eight good AA batteries in the thing is the issue. If I might make a suggestion, get yourself one of these rechargeable batteries and use that instead. It has 11Ah of capacity and one of these will run my Celestron CPC 9.25 EdgeHD for almost an entire day. It will come with a cable that should fit your scope; it uses a standard 2.1mm plug. It also comes with the charger to top it off during the day when you're not using it.
I have this attached to the fork arm of my scope and the battery moves with the scope and the wire doesn't wrap around and get pinched this way. It's a very clean approach and will save you having to always worry about AA batteries or extension cords.
Sure, I will try to list everything here, most of what I got was from Amazon.
$107 HQST 100 Watt,12 Volt Solar Panel
$20 Charge Controller from Amazon
$90 1000W Power Inverter I went overkill for most on this, but I wanted to power a chainsaw if needed, otherwise you would only need to put in $37 for something really good
$11 Battery to inverter cables
$64 35AH 12V Deep Cycle Battery
$14 12V LED lights
$5 light wiring
$6 Switch
$38 Solar Panel Wires
$13 Battery Cables
$16 Conduit Pipe
$17 Unistrut
$13 For the Satellite Mount on eBay
Then figure $20 for various nuts an bolts.
So for me it came out to about $434, but considering that I paid high for my inverter, and over paid on cables/wire (you can use cheaper cables, but I went with the pre-set ones for convenience), you could do it for just over $350.
I think you are over-estimating the capacity of that car battery. You might be able to run a few LED lights for a few hours a day, like 2 or 3 hours a day maybe, but a constant draw of a cheap wifi camera (often not the most efficient possible power-wise), will kill that battery very quickly.
Let's say you wanted to run 12 Watts of LED lighting for 4 hours a day, and a camera (24 hours a day) which draws ~3 Watts.
12 x 4 = 48 Wh. Not much, but definitely substantial.
3 x 24 = 72 Wh. Again, not much, but substantial. This isn't going to be a 10 Watt panel type of deal here. :P
So, 120 Wh total. Or, ~10 Ah.
You'll need to account for cloudy days, so let's multiply that by 3.
360 Wh usable storage capacity needed, and 300 Wh generation needed each day.
You'll only get ~4 hours of good sun in a day, and panels put out ~60% or there about their rated power in the real world.SO...
360 Wh / 4 = 90 Watts.
90 Watts / 0.60 = 150 Watts.
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So, you'll need:
1 x ~150 Watt rated solar panel. ( https://www.amazon.com/Newpowa-Moncrystalline-Polycrystalline-Efficiency-Module/dp/B00ZIZ6VY6/ should do.)
1 x PWM charge controller. ( https://www.amazon.com/ALLPOWERS-Charger-Controller-Intelligent-Regulator/dp/B01MU0WMGT/ or similar.)
Wire with MC4 connectors. ( https://www.amazon.com/BougeRV-Extension-Female-Connector-Adaptor/dp/B0753ZLLQB/ )
And battery cables to go from the charge controller to the battery, but you can probably buy some ring terminals at your local hardware store and use some 10 AWG stranded copper wire, don't necessarily need to order special ones if you can make them. :)
EDIT: You'll also want to fuse the positive side of the battery, solar, and load circuits. Choose fuse sizing for the wiring you use.
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Now, the battery will die in a few months most likely if not sooner being cycled like this since it's not a deep cycle battery, but hey, then you can replace it with a good one. :)
I was thinking about geting the flexible ones glued directly onto the roof. It's almost twice as expensive though. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07195WHHX/ref=psdc_2236628011_t1_B017OMTAV6
I have a 120 volt shaver, jig saw, variable speed electric drill, and more that get used occasionally. I got a $25, $20 with a coupon, inverter from Harbor Freight, the 400/800. It is sufficient. Often used stuff like phone charging and exhaust fan use 12 volts.
My mini van has one battery. The original starter battery got to the end of the warranty period and died. I replaced it with the biggest battery that would fit in the original location. That's a group size 24. I got the one with the most amp hours, 75, and the least cold cranking amps to attempt to get a deep cycle battery. It uses water so it might be deep cycle. It was $80 at Sams. A group size 59 starter battery was $100 so I saved $20. Deep cycle batteries like golf cart batteries shouldn't be discharged more than about 50% to avoid shrinking capacity. It is my opinion that starter batteries should be limited to 5% discharge. Batteries that are 12 volt and alleged to be deep cycle, like the one I got, should be limited to 15% to 25% max discharge. I'm looking for at least 3 years service.
I got a cheap charge controller like this:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01MU0WMGT/
High priced charge controllers have lots of settings and stop charging and call that float. How they determine that the battery is full varies and they are often accused of battery killing. This simple controller has one voltage setting. When the sun comes up it connects the panel to the battery. The current is limited by the ability of the panel to produce. When the battery voltage gets up to the set voltage, mine is set to 14.4 in the summer, 14.6 in winter, the controller goes off and on keeping the battery at that level. Some people call that absorption. Then the sun goes down stopping the charging. When the absorption voltage is reached and the current tapers off to1% of the battery capacity, .75 amps in my case, the battery is full. For the controller to tell the difference between amps going to the battery and amps going to a load gets complicated.
My battery is flooded lead acid. When it gets over charged it makes hydrogen and oxygen by taking apart water. I check the water level. Since it does use water I take that as confirmation that it is getting fully charged. I keep track of how much water it takes. Thats 20 to 30 ml per cell per month. I also use a hydrometer to check the electrolyte specific gravity. 1.275 means it is charged. AGM batteries cannot be checked with these simple methods. Electronics to asses state of charge are $150 and up. Simple coulomb counters can tell you what you put in or take out but that isn't state of charge.
Whatever battery you get it has to be fully recharged or the capacity of the battery fades away.
My system is a $20 controller, $108 panel, $80 battery, $10 fuse box, $20 inverter. That's $238. Crimp terminals, crimper, wire, fuses, battery fuse holder, nuts and bolts, and some bits of heat shrink will go over $250. The single battery gets me alternator charging without a solenoid switch. Your $250 budget might be a bit short.
I'd get one of these and carry it on:
https://www.amazon.com/MOHOO-Bendable-Lightweight-Connector-Compatibility/dp/B06XVWPD7N/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1506055237&amp;sr=8-11&amp;keywords=100+w+folding+solar
Note that you'll need a battery (AGM/sealed) and at minimum a solar charge controller. I like these ones:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0191QN7OO/ref=sxr_rr_xsim_1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&amp;pf_rd_p=3008523062&amp;pd_rd_wg=dnE5M&amp;pf_rd_r=86BF01NK65JWJANM0TKG&amp;pf_rd_s=desktop-rhs-carousels&amp;pf_rd_t=301&amp;pd_rd_i=B0191QN7OO&amp;pd_rd_w=BQDtY&amp;pf_rd_i=solar+charge+controller&amp;pd_rd_r=8YE8X122ADP49YFNBB11&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1506055373&amp;sr=1
Appropriate battery:
https://www.amazon.com/ML35-12-Battery-Replaces-Mighty-product/dp/B00K8E0WAG/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1506055420&amp;sr=8-10&amp;keywords=agm+battery
I've never used them, but Flycrates says they will ship to places that Amazon sellers won't. According to this page, the main problems are extra shipping costs, customs forms, and import duties that have to be paid. Flycrates will supposedly do that for you and let you know what import duties will need to be paid up front.
AllPowers makes a flexible 100w solar panel that sells on Amazon, and there are other companies that also sell flexible panels.
I purchased an AllPowers flexible+foldable 80w solar charger panel and a Suaoki 150Wh Solar Generator (lithium battery+inverter) for camping, and it's worked well. It will run a few lights and power a laptop. I did have to custom-make the connector cable between them to charge the Suaoki, however.
Hope that helps!
Out of curiosity is the boost converter actually putting out the voltage it's saying when under load? When I was experimenting on making one for my XR I found I'd set mine to put 63v out, but when I measured it under load regardless of the voltage of the battery at the time it was pumping 68v! I was using one of these mind you so it might just be an inferior product compared to what you're using.
I've since opted for a solar charger that has been working fine. It will start charging in a constant current state at the same voltage of the battery at that time up untill it reaches the max voltage then charges in constant voltage mode to top off the cells.
References
[0]: 1st charger
http://imgur.com/gallery/SFL5Gz3
[1]: Docooler® MPPT Solar Panel Battery Regulator Charge Controller 10A https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01HCL7LEW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_wZQ7CbFHZ58AP
[2]: laptop supply
http://imgur.com/gallery/EeTMH4O
[3]: battery charging dongle and spare parts
http://imgur.com/9etsFlw
[4]: 48V 17Ah (13S5P-35E) https://em3ev.com/shop/em3ev-48v-13s5p-jumbo-shark-ebike-battery/
Is it possible? Yes. Is it a good idea? You're an adult, you be the judge!
Flexible 100w solar panels weigh about 5 lbs and are about 2' by 4'. Their maximum power is produced at about 17v, so you'll need a CC/CV MPPT charge controller that can boost the voltage into the 50v range. You can find the Ming He mpt-7210a for $25-35. You'll need one of these for every 10 amps of electricity produced by the panels, but you can easily wire 2 panels in series to double the voltage/halve the amperage, I think you could wire four panels in a 2p/2s configuration and get 300 watts into your battery in full sun. Here are a couple of videos you'll want to check out, since the instructions are inadequate:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mM6JTquNSZU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVkehQ_RypI
I wouldn't bother charging while riding, I would take a 2-3 hour noon siesta and get a bit more charging in the evenings. I would get 3 or 4 panels and stack them up on a bike trailer, and then lay them out to charge. In the evenings, you can prop them up with a couple of tent poles or bamboo stakes. Tie them all together and then ram a few pegs into the ground to secure them. You could charge while riding but you probably won't want to lay out 16 square feet of solar panels (wind and all that) and you won't be able to position the panels accurately.
A 48v 10ah battery pack has about 500 watt-hours of energy. With 400 watts of panels, in peak sun, after losses from boosting the voltage, maybe you could get 300 watts into the battery per hour. In theory you could charge the battery in a couple of hours. Solar energy peaks at ~12-1pm, there will be twice as much power (or more) at solar peak as there would be about 2 hours before sunset.
It'll cost you around $200 to get one panel, one charger, and associated wires. Try it and report back!
Parts:
Panel
Controller
Controller to XT60
Panel to controller
Extra wire
The monetary cost to do pedal recharging is minimal, you would need a regenerating motor controller which is less than ten dollars more than a non-regenerating one and you would need a way to prop the rear wheel off the ground so it can be spun with the pedals.
I built a solar recharged ebike about five years ago with very similar parts to what you see on these bikes. The problem I had was I was running 50V of lithium cells and the only solar charge controller I could find for lithium at the time had to be custom ordered and cost more than the rest of the bike put together. That has changed now, you can get a high voltage solar controller that would be suitable for lithium from 24V to up over 60V for less than fifty dollars.
