Debating which to do first.

[Markw]

So I am debating whether to do the "house build" or solar first. I  might be able to do both next month depending on what I have to spend to get it done..

Considerations:

Electrical system: I already have a 100ah Ampere Time battery, charge controller, 15 foot solar cable extensions, 1000 watt psw inverter, a 784 wh Bluetti solar charger, two renogy flexible 100 watt solar panels and a fuse block for the electrical system. I would need to purchase everything else. Now, I want to switch to a rigid solar panel which would necessitate building a roof rack. I also want to add a 2nd battery (which I can admittedly do next month if need be).

House Build: I have a 4 inch tri-fold mattress as well as a thermarest mondo king on top of it (currently on the floor of the van which is where I sleep), a 12 volt fridge, plastic 3 drawer and two plastic totes.

The house build I am considering is something similar to the one Eric Loves Earth did in his van (but it would be reversed...ie I would enter from the driver's side).

 

[user 423]

Can you give us more of an idea as to what kind of build ELE did?

One advantage of putting in solar first would be shading provided by the panels to give some protection from the sun to reduce heat buildup in the van. That's not such a bid deal at this time of year though.

 

[Markw]

Can you give us more of an idea as to what kind of build ELE did?

One advantage of putting in solar first would be shading provided by the panels to give some protection from the sun to reduce heat buildup in the van. Not such a bid deal though at this time of year.

I will do one better, here's a video of his van. There are a couple of things I will do differently. For example, my electrical setup will live where my passenger seat used to be.

 

[maki2]

Do solar 1st as an empty van is easier to work in.

 

[user 423]

I will do one better, here's a video of his van.

That's a very nice build! Between the poor sound quality of my laptop speakers and his accent, I wasn't able to decipher much of what he said but his video is great.

 

[jonyjoe303]

put your electrical first, then everything else. If the only thing on your roof is the panel, you can just use 4 "L" brackets like I did on mine. I have a 365 watt panel on my roof, you probably need something similar or larger with all the batteries you have. You can also put a vent fan under the panel as long as you remove the vent cover.
Getting the largest panel you can will save you time in the long run. I started with 120 watts (6 amps), then moved to 240 watts (12 amps) then finally got the 365 watts (up to 27 amps) . The 365 watt panel is the only one that produces good power in winter and keeps up with my 500+ah of lithium. Its a lot of work changing panels.

The reason you want to do the electrical first is to run all the wires, and cut any holes your going to make.

"L" brackets on my panel. You can find these at home depot.

 

[bullfrog]

Yep do the electrical harnesses first but make them removable if you plan on switching vans as in the video. Very similar lay out to the old VW Westy vans. They worked well in good weather but bad weather prevented using outside areas unless you had the factory side tent or a tarp off the side and back. Staying a few weeks is different from months on end but it works for some.

 

[Markw]

put your electrical first, then everything else. If the only thing on your roof is the panel, you can just use 4 "L" brackets like I did on mine. I have a 365 watt panel on my roof, you probably need something similar or larger with all the batteries you have. You can also put a vent fan under the panel as long as you remove the vent cover.
Getting the largest panel you can will save you time in the long run. I started with 120 watts (6 amps), then moved to 240 watts (12 amps) then finally got the 365 watts (up to 27 amps) . The 365 watt panel is the only one that produces good power in winter and keeps up with my 500+ah of lithium. Its a lot of work changing panels.

The reason you want to do the electrical first is to run all the wires, and cut any holes your going to make.

"L" brackets on my panel. You can find these at home depot.
View attachment 33021

Actually I eventually plan on adding a 'room' to the side. My plan for that is to use uni struts to build a roof rack so I can add the room later. I may also add the shower setup from the video (a smaller version).

As for the amount of batteries, so far I only plan on having two 100ah batteries connected to the roof solar. The solar generator I plan to charge using the two 100 watt flexible panels I already have which I plan to build a frame for so I can angle them towards the sun as needed.

 

[maki2]

It is definitely difficult to achieve a lot of storage and living space plus have a lot of battery power and solar panels in a minivan. Rooftop boxes take up space but would be essential for storing an side room structure and portable panels. Unless you are doing mostly long stays putting up and taking down side rooms becomes, overtime, a disliked camp chore. The same is true of getting flexible panels out of storage and hooking them up. Fewer chores and more solar up top is something very much easier. You can attach a ready made retractable awning on the roof over the rear passenger door. Nothing to lift up into a storage box and quick to deploy and put away in strong winds or when you want to move to a new location. In the long term the less work it takes to set up and breakdown for moving to new camps or running errands the better your life will be. Side rooms and flexible panels look very appealing but they have major downsides.

