My Path to (No)Madness!

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Right from the git-go, I would not spend a LOT of money just to power a microwave on batteries. 

The costs for 2 large batteries, the inverter, heavy cables, fuse panel, fancy controller, large fridge, and large solar array, is quite high. Add it all up. Then add up the weight of all that gear, plus the bracketry and cabinetry to contain it all. 

Just to nuke some soup or a frozen fish stick meal in 3 minutes twice a day. I think you will need WAY more than 200 watts of solar to keep a microwave running 3 to 6 times a day, 5 or ten minutes each time. Then think about a week of cloudy skies....now, NO power to run it on solar. And you STILL have to power that fridge 24/7 on that same 200 watts.

Out in the boonies or even a campground, (with a van or small trailer) I cook (and reheat) with propane for a LOT less money, and a lot less weight. 

I'm not anti-microwave, (another thread) but the $$$ you will spend for that luxury, PLUS all the weight, seems to need a bit of some re-think. Microwaves are very good at saving you some time, but, out there, in the sticks, you aren't likely to be THAT rushed for time. 

IF you had a big double axle trailer and a big V-8 pickup, I would not be concerned about weight. But I know it's a smaller trailer, that will have enough water and food for 2 people,  furniture, supplies, clothing, camping gear, tent, etc, AND sleeping pods, pulled by a V-6 SUV. 

The genset you buy now will power a microwave later, if you really decide you need it out there. Plus you might be able to get by with one good battery, a smaller solar controller, a 300w inverter, and the 200 solar watts will be matched up nicely to the daily laptop charging, LED lights, and smartphone use. 

And don't forget canned foods....no refrigeration needed!

I am not saying NOT to order all that stuff....but just give it some thought....saving money AND weight seems like a good plan.  

Keeping up with the joneses is never a good idea, especially out there in the middle of nowhere. Live YOUR dream, not someone else's.
 
NoMadYesHappy said:
  • A Whynter FM-62DZ Dual Zone Portable Refrigerator/Freezer, 62-Quart by Whynter

I'm considering that same fridge.  Was looking at some casters too so I can roll it out from under the bunk when I need to get in it and back under out of the way.  That larger one I think comes with casters or is an option you can get with it but like you said is a lot more expensive for not much more room.  Even thought about 2 smaller ones with one set as a freezer but space is so much a premium and so little in the tiny Vardo I'm gonna build I nixed that idea early.  That 62 quart is a good choice.
 
tx2sturgis said:
"Right from the git-go, I would not spend a LOT of money just to power a microwave on batteries...."
WOW! Thanks, dude ... great input here!
The microwave is not a big blip on my radar ... not even something that I planned to put into service out of the chute.  I just keep seeing other U2B vids with vans loaded with 6 bazillion watts of power, thinking that's the norm and that I must need it ... thanks for bringing me back to earth.  Simple, adequate, affordable, light ... noted!  :)
 
Motrukdriver said:
I'm considering that same fridge.  Was looking at some casters too so I can roll it out from under the bunk when I need to get in it and back under out of the way.  That larger one I think comes with casters or is an option you can get with it but like you said is a lot more expensive for not much more room.  Even thought about 2 smaller ones with one set as a freezer but space is so much a premium and so little in the tiny Vardo I'm gonna build I nixed that idea early.  That 62 quart is a good choice.

We did about three days in Quartzsite without a cooler ... I'm thinking maybe I don't need a lot ... maybe get the dual zone 62Q and run both zones at fridge temps to cut power consumption ... I still have the option to freeze if I need to ... THANKS a ton for your input ... everyone ... really, really appreciated! :D
 
Yep...I'm not trying to rain on the super solar stuff...really I'm not. 

But a lot of the van dwellers DO need more on-board solar, and big batteries, to keep more or bigger fridges running, because they have to break camp to even drive 5 miles to get supplies, and that's a pretty big deal every few days or every week. So it makes sense to have larger power systems that support food storage and long stays with no re-supply missions for 2 weeks or maybe a month.

