Alright, I'm one week in and I'm learning fast. Immediately, I know that I'm going to need an air conditioner in this insane heat. Currently, I have a solar panel, 230W, 8.06 amp, 29.16 volts, two agm batteries for a total of 300 amp hours, and an mppt charge controller. This is all in an e-150 conversion van.<br /><br />What I'm thinking is replacing my vent fan with a normal RV roof AC, blocking off a small area in the back for electronics, batteries, and adding a generator with a vent to the outside. Most generators like the honda inverter generators output at 120 volt AC, and my system is 12 volt DC. Ideally, I want to route the generator into the batteries to compliment the pv, but I'm not sure how to do that without using a 120v>12v inverter to charge the batteries, and then using a 12v>120v inverter for my 120v electronics. It seems really inefficient.<br /><br />I'm also having trouble finding an AC that is low enough power. Seems the lowest I can get for a roof mounted AC is around 13000 btu, which is more than I need. Ideally it'd be around 5000 btu and be low enough power to use around 1000ish watts (about what a small honda generator can put out). But I can't find anything like that.<br /><br />Second, on the generator. If I add a vent to the outside, and seal off the area with the generator with calk and everything, it should be safe to run it inside the van, right? Any suggestion for a generator? The honda generators look like the best out there, but the $$$s look pretty daunting.<br /><br />Any suggestions will help!
Someone mind doing some scheming with me?
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sparky1
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ABSOLUTELY DO NOT RUN A GENERATOR INSIDE A VEHICLE YOUR LIVING IN.<br />END OF STORY.
Alright, I get that CO is dangerous. Any suggestions though?<br /><br />I'm trying to improve my stealth. Part of that is being more careful about where I spend the night, but apparently I stick out. A security guard walked up and talked to me literally the second day I stayed somewhere and said he had noticed me. He said he used to do the same thing for most of his life and gave me a bunch of suggestions. One of his suggestions was to add a cargo trailer for generators and battery banks but wouldn't that just kill my stealth?
Journeyman
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Get magnetic signs made for a fake business, then the van and trailer will look like work vehicles.
Never mind the generator, a roof-mounted AC is going to do nothing but say "HELLO LOOK AT ME I'M LIVING IN MY VAN". personally, I'd stick to fans and they use less electricity too. Another thing to consider is that your body will adjust to the heat eventually just give it some time. Maybe parking more in the shade will help?
if you do the interior genny, i advise making it easily removable for non stealth mode and you could probably charge the batteries enough during the day that you could run the genny at the startup of the ac unit. once it's running steady, cut the genny and run on batts til morning. make sur your unit has a timed shutoff and do some math and experimenting so you know your limits in different temps and don't kill your batts.<br /><br />as for the heat of the day... i wouldn't run the inside genny while you're awake either.
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