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JoeyH

Do you know anything about Solar Power? Help!

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jono

Get two N200 (truck/marine size) deep cycle batteries (around $400 each for an average quality but can spend a lot more or a bit less but quality does matter) that have around 1000Ah each connected in parallel which will still give you 12v but double the Ah to around 4000Ah. This will give you a longer period of use before having to recharge them I case of a week of no sunshine. Wire to a suitable inverter (converts battery power to mains power) powerful enough to run your most Amp hungry unit (anything that heats will use the most) $450. Buy a quality 12v automatic battery charger $600 and a solar panel. You can get soft flexible ones that would suit the job that you just throw out on the roof/anex/grass when needed and are about $1000 for average quality or you can get solid ones that don't store as easily for about $350. You can wire these so that the moment you plug them in they will start charging if there is sunshine and the charger will go into float mode when they are fully charged.
You can get 12v/220v combo fridges so you can run off your batteries or mains power if you can plug in. I'd use a LPG stove because its cheap, doesn't consume power and is easier to cook with.
Make sure all your lighting is 12v LEDS as they offer great light at bugger all power consumption with no heat output and last for ages.
You can get a 12v LED TV with built in DVD player for about $250 that will run off your batteries.
All up for batteries, solar panels, inverter and a charger for a slightly better than average setup like this I reckon your looking at around $3500 if you can DIY. It's not hard to do if you know what your doing.
The only draw back is the room needed for all this. One N200 is bigger than 2 of your average car batteries but if you have the room, this is how I would do it. :)
Disclaimer- these are prices I pay in Oz and would assume you might be able to do this a bit cheaper in the US.



So I could get 4 of the n200 batteries and a few flexi 100w solar panels and all the chargers and converters I would need and I would be able to power everything I would need? The espresso machine and refrigerator are going to pull the most power. I am going to use led lighting in the bus, no washer/dryer. I am using a gas stove/oven, and I will have probably 6 other 120v outlets for small things like laptops phone chargers ect... and during the summer I will have 1 window ac unit. Heater is going to be a wood burning furnace or a rocket stove, so no power there.... So would this work? I will have a generator as a just in case SHF power source and if hookups are available at a reasonable cost I will have it interchangeable between solar and the RV power hookups.
Carpe Diem, even if it kills me

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JoeyH

***Get two N200 (truck/marine size) deep cycle batteries (around $400 each for an average quality but can spend a lot more or a bit less but quality does matter) that have around 1000Ah each connected in parallel which will still give you 12v but double the Ah to around 4000Ah. This will give you a longer period of use before having to recharge them I case of a week of no sunshine. Wire to a suitable inverter (converts battery power to mains power) powerful enough to run your most Amp hungry unit (anything that heats will use the most) $450. Buy a quality 12v automatic battery charger $600 and a solar panel. You can get soft flexible ones that would suit the job that you just throw out on the roof/anex/grass when needed and are about $1000 for average quality or you can get solid ones that don't store as easily for about $350. You can wire these so that the moment you plug them in they will start charging if there is sunshine and the charger will go into float mode when they are fully charged.
You can get 12v/220v combo fridges so you can run off your batteries or mains power if you can plug in. I'd use a LPG stove because its cheap, doesn't consume power and is easier to cook with.
Make sure all your lighting is 12v LEDS as they offer great light at bugger all power consumption with no heat output and last for ages.
You can get a 12v LED TV with built in DVD player for about $250 that will run off your batteries.
All up for batteries, solar panels, inverter and a charger for a slightly better than average setup like this I reckon your looking at around $3500 if you can DIY. It's not hard to do if you know what your doing.
The only draw back is the room needed for all this. One N200 is bigger than 2 of your average car batteries but if you have the room, this is how I would do it. :)
Disclaimer- these are prices I pay in Oz and would assume you might be able to do this a bit cheaper in the US.