The average person can't turn the motor fast enough pedaling as a generator to get it into a reasonably efficient range or at least not for longer than a minute or two.
Of course you could hire a few kids to pedal your bike to recharge, they take turns and can pedal fast for a few minutes each and then swap out.
I just bought, and installed an exhaust fan in the back of my pickup. It works great, and I'm stoked to have power in the back now. It wasn't very difficult to figure out.
I bought this, this, this, this, and this fan. It set me back about $350, but I went with a larger, more powerful solar panel. You'll need some 10 gage wire and crimp connections. Home depot has all those parts.
Here's what it looks like.
Hi, this is pretty much what I have, cheap.
Edit: Just noticed this one doesn't have a load connector so this one depends upon you connecting a load directly to the battery - this is bad as it won't protect the battery from deep discharge, so avoid this one linked above. ainstead, opt for one which has all three connectors.
The reason you need one of these is that solar cells don't actually output precisely 12v, they have an open circuit voltage which can go up to 20v in some cases, and connecting this to a battery directly is likely to damage the battery and possibly the cell too.
The charge regulator cuts this excess voltage down into usable current and shunts it into your battery/load.
When your battery is full, the regulator has to shunt the excess energy produced by the solar panels into a heat sink.
Have a read of reviews before picking a regulator to be sure, mine isn't on there since I am from outside of the US so I cant 't actually vouch for it.
For something this small a simple dumb (non MPPT) would work fine.
http://www.amazon.com/Sunforce-7-Amp-Charge-Controller/dp/B0006JO0XI/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1381095592&amp;sr=8-2&amp;keywords=solar+charge+controller
I recommend moving to 12v components and then regulating the power back down to 5v for the Pi. There will be many more options and prices will be better.
Start with a solar panel:
http://www.amazon.com/HQRP-Mono-crystalline-Anodized-Aluminum-Radiation/dp/B002HSUT40
Use a charge controller to attach it to your battery(s):
http://www.amazon.com/Sunforce-7-Amp-Charge-Controller/dp/B0006JO0XI
Attach a voltage regulator to the battery and your Pi:
http://www.amazon.com/Ship-Hobbywing-Switch-mode-UBEC-Lowest/dp/B008ZNWOYY/
As far as batteries go, buying local will save you some shipping. If this is an outside battery you can use a deep cycle/RV battery. If inside then you need something sealed. You should have several days of reserve for bad weather. Maybe something like this:
http://www.amazon.com/26-SEALED-VOLT-DEEP-RECHARGEABLE/dp/B007GCDDOA
Regular car batteries are made to have a lot of cranking power, and then stay on a trickle charge once the alternator gets going. Running the battery voltage down each night and charging it daily will kill the life of your battery (if it's not deep cycle).
Honestly, charging a phone (5w), running some small LED lighting (8w), and a couple 12VDC fans (6w) can all be done through your cigarette lighter port and won't be drawing more than 20watts. If you ran that all night, you would only be using 15amp/hrs or so of your battery; and if you get 8 hours of sunlight, you only need a 30watt solar panel to charge it back up. Whenever you are talking about solar though, you should plan on doubling your capacity to account for non-optimal performance, cloudy days, long winter nights, etc.
kieranmullen gives a pretty good rundown of what you would need to setup a separate 12v system but seems like overkill for what you are asking (and would run you about $300-400).
Personally, I would get a 100 watt panel, 7 amp charge controller, the cheapest 12v deep cycle marine battery from walmart, and maybe a 3-400w inverter (for a laptop charger or any other AC devices). Also, I'd put an inline fuse between my charge controller and load, and maybe another between the battery and charge controller.
I'd recommend you take something like this if you don't have one already.
Then some sort of tablet or smart phone.
This way when you're out on the river and find something that's potentially edible, you can snap some pics, upload and get an ID.
This way you can just pack in essential lightweight basics such as rice, beans, pasta, dehydrated eggs, and so on.
Then forage/wild harvest/fish to fill in the gaps.
There's this thing too. It's a fancy little rocket stove. You could build one out of tin cans for free but this one works a little better, it has a built in fan to make it burn better and a TEG(thermo electric generator) that converts some of the heat into electricity that powers a USB plug that you can use to run a small USB light at about 1 watt. Not super bright big good enough to camp with. Or you can charge/power a device.
The rocket stoves are nice. You can cook a whole meal with a handful of twigs.
You very well may know all this stuff, but just in case.. :-D
>1 Amp @ 2.2 hours
That's still over twice the capacity that this thing boasts. I'm curious of the price... compared to my 11k mAhr battery for 30$, I don't see how it could possibly bring anything to the table.
If you are in that kind of emergency where it would make a difference, and you have access to the inside of a building window for 8 hours... I can't see how you couldn't find an outlet. Its like its solving a nonexistent problem.
Only real use I can figure is stuck in the middle of a forest with no cell battery but just happen to be close to a cell tower. But then, no window... so whats the point. It can be done much so better with a rolled up flexible panel.
Like one of these doodads http://www.amazon.com/PowerFilm-USB-AA-Solar-Charger/dp/B001RMBHMK
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>The whole... 220V AC is freaking hilarious
Indeed, I facepalmed on that.
I am also a solar panel noob but i just managed to set up a system in my bus. I went with 4 renogy panels, they're cheap, good, and seem to have a good customer service.
https://www.amazon.com/Renogy-Watts-Volts-Monocrystalline-Solar/dp/B009Z6CW7O
We have 3 of them for 2 people. You will need a charge controller to regulate the energy going to the battery. If you opt for a nicer MPPT controller, you will have 30% more nergy coming to the battery. That's what we did.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00G3XTWTS/ref=twister_B01HHRLB1K?_encoding=UTF8&amp;th=1
For more of an idea on what to do for the electrical system, i used a video by a guy named campervan cory.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZY4BWEZ4ig
If you have any more questions, feel free to ask.
Solar pannels are always getting better, just do some quick checks on the internet(amazon for me) and compare the efficiency of the panels. If the efficiency it is not directly stated divide the panels power by the panels size. Ex 100Watt panel / (47.3" X width 21.3" ) = 0.1 watts per square inch.
my example pannel
https://www.amazon.com/Renogy-Watts-Monocrystalline-Solar-Panel/dp/B009Z6CW7O/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?keywords=renogy+solar+panel&qid=1567164957&s=gateway&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEyOTkxVTJMUUY4VVFQJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMjA0NTQwMUlFN1BMRk4xM0JaVCZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwNTA0NzM4MTNSOFFYRlY1TUJITiZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=
Has a much bigger battery, has an AC inverter. Only issue is the inverter is rated up to 120w. This mean you can run a laptop and other small devices but don't expect to get to run things throughout the weekend. Much better than what op linked. However w/ the panel it's almost 4x the price.
It sucks that the solar panels cost extra but if you were to buy now, the 25w panels are on sale. I would get two and hopefully get up to 50w (under optimal conditions).
It would be nice for car camping or a camper. If it's a permanent or even semi permanent installation, It would be better to purchase a larger panel, solar controller/charger, deep cycle large capacity battery and an inverter.
100w panel ($120) - https://www.amazon.com/Renogy-Watts-Volts-Monocrystalline-Solar/dp/B009Z6CW7O/
Simple Charger/Controller ($15) - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074WZB5XY/
AC inverter ($35) - https://www.amazon.com/POTEK-Inverter-Converter-Charging-Smartphones/dp/B01B3ZQG4O/
100Ah SLA Battery (Apprx $100) - Autoparts/Big Box Stores
Ends up being a $270-$300 investment. That's not bad. If you were to buy the monoprice system w/ larger solar panel, it would be close to $300 and it wouldn't anywhere as efficient as if you were to make your own system. Only thing are sacrificing is portability and weight. A 8Ah battery will be much smaller and lighter than a 100Ah+ SLAB but won't last anywhere as long. If you have a rainy/cloudy week, good luck.
However if you are dead set on this, one option would be to get something like this "solar generator"
https://amazon.com/Goal-Zero-Portable-Generator-Alternative/dp/B00D5RVMAM/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&qid=1536599596&sr=8-14&keywords=solar+generator
This should have enough battery capacity to take you 24 hours before it needs a recharge ( it could go about 2 days, but that would reduce battery life significantly). If you add a 100W solar panel you should be able to keep it charged up.
https://amazon.com/Renogy-Watts-Volts-Monocrystalline-Solar/dp/B009Z6CW7O/ref=sr_1_4?s=lawn-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1536598933&sr=1-4&keywords=100w+solar+panel&dpID=41WkYaZbmqL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch
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The "generator" above has a built in charge controller so you just need to plug in the solar panel and put the panel in full sun ( any partial shade dramatically lowers the charging). It also charges from a wall plug or a 12V outlet, so if the sun isn't out you can charge it from the car engine.
I don't know how big your trailer is, but this 100W solar panel is about 1.2m x 0.54m.
100W x ~4.5 (guessing) hours of equivalent ideal sunlight in Romania, per day, equals 450wh. 450wh/48V = ~9.7Ah. That's assuming no losses from the power converter and charger, which would likely bring you closer to 6.5Ah after a full day of charging.
We really need solar panels with higher conversion rates.
I picked: Model MB7420 motorola for an example.
power draw: 12v @ 1a. 12 watts.
12v supply is really REALLY nice for the next thing i'm going to suggest: solar and a battery.
https://www.amazon.com/MOTOROLA-MB7621-Approved-Spectrum-Downloads/dp/B077BL65HS/
26 bucks for a charge controller:
https://www.amazon.com/HQST-Regulator-Charge-Controller-Display/dp/B00FB3OPKM/
46$: a 20 amp hour battery will be more than enough to get your thru the night. if you're concerned about cloudly days then you can double it up.
https://www.amazon.com/Chrome-Battery-12V-20AH-T3/dp/B00BW3ULZI/
130 bucks for a 100watt solar panel
https://www.amazon.com/Renogy-Watts-Volts-Monocrystalline-Solar/dp/B009Z6CW7O/
figure 20-30 bucks in wiring and mounts and random stuff.
total cost to power it: 200-250$.
I have a 2018 ford transit van. We take this with us camping ( I camp about 20 times a year, 2-3 day trips ) .
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I am looking to get a small electric generator / battery and a simple solar panel to charge it. This will be used just to run a water pump for once a day quick shower, power some low energy fans at night and charge devices.
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I already own this power source - https://www.amazon.com/Aeiusny-Generator-Portable-Emergency-Solar/dp/B01IW408R0/
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I was debating getting this solar panel - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009Z6CW7O
Is it compatible and will charge the power source listed above or is there a better one? Am I missing any critical components to get this to work?
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I plan to mount it on top of the van as a permanent structure.
Thanks in advance.
Ok. Im sorry I don't have a book or a source because I was forced into this whole situation and had no time. I had to ask on forums and look on google, and perform the results the very next day. So now I have a little knowledge that grows every day by just asking around here on Reddit and on cruisers forums because Im out living In the moment lol.