 

[Markw]

It is definitely difficult to achieve a lot of storage and living space plus have a lot of battery power and solar panels in a minivan. Rooftop boxes take up space but would be essential for storing an side room structure and portable panels. Unless you are doing mostly long stays putting up and taking down side rooms becomes, overtime, a disliked camp chore. The same is true of getting flexible panels out of storage and hooking them up. Fewer chores and more solar up top is something very much easier. You can attach a ready made retractable awning on the roof over the rear passenger door. Nothing to lift up into a storage box and quick to deploy and put away in strong winds or when you want to move to a new location. In the long term the less work it takes to set up and breakdown for moving to new camps or running errands the better your life will be. Side rooms and flexible panels look very appealing but they have major downsides.

Well, the flexible panels I already have so may as well use them. Yeah it might be a pain after some time but again, what else am I going to do with them?

 

[NctryBen]

I think your pretty set with the solar and power equipment you have. Obviously you need a few things more. But get a good basic power system going and dive into your build. And even that you can work on as you go. Just don’t use your emergency fund to build with. And make sure you live within your means which means not just paycheck to paycheck but being able to keep improving and saving if even a little. I can’t speak on other areas, but in the southwest there’s a thing called community. Where people seem to naturally help each other. Everyone has some needs... and everyone has something they can offer. It’s an amazing phenomenon.

 

[user 423]

Well, the flexible panels I already have so may as well use them. Yeah it might be a pain after some time but again, what else am I going to do with them?

If they were mounted on plywood they could be deployed on the roof just like rigid panels.

Or mounted and used as portables.

 

[Markw]

If they were mounted on plywood they could be deployed on the roof just like rigid panels.

Or mounted and used as portables.

Yeah, my plan on the flexible panels is to either build or buy portable mountings that can be angled as needed. The mountings themselves will be staked to the ground to combat wind (so they don't blow away...which has already happened once).

 

[maki2]

If they were mounted on plywood they could be deployed on the roof just like rigid panels.

Or mounted and used as portables.

Incorrect, mounting to directly to plywood is not going to work. Flexible panels and even ridged panels need airflow space underneath or the cells will overheat which destroys them.

Some people use Coroplast sheets under them to provide the essential airflow cooling.

Other people mount them to a perimeter frame that suspends them above the lower surface. There are no cells along the edges of the flexible panels so mounting to a frame works for airflow cooling. But even then the frame still needs to be installed so there is airflow underneath to reduce heat buildup.

 

[Markw]

Let me clear up any confusion on the portable mounts. It would be something like this:

https://a.co/d/fXFqIq5
Which means airflow would not be an issue.

 

[BelgianPup]

I wonder if there is a known certain minimal/optimal spacing between the panel and a solid surface, like a van or trailer roof? 2"? 3"? 6"?

 

[GotSmart]

L brackets raised the panels about 1 1/2 inches above the mounting surface. I have one friend that hangs his flex panels from the awning to help shade his chair. Because of the flex, they fail early compared to rigid panels.

 

[wayne49]

Newer Class C's have cluttered roofs. I saw one that had mounted their panels on a "bed frame", with eight inch legs at the four corners to clear the vents and what not.

Renogy panel mounts have about an inch of clearance from the surface to the underside of the frame.

I have four 100W panels on L angle bars with about an inch between the roof and the bottom edge of the panels. This is on a 1989 25' Class C with lots of open space on the roof.

 

[1zacster]

Why would you need a roof rack for solar panels? Metal roofs are just fine using Z brackets to directly mount.

I wonder if there is a known certain minimal/optimal spacing between the panel and a solid surface, like a van or trailer roof? 2"? 3"? 6"?

the gap is needed for some level of panel cooling. Your standard Z bracket is going to be enough, so long you don't block airflow entirely.

 

[sithigh]

I've READ all sorts of ideas to use what's availible for what that person wants to do. None still report on it or it's reliability even a year later. Even my stepvan project has been in my driveway for three years because we didn't keep at it.