I want more than I can afford.

[John61CT]

A 40 or 50 foot boat is NOT small. Much bigger than that and your getting into the realm of the mega yachts. 

My point is that even if you have capacity to carry a bank large enough, and the space for lots of panels, and the HO alt and/or supplemental gennie, and required hi-amp chargers, other gadgets, circuit protection, thick wiring etc etc

By the time you're done, made all real-world adjustments to make everything actually work -assuming that is even practically possible at all given your setup. . .

You will have spent more money on the electrics than many starting out in vandwelling spend on their whole rig.

Now the "overlander" crowd, many do this all the time, but they're the land equivalent of the mega yachties in my book.

http://www.technomadia.com/category/technology/rv-electrical-systems/

Sorry if it's not what you want to hear, but anyone actually attempting this, keep track of all the costs, and if you get there, off-grid with a bank regularly getting back to 100% without running your fossil fuel sources many hours per day, do please write a build post with the total accounting.

Nature of the beast is all!

 

[akrvbob]

800 watts of solar with 6 golf carts will run an efficient window AC unit for a big part of the day. 1000 watts and 8 golf carts will run it a fair part of the night and still let you recharge the next day. 1200 watts let you laugh at the weather and run the AC all you want.

There is no magic here, just simple math. $3500 will put you in the ballpark of this system ($1000 for the panels, $1000 for controllers, $1000 for batteries, $500 for miscellaneous) but you can virtually eliminate propane usage and slowly get much of it back that way.

If you saved $20 a month on propane for 10 years, that $2400. Plus trips to town to buy the propane. If you saved $30 a month on propane, you pay for the system in 10 years. The cost of propane is only going to go up and chances are you could save much more than $20 a month.

 

[jimindenver]

With 1185 watts of solar of which 435w tilts and tracks, I not only run my A/C but have the RV about as electric as it can get. I make coffee in a electric auto drip. Cook with a electric hotplate, microwave or my solar ovens. Heat the water for showers in the hot water heater on electric and can even switch the fridge over although it doesn't use much propane. I might replace it some day but for now I am happy to supplement the small freezer section with a Engel 12v.

At times I feel irreverent because I have the travel trailer but there was a van at the RTR with 1000 watts of solar. A member here has 1000 watts on their cargo trailer so it is doable. Everything I use was selected because the 750 watts on the trailers roof can run it off the panel with the 435w on the truck being gravy. I could have used 435s on the trailer instead of the three 250's but I am already peaking at over 70 amps while the A/C only uses in the mid 30's.

I still use some propane for the fridge and the furnace at night when needed but it's a fraction of what it was. Having a electric hot water heater saves the most which leaves just the fridge in decent weather. It will be quite a while before I have to refill my tanks using just the fridge.

 

[666JTK666]

Here is a pic of my2006 Ford van, It has one of those peanut style highTops all curves and oddly shaped. I made several mistakes buying this van.
1. it's a Ford with that pos 5.4 v8 (spark plug issues)
2. it has over 100k miles and that is now freaking me out a little worrying about major engine repairs not 2 far away.
3. it is a standard type van all the walls are curved making the build out more than a little difficult.
What I should have held out for is a cutaway box van/truck, somthing with around a 16 foot box.

https://goo.gl/photos/sJKWFgpCVcJGVy8B8

I don't think getting solar on my roof is a good investment of my limited fund's. Solar produces so little power.
I do want to thank everyone for there suggestions.
Does anyone know of a good metal fab shop in bakersfield,ca ? I can pick up a used honda engine out of a civic pretty cheaply(like $400).
These engins sip fuel and are water cooled, have more then enough hp to spin any combination of alternators and or ac gen head's and even an air conditioning compressor somthing beefy like the ones out of a class 8 big rig.
My thought is to mount this engine on a small trailer and mate it with some high output continious brushless alternators and other devices as time and money allow.

As things stand now I am just going to have to get used to being hot miserable in the ca sun this summer.
I have a brother up north in everett,wa and I will probably head his way in another few months. as soon as I can save up enough gas money I estemate around $1500.00 in fuel to get there at 14 mi to the gallon. I am dreading leaving my job (dead end min wage) and just hopeing I can find somthing up north where it will be much much cooler weather.
Being this poor and so close to the deviding line between being truely a homless bum with nothing but the clothes on my back and a shoping cart full of junk. all it would take is to loose one lowsey paycheck and that's where I would be.
But hay all is not lost, I have shelter, I have a job, I am not sick and can work so there are possibilities.

 

[jimindenver]

Buy a car engine and mount it on a trailer. That should be interesting and one heck of a power supply. You could also get a Champion 2000w inverter generator refurbished for under $500 that would run a A/C and be fairly quiet too.

right now I have the A/C and the hot water heater going for over 900w. It's pushed the portable over 30a. The voltage is holding and the roof has another 5 or 6 amps to kick in if it starts slipping.