This is a diagram I made of my electrical set up. I made it to ask a question to experts so a few crucial labels are missing to make it a complete beginners diagram in my opinion.
This is my solar Kit by RENOGY
These are the best batteries to get for house/cabin use and for solar power These are the ones I and everyone hopes to afford. I have 4 (lesser known equivalent) 6v batts, all brand new from Orileys, paired and converted into 2 beefed up 12v batteries. Mine will do the job, maybe last 5-7 years but Trojan T-105s last a life time.
Next is where I got the "Know how" from some forum posts.
Finally, here is a AWESOME detailed explanation of battery power, and solar power from a redditor who actually used my own setup as an example.
With the right equipment, about 400 watts of solar power, 6 to 8 6v batteries. A 250-500watt wind generator, a working engines alternator, and a back up 2000 watt honda generator you can go on with your every day life using free energy. With care you can maintain your batteries health, and your own energy consumption in conjunction with the solar panels, or have a costly back up of a gas generator or the boats engine alternator to beef up your batteries and make sure they never go down. You can also invest in a water maker that turns sea water into fresh drinking water. Our unit can turn 38gallons of sea water in one hour.
With all that in mind, your only expense is food/propane gas for the boat or generator and clothing. Anchoring is free anywhere and most marinas have anchorage spots close to their docks so you can get into town quickly. also some cities have free public docking, so living on a sail boat is pretty cool once you have built a complete self sufficient system. we have USB modems that use 4G signals to provide internet, or we can use our big wifi antenna to reach open wifi signals from a mile away, so gaming and Reddit is possible anywhere we go, especially if we can afford to buy some 4g data for the month.
Im interested in this because I already have one solar panel and 4 batteries. I eventually want to have 2 big 250 watt solar panels that will make up a total 500 watts, and I want to have 8 6v batteries total.
Instead of getting a AC inverter, I can switch everything I use to DC power supply, like a laptop, Wii U, Fan, Fridge to save power, and even more so if I upgrade my computer to run more efficiently.
Ive alredy replaced EVERY SINGLE LIGHT with little LED bulbs, even my navigation lights and mast lights. I can turn them ALL on and my volt meter doesn't drop a single volt and its freaking amazing how little they draw.
Ive come to realize that I can realistically save and continue to build off my current system, instead of struggling to sustain a "normal" lifestyle with bills and rent. $200 here and there, one new solar panel this month, two more batteries that month, and before you know it, you have spent less than a years worth of bills and finances, only this time its a permanent solution that no longer requires a yearly or monthly bill.
$220.00: (2) 6 volt golf cart battery's from Costco or Sams club wired in series to equal 12 volts and approximately 220 amp hours of capacity
$349.99: Renogy kit: https://www.amazon.com/Renogy-Monocrystalline-Solar-Starter-Wanderer/dp/B00BCRG22A/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1542503494&sr=8-3&keywords=Renogy+200+Watt+12+Volt+Solar+Starter+Kit
Total equipment $570 dollars
various wire $40.00 dollars
PSW inverter $170.00, might not need.
So 200 watts of solar will work. You may NOT need an inverter because LED's will work from 12 volts directly, you may be able to take the light apart and work around the 120 volt power supply. or buy 12 volt LED lights.
https://www.amazon.com/Samlex-America-PST-300-12-Pure-Inverter/dp/B00DVYWP8C/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1542504072&sr=8-3&keywords=psw+inverter+12v
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Final advice, inverters use power whether they are being used or not unless you shut them off when you are not using one.. I strongly suggest sticking to 12 volt lighting and skip the inverter
If you absolutely need 120 volts, get a pure sign wave inverter. They cost more but you wont have limitations like you would from a modified sign wave inverter. buy something good in the 300 to 400 watt range minimum in case you need to charge battery powered tools, a radio, charge a phone or other small loads. stick with brand name equipment for reliability.
2 x 100watt panels, with an MPPT controller.
This kit exactly, with MPPT:
http://www.amazon.com/Renogy-Monocrystalline-Solar-Starter-Wanderer/dp/B00BCRG22A/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1458866712&amp;sr=8-2&amp;keywords=renogy+solar+panel+kit
> Congrats on a well-executed model!
Thanks. :)
> Based on the size of the roof area for the solar panels, I'm assuming you've picked out the panels already. Have a link? I'm curious in learning more about what you've selected.
Definitely monocrystalline panels. As an example, Renogy makes a nice little 200W starter kit with charge controller and such. May or may not wind up going with that exact unit, but it'll be something similar.
As for the size, I just hacked together a couple of 24" by 48" scale blocks, since that ought to cover a majority of pairs of panels i might settle on.
The basic calculations here are based on several trips to the field with my current rig running on a 101Ah battery.
The system is almost certainly overkill, but I like it that way. :)
> Also, how do you plan on sealing out moisture at the roof seam?
A little flap of shingles, basically...sort of how Harry Page did his as linked in the OP.
I used this pump:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003XERUTY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1#
Powered by this battery:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004DR3IIC/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1
And this solar panel:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BCRG22A/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s01?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1
This simple and cheap setup basically gave me 2 garden hoses (2ea 1/2 inch pipes t'd off of the main 1" line)
I could water for like an hour in the morning, an hour at sundown and probably 3-4 hours at mid-day in full sun with the battery never running down more than a tiny ammount. I also charged phones, computers, flashlights, etc with this system at the same time. You should be able to pump your ass off with a system like this.
Things to note... The pump only has about a 20 foot lift so if the top of the water in the swamp is farther than 20 vertical feet (not linear) from where the end of the hose is you may be in trouble. Also, make some sort of coarse filter so leaves and mud and such does not clog it. A few mesh bags around a 5 gallon bucket with a ton of 2" holes and a rock to weight it down did the trick for me! Good luck.
Here's one that's fairly simple and popular.
I have a cheap Renogy charge controller and a 50W panel. If you're into DIY that might be the way to go. 50W isn't a lot of panel, but it might work if you keep the loads down.
I have just put together a system for a remote barn on my property. It may be overkill for what you are trying to accomplish, but thought it might help.
This is connected to a 12v deep cycle marine battery that you an find at NAPA.
Depending on frequency of use, you may be able to get away with a lower wattage solar panel, or, if it is rarely used, scrap the solar components all together and just lug the battery back to your house once a month a stick it on a trickle charger.
I bought a kit similar to this and hooked it up to the largest (115ah) deep cycle battery I could buy.
I run all my interior lights, an electric water pump, a 1000w inverter off it with no problems so far. Again i'd gauge your power usage. A friend of mine has almost the identical setup and always seems to be draining his battery, he charges his laptop and drone batteries off the system though.
You can do much better on panels now, http://www.amazon.com/Renogy-100W-Mono-Starter-Kit/dp/B00BFCNFRM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1415138291&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=solar+panel
Hi there! Our Starter Kit might also be a good alternative for you as well because unlike our Bundle Kit, it also includes Z-brackets and a tray cable. If you have any questions relating to your system, feel free to message us. :)
All the best,
The Renogy Team
I don't recall right now, but it was in south california, maybe 6-8 hours? I can look it up tomorrow.
Worth it.
Did it have power? I'm trying to recall. It may not have, come to think of it :|
You could certainly do something laptop based:
Renogy 100 Watts 12 Volts Monocrystalline Solar Panel
It's better to be safe than sorry. You don't want to bring out all that gear only to find you can't turn it on.
You'll be fine with any of these with the top one being your best candidate. Just remember to be courteous to your neighbors if people are trying to sleep!
Xantrex 806-1210 PROwatt 1000 SW Inverter
MicroSolar 1000W (Peak 2000W) Pure Sine Wave Inverter
BESTEK® Dual 110V AC Outlets 1000w/1200w Max Car DC 12V to 110V AC Inverter Power
You'll probably want to get a fuse holder and a cable kit depending on how far you expect to keep the table from your car.
You could also go the more environmental route and get some solar panels to juice up a spare solar battery each day.
I'm not a pro on the subject but I think you should start the process with a budget in mind. Then you can look at amazon or eBay and find something like this: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00BFCNFRM/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?qid=1418164194&amp;sr=8-3&amp;pi=AC_SY200_QL40
Preferably with good reviews within your budget and the documentation that comes with the product will usually explain pretty clearly how to connect everything together. Remember you can always add more batteries and panels in the future.
If I know I am going to be in a survival situation?
Phone + Battery, 50 Flares, vehicle with a full tank of gas would be my top 3.
More serious you say? Just limiting myself to ordering online, mostly amazon -
Given a more specific survival situation, a budget, weight limit or other constraints, I may adjust my list accordingly.
I highly recommend the Goal Zero Guide 10 battery pack & Nomad 7 panel
Yeah, I thought anyone interested in the thread would be! But as soon as I posted the original version with amazon links, it was auto-deleted. Weird.
Oh well, here are my products:
Solar panel: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B017OMTAV6/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&amp;colid=3NTUA0DGQ65YX&amp;coliid=I2R53I6ASRE7TH&amp;psc=1
Charge controller: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JMLPP12/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&amp;colid=3NTUA0DGQ65YX&amp;coliid=IMF9F8IHLJ6EN&amp;psc=1
House battery: http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/detail/SSBQ/3478PLT/03321.oap?year=1967&amp;make=Ford&amp;model=Mustang&amp;vi=1332302&amp;ck=Search_03321_1332302_-1&amp;pt=03321&amp;ppt=C0005
Battery isolator: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0058SGDFK/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_S_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&amp;colid=3NTUA0DGQ65YX&amp;coliid=I2UYT4LFVI14AN
Van fan: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002OWAIB8/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_S_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&amp;colid=3NTUA0DGQ65YX&amp;coliid=I1Q9S1UN7Z94H7&amp;psc=1
LED lights: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007JF2A6G/ref=od_aui_detailpages02?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1
Fuse block: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000K2MBPA/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&amp;colid=3NTUA0DGQ65YX&amp;coliid=IK1ERB55YT6QX&amp;psc=1
Busbar: https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Sea-MiniBus-Grounding-Terminal/dp/B0058GA4IO/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1467345205&amp;sr=8-11&amp;keywords=6+terminal+bus
Main line fuses (inline): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00WZHE3A4/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&amp;colid=3NTUA0DGQ65YX&amp;coliid=ICS8GYAQNUJV1&amp;psc=1
I have a 100w renology panel and this charge controller. They fed into a 100AH deep cycle battery from costco and kept my swamp cooler, cell phone charger, and LED lighting running all week last year.
You need to use a deep cycle or marine battery as they are designed to be run down lower and more often. As for wire, the panel has a short cable so I bought an extension and wired that directly to the controller. I believe I used 12 gauge solid core wire for the connection from the controller to the battery. all ,my stuff connects straight to the battery, however I want to add a terminal bank to make it easier.