So I could get 4 of the n200 batteries and a few flexi 100w solar panels and all the chargers and converters I would need and I would be able to power everything I would need? The espresso machine and refrigerator are going to pull the most power. I am going to use led lighting in the bus, no washer/dryer. I am using a gas stove/oven, and I will have probably 6 other 120v outlets for small things like laptops phone chargers ect... and during the summer I will have 1 window ac unit. Heater is going to be a wood burning furnace or a rocket stove, so no power there.... So would this work? I will have a generator as a just in case SHF power source and if hookups are available at a reasonable cost I will have it interchangeable between solar and the RV power hookups.

Yep. :)The coffee machine may draw a fair bit but it is only for short periods if time where as the fridge may draw a bit less but will run for longer periods of time so it is going to be your biggest power draw, even more so if it has a freezer. 4 x N200 1000Ah deep cycle batteries wired in parallel will give you 4000Ahs which should be sufficient to run what you want for about 4-5 days without having to re-charge. When you do need to re-charge you have the option of solar panels, generator or plug in.
AC units are a huge draw and I would only run this off the generator or plug in unless you know you can recharge straight away.
So.... batteries to run lighting, waterpump, tv ect wired to an inverter to run the higher voltage stuff which is wired to 2-3 outlets. Generator hard wired to run remaining outlets wired to battery charger with changer over switch to plug-in power. 220v charger to re-charge batteries off plug-in power or generator, solar panels to re-charge batteries from sunshine. ;)
This set-up will allow you to run off 3 different power sources (batteries, generator and plug-in) and re-charge off 3 different sources (sunshine, generator and plug-in) with plenty of Ah available before needing to re-charge.
Hope this helps. :)
Remember you don't stop laughing because you grow old, you grow old because you stop laughing.

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In addition to your solar power setup, you may consider a generator that can be fueled by CNG, instead of deisel. Fuel costs are considerably lower. B|

What you say is reflective of your knowledge...HOW ya say it is reflective of your experience. Airtwardo

Someone's going to be spanked! Hopefully, it will be me. Skymama

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JoeyH

Billvon isn't answering :(

I'm building solar powerhouses in SoCal right now.1st one. 2.2 billions $ for 374 MW. solar vs. 1.2 billion for natural gas fired dual cycle at 1.076 MW. Do the math.
I hold it true, whate'er befall;
I feel it, when I sorrow most;
'Tis better to have loved and lost
Than never to have loved at all.

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nigel99

Forget solar for anything other than lite use as an economical solution.



Ummmm, you don't use solar panels to "run" anything. The solar panels would be used to just to charge the batteries instead of plugging in or running a generator so not sure what you mean. They won't put as much juice in as plugging in but on a sunny day, why wouldn't you?? It's the perfect appication.
Remember you don't stop laughing because you grow old, you grow old because you stop laughing.

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JoeyH

***Forget solar for anything other than lite use as an economical solution.



Why do you say that?

That is mostly correct. http://www.wholesalesolar.com/ is about the cheapest I've seen. Keep in mind that solar panels are rated for direct sunlight. i.e. at 90 degrees to the panel so you will only get top production for 2-3 hours a day, unless you rotate the panels to follow the sun.

If you are really power conscious, i.e. no TV, limited stereo, you can use solar to supplement electrical(generator) use on a RV. If you live in a rv you will need a generator or plug to a power source. Unless you really limit electrical use.

To get any real production you would need 1000 watts of panels. Sailboat forums have good info on this subject.

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Having lived in a motorhome for 10 years straight and spending another 15 years all summer in one: DON'T fix up a school bus. No one wants them in their camp ground, national forest, Walmart parking lot, national park. They ride like shit and get horrible gas milage. Get a class C motorhome and put a screen tent on the side or a trailer. If you don't intend on living in the rig full time, don't waste your time with solar. You will need a generator to power the stuff you list anyway. I only put 300 hors on my generator in 25 years, but I sweat in the summer and sleep under a fat lady and 3 dogs in winter. Solar powers the lights, radio, TV, water pump, but that's about it. Resistance stuff: frig, stove, coffee maker, hair dryer; eat a lot of juice. Continuous run electric motor eats a lot of juice like air conditioning.
U only make 2 jumps: the first one for some weird reason and the last one that you lived through. The rest are just filler.
scr 316

