diy solar

diy solar

I'm a 71 year old woman who survived a stroke 3 years ago after watching off grid van dweller videos for about 9 years.



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Sorry about your dad. Mine died too when I was young and he did electrical. But did you figure out the amount of time you will use each appliance daily so you have enough in battery storage? Well, if you buy an all in one to start like I posted here, (or from elsewhere) it will get you through with minimal appliances for sure, i.e,. Laptop, LED light, fan (get a usb one or DC (plug in cigarette lighter socket), maybe a small electric blanket (low watt). I have one that has a 10 amp fuse attached to the DC cord. (They use a lot of power). And are you using butane or propane to cook?
 
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Most of us here will strongly suggest lithium for longevity and weight. You won't outlive a lithium battery, same as I won't either.
 
One other thing to keep in mind is that if you have portable panels, like the suitcase sets, unless you are going to be a nomad who travels at night and sleeps during the day, when are you going to deploy them? It sounds from your posts that your end game is to be moving, not parking for long periods. Given that peak sun is between 11 and 5 on average, you'd have to have the panels out in the sun during those hours. It also sounds like you are going to make the tour routinely to see family in every corner of the country and I am concerned that that much travel will overtax your body. It may be easier to find climate happy place like southern NC, move there and tell THEM move to where YOU are! Once you reach family matriarch statue, wield that scepter of power!!! LOL!!!
 
Shejeans said:
Me too!! ? NH ..just a bit too cool for me now.
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Indeed it is chilly up there now to put it mildly! Regarding your van dwelling, I am also a refugee of, "the American Dream", and the endless, insatiable greedy grab for the incredible, almighty shrinking US Federal reserve note as driven by the partnering of "free enterprise" and bloated, governMental state, Federal and municipal administrative monopoly. As a result of being forced literally at gunpoint if necessary, to pay a queens ransom to fund a fiscally insatiable, illegal, public school monopoly that literally surrogate parents +91% of USA's motherless children, (in exchange for loads of cash and bennie's and the lefty vote of the sheeple students that the illegal government school monopoly raises), has driven me to drop luxurious things like an indoor bathroom, a refrigerator, running water, proper healthcare, a decent vehicle and of course pay TV, (at least I can communicate via this maddeningly miniature $30 Android cellphone screen)! Hang in, unfortunately if your batteries are going to experience freezing temps you have to stay with AGM lead acid, solar panels are about a buck a watt the last time I checked, (you will need 200 watts minimum if you don't run a hair dryer), and the people here are very very helpful but if you want more on the cheap electricial power ideas pm me. ☮️
 
Shejeans said:
Thank you, Supervstech, for your valuable info! In my dreams I'm driving a Sprinter! ? However, at 71 yrs of age and only $750/mo social security income, I'm thinking a newer gas-powered, mid-roof Transit or high-roof ProMaster (still under warranty) might be the wiser way to go. I went through a period when I was enticed by diesel-powered Sprinters. But then I read an article about how the fuel systems on older diesel powered vehicles have a constant, on-going need to be flushed. As a woman not well versed in any things automotive, I can imagine that would be a big issue for me!
I was told by the salesman who sold me my tiny van, and I had also read, that they get 20 mph or more. I'm not even getting 14 mpg's.
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They certainly can be a challenge at times. However, mine has served me well, and the economy is mind boggling. I drive around town service, usually carry 2-3,000 lbs in tools and parts, and my truck gives me over 23mpg without fail.

the issues I have had with it did require a service bay to fix though. And the abuse I give it regularly needs expensive repairs.
If you are not mechanically inclined, the help sprinter forums give won’t do you much good. So, getting something with warranty does make sense. I have never bought a new car... so I’ve never had vehicle warranty. Gotta do most myself.

God bless my father for giving me mechanical abilities!
 
offgriddle said:
bennie's and the lefty vote of the sheeple students
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I will assume you meant Bernie and I agree 100%. He continues to try and deceive people with his "free college" and "free medical care" when quietly whispering "Yes, taxes will go up". I have a hard time imagining doctors and college professors suddenly saying "Yeah we have enough money. From now on we will donate our time and skills to make it easy on the liberals." SOMEBODY is paying for that "free to the snowflakes" college education.

That somebody would be all you people with jobs.

Bernie needs to go back to the balcony on the Muppets.
 
Supervstech said:
They certainly can be a challenge at times. However, mine has served me well, and the economy is mind boggling. I drive around town service, usually carry 2-3,000 lbs in tools and parts, and my truck gives me over 23mpg without fail.

the issues I have had with it did require a service bay to fix though. And the abuse I give it regularly needs expensive repairs.
If you are not mechanically inclined, the help sprinter forums give won’t do you much good. So, getting something with warranty does make sense. I have never bought a new car... so I’ve never had vehicle warranty. Gotta do most myself.

God bless my father for giving me mechanical abilities!
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I got mine mostly from attending the University of Hardknocks and with a little help from my friends, no matter, it's all good! Happy ? week!
 
eddie1261 said:
Most of us here will strongly suggest lithium for longevity and weight. You won't outlive a lithium battery, same as I won't either.
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That might be a bit optimistic, don't you think? (for the battery)
 
BoloMKXXVIII said:
The OP is 71. BattleBorn batteries are quite likely to outlive the OP if treated well. The OP will hopefully outlive lead acid batteries. I hate using lead acids in a mobile environment. Weight, off-gassing, etc.
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Lead acid batteries, from what I can see, will go about 500 cycles give or take, which is 1.4 years. Am I missing something?
 