I really like the new Victrons. Blazing fast mppt. And you can add bluetooth monitoring/programming. Which is really nice.
v75/15
Here you go
I bought a battery for mine. Haven't tested how long I can go with it, but worked great,
TalentCell Rechargeable 72W 100WH 12V/8300mAh 9V/11000mAh 5V/20000mAh DC, Portable Li-ion Power Bank, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01337QXMA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_KTp2CbN4HBRDA
and even if, you can power a light house for hours from a power bank anyways. no need to charge it simultaneously. just get one with a 12-volt outlet https://www.amazon.com/TalentCell-Rechargeable-11000mAh-20000mAh-Portable/dp/B01337QXMA
https://www.reddit.com/r/Vive/comments/42271m/lighthouses_running_from_battery_for_hours_and/
Do you have any recommendations? I recall seeing someone using something like this in a previous build. Would I have any issues powering both the amp and bluetooth receiver off one of those?
Something like this
https://www.amazon.ca/TalentCell-Rechargeable-11000mAh-14500mAh-26400mAh/dp/B016BJCRUO/ref=sr_1_3?gclid=Cj0KCQjwhJrqBRDZARIsALhp1WQQBhZXhL-K4nUA05cIK9N05dnKWfePi4dDN6JCUCthXrSpab7NOBQaAhKCEALw_wcB&hvadid=284210268362&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9001484&hvnetw=g&hvpos=1t1&hvqmt=b&hvrand=13890626508992761386&hvtargid=kwd-377617364151&hydadcr=1498_9454457&keywords=talentcell&qid=1564964277&s=gateway&sr=8-3
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Then just plug it into the dc port on the f8n?
If i have my math right.
12v DC
10w Draw
.833333 Amps
http://underdogvapes.com/faq#electricity
Something like this should work.
https://www.amazon.com/TalentCell-Rechargeable-11000mAh-14500mAh-26400mAh/dp/B016BJCRUO/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1494362105&amp;sr=8-2&amp;keywords=12v+power+pack
Edit: I think it will last you somewhere between 7-13Hours Max at full charge.
Not USB-c but this has been a very handy device for multiple recharges while traveling and powering a portable Lepai music setup. Affordable and 3p3s 18650 internally- https://www.amazon.com/TalentCell-Rechargeable-11000mAh-14500mAh-26400mAh/dp/B016BJCRUO
I purchased some lithium packs that offer 12v 9v and 5v. I use this for my BMPCC OG and Fuji X-T2 external. 5V to 12V takes almost 3x the current at 5V to get the same at 12V due to losses.
Yeah! Briefly though, I found it a bit too bulky to take on hikes/outside in general, so I pre-ordered a OP-Z for portable use and am keeping the Digitakt/tone pair in my home studio.
This is the bank I opted for since it seemed to be a reliable, cheaper option: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B016BJCRUO/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&amp;th=1 Should last around ~20 hours
Here's a really good thread on Elektronauts if you want to compare some other options for power banks: https://www.elektronauts.com/t/digitakt-external-battery-power-pack-options/39561/175
Good luck!
The key I think is a bike trailer. I have one for the kids, and with 50lbs back there, it's not as noticeable as you'd think, even pedaling the old fashioned way. My trailer is about 24"x36"
So, for batteries, 60 mile range, at 50 watt/hour per mile means you'll need 3000 watt hours. Lithium Ion gives you about 128 watt hours per kg, so that's about 24kg, or about 60lbs. Probably close to $2500 for battery, charger, etc.
If you look for solar panels you can get a 100 watt semi-flexible panel. Semi-flexible is more for the weight, I'd mount it on some 1/4" ply. Probably enough to give you 30 miles in 3 days or so. They are 2' x 4' so, more area than you'd want on a bike, getting back to the trailer. Trailer would also be a handy place to store your gear. Make sure you get/make the appropriate charge controller. I'd guess about $800 for panels, controller, mount trailer etc.
Between a big enough battery to actually do the round trip, and some solar charging in case you want to go further, I'd say it'd be entirely feasible. You could even power the trailer, and leave only a throttle and a hitch on your bike.
You could trade off some watt hours in battery for solar, where you make that cut is up to you and how much you think you're into pedaling, how long you'll be out, whether you can find AC for a while on the way.
Personally for the bike I'd go heavy and comfortable with a big mid-drive running at 48 volts. I'd keep one battery on the bike for running around without the trailer. I'd say about $2500 for bike, motor, trailer, controller etc.
The devil is in the details though, with the bike choice, and the electronic jiggery pokery. It's feasable. It'd be real cool. You could make the trailer look real spiffy.
Solar charge controller, might work: https://www.amazon.com/Y-SOLAR-Regulator-Controller-Battery-DC12-60V/dp/B01IBGXM86/ref=sr_1_31?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1469222375&amp;sr=8-31&amp;keywords=48v+solar+charger
Solar panel: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B017OMTAV6?psc=1
Battery: http://lunacycle.com/batteries/packs/48v/48v-panasonic-ncr18650b-20ah-power-density/
Trailer: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0029KBA26?psc=1
For all of this you are comfortably into the range of buying a motorcycle.
Just awesome! You should look into attaching flexible solar cells to your cars hood/roof/trunk it won't provide a huge amount of power but if you leave it in the sun while you're at work it can do quite a lot.
Something like this http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B017OMTAV6/ref=s9_simh_hd_bw_b2RMf7L_p86_d0_i3?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&amp;pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-2&amp;pf_rd_r=021PQZ6ADKS1T9RYBRKF&amp;pf_rd_t=101&amp;pf_rd_p=cda561f3-60b8-4333-8d8c-095d40efbb7d&amp;pf_rd_i=2236628011
You can probably fit about 4 on your car giving you roughly 400 watts. that's .4kWh's so if you drive to work and spend 8 hours you'll be able to charge it 3.2kWh's that's a 10% charge for free.
To do it for your system all depends on how the batteries are setup i/e voltage. You just match the voltage with the panels put in diodes to prevent flowback and bam you've got yourself a simple trickle charger. You'll have to attach the wires but that's as simple as a rubber/plastic tube. Get it small enough and it'll look great.
Of the two charge controllers you've picked, the cheap one is actually a far better choice for what you want to do.
You want to get a charge controller that lets you run the load through it, and is programmable with either a timer or an adjustable low voltage disconnect. That way you can set it up to run the pump when the sun is shining or when the battery has plenty of charge. The Renogy will only control the charging, so you could find yourself with a very flat battery if you don't add in something else to control discharging.
If you want a branded version of the cheap charge controller, check out this one (but it's basically the same thing).
If you want something with similar features but better quality and functionality you could try this EPsolar controller plus this PC cable and temp sensor.
What current (or power if that's more handy) rating do you need?
Number 1 best seller on Amazon.
You did specify 30V - is that the actual voltage you need or did you round up? A 36 cell solar module is fairly common - you'll have an open circuit voltage of about 22V in that configuration, less after the panel heats up.
Second best seller on Amazon.Its becoming more common to claim "12V panel" as a way of saying "panels intended to charge 12V batteries" - it has nothing to do with the actual open circuit voltage of the panel.
To be honest, if you can't easily get replacements, I wouldn't go cheap on this component.
Use something like this:
http://www.amazon.com/Sunforce-7-Amp-Charge-Controller/dp/B0006JO0XI (will prevent overcharging or discharging)
Edit: You already have a controller bundled. No need for the above.
with something like this:
http://r.ebay.com/wFDuiC (or bigger depending on your need).
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MY0875V/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s02?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0006JO0XI/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1
I got these charge controllers they worked great as far as i can tell. no noise
I bought a Powerfilm USB+AA charger some time back but have never integrated it into my kit. It's always been easier to simply plan ahead and pack extra batteries. Anyway, the Powerfilm gadget does work fairly well at recharging a pair of Eneloops, and it can also be used to recharge a USB device. I now notice that they've come up with a larger AA charger that supposedly recharges a pair of AA batteries in 3 1/3 hours, but it weighs 8oz.
Great write up by the way, very informative. I'll have to order one of these lights and possibly the Liponano suggested by /u/atetuna.
/edit-just weighed my USB+AA charger, with a pair of AA Eneloops it comes in at 179 grams. There's a lot of room for modification since it has an extra flap of cloth, plastic cover, etc that could be removed.
Why not forget the indoors restriction of using a USB charger and simply go solar? AA solar chargers are not very expensive...currently amazon does not have the example I'm going to post but a little googling could probably find similar other products.
http://www.amazon.com/USB-AA-Solar-Panel-Charger/dp/B001RMBHMK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;m=A1VOUFSIGRIGBC&amp;s=generic&amp;qid=1261596408&amp;sr=1-1
They also make decent solar chargers for AA batteries.
Not in stock, but you might be able to find it elsewhere:
http://www.amazon.com/USB-AA-Solar-Panel-Charger/dp/B001RMBHMK/ref=sr_1_1
I have this one and like it. Still only 500mah output but also charges AA's.The AA's then charge the device. It is small and light. When there is no light or your rechargeables are dead, you can put disposable batteries.
http://www.amazon.com/PowerFilm-USB-AA-Solar-Charger/dp/B001RMBHMK/ref=sr_1_1?s=lawn-garden&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1374261741&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=solar+aa+charger
Car like that? Try something like this: https://www.amazon.com/Battery-Tender-021-1163-Solar-Maintainer/dp/B004Q83TGO
On a side note, for those at apartments without battery tenders I highly reccomend the solar battery tender. It's saved my ass...well...5 times now.
https://www.amazon.com/Battery-Tender-021-1163-Solar-Maintainer/dp/B004Q83TGO
> fortune
It would only cost you a fortune if you have to buy them. If you are Tesla and you are making those packs IN HOUSE then the cost will be much less. Plus easier to maintain them with your own experience staff. Tesla could essentially run a fully autonomous semi company and rip in huge profits moving items of all kinds around. Another thing is that semis+their vessels are very long and wide. Long and wide is perfect for solar panels. If they are fully autonomous and run all day long the sun could help out by some degree from continously charging. The more length and width the more solar panels you can place.
Here is a 100 watt solar panel:
So that is 47 inches long. 630÷47=13.4 So you'd be able to fit 13 and a half 100 watt panels on top. That is 1350 watts per hour. width of the solar panel is 21 inches. 102÷21= 4.8 So that is 4.8 rows of 13 and a half solar panels. I'm not the best at math but that would give you 1350×4.8=6480 watts per hour. That is almost 6.4k watts
Plus also this is just using a regular home solar panel. Tesla could make a more specialized panel that utilizes the space better with less losses. They could do so many more things to specialize the panel and therefore get more solar power out of it. So that 6.4k watts per hour figure could increase perhaps as high as 8.0k watts per hour or maybe more?
This is with out even taking the trailer truck portion into consideration (Where the driver used to be. Remember Autonomous.) Plus also you have the SIDES of the trailer though those won't be as effective as the top due to angle, but can still be used. I wouldn't be surprised if you could get 12.0k watts per hour through solar power with a trailer. Perhaps even higher like 15.0k watts.
