Custom Setup vs Solar Generator - Prius

[Theme57]

Hello all,

I have been compiling a list of items to setup my Prius and have contacted Brent about his build quite a bit. I have a few questions though on a custom setup vs buying an all in one unit such as a solar generator like a Yeti 400. I am looking to have between 400 - 500 amp capacity minimum and cost wise want to keep it below 650 - 700. 

What I will be running is an Engel compressor fridge (still debating between the 34qt ((30w)) and 45qt model), charging my Ipad (10w), cellphone (15w) and laptop (45w) as well as a mini rice cooker (170w) and a hot pot for heating water (no wattage, still deciding on model). The rice cooker runs for about 30 minutes or so and I would be using it a max of 2 times a day. My laptop only needs to charge once every 2 - 3 days and takes 3 hours to charge. I plan on getting either a 60w or 100w compact solar panel to assist with keeping the battery topped off if the car isn't running. 

With the custom battery I feel as if I could achieve a good amount of battery capacity for a lower cost and easier to replace any bad parts. Con's would be loss in charge efficiency, can't be taken out of the vehicle (not that important) and a bit more complicated to setup.  

The all in one generator would be more of a plug and play option, have the outlets and monitors already installed while also being able to remove it from the vehicle is another pro. Con's would be cost overall and size since if anything goes down on it I might have to replace the entire unit. 

Between these two what would you guys and gals recommend? I definitely have the ability to wire everything and know my way around a soldering iron. I also have the funds for both options, but the more I spend on one thing the less I will have for something else.

 

[GotSmart]

JMHO ~~~

Solar generators are an oxy~moron.  

If you can build a better unit cheaper, go for it.

 

[TampShawn]

Let us know what you decide. I still need to figure it out the power situation for my Honda CRV. I need a CPAP at night, a laptop during the day, cell phone, cell phone signal extender, and camera batteries. The rest I can do without if I have to. The CPAP is my main concern. Right now I will use block ice (I freeze water bottles to start and then get ice, preferably block ice) and prepare meals ahead of time or eat non-cooking things. Since I have a new car I don't want to do anything that would damage it or look too obvious. I am leaning towards starting with deep cell battery setup alone. This is a CPAP discussion but it has great information on the various options there: http://www.cpaptalk.com/viewtopic/t114012/Choosing-a-Battery.html

Getting DC plugs for the CPAP and the PC seem like must do's too.

I have also thought of the Renogy suitcases to add to it. I figure I will drive every one or two days anyway so I can recharge the battery. The stand-alone Renogy complete (battery and everything) suitcases look cool but are only 30 watts.

Would love to see your setup list for what you need. I am still doing research and collecting stuff. Right now my set up would be for camping and road trips but will probably morph into a lot more. Having the setup ready gives me options. Looked at the Yeti, seems expensive for what you get but EZ is always nice.

 

[jonyjoe303]

400 to 500 amp hour capacity is going to take up too much space in a car. 
I have a 110 ah 12 volt lifepo4 battery it only weighs 30 pounds but it takes up the space of a group 34 lead acid battery. Inside a van it's not a big deal, but inside a car it might be, and if you go lead acid, 100 ah equals about 70 pounds, it might start to weigh you down.
A goal zero 400 lithium 10.8 volt 39ah is about 700 dollars, you can probably buy a 100 ah 12.8 volt lifepo4 for about 900 dollars. A 12 volt fridge when set to 40 degrees uses 25 amps in 24 hours.
A 100 watt solar panel will get you about about 5 amps of charge power when the sun is overhead. 60 watts will get you about 3 amps.

You didnt mention which battery chemistry you wanted to use, lead acid has to be fully charge everytime and some need high amp charging every once in a while, and can't be depleted below 50 percent, lifepo4 doesnt need to be fully charge or need any high amp charging and they can be depleted all the way down until the bms cuts off the current.

 

[highdesertranger]

running you vehicle engine to recharge your batteries is a poor choice if that your only charge source. it takes many hours of driving to recharge a battery to 100%. if the battery is real low we are talking like 8 hours. also with lead acid batteries they should be recharged to 100% daily. letting them sit partially charge for even 2 days time after time will significantly shorten their life span. don't get me wrong you should charge of your vehicle but you shouldn't rely on it as your only source of charging. highdesertranger

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

I have been compiling a list of items to setup my Prius . . . I am looking to have between 400 - 500 amp capacity minimum. . . 

 . . . I plan on getting either a 60w or 100w compact solar panel to assist with keeping the battery topped off if the car isn't running. 

I'm not familiar with a Prius but its basically a big battery and generator on wheels.  Why can you not use that?  Do they not have a bunch of 12V taps?  You imply that you can charge your 12V batteries off the car.

400 - 500 amp hours in LA is 250 - 300 lbs and the cheapest deep cycle you can go is ~$380 for four GC2s (420AH).

I calculate you listed (very) roughly 60AH/day.  A 100W panel will supply ~ 50AH on a sunny day (100÷12 X 6 hours).  You will need a minimum of 125W to keep up, no margin for a cloudy/rainy day.

