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Post by bigbill on Oct 7, 2013 19:15:30 GMT -8
For those of you that are interested Harbor Freight has a 45 watt solar power kit on sale for $149.99 right now.
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mobiltec
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Post by mobiltec on Oct 8, 2013 8:23:13 GMT -8
That is a great system. Also, even if you don't want a solar system, the batteries they sell for it are dry and require no venting so you can put them inside the trailer under the seats. Also you can run them completely dead without hurting them. So I use two of them hooked up in parallel with an Intelliverter converter and run all the lighting on 12vdc. The trailer only needs to be plugged in to charge the batteries. You can also charge them from the tow vehicle or a generator. And the solar panel will keep them charged up when not in use if you buy the whole system. Don't expect a small panel like that to fully charge up the batteries in one day though. The panel is only for keeping them topped off while not in use.
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Aloha!
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Post by Aloha! on Oct 8, 2013 12:43:31 GMT -8
You folks attach a solar panel to the trailer? Shows how little I know! This I'm certainly interested in!
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mobiltec
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Post by mobiltec on Oct 8, 2013 18:00:47 GMT -8
Just a little one... I don't like making holes in the roof so when I have used solar panels I lay them outside on the ground on a little stand... You can even just leave it in one of the windows. Move it when needed.
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Aloha!
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Post by Aloha! on Oct 8, 2013 19:15:10 GMT -8
This is something I will definitely check out a little further down the line. All about free re-usable energy if I can get it. Particularly if it doesn't have to be attached.
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mobiltec
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Post by mobiltec on Oct 8, 2013 19:23:13 GMT -8
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Aloha!
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Post by Aloha! on Oct 9, 2013 8:49:58 GMT -8
Does it come with the book, chair and hat? If yes, I'll take it! Thanks for posting.
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mobiltec
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Post by mobiltec on Oct 9, 2013 12:06:19 GMT -8
LOL if you look very close you can see just above the panel on the right that the inverter is sitting on the ground. That was for the Christmas lights in the campsite that year.
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cowcharge
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Post by cowcharge on Oct 11, 2013 6:36:48 GMT -8
Mobiltec, is that inverter a thousand-watt Xantrex? Looks just like mine. 210 watt residential panel (charging 2 6v golf cart batteries), puts 10 amps into the batteries at 10 am (in full sun and tilted)... Ran the cables down the fridge vent so I wouldn't have to make a hole for 'em. I'm thinking of designing the mount to attach to the J-rail so I don't have to make any mount holes either. It easily keeps up with all of my TV/computer/boombox/lights usage, but I haven't run the furnace fan, water pump, shop vac, drill or anything else yet, so it hasn't been fully tested. If'n it ain't enuff tho', Ah'll jis' git me 'nuther 'un (the benefits of a big, flat roof). You can see my unpainted Bondo repair where I moved the water tank filler up. Tricky sanding in those 70s breaks (before anyone says "it's brakes!", I think you use a brake to make breaks .
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cowcharge
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Post by cowcharge on Oct 13, 2013 1:46:59 GMT -8
No hot tub?
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mobiltec
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Post by mobiltec on Oct 13, 2013 6:38:54 GMT -8
Believe it or not Cowcharge, that's coming this spring.... I've been working on a set up and now that my favorite BLM campground has water I can do it.
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Post by bigbill on Oct 13, 2013 13:54:22 GMT -8
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mobiltec
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Post by mobiltec on Oct 13, 2013 14:49:31 GMT -8
Careful Larry you are going to blow your image as a rough it outdoors type, solar power and a hot tub on a BLM site!!! Well here's a peek at the other type of camping I do. Some places you can't take everything under the sun with you. Has nothing to do with Solar I know but what the heck? It's sunday.... Bill I'll removed the post if it's too much of a hijack. At least Part III has a trailer in it. A nice one too. 51 Royal Spartanette... Part II Part III
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cowcharge
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Post by cowcharge on Oct 26, 2013 2:58:05 GMT -8
I'm still learning what my solar panel and batteries can handle. I got all this stuff in the summer, so when I've been out there I haven't used much electricity, but so far it's been fantastic, even with it just flat on the roof. I can add the furnace to the list of things my panel can keep up with, at least in the daytime. I'm goin' to a Hallowe'en party tonight that's only a couple of miles from my camper, so I'll be running the furnace overnight, that'll be the first real test of the batteries. I want to see how many amps the panel puts in Sunday morning after discharging the battery all night. Maybe I'll run the TV, my laptop, the furnace and all the lights on all night too, just to see how many amps I can draw at once. See how much free energy I can "waste", lol. Microwave some popcorn. Vacuum up dead ants. If anyone's curious, the 210-watt house panel was $220 (from a friend in the business, he also gave me an old charge controller, which I'll replace eventually), the batteries were about $220 at Sam's Club (duracell 6v, 230 ah), less than $100 for wiring, a little more for fuses and switches. I haven't yet measured the duty cycle of the furnace (and it changes with temperature), so I can't really calculate the amp-hours yet. Maybe I'll do it late tonight if I'm not too... tired. Yeah, tired. It's 25 degrees at 6:45 am.
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