Putt

[ArtW]

very nice work! I'm not worth much with a saw, so I can relate to the multi dammits
My chicken strips are pretty big too, I last scraped a part riding the Three Sisters 3 years ago, on my way into a low speed low side
Dammit to that, too
Luckily, my Dakota screen took most of the hit
And thanks for the detailed answer re the TW

 

[AbuelaLoca]

Fabulous build!! I vote for paint to lighten things up, but I've noticed that men tend to like the "cave" look of wood a little more than women... I'm not trying to be discriminating, it just seems that way to me! Build on!!

 

[Putts]

I reckon men and women always have some mix of masculine and feminine in various proportion so maybe it's the woman in me, but I like light.

 

[Cammalu]

Putts that's funny. You look about as feminine as King Kong


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Putts]

Sure, that's the outside.

The inside is a whole 'nother story.

 

[Putts]

*sigh*

Been rooting around in the electrical section of the board here and I'm overwhelmed...so much information scattered all over the place...I don't know how to sort through it. I guess I need a hand. Feel free to save typing and point me to relevant threads.

I'm well trained in electronics. I used to repair scanning electron microscopes; have a nice Fluke and a Tek O'scope and know to use them; I can read a schematic easily. But I'm not familiar with the principles of battery charging and who makes good stuff and who makes junk. 

I also have a need to do my electrical system in phases, which makes things even a bit harder. Initially, I will be putting two solar cells on the roof and two 12V batts in the cabin. This initial system needs to be as simple as possible so I can get it installed and pass my RV re-registration inspection for having 110AC in the outlet above my sink; probably just PVs, charge controller, batts, inverter, and a simple 12V switch/breaker panel. But eventually I want four cells up top (need to be about 50" x 25" each to fit the roof layout); four batts below; house/truck batt switching; alternator charging for house batts; shore power switch over w/12VDC generation; shore power filtering; etc. I did stumble across this .pdf here and was wondering if it was a good schematic to study?

I won't have A/C or a microwave, but I'd like to be able to run a drill and saber saw...maybe rechargeable tools is the way to go, but todays fast chargers for those seem to draw a lot of current as well. I won't have a TV, but will eventually have to charge a laptop, iPad, phone, and will have wifi antennas, wifi routers, automotive sound system (a modest power one), HAM and CB radios, alarm system, surveillance cameras, alarms, outdoor LED lighting, and fans.  

I've had a look at the links Optimistic Paranoid provided and will probably buy some of the books. The Blue Sea catalog is excellent! (Thanks, mate.) But I really don't have time to edumacate myself well as I'm at the point where I need to start ordering stuff for my initial rudimentary system. I figured I might just ask a few questions so I can get going. I am absolutely willing to pay for quality and safety margin, but I don't want to climb too high up a diminishing returns curve.

What are the recommended solar panels around here?

I mentioned this combiner box already and HDR said he didn't like the terminal clamps as they're unreliable in the long run. Makes total sense. But the plastic box itself appears to be a cool part designed for the task at hand and with enough knock-outs for standard, liquid tight strain reliefs. I intend to run antenna wires and any other roof wiring through this on entry so I don't have to cut any more holes in the roof. $80 is pretty steep for a piece of plastic though, so I'm wondering if you folks have some recommended product for a wire feed-through housing on the roof?

From my reading here so far, it seems like the  Morningstar TS-MPPT-45 TriStar 45 Amp Charge Controller is a good choice and will suite the final 4 PV cell/4 12V batt system. Any other preferred options?

It's likely this first simple system will be run for the next three years or so. When I do my upgrad to four batts I'll likely replace the existing batts so they're matched nicely. What affordably priced batteries would you recommend now that will work well for three years of modest use?

I think it makes sense to buy a cheap 110VDC inverter now since it'll only be used for silly things like charging a cell phone while weekend camping in Putt occasionally for the next two years, I'll buy a nice one before hitting the road. Any suggestions on a small capacity reliable inverter for initial use?