 

[GotSmart]

I don't think getting solar on my roof is a good investment of my limited fund's. Solar produces so little power.
I do want to thank everyone for there suggestions.
Does anyone know of a good metal fab shop in bakersfield,ca ? I can pick up a used honda engine out of a civic pretty cheaply(like $400).
These engins sip fuel and are water cooled, have more then enough hp to spin any combination of alternators and or ac gen head's and even an air conditioning compressor somthing beefy like the ones out of a class 8 big rig.
My thought is to mount this engine on a small trailer and mate it with some high output continious brushless alternators and other devices as time and money allow.

As things stand now I am just going to have to get used to being hot miserable in the ca sun this summer.
I have a brother up north in everett,wa and I will probably head his way in another few months. as soon as I can save up enough gas money I estemate around $1500.00 in fuel to get there at 14 mi to the gallon. I am dreading leaving my job (dead end min wage) and just hopeing I can find somthing up north where it will be much much cooler weather.
Being this poor and so close to the deviding line between being truely a homless bum with nothing but the clothes on my back and a shoping cart full of junk. all it would take is to loose one lowsey paycheck and that's where I would be.
But hay all is not lost, I have shelter, I have a job, I am not sick and can work so there are possibilities.

Best of luck.   When AC is your main priority, and funds are that tight...  Personaly I would rethink my priorities.  I lived in CA for 36 years without AC.

 

[John61CT]

When you do have your emergency reserves re-established (six months actual expenses + IMO key replacement / repairs) and you can sanely revisit the topic, a decent sized genny + other gear will fit on a hitch cargo rack.

If a bigger powerplant is "really needed", build on a bigger truck rather than towing it, a car engine is major overkill.

But best of all IMO, reduce your needs. I lived in Bangkok for twenty years, hardly ever below 90°, humid and polluted concrete jungle.

The last 17+ of that without any A/C; good fan / ventilation, iced water, loose cotton clothing & bedding, the body acclimates.

 

[jonsun]

crater lake has snow until july, apparently.

 

[Every Road Leads Home]

As things stand now I am just going to have to get used to being hot miserable in the ca sun this summer.
I have a brother up north in everett,wa and I will probably head his way in another few months. as soon as I can save up enough gas money I estemate around $1500.00 in fuel to get there at 14 mi to the gallon. I am dreading leaving my job (dead end min wage) and just hopeing I can find somthing up north where it will be much much cooler weather.

Your fuel costs seem to be a little off

I'm not sure where in Cali you are, but even if you're in San Diego, that's only 1200 miles to Everett.  1200 miles divided by 14 mpg = 85 gallons of gas.  At $3.00 a gallon, (85 gallons x $3) that's only $255.

 

[John61CT]

Yah, that sounded like a full cross-country, even round trip, to me.

 

[highdesertranger]

I was scratching my head about all that gas too. actually I think they are in the Bakersfield CA which is over 140 miles less than San Diego. highdesertranger

 

[666JTK666]

Geez I don't know how I messed up that simple math problem and came up with that 1500.00 figure.
I really really need to tripple check my math's before posting.. sorry folks.

 

[jonsun]

an 8k BTU air conditioner will pull about 850w. You can get a simple generator to power it for $250.

 

[DannyB1954]

People find it difficult to cool a small box, (refrigerator), off of solar, but hope that they can cool a large box, (their vehicle), with solar.
If you have enough up front money, most anything is possible. By the time solar systems pay for themselves, it is time for a new solar system. Forget about running the A/C at night, By morning you will have dead batteries. Can your solar system charge the batteries and run the A/C as well? With solar it is all a big maybe. Maybe if you park in the sun, and maybe it is not cloudy, and if the days are long enough, you might get it to work. Also for most of the year you may not need the A/C. So your solar system will take longer to earn it's keep. have more solar power than you need 9 months out of the year, what good does that really do you? Batteries are only good for a certain number of cycles. as they age, they get weak. Solar is not free energy.

 

[GotSmart]

People find it difficult to cool a small box, (refrigerator), off of solar, but hope that they can cool a large box, (their vehicle), with solar.
If you have enough up front money, most anything is possible. By the time solar systems pay for themselves, it is time for a new solar system.  Forget about running the A/C at night, By morning you will have dead batteries. Can your solar system charge the batteries and run the A/C as well?  With solar it is all a big maybe. Maybe if you park in the sun, and maybe it is not cloudy, and if the days are long enough, you might get it to work.  Also for most of the year you may not need the A/C. So your solar system will take longer to earn it's keep. have more solar power than you need 9 months out of the year, what good does that really do you? Batteries are only good for a certain number of cycles. as they age, they get weak.  Solar is not free energy.

Here we go again.  

Solar is a science.  The panels have a 30 year production warranty.  That means that after 30 years, solar panels will continue to produce a guarenteed level of power, or greater.  This is computed with real science, not by guessing. 