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jackwallace

Having lived in a motorhome for 10 years straight and spending another 15 years all summer in one: DON'T fix up a school bus. No one wants them in their camp ground, national forest, Walmart parking lot, national park. They ride like shit and get horrible gas milage. Get a class C motorhome and put a screen tent on the side or a trailer. If you don't intend on living in the rig full time, don't waste your time with solar. You will need a generator to power the stuff you list anyway. I only put 300 hors on my generator in 25 years, but I sweat in the summer and sleep under a fat lady and 3 dogs in winter. Solar powers the lights, radio, TV, water pump, but that's about it. Resistance stuff: frig, stove, coffee maker, hair dryer; eat a lot of juice. Continuous run electric motor eats a lot of juice like air conditioning.


While this may be true, EVERYBODY I have talked to agree that it would be a bad ass DZ home. It wouldnt be the ugliest thing at most dropzones either. I do plan on living in it full time for a long time. So powering the batteries with solar is a good idea. I plan on also having a generator and RV hookups installed.
Carpe Diem, even if it kills me

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JoeyH

***Having lived in a motorhome for 10 years straight and spending another 15 years all summer in one: DON'T fix up a school bus. No one wants them in their camp ground, national forest, Walmart parking lot, national park. They ride like shit and get horrible gas milage. Get a class C motorhome and put a screen tent on the side or a trailer. If you don't intend on living in the rig full time, don't waste your time with solar. You will need a generator to power the stuff you list anyway. I only put 300 hors on my generator in 25 years, but I sweat in the summer and sleep under a fat lady and 3 dogs in winter. Solar powers the lights, radio, TV, water pump, but that's about it. Resistance stuff: frig, stove, coffee maker, hair dryer; eat a lot of juice. Continuous run electric motor eats a lot of juice like air conditioning.


While this may be true, EVERYBODY I have talked to agree that it would be a bad ass DZ home. It wouldnt be the ugliest thing at most dropzones either. I do plan on living in it full time for a long time. So powering the batteries with solar is a good idea. I plan on also having a generator and RV hookups installed.

Can I please be extremely nosey and ask how old you are now?
Always be kinder than you feel.

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Sorry, very busy lately -

Here's what I'd do. Start with batteries. 220ah 6V golf cart batteries to be specific. Two in series gives you 12V and they are super cheap (you can get them at Costco for $100 each.) Charge them off your bus alternator. You can connect them directly or use an isolator. Isolators are nice because if you trash your golf cart batteries you won't also drain your starting battery.

Those two batteries will give you about 2 kilowatt-hours of storage. You don't want to ever drain them completely; draining to about 75% (11.8 volts) is about as low as you want to go. Will take 4-6 hours to charge off a 70 amp alternator.

Next get an inverter. An inverter/charger is ideal but if you want to go cheap just get an inverter. A 1500 watt inverter can be had for about $500 and will run anything that can plug into an outlet. A good inverter/charger will run around $800-$1000. "Pure sine" is generally worth it, but more expensive. If you are going to run anything like a refrigerator or A/C you absolutely need pure sine.

You can get a 220VAC inverter that will give you 30 amps but now you're talking $3000-$4000.

If you have an inverter/charger you can also plug into shore power (i.e. a nearby outlet) and the inverter will automatically switch over to outlet power and/or charge your batteries for your next excursion.

This will give you 75% of what you want.

Then if you want more autonomy add solar. I recommend flexible panels (either crystalline panels mounted on flexible backing or amorphous panels) because they are super durable, lightweight and can bend to fit the top of your bus. Make sure you anchor them so that the 80+ MPH you might see during driving will not budge them. Panels run around $1/watt now, but you will probably end up paying $2-$3 per watt for the flexible ones.

If you are going to be in one place for long periods of time then just get off the shelf 12V crystalline panels, lay them out in the sun then pack them up when you move the bus. Cheaper that way.

Along with the solar you'll need a charge controller so you don't overcharge the battery. This will be $50 or so depending on power, model etc. Some have displays that show charge rate and voltage. These are helpful in terms of not killing your batteries by running them dead.