Sure it won't keep the trailer moving indefinitely, BUT it should increase the range of the trailer by some degree. Again if they could reach a figure like 10.0k watts in solar power per hour it should definitely help with the range of the trailer.
-edit-
I am bad at math I did mess it up
The solar panel in the photo looks a lot like a Renogy 12v 100 watt solar panel. You would need a minimum of 3 of those 100 watt panels along with a decent battery bank and sizable power inverter to power that refrigerator 24/7 while maintaining a fairly cool temperature inside of the fridge.
source - assuming "average use" for the fridge
So if I understand you correctly I can buy the product you linked as well as a solar panel such as this one
Renogy 100 Watts 12 Volts Monocrystalline Solar Panel https://www.amazon.com/dp/B009Z6CW7O/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_B9TqDb33X1GGH
And I should be fine for making let's say 10 margaritas a day for a week (assuming my solar panel is in the sun all day)?
Also does 288kh mean that, on a full charge, it will be able to power anything up to 288 watts for an hour before running out of juice (assuming it's not hooked to the solar panel)?
another thing... i looked at the renogy panel description and it says this:
Diodes are pre-installed in junction box and a pair of 31-inch cables with MC4 connectors comes with the panel automatically
so from my research, it really seems like the diodes which would bypass the entire panels... for when wired in series... would go in the junction boxes... essentially bypassing the entire panel if the previous panel was pushing more power? maybe? and that there would be no other real purpose for a diode in this location... so they already have bypass diodes?
> two 100W panels
Dimensions: 47 X 21.3 X 1.4 In
You're not going to mount those on the top of a station wagon.
Renogy 100 Watts 12 Volts Monocrystalline Solar Panel https://www.amazon.com/dp/B009Z6CW7O/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_8WqIzbVEDP4QY
100w mountable solar panel.
Edit: This one to be exact,
http://www.amazon.com/Renogy-Watts-Volts-Monocrystalline-Solar/dp/B009Z6CW7O/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1450479873&amp;sr=8-3&amp;keywords=100w+solar+panel
Further down on that solar charger's page:
>Specification:
Voltage: DC 12V / 24V
Self-consuming: 10MA
Rated Charge Current: 20A
Rated Load Current: 20A
>Over charge:
Protection: 14.4V / 28.8V
Floating charge: 13.5V / 27V
Recover: 13.2V / 26.4V
>Over discharge:
Protection: 10.8V / 21.6V
Those 14.4V and 10.8V work nicely for lead-acid, it should work for LiFePO4, but Li-ion might be a big problem.
Those 200-300 charge cycles you mentioned could happen if you have a small battery (low Ah) that is drained to (below) 80% DOD (depth of discharge), basically if you double the battery's 'Ah'-size, the DOD drops to 40%, and cycle life doubles to 600.
A simple calculation, if you go to http://pvwatts.nrel.gov/ you'll find about 63 kWh/kWp during december (Fresno, CA), 2 kWh/day, your 72W LED-strip (at 70% battery efficiency) for 4 hours needs 400Wh, the panel size should be 400Wh/2kWh=200Wp (two of these in parallel?)
Those LED-strips: 72W per 5 meter?, if you look carefully you'll see you can cut them in 3-LED sections (individual LEDs are 4.2V, three in series for a 12V supply, all the 3-LED sections are wired in parallel), and with careful soldering or possibly special connectors you can make shorter low-power sections yourself, or buy a 'remote controller' (as offered on those links) to reduce brightness/energy-use.
That brightness control is done using PWM (pulse width modulation), for bulls-eye practice you probably want a constant high(-ish) intensity, when hunting cardboard vultures and plastic crocodiles you can also use an Arduino-type to (remotely) program whatever sequence to make life a bit more challenging for the hunters.
Hey, thanks!
I'm going to go into detail on the equipment I bought with my next video (and I've got a really fascinating powerpoint presentation where I try to explain a little electrical theory without putting everyone to sleep). I'll answer your question here though:
I started with a kit that came with the wires you're asking about. The solar panels have those short (2 or 3 feet) wires that end with what's called an MC4 connector. The wires have the MC4 connector on one end, and a bare wire on the other. The MC4 is a weatherproof, snap-on connector.
For the second panel, I had to get the MC4-tipped cables separately. From browsing YouTube, it looks like you can save some money by buying the connectors alone and splicing them onto a wire. I didn't feel like messing with this.
I got all my stuff on Amazon. Here's the list:
The parts for my installation came out to a little over $400.
Hope that helps! :)
I went with this battery and this panel. I really only need electric for charging my phone when I'm not doing that at the library, charging my laptop, and running a small fan that will be on a timer as I am falling asleep. I'm thinking this battery bank and solar panel will be able to supply me with more than enough of what I need.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B009Z6CW7O/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1481992359&amp;sr=8-1&amp;pi=SY200_QL40&amp;keywords=Renogy&amp;dpPl=1&amp;dpID=41rOZxjogoL&amp;ref=plSrch
Cheaper per panel if you bulk buy.
You will get more power from more expensive panels though, be aware. But it's looking like 400w is going to run me just fine.
Good catch ;-)
I'm using the Renogy 100w monocrystalline panels. They claim to be 21.3" wide by 47" long: http://amzn.com/B009Z6CW7O. My roof is 92" wide, so it will be a tight squeeze but they will fit.
Amazon has some decent prices on panels if you don't want to do a lot of searching. 100 Watt 100w Monocrystalline $170 You should be able to get that and the chargers, batteries and inverter for $600-ish.
Well there is no complete set on amazon.com, but you can assemble it yourself just like this:
https://www.amazon.com/Renogy-Monocrystalline-Solar-Starter-Wanderer/dp/B00BCRG22A/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1468309528&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=solar+panel+200w
https://www.amazon.com/SolarEpic-Inverter-Stackable-10-8-30V-90V-140V/dp/B00XJCVC44/ref=sr_1_5?s=lawn-garden&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1468310171&amp;sr=1-5&amp;keywords=solar+inverter
https://www.amazon.com/Cycle-Battery-Solar-Energy-Storage/dp/B018R8BRCG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1468309743&amp;sr=8-1-spons&amp;keywords=AGM+battery+100ah&amp;psc=1
You can scale with the numbers of solar panels, but then you probably have to consider a different controller. It depends on how much wattage your desired fridge has. You probably have to consider a powerful fridge with a good insulation, if it stays in the hot sun the whole day. You maybe have to scale the batteries, depends on how much "sun downtime" you have in your region.
You really need to research this a bit further, as I dont have any experience with your 115/120v grid/appliances and not much practical experience with solar panels and its combination with fridges.
And you need to consider if its worth the 600+ Dollar for a cold beer in the middle of nowhere. Those solar panels do have more uses, but I guess you know what I mean.
Amps x volts = watts. You only want to use 50% (Less if you can) for that battery life so 42amps at 12v or ~500 watt hours.
The panel will give 50watts around 4-5 hours a day. So it should generate around 200-250watt hours per day. (If you get more sun or constantly adjust the panel you can get more hours but I would be surprised if you got more than 350watt hours a day in the summer).
So lets say 200 Watt hours per day, that's around one LED light running around 20hrs.
I would suggest something more like this 200 watt system plus a few golf cart batteries. (Sams club has them for around $100 for 200ah 6v batteries). I put my cabin system together with this for around $700 total. 200 watt in panels, 230ah at 12v and lots of LED lighting and places to charge my cell phones and laptops.
http://www.amazon.com/200W-Mono-Starter-Kit-Controller/dp/B00BCRG22A/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1409684525&amp;sr=8-4&amp;keywords=200+watt+renogy
For sure I will... I ordered these 2 Renogy panels and they should come in on Monday... of course I start work Monday too, so I will be working on it every evening next week. Mine will span roughly 8' x 2' across one side of the van on a hoisting ladder rack that will allow for tilt-adjusting towards the sun and easy cleaning.... I'll keep you in the loop with it
You would want a charge controller. A charge controller basically manages te solar power going to your battery so it doesn't overcharge it. They can be as cheap as $30
true looks like almost a $120 difference.. damn
PWM
vs.
MPPT
edit: any thoughts on this one? sounds pretty great for a 200W setup.
I just, on a whim, ordered this charge controller on eBay for $35 flat. https://www.amazon.com/Renogy-Wanderer-30A-Charge-Controller/dp/B00BCTLIHC/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8
It was new with original everything and I figured I have the eBay protection if its not what its supposed to be. The owner says they ordered a bundle but they already had a charge controller so sold their Wanderer. we'll see how it plays out.
Thanks for your reply.
Let's go over a couple terms:
A watt measures power, or how fast something can do work; to continue the analogy, how fast a hose can fill a pool. You can fill it faster by either increasing the hose size (ie. using a firehose, or thicker wires), or turning the water pressure up so that it moves faster (increasing the voltage).
When you apply power over a period of time, you do work. We can measure work in watt-hours (Wh). Watts determine how fast your boat moves (just like HP on an engine), where watt-hours determine how far (just like how many gallons of fuel it takes).
If your trolling motor draws 300W, then it consumes 300Wh every hour.
Or, speaking in amps/amp-hours, 300W from a 12V battery would be 25A; in that case, it consumes 25Ah from your battery every hour.
Having said all that:
If you can find a place to mount it, I'd recommend this:
https://www.amazon.com/Renogy-Watts-Volts-Monocrystalline-Starter/dp/B00BFCNFRM/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1485011099&amp;sr=8-2&amp;keywords=renology+100w
Hook it up to your house / propulsion battery bank via the included controller.
A few notes:
A 30A trolling motor load on 200Ah of batteries (ie. 2x100Ah deep cycles) represents a draw of 15% of its capacity per hour, and it won't create much waste heat. You might get 4-5 hours of propulsion.
A 30A trolling motor load on a single 100Ah battery represents a draw of 30% of its capacity per hour, and the battery will warm up, wasting energy. You might only get 1.5-2 hours of propulsion (less than half the dual battery setup).
200Ah of batteries would be ideal, but would weigh between 100-150lb, which might be a consideration.
I've got two ideas:
I bought this kit many years ago to charge 12v batteries and it works great (though I got a better inverter as that one is a joke,and you need to provide your own battery).
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000CIADLG/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1
but looking at amazon listings now it seems this is the most popular, affordable entry level kit (note that you are again providing your own inverter and battery):
http://www.amazon.com/Renogy-100W-Mono-Starter-Kit/dp/B00BFCNFRM/ref=zg_bs_2236628011_3
These both charge batteries. Wiring into you home is a much bigger undertaking.
It is unlikely that you will be able to power a heater with solar power; heaters simply require too much electricity. A sleeping bag rated for the temperature you will experience is probably the most effective thing for you.
