Electrical questions

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TyTy

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My wife and I are beginning our Van conversion. We have a 2011 Ford E250.


Electrical


  • Which brand of deep cycle battery is most reliable?
  • How many Amp Hours is recommended?
  • Are there limitations or stress concerns for an alternator when using a split charge?
  • Best placement of an auxiliary battery in a cargo van?
  • Do you recommend 2 auxiliary batteries or just 1?
  • Which 110v-12v inverter is recommended for a shore charge?
  • Which Volt Sensor Relay do you recommend for a split charge?
  • Which solar panels do you recommend for stealth camping (that can be stored nicely/ Not stuck to the top of the roof)?
 
Your first step in determining your system will be to determine your needs. There are several helpful threads in the electrical forum. If you want a personalized mentor check out Jimindenver’s web site. It would be helpful and save you a lot of money to research what you intend to run before attempting to do something that may not work for you.
 
Welcome TyTy to the CRVL forums! To help you learn the ins and outs of these forums, this "Tips, Tricks and Rules" post lists some helpful information to get you started.

Most of our rules boil down to two simple over-riding principles: 1) What you post should provide good information (like your introductory post), and 2) Any response to someone else's post should make them feel glad they are part of this forum community.

We look forward to hearing more from you.

you will get better responses with fewer questions. ask one or two questions per post.

to get you started Mr. Frog touched on it you have three steps. do them in this order,

1. add up your daily usage
2. size your battery according to #1
3. size your solar according to #2

we will help you through this. so first make a list of daily usage. if you need help ask.
also inverters don't charge batteries they convert 12vdc to 120vac not the other way. however they do make combo units inverter/chargers. but we are jumping way out in front. first things first. #1.

highdesertranger
 
I agree with some differences. The Ford E250 has limited room on the roof. I could only fit 4 solar panels. I did size my battery bank to handle my energy use. But my energy use is determined by the size of the solar array.
 
Setting out extra solar panels doesn't fit my nomadic life style. Answering the next post; My battery bank puts too much strain on the engine generator. Solar works for my needs.
 
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