A system like this one allowed me to run a small (thermoelectric) fridge for most of the time I was at Lost Prairie, and allowed me to run A/C for a few hours a day at Burning Man. Sometimes I would buy the batteries once I got there then "donate" them to a worthy RVer when I left so I wouldn't have to haul 80 pound batteries all over the place. This works especially well if the bus is going to sit idle for most of the year; cheap batteries just don't last years unless you pamper them (and leaving them to sit in a hot bus for 9 months isn't pampering them.)

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A note on higher powers at 12V -

If you are really going to try to run high power (220V 30A) stuff with a 12V battery you are going to need insanely thick DC cabling. 6600 watts is 550 amps at 12 volts, which means at minimum 4/0 cable (and probably several strands of 4/0 cable.) This stuff weighs a lot and can cost a dollar an INCH - so make sure you really need all that power before committing to that kind of cost.

As mentioned before, the inverters get a lot more expensive too.

In general no one tries to do more than about 2000 watts at 12 volts. They go to 24 or 48 volts, and wire thicknesses go down as voltage goes up. You can still drive a 48 volt battery bank with solar but then you can't charge from the vehicle.

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A note on 220V -

Generally there are three ways to get 220VAC from an inverter.

One, get a 220VAC inverter. They make them for the European market, although they are generally 50Hz. 50Hz works OK for most things here in the US but not for compressors, large motors or clocks.

Two, get a US 120/240VAC inverter. These are ideal but are pricey. The Outback Radian, for example, will give you 8000 watts at 240 volts but costs $4000.

Three, get a 120VAC inverter and use a transformer. Transformers are big and heavy but very cheap. If you use a transformer you MUST get a pure sine inverter to drive it. Currents double at half the voltage, so if you need 10 amps at 220V you need 20 amps at 110V. (This way you also get 110V.)

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jono

***Forget solar for anything other than lite use as an economical solution.



Ummmm, you don't use solar panels to "run" anything. The solar panels would be used to just to charge the batteries instead of plugging in or running a generator so not sure what you mean. They won't put as much juice in as plugging in but on a sunny day, why wouldn't you?? It's the perfect appication.
:DI'm an electrical engineer, kind of know the basics of how solar panels and batteries work, I should have said a solar system or setup.

Bill outlined a system costing thousands to run a small fridge, you can get a small gas camping fridge for a couple of hundred. So for cost effective power, I would use gas for heating and cooling, generator for high power electrics and solar for lighting and entertainment.
Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.

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LuckyMcSwervy

******Having lived in a motorhome for 10 years straight and spending another 15 years all summer in one: DON'T fix up a school bus. No one wants them in their camp ground, national forest, Walmart parking lot, national park. They ride like shit and get horrible gas milage. Get a class C motorhome and put a screen tent on the side or a trailer. If you don't intend on living in the rig full time, don't waste your time with solar. You will need a generator to power the stuff you list anyway. I only put 300 hors on my generator in 25 years, but I sweat in the summer and sleep under a fat lady and 3 dogs in winter. Solar powers the lights, radio, TV, water pump, but that's about it. Resistance stuff: frig, stove, coffee maker, hair dryer; eat a lot of juice. Continuous run electric motor eats a lot of juice like air conditioning.


While this may be true, EVERYBODY I have talked to agree that it would be a bad ass DZ home. It wouldnt be the ugliest thing at most dropzones either. I do plan on living in it full time for a long time. So powering the batteries with solar is a good idea. I plan on also having a generator and RV hookups installed.

Can I please be extremely nosey and ask how old you are now?

LOL yes. I'm 18. But I have also been on dropzones all my life so the importance of my age is beyond me. :P:P
Carpe Diem, even if it kills me

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JoeyH

*********Having lived in a motorhome for 10 years straight and spending another 15 years all summer in one: DON'T fix up a school bus. No one wants them in their camp ground, national forest, Walmart parking lot, national park. They ride like shit and get horrible gas milage. Get a class C motorhome and put a screen tent on the side or a trailer. If you don't intend on living in the rig full time, don't waste your time with solar. You will need a generator to power the stuff you list anyway. I only put 300 hors on my generator in 25 years, but I sweat in the summer and sleep under a fat lady and 3 dogs in winter. Solar powers the lights, radio, TV, water pump, but that's about it. Resistance stuff: frig, stove, coffee maker, hair dryer; eat a lot of juice. Continuous run electric motor eats a lot of juice like air conditioning.


