Off Grid Truck Camper

[Mikerodrig27]

I need to get my first post in so I can see other people's photos and start my research!

My wife and I are considering doing a solar setup for our truck camper project. I also plan on figuring out how to use the truck's alternator to help the solar panel along seeing as how we will be driving the truck alot.

Things I need to be able to power:
-Two laptops
Asus Vivobook

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834230770

Acer Aspire 7750g

http://www.notebookcheck.net/Review-Acer-Aspire-7750G-Notebook.45861.0.html

-Small Refridgerator

http://www.sears.com/kenmore-4.4-cu-ft-compact-refrigerator-stainless/p-04694293000P?prdNo=1&blockNo=1&blockType=G1

-Led lights (only some of the time)

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Armacost-Lighting-8-ft-LED-RGB-Color-Changing-Tape-Light-with-Architectural-Quality-RF5050030-12CCD/203227249#specifications

-Charge two phones and a small tablet

My initial thoughts were to use two golf cart batteries, a strong solar panel, solar charge controller and a small inverter for the refrigerator. However, I think I'm off target a little bit.

I'm looking through the forums but if you have any advice, I'll give you a dime for your to cents!

[Sunking]

Well the refrigerator is the show stopper for solar stand alone on a truck camper shell. The Refer uses roughly 1 Kwh per day. Depending on location, time of year use, and orientation will require a 400 to 1000 watt solar panel and your truck camper shell is not large enough to hold that many panels. It will also require about a 300 pound 12 volt 400 AH battery if used on solar alone.

However if the truck is driven or can idle about 1 hour per day you have no need for solar, just use a battery isolator with a pair of 6 volt golf cart batteries. Use the $3000 you save on solar panels and controller for something else.

[Mikerodrig27]

Well the refrigerator is the show stopper for solar stand alone on a truck camper shell. The Refer uses roughly 1 Kwh per day. Depending on location, time of year use, and orientation will require a 400 to 1000 watt solar panel and your truck camper shell is not large enough to hold that many panels. It will also require about a 300 pound 12 volt 400 AH battery if used on solar alone.

However if the truck is driven or can idle about 1 hour per day you have no need for solar, just use a battery isolator with a pair of 6 volt golf cart batteries. Use the $3000 you save on solar panels and controller for something else.

That's a fair assessment. I appreciate the advise!

I went ahead and returned that refrigerator. I'm looking into a lower powered DC refrigerator.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Whynter-65-qt-Portable-Fridge-Freezer-FM-65G/202555698?N=c3or#.UlG5EBCwUXg

This will make it so I won't have to purchase an expensive sine wave inverter and won't have as much power loss due to inverting the power.

Now I just need to size up some solar panels and find some decent equipment. I can do all the wiring and already have all the connectors and tools for wires up to 2 awg.

Touching on using the truck's alternator to charge the batteries, I'm going to do that but don't want to depend on that day after day. My truck is a 98 Dodge Ram 2500 with a Cummins diesel. I'm going to be in a lot of northern climates where it is not good to let these engines idle for long as they will fall out of the operating temperature range.

Let me know your thoughts on the fridge.

I also plan to purchase DC to DC power cords for the two laptops. I have a small 400w inverter that I will have on a switch and will only use it when I need it (rarely if ever).

[Sunking]

Touching on using the truck's alternator to charge the batteries, I'm going to do that but don't want to depend on that day after day. My truck is a 98 Dodge Ram 2500 with a Cummins diesel. I'm going to be in a lot of northern climates where it is not good to let these engines idle for long as they will fall out of the operating temperature range.

Alloow me to poke some holes in your logic.

In northern climates where there are cold winters means you will have very poor solar insolation. Remember the 3 most important factors for off-grid solar is

1. Location
2. Location
3. Location

Did I mention location is important?

For example let's say this camper is in Wisconsin and you need to generate 1 Kwh of power in winter. If it were even remotely possible to position you camper with clear view of the horizon to the East, South, and West, pointing the panels directly solar south at the precise tilt angle would require a minimum panel wattage 1000 watts. Realistically you cannot meet all those perfect conditions, more like 2000 to 3000 watts. Even at 1000 watts requires more room than your camper can accommodate.

Take that same camper to Tuscon AZ in winter and all you need is a 250 watt panel to do the job in winter. Location matters.

Have you considered using a RV/Camper refrigerator made to do what you want? They do not use electricity for the obvious reason. They use LPG. With LPG you get a refrigerator, heat, and cooking. No electricity required.

[Mike90250]

Sounds like a job for a Honda EU1000, or any other small, quiet inverter generator, and a battery charger.