But...you (or the daughter) can leave the trailer at camp, and take a short drive in the SUV to grab up some munchies and fresh meat and produce, along with other consumable supplies, like water, hygiene items, what have you, very easily, assuming you are within reasonable driving distance of a local town, or even a small C-store at the nearest highway intersection. And you don't have to 'break camp' to do it. 

That's the flexibility that you have with your present rig. 

Later on, you can scale things up if you want to remain in ONE place for weeks, with NO re-supply errands. And I certainly won't fault you for that. 

But for now, keeping it simple and light, but still useable, might be a good plan.
 
I spent way to much on things that either got given away or donated. In theory what I bought sounded practical. But in real world conditions, it didn't work out that way. Best of luck and don't spend all your money, you need a beer fund!!!! Lol. Best wishes and i really enjoy reading your posts, I don't have the bandwidth to watch to many visitors, but if there's one you really think is good, could you maybe note that? I know, asking for stuff lol, no worries if not.
 
tx2sturgis said:
Yep...I'm not trying to rain on the super solar stuff...really I'm not.
But for now, keeping it simple and light, but still useable, might be a good plan.

Yah, we got 'nuf rain as 'tis, Bruh ... good thing there were no parades today! :D

I totally agree ... and it fits with our experience at Scaddan Wash a week or so back.  I've revised my list a little ...

  • 3 - Universal UB121000-45978 12v 100AH Deep Cycle AGM Battery 12V 24V 48V(Black) by Universal Power Group, $164.49 each.  Going to run with the cheap ones until they wear out and I get myself trained on how to keep them shiney.  THEN I'll go gold!
  • 1 - Blue Sky Energy Solar Boost 3000i MPPT 30 Amp Charge Controller Kit, with Wall Mount Box and Battery Sensor, $319.00.  Let's face it, I'm a noob at solar.  This will help me hedge my bets.
  • 1 - Power TechON 1000W Pure Sine Wave Inverter 12V DC to 120V AC with 2 AC Outlets + 1 5V USB Port, 2 Battery Cables, and Remote Switch (2000W Peak) PS1002, $149.99.  Half the power of the previous selection, but still enough to keep a smaller (45qt) 12V fridge at 34-36F.  Abandoning the freezer ... but still an option if I need it ... just the whole volume at 30% smaller.
  • 3 -RENOGY 100 Watt 100w Monocrystalline Photovoltaic PV Solar Panel Module 12V, $377.21 total.  Added one panel.  I can grow later if needed.
  • 1 - Whynter FM-45G 45-Quart Portable Refrigerator/Freezer, Platinum, $490.52.  Saves me about 200 bucks over the dual zone 62 Qt and I think it'll still meet our needs.  I can always deep freeze meat [or?] and then set back up to the mid 30s F 
Better?
 
Wabbit said:
I spent way to much on things that either got given away or donated. In theory what I bought sounded practical. But in real world conditions, it didn't work out that way.  Best of luck and don't spend all your money, you need a beer fund!!!! Lol. Best wishes and i really enjoy reading your posts, I don't have the bandwidth to watch to many visitors, but if there's one you really think is good, could you maybe note that? I know, asking for stuff lol, no worries if not.
How do I pick one when I think all my stuff is crap!  LOL!
Anyone else have an opinion on what's "really good" for a limited bandwidth user?  Maybe the last one when I have it all done would be the best?
Thanks for the input Wabbit!  Way muchly appreciated!  :)
 
NoMadYesHappy said:
  • 1 - Power TechON 1000W Pure Sine Wave Inverter 12V DC to 120V AC with 2 AC Outlets + 1 5V USB Port, 2 Battery Cables, and Remote Switch (2000W Peak) PS1002, $149.99.  Half the power of the previous selection, but still enough to keep a smaller (45qt) 12V fridge at 34-36F. 

