Just bought a used Ford Transit to convert

[mocean]

Well, like so many others, I've been lurking here off and on for 2 years. I got the bug and bought a van to convert.

I have a Dometic 12v fridge coming. I have a Renogy 100w portable solar panel. I need to get the fridge running asap soo, do I get a battery and somehow hook it up to the fridge? Do I buy a 1000w Yeti (expensive yikes!) and charge that with my solar panel? 

I'm so lost with all this and I need to move into the van asap. Looking at futons too...

Thanks for any help.??

mocean

 

[Awjuhl]

So need to hook up solar panel to a charge controler, charge controller to a battery, then battery to fridge/cooler...

Pretty easy to wire up and set up some power ports. YouTube is a great source to look up wireing schemes.

If you want to go easy, I recommend a kodiack solar generator Vs Yetty. It is better device

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[highdesertranger]

or you can get by on a 100 buck marine battery. tell us more of what you want to do. highdesertranger

 

[Awjuhl]

Still need a charge controler and such.

Edit: missed the part about portable panel. Just varfyi it comes with a controler

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[highdesertranger]

if it's a portable panel like you said it already has a charge controller.

BTW I got rid of your duplicate thread.

highdesertranger

 

[mocean]

I think the portable Renogy 100w panel has a charge controller attached to it. If I buy a lithium battery, I would connect the battery to the charge controller (don't know how to do that). I searched yt but couldn't find a video about that. Searched Bob's videos too. Then connect the fridge to the battery? Omg...fridge has a 12v cigarette lighter plug and a 3 pronged plug. Battery has no place for plugs, so I need to cut off the 3 pronged plug and wire directly to the battery? I'll probably electrocute myself...

For now, I would like to power the fridge and be able to charge my phone and computer and 2 leds or an led strip. It would be a big plus to be able to power the badly installed fantastic fan. Is that too much for one lithium battery?

You guys are wonderful. Thank you for any help. The local rv place won't help me. They wsnt to set things up for me. I'm afraid of the cost, so need to do as much as I can myself.

 

[mocean]

if it's a portable panel like you said it already has a charge controller.

BTW I got rid of your duplicate thread.

highdesertranger

Thank you. So sorry about that.

--mocean

 

[DLTooley]

Lead acid batteries are still the best value, though various lithium options are getting better. I’ve been looking at Suaoki on Amazon - you can also go on AliBaba and ship direct from China.

My part time Walmart Marine has been going good for five years, but I only run my Dometic, as a freezer, during the day.

A good controller is worth it on an educational basis as to what is actually going on. I have the Victron.

 

[mocean]

Thank you. I read that a lithium battery can be discharged all the way without ruining it. I decided that if I was going to put money somewhere that would be a good option for me because I'm sure to inadvertently kill a battery. Is that true about lithium batteries?

Thanks...

--mocean

 

[mocean]

So need to hook up solar panel to a charge controler, charge controller to a battery, then battery to fridge/cooler...

Pretty easy to wire up and set up some power ports. YouTube is a great source to look up wireing schemes.

If you want to go easy, I recommend a kodiack solar generator Vs Yetty. It is better device

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I was hoping to wire the fridge to the battery to avoid the cost of a solar generator, but I can't find anything that directly addresses this on yt. How should I search to find videos about this? All the videos I've found are filled with entertaining stuff and they skim over the wiring details.

Thanks...

--mocean

 

[Awjuhl]

Assuming the fridge uses a traditional cigarette lighter style port.... they are simple to wire the center of the port is positive and the barrel is negative. Use a inline fuse that is appropriate for your application and attach it to your battery. I suggest getting a combo panel that has a volt meter so you can watch your battery voltage as well

Like this, even has a wireing diagram in the pictures
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07JNTS1FG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_V1luDbKZ71GPV

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[IGBT]

I still think a refurbished YETI 1000 for ~$700 is a good value.  It has a good true sine 1500 watt inverter that runs laptops, power tools, vacuum cleaners and refrigerator compressors.  You can run one of the small icebox coolers for a couple of days on a charge.  It has a built in solar charge controller but it isn't anything fancy, just a PWM controller.