Hmm...I guess I should mention I did build a solar system last year. I used a Renology 100W panel; Blue Sky Suncharger 30 charge controller; PROwatt 540 inverter; and a Duracell 12V 650CCA deep cycle battery. This is where things get a little crazy: I built it for The Farkle Hut.

It's a solar powered gaming table with a sound system (speakers under the top box,downward firing), 110VAC oulets, and USB phone charging outlets. I've got a buddy up here who is a Burning Man guy and started a regional burn here.  I decided to build this for it. Had a lot of help from friends drawing the table top.

When I hit the road in Putt, I'll be pulling a trailer so I can travel with it and a canoe/kayak and stuff I can't fit in Putt. I'll drop the trailer at storage places when traveling into the back country where the trailer might make maneuvering troublesome. Thought it might be fun to bring it to RTR one of these days. Bet I'd freak out a bunch of dudes at Costa Rican surf spots.

 

[Queen]

I know about 1/1000th what you do about electrical stuff, so this stuff just scares the crap out of me and my solution is always to throw money at it.  Since in the very near future I won't have money anymore, I'll end up at the RTR or something similar so I can pick brains in person (I'm a visual learner, nothing sticks unless I can see it being done).

So get busy and get all smart about this stuff so you can teach me.  We'll do it the medical education way - see one, do one, teach one.

 

[Putts]

Sounds good to me. :thumb

 

[rvpopeye]

From another old tron and just sayin'.....
(And I do mean old , my Fluke is a model 23)

For that functioning AC outlet you need to pass the test.
Put a $40 inverter under the hood and run an extension cord to feed the outlet. Passed ! Then worry about getting all the right stuff installed....

 

[Putts]

Genius!

I'll have to think on it a bit. I do plan to do some camping in Putt this summer, so I'll still need to install the electrical in phases as I'll want some juice out and about. My buddy Paul and I will be going to the Bonneville speed trials this summer; and a few trips locally into the mountains of South West Montana. BTW, if anyone wants intel on sick places in the this area shoot me a PM.

Putt doesn't come up for registration 'til August, but! It sure would be nice to cut down that insurance payment. Thanks for the great idea!

 

[Putts]

D'oh! But I won't be able to get new insurance until I reregister!

Actually going to have to do the math and look at the payment schedule to see which way's cheaper...and I hate dealing with money stuff.

 

[highdesertranger]

Putts for fuse panels, terminal strips and bus bars Blue Sea is top of the line. for battery solenoids, Cole Hearse. for the combiner box get a water proof electrical box every body has them even Home Depot sells them. you can get the water proof inlets all over the place. then get 2 Blue Sea terminal strips. there are many good solar panels, Renogy has a good reputation. as you proceed with your electrical build just ask specific question, there is a lot of knowledge on this forum. highdesertranger

 

[Putts]

Putts for.....(relief in the form of a string of great advice)

as you proceed with your electrical build just ask specific question,  there is a lot of knowledge on this forum.  highdesertranger

(Bet this post made you chuckle, Queen.

)

 

[Queen]

I'm sitting here laughing my butt off!  

 

[Putts]

So that everyone can get in on the joke: those are smilies from the board we used to hang out on. She prolly hasn't seen them in a while. 

 

[Queen]

I haven't, and I used to do the same thing, copy them and use them on other forums, no two ways about it, they have an impressive collections of smilies!

 

[ArtW]

Yeah, I have to say, for all the good of this board, it's extremely smiley deprived

 

[Putts]

Woot! It's one of those months with three paychecks in it; direct deposit went in today. I'm ready to pull the trigger but want to run it by you all before I spend serious money unwisely. 

Here's where I'm at:

Two Renology RNG-100D 100W panels.

Two Blue Sea MaxiBus 250A BusBar with four studs for combining panel wires in the combiner box on the roof.

Two MaxiBus 250A BusBar with two studs and 12 screws for 12VDC distribution to switch/breaker panel.

One 100' roll of copper stranded 12awg zip cord for 12V wiring. Saw that recommended somewhere here; 12awg is overkill but voltage drop on a 12V system is your enemy. Also, you only have to buy one size ring lug for everything. 