A quick look at Amazon shows the Nintendo switch has a wall outlet power adapter that outputs 5v at 1.5a. Assuming that is correct, you can charge your electrical devices from a wall outlet at McDonalds or Starbucks, or from a cigarette lighter adapter in your car. If you won't be in cities or won't be driving daily, a small solar panel and battery (I like that battery for its dual inputs, which makes it charge twice as fast) will likely be sufficient. Price for solar panel and battery about $100.
If you need more electrical power, put a roof rack on your car, then buy a battery and a 100-watt kit from Renogy (the kit includes mounting hardware, cables, a solar controller and instructions to wire everything together). Price for solar panel kit and battery about $400.
Buy a couple large deep cycle batteries and a battery tender to keep them charged
For example, this battery:
https://www.amazon.com/Universal-UB121000-45978-100AH-Cycle-Battery/dp/B00S1RT58C/ is 100ah at 12v, which is roughly 1200 watt hours. For comparison, A 3.7v 20,000 mah phone power bank is 74 watt hours.
Get something like this: https://www.amazon.com/Chanzon-Cigarette-Terminal-Accessory-Inflator/dp/B07CQMQL9L/ to allow using your car charger with a standalone battery.
Add a 100w solar kit: https://www.amazon.com/Renogy-Monocrystalline-Negative-Controller-Connectors/dp/B00BFCNFRM/ if you expect sunny weather during your power outages
It's a waste of space and energy since he's not grinding dried beans or crushing ice every morning, just pureeing some veggies into a smoothie. Sell it on Craigslist for ~$200 (those things are like $400 new - JEEZ) and you could buy a 100W solar panel with charge controller plus a hand blender that won't kill your battery.
for solar: (for starters since Im mainly using fans)https://www.amazon.com/Renogy-Watts-Volts-Monocrystalline-Starter/dp/B00BFCNFRM/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1501920037&amp;sr=8-4&amp;keywords=solar+panel
I'll also use lucy lights which are solar
For water: I might use a tank with pump or a thera pump for 5 gallon jugs. It really depends on whats available up there.
Sheds: its a toss between this which included installation, http://www.conestogabuilders.com/strawberry/strawberry.htm
or the one from lowes: https://www.lowes.com/pd/Cedarshed-Farmhouse-Gable-Cedar-Storage-Shed-Common-16-ft-x-14-ft-Interior-Dimensions-11-5-ft-x-9-5-ft/999916833
the weather : the highest is around 75F and the lowest is around 35F. Rain wise about 4-5 inches every month.
Renogy 100 Watts 12 Volts Monocrystalline Solar Starter Kit https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BFCNFRM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_A7twybFH176K5
My boat didn't come with the solar setup, but I fitted them myself. You'll need the panel itself, a charge controller, and some sort of battery to store the charge. You could have the same sized system I have (without the battery included) for $200 bucks on amazon. http://www.amazon.com/Renogy-Watts-Volts-Monocrystalline-Starter/dp/B00BFCNFRM
Sorry for the late response... we spent some time on public land, no wi/fi!
You can get a cheap (but good) Renogy 100W kit: https://amzn.to/2JiRPh4, then shop locally for a small battery (in the 50-100 Ah).
Or you could just charge using your alternator with an isolator (cheap solution, but in this scenario you need to drive frequently).
If you don't want to worry about wiring/fuse etc, Goal Zero has good plug-and-play solutions but they're NOT CHEAP (https://amzn.to/2LFW04J).
Good luck!
Amazon has a 100 watt kit that looks to include what I need minus the battery and inverter. Would something like this be what I am after?
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00BFCNFRM/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1526590632&amp;sr=8-3&amp;pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&amp;keywords=solar+panel+kit&amp;dpPl=1&amp;dpID=51tMu4DA-EL&amp;ref=plSrch
I mean it is a generator. With a quiet one will come more cost. If your just looking for a way to emergency charge phone and batteries look at a crank charger or sometimes called a dynamo. Most will be integrated with a radio or flashlight already or look at goalzero solar charger products. Some of there basic sets can charge a tablet and they only cost about a hundred bucks. If your looking for good lights look at the 30/60 day light, extra batteries will be easy to carry than a generator + gas.
30 day light
http://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Survival-Technologies-30-Day-Lantern/dp/B00ABUSWR2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1407277032&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=30+day+light
Goalzero
http://www.amazon.com/Goal-Zero-41022-Guide-Recharging/dp/B00DD6B9IK/ref=sr_1_1?s=lawn-garden&amp;srs=3555756011&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1407277085&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=goal+zero
I had the same deal with my brother, and then gave my boyfriend the same gift down the road.
A solar charger, that can charge battery packs and lights. One like this:
http://www.amazon.com/Goal-Zero-41022-Guide-Recharging/dp/B00DD6B9IK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1450199341&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=goal+zero+solar+charger
Kind of pricy, but my brother said he used it all the time during his deployment (He was in the middle east where the sun was abundant) and he could charge his electronics on it and then have an external battery pack that could charge up and be used as a charger when it was dark out! Pretty cool, and I know he uses it all the time, even in the field when he's stateside on base. You can buy add on parts for it all, like a light that can be used as a quick flashlight and stuff.
Hope this helps!!
GPS tracker: stored in a hidden pocket, to track if the bag is stolen. I've had a similar bag stolen before from under my nose, and I'd like to be able to track it immediately.
Air mattress AND sleeping bag: It's a bivvy really, works well with additional thermal layers inside, like a coat or towel or dry leaves. Not enough padding for comfort sleep or thermal ground insulation. A world of difference between a good sleep and not being able to fall asleep because uncomfortable. Especially in survival situation when need to be alert and focused. The ratio between value and cost/weight/size is enormous for me.
Portable Toilet: For use in a car when stuck in heavy traffic, or waiting for accident ahead to clear.
Grappling hook: It is also a gravity hook, to pick up stuff that fell far down a steep hill or into a hole that can't get into. I've had this situation before, don't want to be caught unprepared again.
StunGun/Pistol/Spray: Not everything requires lethal level escalation. Pepper spray is nice for aggressive animals, Stun Gun is a great source of high voltage for various applications beyond immediate personal self-defense (perimeter electric fense around camp). And a gun is for 2 legged animals that need to be stopped from harming me, my family or my friends.
Luxury/Comfort: Yes, I like comfort. It is important enough for me, that I'm willing to invest in it, by having things with me, that I needed before and didn't have.
Water: I have a full bottle of water when I leave home, and 2 water filters. I should also have purifying tablets with me, which I've realized in a different response.
Car or something: It is sitting mostly in the car when traveling, because everywhere I need to go from house involves driving and/or flying. So my EDC is always GHB. I do not see why to choose a duffel over backpack, because I need to carry it around as well.
Solar panel: I was carrying one before. I have 2 foldable solar panels: large 60W https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00RFCVR62 and small one https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DD6B9IK. The large one is too large and heavy for EDC bag, and small one is somewhat worthless in my experience. And it's pretty much seasonal, since I'm in PNW. I've opted to carry powerbanks with total of 120Ah, that can power my laptop and all other electronics for 2 days, or just electronics for more than a week.
I would hope they allow you to recharge other batteries but I bet you have to daisy chain. Goal zero has had these type of products forever. They have a ton of options and they are weather resistant and great for those on the go...which I imagine is the primary user on this since if you aren't you would just plug into an outlet. :)
Here is a link to the one I have on my wish list:http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00DD6B9IK/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1452479010&amp;sr=8-1&amp;pi=SX200_QL40&amp;keywords=goal+zero&amp;dpPl=1&amp;dpID=41H08qRnDLL&amp;ref=plSrch#
Edit: autocorrect garbage
The panel output more like 5.5 amps /hour per 100 watt panel that's what my HQSTs do. PWM Is fine for a small solar setup better gain would be to get a 3rd panel than the extra expense of mppt. Something with a lcd to display input and output in amps is nice like HQST 30 Amp PWM Smart Solar Charge Controller with LCD Display https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FB3OPKM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_.XETybK31ADKN
I was planning on getting a 30 Amp like this one
I just set my panel on a lawn chair and point it at the sun moving it a couple times during the day.
links to what I bought-
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B018BMGTTO/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01D7VBJK8/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FB3OPKM/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1
Also, I've been able to run fans, charge my phone and laptop, etc so I know that my solar system IS working and keeping my batteries topped off (because I can see on my windynation controller https://www.amazon.com/WindyNation-Regulator-Controller-Adjustable-Settings/dp/B00JMLPP12/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=windynation+controller&qid=1565557593&s=gateway&sr=8-1 )
Yes I do have a voltmeter, the battery voltage now that I've unplugged the solar panels from the charge controller is 12.9 volts.
Wire is 10 gauge CC to batteries, under a foot in length.
Wire for inverter is 5 gauge, 2 feet.
Ive only had it all hooked up for about a week, and yesterday was the first sunny day. I had my fan and lights running OK, but today when I started using the inverter was when I realized something was wrong. The batteries shouldnt be draining that quickly, or venting so intensely
Link for charge controller is https://www.amazon.com/Regulator-Controller-Digital-Adjustable-Settings/dp/B00JMLPP12
No alternator, just solar.
I used 2x 150W roof panels that I got off of ebay for $330 shipped and a cheap amazon pwm charge controller combined with 3 marine deep cycle batteries. Just keep in mind that panels these days are very cheap, you should try to pay less than a dollar a watt, I would avoid buying panels from Harbor Freight as they can end up costing over $5/W (the only advantage they have is portability which could be a big deal I suppose) (The goal zero 90W panel would cost you $5.56/W).
Here is the posting that I bough from last year, I have been very happy with the panels, keep in mind these things are heavy so with shipping $330 is a pretty darn good price. http://r.ebay.com/4SCK9w
Amazon PWM charge controller (I bought this one because the lcd displays voltage levels, current in and out, and usage over time for the input and output) http://amzn.com/B00JMLPP12
Image of the setup from last year: http://imgur.com/a/AuM03
EDIT:
The pwm controller has a built in dusk dawn timer system so you can feed your lighting right off the unit. Or for high power stuff just tap right off the batteries (fuses would probably be a good idea...). We ran a couple 12V swamp coolers, a couple inverters, and a couple lipo chargers (charged 10+ large lipo packs a day for personal led lighting). And we never even came close to using the full 300W.
Are you within the Amazon return window? Send it back.
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That is almost certainly not a real MPPT charge controller, and it is way overpriced for what it is. The "PV Off" setting is where charging stops and the battery goes into float. A single setting is not enough, with this controller you will always undercharge and eventually ruin the battery prematurely.
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A proper charge controller (MPPT or PWM) allows you to set a level for Bulk charge (i.e. approximately 80% charged), Absorption charge (the remaining 20% to full) and Float charge (trickle charge once full).
