Goal Zero Yeti 400 Q

[Reef95]

Hi CheapRVLiving,

I'm just about to setup my solar system and I'm confused about one part. Once everything is all setup and connected, how do I create a source where I can plug in my appliances? Is the Goal Zero Yeti 400 (and similar products) made for this reason?

I'm connecting 300W of solar on my van and need to find a way to connect my electronics and I'm interested if the Goal Zero Yeti 400 is what I'm looking for or if there is a simpler / cheaper solution to this step?

Thanks.

 

[jonyjoe303]

On my system I built a fuse junction box (about 20 dollars in parts) where I connect everything. This is connected to the house battery. I use the xt60 connector on my junction box since they are cheap and they can handle up to 60 amps. You can plug in the solar controller to the junction box and it will charge the battery. You can also use the cigarette type plugs but those are inefficient for everyday use. And you can connect a small inverter to the junction box. You can use any deep cycle 12 volt battery. Large inverters you connect directly to battery with large gauge wire.

The goal zero is limited on how much solar it can handle, it has to use its own solar panels with their connectors. In your situation with 300 watts of solar (about 15 amps of output charge amps) its best to just get a 100 ah battery. The problem with the goal zero is it charges too slowly, and the goal zero 400 has a 40ah agm battery, only 20ah is usable. With a 100ah battery you can run a fridge, I use to run a fridge with a 75ah agm battery and 120 watt panel.

Its best to build your own to your specifications, but you can also find "12 volt powerbox" already built except a battery and inverters on ebay but they cost about 100+. Still cheaper then a goal zero.

 

[Trebor English]

How you connect depends on what your appliances are.  Some things need 120 volts alternating current.  Some things need 12 volts direct current.  USB things get 5 volts direct current.  Some things need to have power when the sun is shining.  Some things need power when it is dark. 

Make a list of all the things you want to supply power to identifying what kind of power and how long you want them to work.  To have power for night and rainy days you need a battery.  The size battery you need depends on your list and your wallet. 

With a 12 volt DC battery and an inverter you make 120 volts AC.  The size depends on the appliances.  You probably don't want to buy enough inverter to run everything at once.  Go back to your list and figure out the maximum at once requirement.

The inverter has losses.  If you have a choice to power something direct from the battery or from an inverter, use the battery.  Each conversion will likely waste 20%.  A 12 volt fridge with a 120 volt adapter running from a 120 volt inverter will waste 20% converting 12 to 120 then another waste from 120 back to 12 to run the fridge. 

A Goal Zero Yeti 400 is a 400 watt hour battery, a 10 amp solar charge controller, and a 300 watt inverter in a handy case.  My electric shaver is only 3 watts so my old 100 watt cigarette lighter plug inverter is plenty.  The Goal Zero Yeti 400 technical specification says that the battery is 33 amp hours, 396 watt hours.  Amazon sells wheelchair batteries that size for $75.  There are some savings available.  The goal zero charging port can only take 10 amps, about 200 watts of solar.  A solar charge controller from Amazon can be bought for $11. 

Amazon sells cigarette lighter sockets and USB charger sockets that can connect direct to your battery.  Then you plug those in.  Amazon sells inverters that also connect directly to a battery.  With 300 watts of solar you really want a battery much bigger than a tiny wheelchair battery or a Yeti 400.