One WeatherDeck® 12V DC Waterproof Circuit Breaker Panel with 8 switches. Initially I'll be wireing the switch/breaker directly things like the toilet fan, fridge and other loads as things get built.  Eventually I'll rewire it to distribute 12VDC to other sub systems and breakerless switch panels as needed. Expensive but worth it, I reckon. The first thing to fail on my Farkle Hut was the cheap switch panel....no more of that, thanks.

Now the biggie: One Morningstar TS-MPPT-60 Tristar Mppt 60 Amp charge controller. ($523!) I'll be running two PV cells at first, but four down the road. I was originally thinking of the 45 amp model, but when I went over to their string calculator, it showed (under my conditions) that I'd only be able to run them as one string in series. As I understand it, running two strings with two in series in each is better to fight current drops from spot shadows. Am I correct, or is the 60 just overkill and I would be fine with the 45? (it's 130 cheaper.)

Or should i be looking at a different charge controller entirely?

Other questions:

What Awg cable should I run from the roof combiner to the batteries? About a 10' run. An Amazon link would be great.

A source for Zinc plated copper lugs for #10-24 Screws and 5/16" studs with no plastic cover? I'll be soldering and heat-shrinking everything...no evil crimping intermittents for me. 

HDR, is this the kind of combiner box you're talking about?

I'll be installing two 12V batteries. Any recommendations on capacity and brand?

Lastly, and I feel this is important, how can I place this order on Amazon so Bob gets some credit? I've got an $1100 order sitting in my shopping cart, sure would be nice to see him get his nickel.

 

[tx2sturgis]

Putts, I have spent the last 2 hours reading this thread and now you owe me a beer!

;-)

Man what a lot of work and talent and forward-thinking engineering. My brain hurt just reading this!

I wonder if our gene pool crossed somewhere back in the Mesolithic Era, cuz you and I have a lot of the same interests...electronics and technology, ham radio and communications, motorcycles, photography, camping, vanning, maker skills, and oh yeah.

Beer.

I have converted a van and a cargo trailer, and will be looking to buy a cutaway-cube van soon, to begin my final build and hit the road after retirement early in 2018.

On to my comments:

For the exhaust fans in Putt's Pooper, I would recommend that you use the offset, centrifugal blower style, due to less contamination of the bearings from the humid and fouled air passing thru the fans inner workings. Just a thought. Plus, some of them have a round exit port, easy to attach to a hose or tubing.

Then, I would build up a small resistor speed reducer, on an SPDT switch for hi-lo and middle-off to raise and lower the speed, air volume, and noise.

You mentioned Ham radio...

If you are planning on mobile/portable HF operations, be aware that inverters, solar charge controllers and switching power supplies all generate a large amount of hash up and down the HF spectrum. In the limited footprint of a vehicle, this noise can be hard to filter.

One of the new whiz-bang technologies, MPPT, can be VERY noisy and hard to filter with normal RFI/EMI products and techniques.

I have found one Morningstar PWM controller that has a 'reduced RFI' setting, and it seems to work, although their PWM circuits are fairly RFI controlled from the start, at least on HF.

I recommended the resistor for current-limiting on the blower fan for this reason also, because those small cheap PWM speed controllers you can buy for motors have no shielding and put out hash in the VHF/UHF spectrum.

You mentioned CB, but as you know the bandwidth there is such that received local noise is more easily controlled.

BTW I looked at purchasing a TW200, I love that little bike, even took one for a short test ride at a dealer in Oklahoma, but I'm also trying to reduce my fleet of vehicles, so I resisted the purchase...somehow.

I currently own two Ural motorcycles, and they are huge fun...but the sidecar rig will need a trailer so in my case I may or may not be taking it to the horizon with me...time will tell.

 

[tx2sturgis]

For DC and 12v cable entry I use these:



You can buy a variety of sealed fittings and matching plastic conduit.

Makes it super easy.

You can buy these at practically any hardware, big-box, or electrical supply store,