I just like how portable and easy to use it is.  The other stuff is great, buying a separate lead acid battery, inverter, charge controller, fuses, wire, outlets, but takes time and some skill to set up.  I have the skills, being an electrical engineer and I STILL went with the YETI.

Congrats on the Transit, we love ours.   We just added a 120" Alurack roof rack for carrying up to 400 pounds of stuff on the roof if needed.  A nice bit of kit.

 

[mocean]

I know everyone has been through this a bazillion times, and I'm sorry to chime in with the same old stuff. I'm a little frantic because I need to move into my vacant van on Wed when my fridge arrives. It all caught me off guard. If I can have some power, I'll be ok. Just trying to set up something quickly that will work without have to spend a lot of $$$. Anyway, I appreciate your patience.

--mocean

 

[Awjuhl]

Just pick up a battery, and a power port from an auto shop. And can Jerry rig it together to at least get ya going. If ya need to, pm me and I will get back to you as soon as possible. I can walk ya threw wireing and such. Tomorrow when I get home I can draw up a simple wire diagram so you can see what it should look like.

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[mocean]

Assuming the fridge uses a traditional cigarette lighter style port.... they are simple to wire the center of the port is positive and the barrel is negative. Use a inline fuse that is appropriate for your application and attach it to your battery. I suggest getting a combo panel that has a volt meter so you can watch your battery voltage as well

Like this, even has a wireing diagram in the pictures
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07JNTS1FG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_V1luDbKZ71GPV

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Omg..inline fuse appropriate to my application? I'm sorry but, I have no idea where to find such a fuse and what is my appropriate application?

A combo panel? I looked at that, but what do those ports screw into? I know I can't screw it into the battery. Do I drill holes in a board and screw the panel to that, feeding the wires through the holes?

I'm sorry, but I am an absolute idiot with this stuff

 

[Awjuhl]

Do you have a friend who is an auto mechanic... lol

Need the amp draw from the fridge and set up your power port off from that. Mounting it is at your discretion just remember not to short out the wires

Fuses are based on required amp draw and wire sizing.

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[mocean]

I still think a refurbished YETI 1000 for ~$700 is a good value.  It has a good true sine 1500 watt inverter that runs laptops, power tools, vacuum cleaners and refrigerator compressors.  You can run one of the small icebox coolers for a couple of days on a charge.  It has a built in solar charge controller but it isn't anything fancy, just a PWM controller.

I just like how portable and easy to use it is.  The other stuff is great, buying a separate lead acid battery, inverter, charge controller, fuses, wire, outlets, but takes time and some skill to set up.  I have the skills, being an electrical engineer and I STILL went with the YETI.

Congrats on the Transit, we love ours.   We just added a 120" Alurack roof rack for carrying up to 400 pounds of stuff on the roof if needed.  A nice bit of kit.

Thanks. Good idea. I may be too ignorant to do anything else right now. I can't believe how stupid this stuff makes me feel. I'm not dumb, but this solar stuff makes me feel like I am.  Can I expand the yeti in the future l, like to use a 2500 watt inverter?

Thank you. I love my van. Looked for it for one year. It's a medium roof with the 3.5L 150 ecoboost. Quite a peppy ride

 

[mocean]

Just pick up a battery, and a power port from an auto shop. And can Jerry rig it together to at least get ya going. If ya need to, pm me and I will get back to you as soon as possible. I can walk ya threw wireing and such. Tomorrow when I get home I can draw up a simple wire diagram so you can see what it should look like.

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Oh my gosh.. thank you. Do I just ask for a power port? What is a power port? Is that a cigarette lighter port? Can I get a lithium battery from an autoparts store? Do thry come in different sizes? What size do I get?  Are lithium batteries dangerous? Should I get a sealed agm battery.instead?

If I mess this up, I guess I'll get a refurbished yeti...

I would like to try to make this work. 

Thank you

--mocean

 

[mocean]

This is my fridge...

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071JSLFKZ/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_apa_i_anmuDb1GBJCT1

 

[Awjuhl]

I'm just thinking short term lithium is expensive but lasts long time average lithium is around $800-$1000, I agree it would be easier to get a yetty or something of that nature, I'm not a battery master. Maybe one of the others will chime in for that info. But for a power port ya just ask auto store they should be able to help ya

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