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If you are on a budget, on the cheaper side get Epever or Renogy. This 30A Epever is a proper MPPT controller and is more than enough charge controller for your setup (with a 30Amp MPPT you can go up to ~400W of solar if you are charging a 12V batttery system).
https://www.amazon.com/EPever-Controller-Tracer3210AN-Charging-Regulator/dp/B07BHKJSFN/ref=sr_1_8?keywords=epever+tracer+40a&qid=1562524137&s=gateway&sr=8-8
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With a 100W panel you don't need a 40Amp controller, or even a 30Amp controller. A 100 watt, 12V nominal panel (i.e. 18-20V PV) will produce around 5.5 amps, and a real MPPT controller might raise that to 7 amps charge to the batteries. This 15A Victron controller is vastly superior and can handle up to 200 watt solar when charging 12V batteries.
https://www.amazon.com/Victron-BlueSolar-MPPT-Charge-Controller/dp/B00U3MK0CI/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=victron+75%2F15&qid=1562524536&s=gateway&sr=8-4
Just found that these Victron MPPT solar charge controllers have a lithium charge profile you can select: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00U3MK0CI/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_awdo_x_ClVtybFR6JJ4Y
Still wondering if there is some elegant way to tie in alternator charging
http://www.amazon.com/LINKSOLAR-Weatherproof-Solar-Double-Campervan/dp/B0111RNZDY?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1&amp;redirect=true&amp;ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00
https://www.amazon.com/Link-Solar-Weatherproof-Project-Campervan/dp/B0111RNZDY/ref=pd_cp_107_1?_encoding=UTF8&amp;pd_rd_i=B0111RNZDY&amp;pd_rd_r=EKHR6Y5N0NVKJF614FB2&amp;pd_rd_w=9YXfC&amp;pd_rd_wg=V6sqE&amp;psc=1&amp;refRID=EKHR6Y5N0NVKJF614FB2
This plus a shit ton of dicor over the holes that YOU HAVE TO DRILL (sorry)
I like this one better because it has the lip around the edge that you can put a few screws into
It's that or run it through the open window
Solar gland?
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0111RNZDY
I've loved using these TalentCell power banks. Camera runs for a 6-8hr shoot on one.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B016BJCRUO/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01337QXMA/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1
Just need to get inventive with the rigging. I use a clamp meant to hold a camera to a rod/pole:
https://www.amazon.com/UTEBIT-Adjustable-Adapter-Aluminum-Photography/dp/B06XNQ8G77/ref=sr_1_9?keywords=clamp+mount+camera+pole&amp;qid=1568172379&amp;s=electronics&amp;sr=1-9
When I say repeater, I don't mean something you install. I mean something portable you take with you when you go there, and take away when you leave.
For example, start with a little cooler like this one. Two small 12v batteries (like from a motorcycle) go in the base, wired in series. That gives you 24v power.
From that you can run a NanoStation M series device as the uplink back to your home, and a UAP-AC-Lite as the local access point. Wiring is super simple as the NanoStation M (as long as it's not a Loco) has two Ethernet ports, the second one will (if you tell it to) passthru the PoE. So you use a hacked up cable to feed the NanoStation, and a standard Ethernet cable from the NanoStation's secondary port straight to the UAP-AC-Lite. Use some Velcro ties to attach both units to the top of the cooler handle, put the batteries in the bottom, and you're good to go.
Actually, both the NanoStation M and the UAP-AC-Lite should (according to posts by UBNT employees on their own forum) run on 12v or thereabouts. So a single smaller 12v battery or a lithium pack like this one should power the NanoStation and the UAP-AC-Lite for at least a couple hours.
I use one of these for my portable low power ham station.
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https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01337QXMA/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
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it is an always on type thing and matter of fact, the power switch is just a cut to the actual battery. If you plug in 12v to the barrel plug, the USB jack will charge things with the switch in either position. Leave it on and you have a USB UPS that kicks in automatically if it loses DC input.
Bought one of these: http://www.amazon.com/TalentCell-Rechargeable-11000mAh-14500mAh-26400mAh/dp/B016BJCRUO/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1459270990&amp;sr=8-2&amp;keywords=talentcell and tried running the Nova Drive off the 12v out and it works perfectly! Nova Drive still isn't working off the 12v wall wart that I have, so it's finnicky, but it's works on the board, and that battery has TONS of juice and 9v out to power the rest of the board.
Well it wouldn't be easy to achieve, but I don't know of any product available that would have such functionality.
For starters I would check out some kind of 12V power bank.
This might be what your looking for: It is essentially a contained 3S - 3.7V - li-ion battery with a BMS. It also has a low power 2A USB output to power the 5V device. The 5V might be too weak for your application.
I will give you two scenarios, one 1s and the other 3S.
1S solution:
3S solution (3.7V nominal li-ion):
3S solution (3.35V nominal li-ion LFP):
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I've worked with enough electricity that I would really rather not make my own. That being said, plans exist, and I've seen a few folks at our observatory with some -very- nice ones. These also exist, which have been recommended to me before, keep meaning to order one actually...
For a bit more you can pick up a 103.5WH pack.
https://www.amazon.com/TalentCell-Rechargeable-11000mAh-14500mAh-26400mAh/dp/B016BJCRUO/
I personally tore one apart and tested it, it's good to go.
Thanks :)
You could write sequences easily enough, and in fact it would be relatively trivial to fire them off spontaneously with simple pushbuttons as input to your microcontroller. When I put that costume together, I wore a little custom switchboard like a watch that had the arduino installed on it along with a series of pushbuttons and rocker switches to turn things on and off.
Syncing to music directly might be tough - certainly doable, but it may just be easier to have buttons which perform preprogrammed actions. There are a lot of ways things could go awry when trying to line up audio with circuits. For professional shows it's better to have an engineer or two (on further viewing, it looks like they had 3 guys manning this in the show) on the sidelines controlling all that stuff, but if it's just you a simpler and more adaptable route might be to program 8 or so actions, wire buttons from the arduino to your fingertips to fire them off, and rely on your own timing and coordination to get things really moving. Just a suggestion to avoid overcomplicating things, and using such a technique also allows you to be a bit more adaptable (say, for example, if you want to use the surrounding music like at a club as opposed to needing your own).
Also /u/Tinkrr2 is right about the voltage requirements varying by brand - make sure you look into that. Finally, if you're looking to make this into a semi-permanent hobby then it helps to have an adjustable power supply handy. A beefy battery, a sizable power supply, a few barrel jacks, some Dupont connectors, and most importantly an adjustable buck converter will take you very far. I wouldn't worry too much about any of this now, but if you decide you like tinkering with electronics (especially LEDs, which have moderate power requirements) that would be a terrific start.
I'm using these batteries.
They've had no trouble running all the lights so far. I'm running just 192 addressable led pixels, they run at 5V. Even if they only work for 1 hour, that should be fine for most performances I have in mind.
Do you work with Lightjams? Do you think it's worth the investment for the license? I am about to get it, just wondering your experience.
Looks like that one is not 12 volts, but 5 volts only. This one might be better.
I've had good experiences with these off-the-shelf packs:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00935L44E/
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00XMM4ZZE/
This one isn't regulated but works fairly well with some loss of sync range as the battery depletes:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B016BJCRUO/
Many similar ones are suitable. Better to use regulated ones than simple "12V" battery packs, which are typically 12.3-12.6 V fully charged and drop off as the batteries discharge. The slightly higher voltage is fine, as is the drop towards 9 Volt, but their management ICs will normally cut off the load before the cells might be damaged by excessive discharge. The low voltage cut-out in the base will turn off the base station before it might get confused by too low a voltage if the battery pack is unprotected - such as with primary cell holders.
This looks like a perfect affordable unit. Thanks for the tip. I think I'll go for the bigger version https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B016BJCRUO/ref=pd_aw_sim_469_1?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1&amp;refRID=0K6QXK18B0T1D250MEN8&amp;dpPl=1&amp;dpID=71ZoNiypMcL
I have two of these on the roof of my van and love them: http://www.amazon.com/HQST-Monocrystalline-Flexible-Solar-Panel/dp/B017OMTAV6
I attached them with the strongest outdoor double stick tape I could find, and ran caulk around the edges to seal it from water getting underneath.
Looks like the maximum amperage of the panels I'd use is 5.7A each. So even if I put two 100w panels up they would only produce 11.4A.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B017OMTAV6/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1458266599&amp;sr=8-1&amp;pi=SY200_QL40&amp;keywords=flexible+solar+panel&amp;dpPl=1&amp;dpID=41%2B3J-Kt2sL&amp;ref=plSrch
Also, 25ft is definitely excessive (I'm in a minivan) so I'd feel fine cutting down the size to closer to 10-15ft. So, looks like 10 guage would be fine for 11.4 max amps at 10-15ft. Do you think those calculations check out?
Also, since one side of each wire (positive/negative) would have to go into the solar controller, would I be okay to just buy one wire and then cut it in half? I'd leave the sides with the male and female mc4 connectors where I expect the panels to go, and the exposed sides where I expect the controller would go. Does that make sense?
I've read that they are having trouble with the 100 watt version, but I think the 50 watts are still being produced.
I was looking into HQST. They seem to have good reviews and they are cheaper.
Edit: Looks like Renogy sold their raw materials to HQST. I'm not sure what they did to fix the issue that Renogy had, but those who have purchased them seem happy.
No, that won't work. It's only got a 10W solar panel. That means sitting at the top of the highest mountain in the world at noon, clear skies, with a tracking mount that follows the sun, you might see 10W if you're lucky. In the real world, you might average 5 during the day if the Sun's out.
That's nothing. If you had LED lights that drew 5W (not much light), you can see that the Sun won't even power the lights much less a pump even when the sun's shining. You'd have nothing available to charge a battery to keep things running at night.
You have to figure out how much power your pump and lights use. "Not much" isn’t good enough.
You correctly noticed that the device in your link didn't have an outlet for the pump. If your pump has a standard plug, you need an inverter to convert the battery voltage to plug power. Better is to get a 12 Volt pump that directly runs off the battery. Same for the LED lights - there are lots of 12 volt LED lights for recreational vehicles and campers.
Search Amazon for 'aquarium pump 12v'. Here's a $12 unit that draws 5W. That's pretty good. The LED lights will be more, surprisingly. Actually, depending upon what you need, I'd buy the inexpensive solar LED lights; you'll never be able to build something cheaper.
So, you need 5W for the pump. Let's guess 4 days without sun. 4 days times 24 hours times 5W is 480 Whr. Call it 500 Whr. That's how much battery you need. Double that since 12v battery lifetime goes down if discharged less than 50%.
1000whr at 12 V is 83 AmpHr which is how 12 V batteries are rated.