A 12v refridgerator can be run off of one 100w panel, as long as nothing else is attached  It is best to have 200w minimum.  With 200W it is possible to run a basic dwelling using fans to cool with, a fridge/freezer, lights, recharging for all electronic gadgets, and cooking with a Roadpro type device.

There is no such thing as more solar power than you need.  More panels mean that the batteries are kept toped up, and last longer.  

Panels and batteries keep improving.  With the new Renogy panels, 20 to 25% more power is produced over last years design.  

IMHO, AC is a bad use of power.  That is just my opinion.   It is possible to run an AC with 1K of panel, and 500ah of batteries.  

Nothing is free, but with solar it is a lot quieter and the pay off is much quicker than buying a generator.

You will excuse me if I do not post all the scientific proof for my statements.  It has been posted on this forum many times.  It is NOT opinion, but reality.

 

[John61CT]

I personally would invest in the little gennie first so I KNOW I will ALWAYS get my big expensive bank to 100% full (almost) every cycle even when long-term stationary boondocking in deep forest.

I would then invest in a good HO alt + external VR to get the most charge out of running the van's engine, as a backup but also reducing gennie runtime when traveling.

Then start adding solar to further reduce it, all the time keeping consumption of power as low as possible without sacrificing lifestyle too much.

With a goal of having enough solar, with the HO alt as backup, maybe one day no longer needing the gennie.

AC never coming into the picture, even if I could.

But that's just me.

 

[jimindenver]

You two understand the concept of getting your batteries even a sniff of being full with a alternator or generator requires running it all day right? Sure it does a great job the first few hours in the bulk stage but much of the absorb and float stages the batteries accept very low levels of amps. It takes all day and is why full timers that live off the genny stay in a full hook up park once every week or two so that they do get their batteries properly charged, because it isnt economically feasible and certainly isn't revving up your mighty V8. Without that stay with hook ups your batteries do what's called progressive capacity loss. So include the cost of staying in a RV park into your equation along with buying the generator, gas and nifty converter or modified power supply.

Often the answer is a combination of multiple systems. A generator/ Alternator to get the bulk done early and a moderate solar system to finish the top off. What I don't get is this "it's time to replace it" concept. Generators wear out, alternators and even batteries too. My solar system will last longer than themall and will be removed from the trailer once it becomes useless. The only reason to replace it is if I wanted to do more just like someone may need a larger generator at some point, because needs change. Otherwise my panels are no different than the ones put on houses and will last just as long.

So while it's great to discuss the options, don't be so insistent that there is only one way when you don't have the experience to know what you are saying. Generators may be a viable option but you sure as hell are not getting back to 100%.

 

[John61CT]

You two understand the concept of getting your batteries even a sniff of being full with a alternator or generator requires running it all day right?
...
Generators may be a viable option but you sure as hell are not getting back to 100%.

Yes, true for boondocking you need a panel to finish the long tail right from the beginning, but that's only true for lead batteries.

My LiFePO4 bank doesn't need topping up at all; sorry I neglected to mention that exceptional aspect of my use case, allows me to hold off getting solar for now.

I will also likely get at least one Firefly Oasis as a reserve/backup/starter, and for bootstrapping the system in sub-zero conditions. That also is - alone among lead chemistries - fine for PSOC usage, just need to get it topped up every month or two.

I do plan on eventually getting lots of solar, hopefully enough that I only rarely need to rely on fossil fuels.

is why full timers that live off the genny stay in a full hook up park once every week or two so that they do get their batteries properly charged, because it isnt economically feasible and certainly isn't revving up your mighty V8. Without that stay with hook ups your batteries do what's called progressive capacity loss. So include the cost of staying in a RV park into your equation

Getting a regular lead bank back to 100% only a minority of cycles will still drastically shorten its life. Sure better than never, but really, the quicker and more frequently the better. Even twice a week would be less than I'd shoot for.

Or just get Sam's Club GC2s and accept replacing them more frequently.

So while it's great to discuss the options, don't be so insistent that there is only one way

I both started and finished my posted plan with the qualifiers it was best for me personally, never do I claim there's only one way.

 

[Every Road Leads Home]

Solar still complexes me. Sometimes I just have to dive into something to learn the in's and out's of how it works. No matter how much I read on here and the web about solar I feel like it's not quite sinking in. Frustrating as i'm normally very good with anything that requires hands on work.

Thankfully I don't require AC so that should simplify things a little when the time comes. Although it is nice to have when you do get stuck in those hot oppressive heat days.

 

[BradKW]

Solar still complexes me.  Sometimes I just have to dive into something to learn the in's and out's of how it works.  No matter how much I read on here and the web about solar I feel like it's not quite sinking in.  Frustrating as i'm normally very good with anything that requires hands on work.

This was certainly true for me...buy/build/design instead of design/buy/build.