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Post by vikx on Jul 29, 2016 22:37:43 GMT -8
Thanks, Cow! A much appreciated post.
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msgoehring
Full Member
Just call me Margaret the shellac, buff, sand an shine queen.
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1957 Westerner Deluxe
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Post by msgoehring on Jul 29, 2016 22:55:04 GMT -8
I would need someone who actually understood solar power system to get me to where I could even TRY to understand how to use it. I think if we ever do a bigger trailer this might be an idea, but the fridge and panels would definitely have to be camouflaged so they look more in line with the era of the trailer. I know lots of people don't mind having all modern stuff showing in a vintage trailer. I just can't do it. We thought about putting a fridge in the trailer, but I couldn't, the thought just didn't look like I want my trailer to look.
We're going to wire and run propane lines in the area just in case we rethink adding one after using the trailer a while. Also so it's there if we ever sell her and the new owners want one.
Glad this is working out so well for you though.
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girlandcoconut
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1975 Skyline Layton
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Post by girlandcoconut on Aug 3, 2016 8:33:55 GMT -8
This post is so great, thank you SO much for sharing! I'm not a fan of propane or having to haul around a generator either. I would really love to get myself hooked up with solar and my rig be primarily electric and this post helps me believe it's more than possible. I still get kind of cross eyed with all the electrical/solar jargon but I'll get there and posts like this help. I've kind of drowned in some of the online calculators. I think I need to take a Solar 101 course and get confident with the verbiage and then when I read posts like this it will just make perfect sense
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girlandcoconut
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1975 Skyline Layton
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Post by girlandcoconut on Aug 4, 2016 11:34:49 GMT -8
Cowcharge, thank you for that most informative explanation, and for a few laughs in there as well. I will definitely check out that blog and look forward to learning more and getting this rig off the grid and off the gas!
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mkzero
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1953 Fleetwood
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Post by mkzero on Jan 16, 2017 12:05:01 GMT -8
Thanks Cow for the very informative posts! I am starting to look into power systems for my trailer so I can run the fridge and lights w/o shore power, so we can camp more "off the grid". I bought a "Kill a Watt" from Amazon and connected my trailer to it and my home 110v and ran it for a day with the fridge plugged in and running the whole time (and opening it periodically) and the interior lights on in the evening. I found it used 1.4 kWh over 24 hours. Thinking about running 2x 6v golf cart batteries and an inverter, I did the following calculations: 1.4 kWh = 1400 Wh, 1400 Wh/12v = 117 Ah. I saw some of the 6v golf cart batteries are listed at over 220 Ah... is it reasonable to assume that two of those in series (12v, 220+ Ah) could run my trailer for about 48 hours? If that's the case, I'm wondering if I even need solar, since 90% of the camping we will be doing will probably be less than 48 hours. For longer trips I could probably just bring a generator to recharge the batteries. Am I missing something, or does that sound reasonable? Thanks in advance for the help! Brian
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