 -- Spiff

 

[mpruet]

Hello all,

I have been compiling a list of items to setup my Prius and have contacted Brent about his build quite a bit

I do quite a bit of Prius camping.  I have a Dometic 18 refrigerator which runs on 12 Volt through a cigarette plug connection.  Once it is cooled it only requires about 1/2 Amp Hour to run.  The only issue is how to keep it running when I don't want to leave the car in ready mode.  I generally keep the car in ready mode overnight and that keeps the fridge running just fine. 

I do not want to make any structural changes as when I am not in camping mode, it is a normal car configuration.  My solution is to use a Yeti 150 I plug the Yeti 150 into the cigarette lighter plug and then the fridge into the Yeti.  That way I am able to keep the fridge powered if I need to leave the car off for a while and then when I have the car back in ready mode, the car tops off the Yeti.  Since I generally keep the car in ready mode overnight, I tend to have a fully charged battery all the time.  There have been a few times that I have left the car off overnight and the most that the Yeti has dropped has been maybe 1/6 charge. 

I used to have a regular AGM battery that I would hook the fridge to when I wanted to turn the car off, but that required that I have an inverter, a charger, and extra 12-volts to cigarette lighter cable.  I needed all of that to recharge the battery.  Since I'm in a Prius, space is a higher consideration, so getting the Yeti-150 has saved a lot of space and is more than adequately meeting my requirements. 

Since there are two 12-volt plugs already in the Prius, I am taking advantage of one of the plugs for my iPad and cell charging needs.  I normally don't take my laptop on my trips because it takes more space, but when I do, I also carry a small 150 watt pure-sine inverter to charge up the laptop.  The Yeti does have a modified sine wave inverter, but I'm just a bit hesitant to charge my laptop on a modified sine wave inverter.

 

[mpruet]

running you vehicle engine to recharge your batteries is a poor choice if that your only charge source.  it takes many hours of driving to recharge a battery to 100%.  if the battery is real low we are talking like 8 hours.  also with lead acid batteries they should be recharged to 100% daily.  letting them sit partially charge for even 2 days time after time will significantly shorten their life span.  don't get me wrong you should charge of your vehicle but you shouldn't rely on it as your only source of charging.  highdesertranger

This is a Prius.  If you leave it in ready mode it only uses about 1/2 gal fuel in a 12 hour period and that would be with the 12-volt ports fully powered.  I would agree with you if this were some other vehicle.  But the Prius is basically a very efficient generator on wheels.  You don't need to drive the car, just leave it in ready mode.  The high voltage battery charges the 12-volt system.  When the high voltage battery drops below a threshold, it automatically starts the gas engine to top off the high voltage battery.  After about two minutes the gas engine stops and you are drawing power only from the batteries.  After about 30 minutes, the gas engine will turn on again for a couple of minutes. 

When I do Prius camping, I generally keep my car in ready mode over the night so that I can keep running my fridge (Dometic 18-liter compressor fridge) and my air conditioning running.  I rarely use more than 1/4-1/2 gal. of fuel per night.  I chose the Dometic because it had good reviews from truckers, had a fairly lot power consumption usage, and was large enough to carry a weeks supply of food. 

For me - the main reason for having the 'house battery' (Yeti 150 in my case) is to be able to keep the fridge running when I'm hiking or shopping and do not want to keep the car in ready mode when I'm away from the car.

If in camping mode in my Prius, I would not want to carry solar or a generator (other than the car) because space is the priority.

 

[mpruet]

Hello all,

I have been compiling a list of items to setup my Prius and have contacted Brent about his build quite a bit.

I should have mentioned.  The Yeti 150 has one cigarette lighter plug (12 volt up to 10 Amp), one 6mm output port (12 volt up to 10 amp), two USB ports (5 volts up to 2.1 Amp.  The 110 modified sine wave inverter only goes up to 80 Watts.  I'd probably get a 12-volt DC cooker if I were to plan on cooking in the car like the ones that they sell in truck stops.  For my coffee/hot water, I use a 12-volt DC clip cup heater that I plug into one of the cigarette lighter plugs. 

My preference would be to utilize DC 12-volt stuff as much as I can, but I do carry a 150 watt samlex pure sine inverter that I use mainly for my laptop charging. It plugs directly into a cigarette lighter.  No need for fans or lights since you can run the AC in the Prius over night.  
I like using the Yeti because it has reduced the space requirements that I need to keep my fridge powered.  Based on my experience, I could go 2-3 days before I would need to charge it back up.  But since I keep the Prius in ready mode over night, the Yeti is being constantly recharged. 

The Yeti 150 is rather small - only holding 168 watt hours, but that's plenty to keep my fridge running when I turn the car off.  There are larger models available.  I didn't think that I would need them based on my needs. 

I do like the design of these battery boxes, but I wish that they didn't call them "Solar Generator" because you have to buy a separate kit to get the solar panels.