New Mexico Will said:
Lead acid batteries, from what I can see, will go about 500 cycles give or take, which is 1.4 years. Am I missing something?
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Well, lithium can go about 8.5 years. At least. That would take me to 75. At least. I have my doubts that I am going to be running around in a trailer at 75, if I am even still here. (LOTS of hard road in my past!!) So I will likely not outlive my battery.
 
I'm working on 8 years on mine. They were near the point of impact when our first unit got totaled while parked in our yard. One of the 4 got busted. I replaced it 3 years ago, all is good so far.
If they out live my saving program they will be upgraded to DIY LFP.
 
SCClockDr said:
I'm working on 8 years on mine. They were near the point of impact when our first unit got totaled while parked in our yard. One of the 4 got busted. I replaced it 3 years ago, all is good so far.
If they out live my saving program they will be upgraded to DIY LFP.
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How much do your 4 golf cart batteries weigh?
 
New Mexico Will said:
That might be a bit optimistic, don't you think? (for the battery)
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I agree, I think that Ed still has aways to go before reaching 80% capacity. Regarding Shejean's battery requirement, she did make it quite clear that her batteries would be exposed to temperature extremes including deep coldness, which eliminates lifepo's as a practical choice unless she can build a solar system with the capacity to run battery heaters reliably, without interruption, thus, never letting those bodacious lithium power nugs freeze deeply, not even the one time ...
 
offgriddle said:
Regarding Shejean's battery requirement, she did make it quite clear that her batteries would be exposed to temperature extremes including deep coldness, which eliminates lifepo's as a practical choice
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That's quite a conundrum. 2 lithium batters providing 200 amp hours and weighing in at 60 pounds vs 4 similar power range 6 volt golf cart batteries as everybody down the party line uses weighing in at probably about 360. You can either truck around 300 extra pounds or find a way to deal with the low temps.

This is one of those "my application is different from yours so my choice was clear" things. I am not that frequent a traveler and in my little trailer I can't possibly have enough stuff to stress out my 100 amp hour battery, so it's clear I am not going to live in my trailer. A couple of hours of TV and email type stuff per day and then on to the next destination, hopefully driving in nice southern sunshine and recharging. And planning trips is important. As I hot the Boondockers Welcome site I am trying to focus on only stops that have 15 amp electric provided.
 
eddie1261 said:
How much do your 4 golf cart batteries weigh?
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Not sure, they are Interstate GC-135's. They are not light that is for sure. I have them in a DIY box above & between the axle beams.
The LFP's may need a different home it depends on the insulation I can employ.

EDIT: Their cost was 4 @ $0.00 initial acquisition (1 month on their clock) + $150.00 replacement for the broken one. Previous owner had 8 out of a huge used Class A CW tried to deliver to him with the FLA Interstates. He claimed he told CW "I'm paying north of 300K & you are telling me I've got to maintain batteries?" CW gave him the FLA's and installed 8 AGM's.
 
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[I QUOTE="eddie1261, post: 16531, member: 30"]
That's quite a conundrum. 2 lithium batters providing 200 amp hours and weighing in at 60 pounds vs 4 similar power range 6 volt golf cart batteries as everybody down the party line uses weighing in at probably about 360. You can either truck around 300 extra pounds or find a way to deal with the low temps.

This is one of those "my application is different from yours so my choice was clear" things. I am not that frequent a traveler and in my little trailer I can't possibly have enough stuff to stress out my 100 amp hour battery, so it's clear I am not going to live in my trailer. A couple of hours of TV and email type stuff per day and then on to the next destination, hopefully driving in nice southern sunshine and recharging. And planning trips is important. As I hot the Boondockers Welcome site I am trying to focus on only stops that have 15 amp electric provided.
[/QUOTE] I know it Ed, the Lithium is truly a revolution in energy storage that is head and shoulders above the benevolent lead acids of yesteryear, with the exception of deep cold vunerability and possibly deep cranking performance, (I'm not sure about that one). Another important advancement for we cave dwelling, free agent, system buckers has been the advent of the LED light bulb, (and LED TV go Pat's).
 
offgriddle said:
...she did make it quite clear that her batteries would be exposed to temperature extremes including deep coldness, which eliminates lifepo's as a practical choice unless she can build a solar system with the capacity to run battery heaters reliably, without interruption, thus, never letting those bodacious lithium power nugs freeze deeply, not even the one time ...
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There's a reason Tesla uses a 12v lead acid as their "house" battery! A $5 blue PWM CC and a $100 Deep cycle FLA tied to the same solar panels can be used for running backup heat mats...?
 
SolarRat said:
There's a reason Tesla uses a 12v lead acid as their "house" battery! A $5 blue PWM CC and a $100 Deep cycle FLA tied to the same solar panels can be used for running backup heat mats...?
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Wether or not one siphon's off some of the solar panel output via an El cheapo pulse width modulating SCC to charge an antiquated, inefficient lead acid battery to operate electrical heating, or, one uses the energy stored in the lifepo's to keep the lifepo's battery chemistry from destruction via freezing, a watt used for heating is still one less watt available for operating the house.
 
What does this conversation have to do with OP's questions? I'm lost.
 
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