not a van dweller but have a few questions

[rgs80074]

Hello everyone I hope I remember everything I had, not sure what happened but the page refreshed and I lost everything.

anyways as the title states I am not a dweller but am looking to set up my 1997 dodge ram van b2500 for when I do errands and spend a few hours at a time in my vehicle so I am comfortable and possibly future where I might spend a few days in my van (this site has shown me valuable resources) camping and such at some of Florida natural area's.

my setup needs to be adjustable so I can still use my vehicle for its original use, moving or getting stuff that can't easily fit in my jeep grand cherokee and for when I do errands. with my work schedule I often have a tough choice. Go to where my errands start and try to get so so sleep in my vehicle or go home and get batter sleep but I tend to oversleep when I do that.

I doubt I'll be doing any of these all at once due to money issues, not going to put stuff on credit to do this will just save up and purchase stuff as I can.

I'd like to start off with the below but plan and not have to replace stuff purchased for other stuff further down the road.

to start off with I'd like the following:

a while ago on the site someone had shown a Murphy type bed they had designed. I am thinking the same thing a twin or full size bed that when needed can be folded up the side of the van out of the way. when not folded up it would double as being able to have storage under it for tools and such, maybe in milk crates or bins or something. thats the first thing to get figured out.

then I want to be comfortable when I need to sleep on errands before I can start or when possible future camping.

I saw some power inverters at harbor freight 2k4k and all the way up to 5k/2mk. Personally I think if i was to get a 3k continuous 6k peak I'd be fine maybe even with the 2k continuous and 4k peak. just curious whats the definition of peak, for how long is peak considered for, a few seconds a minute etc.

I assume I'll need some kind of setup like this
solar panels
batteries
inverter

then the questions are what size and type and I am sure many van dwellers have already run into these but for my case I don't plan on living in my van only at most for a few days at a time.

some basic questions woudl be like

should the batteries be connected only to the solar or should they also be hard wired to the batteries since the vehicle would not be stationary when the stuff is being used. also appears my van has a 117amp alternator from what I've been able to tell.

to start with I plan on this which is pretty basic but the start of my plansit does get hot quick in florida even in the mornings)

a couple of fans to help keep me cool when sleeping and such.

then i'd like to add

a 5k btu air conditioner
microwave
lcd monitor 22-24 inch
air vents
laptop or even a desktop(on extended trips more than a couple of days)

from what I've been able to figure out on the watts the items use as follows

box fans/work fans 3-10watts each
5k btu window ac unit roughly 550watts
microwave 1k-1500watts
lcd monitor: 50watts max
laptop: 75 watts max never seen it go above 35 myself
desktop has a 650watt power supply so tech that's the max it can do

So my next problem is the electrical formulas I just don't understand them but lets say and if i figure this right that all the stuff above (minus air vents as I've not looked into them)
if everything ran for 1 hour continuously I'd be at 2845 watts for what I have listed. Obviously that would be high since its not likely I'd be using both a laptop and desktop at the same time nor would I run a microwave for an hour straight.


so basically I am not sure where to start.

thanks

ryan

 

[GotSmart]

You forgot the ice maker.   :dodgy:

You do not have enough roof space for all the panels needed for the useage you are WANTING.  

The AC and microwave might just need a generator. 

Contact Renogy and ask questions.  They have the calculator or this.  

http://www.renogy-store.com/RV-Solar-Kit-s/1878.htm

• 909-517-3598

909-517-3598

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

For what you're describing, I would go to your nearest Cabelas or Gander Mountain and take a look at their folding cots.  They're big enough and strong enough to hold anybody, they have really nice foam matresses available that make them quite comfortable to sleep on.  You'll have room to store stuff underneath when they are set up. They are easily removed when you need to haul stuff and easily transferred to another vehicle when you get rid of your current van.  It will also be easy to set it up in your apartment if you need a spare bed for a guest.

As far as air conditioning goes, they use so much power that it's virtually impossible to design a solar system that can run them.  At least, not a system you could fit on a vehicle.