Wait....what?

The 12v fridge won't be running from the inverter...or did I misunderstand your statement...

The inverter's only function is to power AC loads, such as, a microwave, a laptop charger, a toaster oven, power tools, etc.

You can buy 12v laptop chargers, and cooking appliances gobble up LOTS of amps, and power tools can be plugged into the genset, so lets say the inverter is mainly for the occasional karaoke/dance party sound system, or 200 foot long holiday light string....you still don't really need 1000 watts, but going smaller probably won't save that much money or weight. 

But there is no need to size it for the 12v fridge.
 
tx2sturgis said:
The 12v fridge won't be running from the inverter...or did I misunderstand your statement...

Ah!  True ... sorry.  I don't know why I had 110V in my head ... it will run on 110, but also 12V ... gotcha ...
Shoot, I could REALLY go on the cheap ... 
I'll get it right eventually ... maybe.  LOL! :)
 
My rig will be all solar and propane and no inverter. I don't need anything that runs on 120 volts. Heck, I'm even gonna dump the laptop and go with a 10" tablet/phone charged off a USB port. Honestly, I can't think of anything I'd need 120 volts to run. Fridge, led lights, USB port, fan, stereo, if the tablet is too small for movies I might go with a USB mini-projector, charging tools now and then and swamp cooler if it gets really warm before I can move. Propane is heat, hot water and cooking. What do you have that needs 120 volts?
 
Motrukdriver said:
My rig will be all solar and propane and no inverter.  I don't need anything that runs on 120 volts.  Heck, I'm even gonna dump the laptop and go with a 10" tablet/phone charged off a USB port.  Honestly, I can't think of anything I'd need 120 volts to run.  Fridge, led lights, USB port, fan, stereo, if the tablet is too small for movies I might go with a USB mini-projector, charging tools now and then and swamp cooler if it gets really warm before I can move.  Propane is heat, hot water and cooking.  What do you have that needs 120 volts?
Honestly, I don't have a lot ... two laptops @ 40W each, a camera, two cell phones on 110V > 5V @ 1A converters [I can get 12V chargers for them], a cell network amplifier/repeater is coming soon ... we've run them all [but the network amp] on that little 120W inverter I got a month ago at Walmart for 9 bucks.  Somehow I got the notion that 400 watts of panels and 3000 watts of inverter were the norm without really considering what I really needed.  Like you, everything else is propane.  I'm in California ... maybe the pot fumes are affecting my judgement!  :)
 
I use 2 inverters, the 500w is always hooked up. Draws about .4amps with no load. More than enough to power my laptop and tablets. Then I have a 1500 watt that isn't hooked up 24\7 but it has the big clamps for the battery posts that I use if I need a bigger inverter. I already had the 1500w inverter, so I didn't buy both for that purpose, just the way it worked out, but it works good for me.
 
Looks like the only thing you'd need 120 volts for (stock) is that cell network amplifier. When you open the package you'll probably have a wall wart that goes from 120 volt AC down to maybe 5 volts DC. You can easily make or find a converter that steps down from 12 volt DC to what ever output the wall wart gives. So, you don't go from 12 volts DC up to 120 volts AC then back to 5 volts DC. Seems to me its like going around the block the long way and multiple conversions means a waste of power. Save a step and just go 12 to 5 DC. Heck, you can get a 32" flat screen with DVD player that runs off of 12 volts nowadays. If you can run that a little amp is easy peasy.
 
Wabbit said:
I use 2 inverters, the 500w is always hooked up. Draws about .4amps with no load. More than enough to power my laptop and tablets. Then I have a 1500 watt that isn't hooked up 24\7 but it has the big clamps for the battery posts that I use if I need a bigger inverter. I already had the 1500w inverter, so I didn't buy both for that purpose, just the way it worked out, but it works good for me.