For solar panel, you need a bit over 5W average output. Sun only shines enough for solar 8 hours/day. That's 15W needed during those 8 hours. Assume 4 days no sun. Now you need 60W output during that 8 hours of sun. That basically means a 100W solar panel. Amazon shows a $112 unit.
http://www.amazon.com/ACOPOWER®-Polycrystalline-Photovoltaic-Connectors-Charging/dp/B01586LFJ0/
You need a solar charge controller. Amazon, $22
http://www.amazon.com/Controller-Regulator-Intelligent-Display-12V-24V/dp/B018ICLC3K/
You'll need some wiring, fuses to be safe. Get a 'marine battery' instead of a standard car battery. Marine deep discharge batteries are designed to be discharged over a period of time rather than a normal car battery which just needs to supply a lot of current briefly to start the car. Buy a 75Ahr battery.
If you don't need to handle running through several days of rain, you can drop the solar panel size and battery.
Quick math, I just noticed the self consume stat on the charge controller's page...7000mAh battery. 4 weeks 7 days per week 24 hours per day = 672 hours * 10mA draw = dead battery. I can definitely see it killing the battery over a month if the battery wasn't on but I would have expected the panel to add enough to at least make it a wash.
I guess the discharge stop is only for the load and not for the controller itself?
https://www.amazon.com/Controller-Regulator-Intelligent-Display-12V-24V/dp/B018ICLC3K/
Specifications:
Solar controller has specifically designed to meet the needs of the rural electrification market.
Working Temperature: -35°C to +60°C
Self consume: ≤10mA
Float Charge: 13V(default,adjustable)
Discharge stop:10.7V(default,adjustable)
Discharge reconnect:12.6V(default,adjustable)
Size:133x70x32mm
LED display
PWM battery charging
All necessary protections equipped
Adjustable controlling parameter of the system
Suitable for Home, Industrial, Commercial etc.
Well yes, solar is big in campers, etc. You can get many types (like the one you linked) that have a seperate solar panel, so you can wire the light inside.
You can also get a stand alone battery/batterypack, solar panel, and LED lights. it's very easy, and there are tons of places online that you can check out for simple solar systems.
ie:
Solar panel (say, 20w), small 12v lead acid battery (like 10Ah), a charge controller ( or equiv. for the UK ), and then some 12v lights
no, the panel is flat on the ground. these are my panels. The temp is 72 deg.
The controller
The battery is a used Tesla Model S battery
I will say that if you DO spring to buy lithium batteries, you get more wiggle room about draining your batteries. If you get to 0% they just turn off, so it's much easier to buy two and then say "nope, they aren't enough" and then just pop another one in.
Also, you mentioned that you don't have enough space on the roof for panels - have you looked into the flexible ones? Something like this. https://www.amazon.ca/ALLPOWERS-Lightweight-Flexible-Connector-Compatibility/dp/B07195WHHX/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=flexible+solar&amp;qid=1563121815&amp;s=gateway&amp;sr=8-1
200w I don't think is quite enough, but 300 is getting there.
Hopefully this is the right place. I'm working on wiring my camper and have this 225Wh, LiFePO4 battery pack. I would like to pair it with something like this, a preferably flexible 100w panel. The only way to charge the battery pack is via a 15V 4A wall charger. My battery pack is made to charge via solar, albeit with their proprietary panels. I would have contacted the manufacturer about what peripherals I need to get and ask them if/how I could use 3rd party panels, but the company has gone out of business. My question is, can I buy this solar panel, splice a DC charger tip on to it and charge my battery? Or am I missing some critical steps? I believe the battery pack has a built in charge controller, but I'm not sure. Any help would be awesome. Thanks!
Has anyone used or have advice about Folding Panels?
I'd like to attach a large 100w panel with suction cups to the windshield. Then I hope to further secure it by wedging the sunshade behind it. I won't be too worried about "stealth" as I usually won't be in the car when I have that in. Plus, I'll just look like an LA environmentalist in a Prius.
Solar panels are my problem. I figure I'll need something like 100 watts to make up for the sub-optimal charging through the windshield.
The problem with that is 100 watts is too big to easily place in the passenger seat. I need a folding unregulated 100 watt panel. And it has to be a lightweight panel.
This is the only one I could find in the entire world. It folds in half to the size of a 50w panel.
Unfortunately, it has shipping times of 4-6 weeks to the US. Also, it doesn't have those holes in the corners which would come in hand for attaching the panel to the windshield with suction cups. Maybe there is some way to devise them...
The only other folding 100 watt panels seems to be $100 more, but too long—when expanded—to fit in the dash.
I suppose I could get away with a 50 watt panel, but I'll probably end up being annoyed I didn't get a 100 watt panel on those days when I could use the power.
I have this one right now https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MU0WMGT/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
but I could be putting up 50 of these configurations and need a way to get the data remote without traveling to check the controller
I used 2 solar panels, 2 deep cycle batteries and this solar charger off Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01MU0WMGT
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01MU0WMGT/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1495807720&amp;sr=8-3&amp;pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&amp;keywords=Solar+controller
$100 panels https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01HHDC6NQ/
$20 charge controller https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01MU0WMGT/
$100 marine battery https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B008974VFG/
$150 ac inverter 2000watt https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0716WT8D5/
[inverter](ampeak 1000w power inverter 12v dc to 110v ac dual ac outlets 2.1a usb car inverter https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071NZ8DSB/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_NbC6Ab814KH3Z)
[solar controller](allpowers 20a solar charger controller solar panel battery intelligent regulator with usb port display 12v/24v https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MU0WMGT/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_adC6Ab4DAFH9X)
And ill add some sort of solar panel
It's super bad all around to have your solar panel directly connected to your battery. Probably not too dangerous, but I have heard that the flexible solar panels like to get so hot (if bent in a certain way) that they'll literally burn out parts of them (like a broken fuse).
Main issues here:
I bought one of these guys: https://www.amazon.com/ALLPOWERS-Controller-Battery-Intelligent-Regulator/dp/B01MU0WMGT/ref=pd_lpo_vtph_263_bs_t_1?_encoding=UTF8&amp;psc=1&amp;refRID=XPGVMHDYZV5TBJ2NCJ53
You can go much more expensive, but it's not really worth it. Worst thing that happens to these is they stop working. If you're really worried about that, buy a spare or two.
20A is more than enough for anything less than 200W. If you have more than 200W of solar panel you'll need more.
My 100W setup is larger than your flexible (lower efficiency) panel, and peak I'd only output a little more than 8 amps.
Your solar panel might also be bad. Check how many amps its outputting. You need a cheap multimeter for this kind of work.
Buy this:
smile.amazon.com/ALLPOWERS-Charger-Controller-Intelligent-Regulator/dp/B01MU0WMGT
Charge off the USB.
It would be pretty easy to build something similar for a lot cheaper. Pick up a used suitcase at the thrift shop, mount a 50w panel on the outside (much better than the 10W panel in the case you linked to.) Inside the case, mount a charge controller with USB, this 20Ah battery (again, better than the 16Ah in the other one), and this 500W inverter (not sure how big the one in the expensive case it, but 500W should be enough.) So for less than $250 and a little bit of build work, you can have a much more functional system (500% larger solar capacity and 25% more battery capacity).
Yes! but that's a pretty spendy piece of kit. Wouldn't something like this work sorta the same, just replace the panel input with a 12V source?
Ah, its pretty important that solar panels get direct sunlight. they get quite a big efficiency loss in the shade.
You would want a solar charge controller, something like this and a solar panel, something like this
The ones I listed are just the first hits on amazon, i dont have experience with those, so do some research :) I think that will work with a motorcycle battery but i might be wrong.
BTW, how about a really long extention cord... like 100ft+?
I installed this controller: Solar Controller, ALLPOWERS... https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B01MU0WMGT?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
Hopefully that link works. We are in Ontario Canada.
I've been studying up on the same topic, and there are a few ways to go about it.
I think the best option for you might be this particular MPPT controller, which you could between the panel and battery, or the battery and a higher voltage battery if need be.
following that link I found one, that specifically say: user can set the output voltage and current according to actual need.
https://www.amazon.com/Docooler%C2%AE-Battery-Regulator-Charge-Controller/dp/B01HCL7LEW/ref=sr_1_7?s=lawn-garden&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1506314112&amp;sr=1-7&amp;keywords=mppt+charge+controller
but it seem is for 24v system and up. not for 12v.
btw when using MPPT controller do you need to have 24v panels?
Got that covered, I have a larger, better 24v MPPT on the way. However, I have to disagree. ut the spec sheet says 24v (https://www.amazon.com/ALLPOWERS-Charger-Controller-Intelligent-Regulator/dp/B01MU0WMGT/ref=pd_lpo_vtph_263_bs_t_1?_encoding=UTF8&amp;psc=1&amp;refRID=TAP7B6HN0BP9SXXHVYN8)
Here's another option for a peltier cooler A/C.
250W peltier cooler - $30 - https://www.amazon.com/TEC1-12710-Thermoelectric-Cooler-Peltier-Pinkcoo/dp/B009T0FE7G
3 100W 12V solar panels - $415 - https://www.amazon.com/Renogy-Watts-Volts-Monocrystalline-Solar/dp/B009Z6CW7O/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1469635563&amp;sr=8-9&amp;keywords=12v+solar+panel
2 heat sinks and fans - $26 - https://www.amazon.com/Cooler-Master-Aluminum-Bearing-Connector/dp/B005P1ZLAI/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1469635833&amp;sr=8-5&amp;keywords=heat+sink+fan
add some wire and some mounting odds and ends - $100
So for around $500 you mount this little contraption in a window with the cold heat sink on the inside and the hot heat sink on the outside. When the sun starts shining, the panels will start powering the fans and peltier and you can enjoy that sweet solar A/C.
Of course, a peltier is only about 10% efficient, so it's only going to move about 25W or 85 BTU/hr, but it's free energy right!
I use this Lithium battery pack from Talent Cell, it has worked great for 3 months so far. I keep it charged up and then just grab it when I'm headed out to my patio or out of the car. I made a quick adapter cable to run from the 12V 6A out to the T-style power connector for my radio. the beauty is that you can also use the 9V out or the USB for 5V if you need a different voltage.
https://www.amazon.com/TalentCell-Rechargeable-11000mAh-20000mAh-Portable/dp/B016BJCRUO/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1540897311&sr=1-3&keywords=talentcell&th=1
But keep in mind you don't have to charge the whole battery. So, if you have 400 watts of solar, which is easy to haul in the back with $100 flexible solar panels from Amazon, assuming you get 10 hours or sun each day for 2 days, you very roughly end up with 31 miles of range using the Tesla miles per Kw efficiency ratio of 3.9 miles to kWh (assuming I did my math right).
Not quite what you get out of a jerry can (5 gallons), but if you carry the same weight in solar panels - 5Ga Jerry can of gas holds roughly 30lbs of gasoline, 2lbs/100 Wh for Allpower flexibles, so (1500 W/h 10hrs) 2 = 3000 Wh), which over the course of a weekend gets you roughly 117 miles.
That said, solar panels don't leak, don't build up parafin, and don't explode if they get too hot.
I am going off the top selling panels on Amazon. Renogy 100 Watts 12 Volts Monocrystalline Solar Panel 47 x 21.3 inches