As far as everything else goes, it's going to require a MAJOR investment in solar panels and batteries to run all that junk.  Prepare to spend thousands of dollars, or start rethinking your "needs".

You've got a long learning curve ahead of you, but the information you need is all here, you just have to dig it out of the forums.

Regards
John

 

[akrvbob]

Welcome!!

You asked lots of questions but these are the one I remeber:

1) You can't run AC off solar.
2) For a microwave you need 400 watts of solar and 4 golf cart batteries. That should do everything you need.
3) You can wire the batteries both to solar and to the alternator with no problems. That's the best way to do it.
4) A 2000 watt inverter is all you need. Microwaves want pure power so you need to buy a Pure Sine Wave.

Bob

 

[rgs80074]

Welcome!!

You asked lots of questions but these are the one I remeber:

1) You can't run AC off solar.
2) For a microwave you need 400 watts of solar and 4 golf cart batteries. That should do everything you need.
3) You can wire the batteries both to solar and to the alternator with no problems. That's the best way to do it.
4) A 2000 watt inverter is all you need. Microwaves want pure power so you need to buy a Pure Sine Wave.

Bob

Hello,

Can I ask why you can't run AC off solar. I see vans around with them installed (assuming wired into the vans electric system) but am i not understanding how it works with solar and batteries. It appears most 5k btu window units use about 550watts(an hour?). I mean if you have the solar and a few batteries shouldn't you be able to run one for a few hours?

I am not looking to be a van dweller full time or even for periods of time maybe weekend getaways.

Perhaps its just not a full understanding on how the whole system works.


I am working to understand it all to make informed decisions later on.

ryan

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

Hello,

Can I ask why you can't run AC off solar.  I see vans around with them installed (assuming wired into the vans electric system) but am i not understanding how it works with solar and batteries.  It appears most 5k btu window units use about 550watts(an hour?).  I mean if you have the solar and a few batteries shouldn't you be able to run one for a few hours?

I am not looking to be a van dweller full time or even for periods of time maybe weekend getaways.

Perhaps its just not a full understanding on how the whole system works.


I am working to understand it all to make informed decisions later on.

ryan

Let's run a few numbers.  550 watts divided by 120 volts is 4.58 amps.   550 watts divided by 12 volts is 45.8 amps.  So if you run an ac for one hour, you will pull 46 amp hours out of the 12 volt battery.  If you wanted to run an ac overnight for say 8 hours that's  368 amp hours.  Since you are not supposed to take more than 50% out of a deep cycle battery, you'll need about 800 amp hours in your battery bank. That's not even allowing for Peukert's factor, which says that the heavier the draw, the shorter the time period you can get away with it.  A pair of 6 volt golf cart batteries hold around 200 amp hours, so you would need 4 pairs or 8 batteries total.  To recharge them on a GOOD day, you would need maybe 1000 watts of solar panels on your roof. You have to put more energy into a battery than you took out of it in order to recharge it. On a cloudy or rainy day, you wouldn't be able to charge them at all from the panels.  Oh, and since an AC has a motor compressor, to overcome the inertia, it's going to need to draw a LOT more amps than it needs to keep running once it's started.  You'll need a MASSIVE, and expensive Inverter to start it and run it.

So, 8 batteries, 1000 watts of solar panels, a honking big charge controller, a 3 or 4 thousand watt inverter - you're looking at 4, maybe 5 thousand dollars.

Anybody with a 550 watt ac in their van only runs it when they are plugged in to shore power.

That's why, around here, when somebody asks about running ac off solar, we mostly just say it can't be done.

Regards
John

 

[ZoNiE]

Get a little generator to run that AC unit or run the engine in the van and the dash air. Solar ain't gonna do it. Nuh-Unh...

 

[Bdog1]

(In addition: 80% at best for inverter efficiency.)

Since your sounding like you need AC for an hour or two, why not just run the engine and AC.

My van has dual AC and will freeze you out. (And yes I'm in 100% humidity Florida). Costs what? Gallon of fuel $3-$4

Honda 2000 will run your 5k wall unit too. Very little fuel but there like $999.