While this may be true, EVERYBODY I have talked to agree that it would be a bad ass DZ home. It wouldnt be the ugliest thing at most dropzones either. I do plan on living in it full time for a long time. So powering the batteries with solar is a good idea. I plan on also having a generator and RV hookups installed.

Can I please be extremely nosey and ask how old you are now?

LOL yes. I'm 18. But I have also been on dropzones all my life so the importance of my age is beyond me. :P:P

I asked because I thought you had that youthful, don't take that "you can't do it" enthusiasm. Planning on living in a converted school bus for a long time now seems, at least to me, a lot more understandable since you're young. Maybe your outlook will change if you ever meet a nice young lady and want to settle down conventionally. For now, it seems like you want to take the world by the balls. Good for you. Good luck. B|
Always be kinder than you feel.

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LuckyMcSwervy

************Having lived in a motorhome for 10 years straight and spending another 15 years all summer in one: DON'T fix up a school bus. No one wants them in their camp ground, national forest, Walmart parking lot, national park. They ride like shit and get horrible gas milage. Get a class C motorhome and put a screen tent on the side or a trailer. If you don't intend on living in the rig full time, don't waste your time with solar. You will need a generator to power the stuff you list anyway. I only put 300 hors on my generator in 25 years, but I sweat in the summer and sleep under a fat lady and 3 dogs in winter. Solar powers the lights, radio, TV, water pump, but that's about it. Resistance stuff: frig, stove, coffee maker, hair dryer; eat a lot of juice. Continuous run electric motor eats a lot of juice like air conditioning.


While this may be true, EVERYBODY I have talked to agree that it would be a bad ass DZ home. It wouldnt be the ugliest thing at most dropzones either. I do plan on living in it full time for a long time. So powering the batteries with solar is a good idea. I plan on also having a generator and RV hookups installed.

Can I please be extremely nosey and ask how old you are now?

LOL yes. I'm 18. But I have also been on dropzones all my life so the importance of my age is beyond me. :P:P

I asked because I thought you had that youthful, don't take that "you can't do it" enthusiasm. Planning on living in a converted school bus for a long time now seems, at least to me, a lot more understandable since you're young. Maybe your outlook will change if you ever meet a nice young lady and want to settle down conventionally. For now, it seems like you want to take the world by the balls. Good for you. Good luck. B|

Ah okay :):)
Carpe Diem, even if it kills me

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Another nosy question, and this is one of a bit of envy...how the heck does an 18 year old student even consider purchasing a several thousand dollar coffee maker?!? At 18 I was lucky if I could afford anything!:o:P

What you say is reflective of your knowledge...HOW ya say it is reflective of your experience. Airtwardo

Someone's going to be spanked! Hopefully, it will be me. Skymama

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Heatmiser

Another nosy question, and this is one of a bit of envy...how the heck does an 18 year old student even consider purchasing a several thousand dollar coffee maker?!? At 18 I was lucky if I could afford anything!:o:P



2 full time jobs (Im a barista for 40 hrs a week, and Im a robotics programmer for 40 hrs a week) and another part time barista job. That leaves me no time to spend my money.... I currently have no life...... Still live with dad for the next year so I am doing nothing but saving. B|:P:P
Carpe Diem, even if it kills me

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JoeyH

***Another nosy question, and this is one of a bit of envy...how the heck does an 18 year old student even consider purchasing a several thousand dollar coffee maker?!? At 18 I was lucky if I could afford anything!:o:P



2 full time jobs (Im a barista for 40 hrs a week, and Im a robotics programmer for 40 hrs a week) and another part time barista job. That leaves me no time to spend my money.... I currently have no life...... Still live with dad for the next year so I am doing nothing but saving. B|:P:P

I like my coffee, but thats a rig, gear, and a lot of jumps.
I'd live in a tent and drink brewed coffee to have more life experiences.. and I frickkin love my coffee and espresso.
You are not the contents of your wallet.

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