[dkpro1]

???

Well the refrigerator is the show stopper for solar stand alone on a truck camper shell. The Refer uses roughly 1 Kwh per day. Depending on location, time of year use, and orientation will require a 400 to 1000 watt solar panel and your truck camper shell is not large enough to hold that many panels. It will also require about a 300 pound 12 volt 400 AH battery if used on solar alone.

However if the truck is driven or can idle about 1 hour per day you have no need for solar, just use a battery isolator with a pair of 6 volt golf cart batteries. Use the $3000 you save on solar panels and controller for something else.

King you very knowledgeable Elc. but your priceing on panles is way off I can get 5kw. for $3000.00

[Sunking]

King you very knowledgeable Elc. but your priceing on panles is way off I can get 5kw. for $3000.00

No my pricing is spot on. You are talking Grid Tied, not Off-Grid battery.

[dkpro1]

Sorry King

No my pricing is spot on. You are talking Grid Tied, not Off-Grid battery.

I'm using grid tied for off grid working great on my rv... you know about MPTT....

[Sunking]

I'm using grid tied for off grid working great on my rv... you know about MPTT....

5 Kw of panels on a RV?

[SunEagle]

5 Kw of panels on a RV?

It must be a ground mount system or a very very big RV.

[dkpro1]

yep

One big ass RV. LOL

[SunEagle]

Ok. Now I'm confused. You started out wanting to use solar for your camper to run a few items including a small refrigerator. If you dropped the frig you could get by with a few hundred watts of panels and a couple of golf cart batteries to do the job.

Now you are talking about getting 5kw of panels which is about what a small home owner would install. Even if you can get them panels for $0.60/watt you would end up spending thousands more for the batteries, charge controller and inverter. That system is not small or anywhere close to be transportable for a camping trip.

I have seen people set up a small (400watt) panel ground mount system to charge their batteries in a "dry camping" environment. It took up a lot of room and a while to set up. Way too much work to charge the batteries. It would have been way cheaper any easier to use a quite generator instead.

If you must go solar then limit your electrical load to what you really need. That is the best way to keep your system small and transportable.

Opps. I got dkpro1 and the Post Originator mixed up. Sorry for that. But my advise to go small still stands.

[dkpro1]

wow

Ok. Now I'm confused. You started out wanting to use solar for your camper to run a few items including a small refrigerator. If you dropped the frig you could get by with a few hundred watts of panels and a couple of golf cart batteries to do the job.

Now you are talking about getting 5kw of panels which is about what a small home owner would install. Even if you can get them panels for $0.60/watt you would end up spending thousands more for the batteries, charge controller and inverter. That system is not small or anywhere close to be transportable for a camping trip.

I have seen people set up a small (400watt) panel ground mount system to charge their batteries in a "dry camping" environment. It took up a lot of room and a while to set up. Way too much work to charge the batteries. It would have been way cheaper any easier to use a quite generator instead.

If you must go solar then limit your electrical load to what you really need. That is the best way to keep your system small and transportable.

Opps. I got dkpro1 and the Post Originator mixed up. Sorry for that. But my advise to go small still stands.

thousands for batteries???? 2 T125 coast 280.00 gives you 140 amp hours for night use fr the fridge will use 90 anp hours at night ...you freez 2 pounds of ice doring the day and place in fridge for less fridge run time at night it is on a timmer and only run'd 15 min. every hour....

[SunEagle]

thousands for batteries???? 2 T125 coast 280.00 gives you 140 amp hours for night use fr the fridge will use 90 anp hours at night ...you freez 2 pounds of ice doring the day and place in fridge for less fridge run time at night it is on a timmer and only run'd 15 min. every hour....

The amount and size of the battery system is in conjunction with the size of the solar panel system. If there is a lot more wattage of panels compared to AH of batteries you would charging them way too fast. If there is not enough panel wattage then you will never get your batteries charged.

The amount of batteries needed to match up to a 5000 watt panel system is way more than a few hundred AH.

So to help clear things up... how many panel watts do you use and how big is your battery system in AH?

[dkpro1]

ok sorry

The amount and size of the battery system is in conjunction with the size of the solar panel system. If there is a lot more wattage of panels compared to AH of batteries you would charging them way too fast. If there is not enough panel wattage then you will never get your batteries charged.

The amount of batteries needed to match up to a 5000 watt panel system is way more than a few hundred AH.

So to help clear things up... how many panel watts do you use and how big is your battery system in AH?

To do what he want's do do he needs 700 watts of panles and 2 T125 and a Mptt CC. and a 1000 watt inverter