It's not that easy to keep a van cool in the sun with that 5000 btu unit either by the way. Mine struggles in the hottest part of the day.

 

[akrvbob]

If you only want to use the AC for a few hours, then 800 watts of panels and 6 golf cart batteries should do it. Figure at least $3000 dollars.

Or a Honda 2000 generator will cost $1000 and take 1/10 of the space and weight. For me it's a pretty easy choice.
Bob

 

[offroad]

If you only want to use the AC for a few hours, then 800 watts of panels and 6 golf cart batteries should do it. Figure at least $3000 dollars.

Or a Honda 2000 generator will cost $1000 and take 1/10 of the space and weight. For me it's a pretty easy choice.
Bob

Only 100 times more noise. Lol. Or maybe just drive to a cooler higher mountain top.

 

[akrvbob]

Noise isn't a big issue with the Honda. It wouldn't keep me from getting one.

Being a snowbird is the best solution, but won't work for everybody.
Bib

 

[rgs80074]

Hello Everyone,

thank you all for your input. I checked out that link still confused a bit on it. I guess I don't understand how much power the battery can output but either way it seems more costly than what I am looking to put out.

Also we don't have the stores listed here that I know of but a cot might be the best idea, damn I wish I still had those wwII army cots. Slept on one of those for two years of high school loved them even if they weighted a ton apiece I would have hated to have to carry them plus other stuff.

I have one question about the generator correct me if I am wrong those would need to be put outside for ventalation right? Running it inside the van would not be advisable. If thats correct that don't make it doablbe (perhaps for weekend trips and such but not for the other stuff).

Right now my van does not have working ac, it does have the dual ac system but its not working not sure whats wrong with it or the cost to repair. I know or believe I have a vacumm line that broken thats keeping ac from the vents from working only get the defrost top of dash.

Does anyone have any experience with running a window ac unit when tied to the vehicles system, what are the downfalls, etc. just wondering in case the ac repair is more than I can pay.

for the other needs with the issue for the ac and such i am more just looking to try to stay cool when doing errands and I go to them before they open and spend a few hours there sleeping instead of going home.

so with that what would I be looking at for:

a couple of fans
laptop
vehicle exhaust fan (if i have one installed)
maybe a few led lighting.

also other than ac whats the best way to keep a vehicle as cool as possible. does exhaust fans or intake vans work well. just one or the other or both?

thanks for your help.

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

Running it inside the van would not be advisable.

Let's rephrase that statement.  Running it inside the van would be SUICIDAL!

As far as running a household type ac off your engine, I suppose it's theoretically do-able.  You would have to know how many amps the AC draws on STARTUP.  After it starts, the demand will drop down to the average we've already talked about.  If the manufacturer can't tell you that figure, you'll have to find someone with the specialized equipment to measure it for you after you've bought it.  Once you know THAT figure, you can calculate just how big an inverter you need to start the ac.  Do NOT expect it to be cheap.  Price a few 3,000 and 4,000 watt inverters online.  We would also have to figure out if your alternator is big enough to divert 50 amps from everything else you need to run.

Let me just close by saying, I, personally,  wouldn't try to do this.  It's a little too Rube Goldberg for me, even if there isn't a rat being chased by a cat on a wheel.

Regards
John

 

[ZoNiE]

Don't even consider an inverter over 2500 watts at 12V. Just not worth the amount of Ampacity you have to deal with. 24V minimum, 48V is better. Solar setups and the right amount (a lot) of batteries can handle that.

 

[highdesertranger]

com-on someone has to have the pic of the guy with the large car and a window ac in a side window, with a generator strapped to the trunk and an extension cord running though a crack in the window. I wish I would have saved that one. highdesertranger

 

[ZoNiE]

This one?

Google "car ac window unit generator"

 

[ZoNiE]

This one?

Or...

 

[GotSmart]

That car AC is tilted the wrong way.  The condensation will drip inside.  

 

[highdesertranger]

that'll work zonie. highdesertranger