Solar Power Generator - for Car

[SunsetRain]

Hi guys,
I am trying to find the best option for a solar power generator for my Chevy Malibu Maxx (car.) 
I am right now looking at the Goal Zero Yeti Generators, but I've heard that they are quite over-priced, but I am finding few other alternatives that would fit comfortably in a car about the size of the Prius. I would REALLY love to have power in my car so that I can plug in a fan on extremely hot nights and charge my cell phone, etc. 

Other suggestions or feedback on the Goal Zero Yeti are both appreciated. I would like to spend >$500. 

Thanks!

 

[jimindenver]

The Yeti is a fancy box with a small battery, a inverter to make 120v and a charge controller that you can plug a solar panel into that did not come with the Yeti I looked at briefly. Any panel that would charge more than nothing would have to be on the roof of your car.

Your power needs sound pretty limited. How often do you drive? There may be a less expensive, less space consuming option using the car instead of solar. Need solar because you are staying put could be as easy as a thin flexible panel suction cupped to the roof and connected to a charge controller that would keep your cars battery charged while you sit. On longer wires you could set it in the sun while you sit in the shade.

You do need to know how much power you may use in the worse case even with the Yeti. That will tell you how much battery and solar you will need. there are those that know better than I but I would think you could replace your battery with something more suitable and add a inverter too. Come to think of it, you really don't need 120v to run a fan, charge a laptop or a phone.

 

[Oberneldon]

I looked at the Yeti solar generator for someone else and I advised against it as the planned current draw including a 12v compressor fridge would not support the available power unless it could be plugged in every night.

Charging from solar or the cig plug was too slow for the recovery.

My suggestion is to figure your usage in amp hours and look at the Yeti battery and figure on using only half of what is listed before fully charging.

For the price I think a 100 watt solar suitcase, ac charger and battery a better solution

Brent

 

[SunsetRain]

Thank you both for your responses. So let's say I want to run a fan, charge cell phone, charge and run laptop, use a crock pot for cooking, and run a skillet for cooking.I am sure there are other things that I am not even thinking of yet because I haven't even left home yet

 

[29chico]

Thank you both for your responses. So let's say I want to run a fan, charge cell phone, charge and run laptop, use a crock pot for cooking, and run a skillet for cooking.I am sure there are other things that I am not even thinking of yet because I haven't even left home yet

If you insist on making heat with solar panels for cooking you are going to off the chart, big, heavy and expensive very fast.  I'll say expensive one more time.

If you drop the idea of cooking with a solar system powering devices with resistance heating elements in them you might be able to squeak by with 250 watts of solar panels.  Add in 100-225 amp hours of house battery if going with lead acid or possibly as little as 60-100 amp hours of house battery if going with LiFePo4 cells.

A solar charge controller and a system to charge the house battery of the car when driving would round out the requirements for a well set up system.

 

[jimindenver]

There is a big difference between charge a cell phone and run a crock pot. Both can be done with out a inverter but one uses a lot more power than the other. You really can't make any decisions until you have a more all around idea of what you want to do.

There are small 12v crock pots, fry pans, sauce pans, ovens, coffee pots and even microwaves. They are slower than their 120v counterparts but they can be functional. You still have to have the power to use them and replace it when you are done or risk damaging your battery.

 

[highdesertranger]

for a small solar system you were doing ok until you mentioned the cooking appliances. I built my own small system for a lot less then that Yeti. highdesertranger

 

[Oberneldon]

SunsetRain,

You are one of many before you to ask about using solar to power things other than phone, computer, and fan. Powering high current devices is generally outside the ability of car dwellers due to the amount of solar you would need to support such a system.

I travel in a Prius and have the ability to use the Prius as my charging source and not use solar but although one of my friend's used a 2000 watt inverter to power a one burner inductive cook stove, I chose to cook with a one burner butane stove and also use a 12 volt water heater. My biggest power requirement is running a 12 volt compressor fridge.

I suggest reassessing your needs for power and plan to cook on a stove.

Brent

 

[SunsetRain]

Oberneldon, I think I am already reassessing, Big time Which is fine... I just know that if I can never make my homemade chili again..... that would suck.. so I have to find a balance that works well for me. Maybe eliminate the "solar" aspect of it. I'm watching a video right now about connecting an inverter to my starter and being able to run at least my 180 Watt crockpot off of that.

 

[jimindenver]

This crock pot uses 96 watts, it's doable.

http://www.roadtrucker.com/12-volt-cooking/12-volt-portable-slow-cooker-crock-pot.htm

This is a folding solar cooker that will let you do anything but fry/ deep fry. Mine are different but I can start with bread early, then a cake. Start dinner mid day and finish with side dish on a sunny day.

http://sunflair.net/

So there are always options and here you will find many. They can tell you how, why, with what and where.

 

[akrvbob]

Thank you both for your responses. So let's say I want to run a fan, charge cell phone, charge and run laptop, use a crock pot for cooking, and run a skillet for cooking.I am sure there are other things that I am not even thinking of yet because I haven't even left home yet

Cooking with Electricity is not an option living in a Malibu. But, you can  get a Roadpro 12 volt lunch box oven or 12 volt crock pot and use it ONLY while you drive. Get a propane stove for everything else. 

To run a fan, charge cell phone, charge and run laptop 100 watt solar panel should just about do it. 200 would be better but start with one and add one later if needed. You have three choices for 100 watts:

1) Portable suitcase system you set out on the ground in camp and fold away when moving.
2) Flexible panel you lay out on the ground or mount on the roof.
3) Mount a hard panel to the roof.

Mounting on the roof means you create power when you drive and less likely to damaged by the wind or stolen. It also works in the city when a folding panel would be stolen. But it will look weird on a Malibu. 
Bob

 

[jimindenver]

There is another long term cooking option. It does require a way to get the pot hot as in a stove but after having at temperature for a certain amount of time you take it off the heat and put it in a insulated wrap. That wrap keeps it at cooking temperature for a long time. Things that take a real long time may have to be reheated after a while but you are not heating it constantly.