Yah, I've seen that approach ... multiple inverters ... and I like the benefits of redundancy as well as increased 110 output if it's needed.  Probably going to integrate that idea into my plan as well ... after SS kicks in about two months from now.  I've got the 2/120W Walmart units, and looking at another 400w unit for about $35 ... maybe that's all I need?
 
Really the only time I use the 1500w is if I have to charge my battery bank because of no sun for 3-4 days. Then I start my van, hook the 1500w to that and use a 110v battery charger to pump amps into my bank. I can even charge my power tool batteries off the 500w, 500w doesn't seem like a lot, but it powers quite a bit for me.
 
Wow I’ve just read the whole thread getting all excited to see how this trailer build turned out with the side pods and all. Just read the last post and realized this is still in progress. Count me in for the rest of your build/ journey. You seem like a awesome dude, really cracks me up when I see you use the word bruh, lol first time I seen you use the word I had to recheck to see if it was your post I was reading. I can tell that your coming through this hard time of your life pretty well and seem exited about everything where the begging of this thread I was feeling for you quite a bit. Now I’m jealous that I can’t be doing the same myself. I’m still 25 years from ever being able to think of retiring but this makes it look so fun. Going to go subscribe to your YouTube channel right now. Can’t wait to see more. Oh I was very impressed with that Hyundai pulling the 6x12 trailer as well as you said it has. I’ve been on the market for a enclosed trailer for pulling my wife and my bikes to different places this summer. I was thinking the biggest I wanted to go was a 5x10 because of weight affecting my gas mileage. Reading this I’m thinking maybe a 6x12 may be better In the long run when I get to do this one day myself. I have a 1994 Ford econoline 150 5.8l with 19,800 original garage kept miles. She is beautiful and feels so powerful. I probably won’t even be able to tell the difference between pulling a 5x10 vs a 6x 12. How much does the average 6x12 weigh?? Anyone?? I know my bikes are about 380 to 400 lbs each so together they will be about 800lbs plus 200lbs in camping gear I should be pretty light right?? Or should I go 5x10 and would it save much weight?? Being behind a big van I don’t have to worry about drag I suppose.  Ain’t it so fun to dream about future adventures!!! Sorry to ramble on so long it’s just exciting to think about this in my future.
 
Jaketheone46 said:
I’ve been on the market for a enclosed trailer for pulling my wife and my bikes....

Don't let HER know about this...you might be single much sooner than you plan to...

:p
 
I was just watching a video of yours and you said the trailer weight was around 900lbs?? If so that’s awesome I had been reading on trailer weights and seeing it stated that a 6x12 weighs twice that. I hope your weight is accurate being I’ve been wanting a smaller trailer thinking a 6x12 was just to heavy for pulling only 2 sportbikes. I would go with a cheap harbor freight trailer but I want it to be enclosed. Going to research this trailer weight some more now. I hope your right. Oh and a tip. I’ve been reading a few trailer builds and came across this one. It’s very important that your trailer you choose has a good tongue weight rating. I seen one build where his 6x12 has a max of like 2/300 lb tongue weight and his build ended up bending the tongue of the trailer. He was able to straighten it then weld reinforcements but that’s something to watch for. Seeing your trailer choice it’s axle is pretty far back so you definitely want to make sure that your within the max range which I’d say your fine being you did state the Hyundai has a 300lb max for the tongue weight which I’d say surely any 6x12 is going to be able to stand 300 I would hope. But I’m pretty sure the bent one I read about had a max of a 200lb tongue weight. That’s just crazy for a 6x12 trailer.
 
tx2sturgis said:
Don't let HER know about this...you might be single much sooner than you plan to...

:p

Ha ha yea no doubt.  No really though as of now I lucked out, we both love our van and our motorcycles. We Plan to do a lot of camping and riding this summer. We like to go to the Tennessee/Georgia area, find a spot to camp and ride the awesome roads. We always hit deals gap, AKA (the dragon) while we are there, 311 sweet corners in just over 11 miles.
 
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