Ideas needed for Solar Power on Food Truck

[Naptown]

That's "Great minds run in the same gutter", or something like that.....

Did you forget I hold a ban stick?

[ChefV]

Well I like this topic and found it interesting. Just so happens a member in our church runs two food trucks and I know him pretty well and gave him a call and chatted with him for about 30 minutes. I was surprised by some of his answer, but even more surprised of the things I did not think of.

There is no real template to what a food truck is equipped with. They can be as simple as a steam table that serves hot dogs, to full mobile kitchen. James Trucks fit the bill of full mobile kitchen. It has a flattop, deep fryer, oven, burners, and steam table all powered with a 50 gallon LPG tank. The one thing that caught me off guard I did not think about and required by the Health Department is a hot water tank that must have a minimum of 140 degree water available at all times while open which is also powered from LPG.

On the electrical side he has a cold table, refrigerator, freezer, 1.5 ton Air Conditioner, exhaust hood, water pump, interior and exterior lighting. He has two Power Sources to power the electrical. One is a 60 amp Breaker panel with a 240 VAC pigtail with 50-Amp NEMA Plug that he uses where power is available like carnivals and fairs. Otherwise an on-board 6500 KVa diesel generator with Transfer to the 60 Amp breaker panel.

So armed with that I think it is safe to say there is no solar option that can be used. It would have to be as big as a 18-wheel tractor trailer carrying 10,000 pounds of very expensive batteries and you would still need a generator if it is cloudy. Perhaps a Hot Dog cart with a Canopy for lighting, but there is just no practical solar solution that makes business sense.

When I told him why I inquired he was interest for about 30 seconds until I told him what it would take to go solar and he said; "Well that was fun while it lasted, and laughed".

What about a truck with less to run? I have an a/c, two fridges, water heater and pump, along with a few small appliances in my truck. I would like to do Solar Panels because generators are loud and take up a lot of room and everything in it is electric not gas. I can plug in but not every venue is set up for that.

[billvon]

What about a truck with less to run? I have an a/c, two fridges, water heater and pump, along with a few small appliances in my truck. I would like to do Solar Panels because generators are loud and take up a lot of room and everything in it is electric not gas. I can plug in but not every venue is set up for that.

You are going to be looking at many kilowatts of panels along with a large (i.e. heavy) battery bank and a pretty beefy inverter. Just off the top of my head you'd be looking at about 3-4 kilowatts of panels and a 15 kilowatt-hour battery bank, so call it $30,000 and about 1000 pounds of batteries, plus the trailer to mount the panels, batteries and inverter.

If the noise of a generator bugs you go to gas for your heater, get just the battery bank for the remaining loads and charge at night. That way you can go solar later if you want to, and not have the expense now.

[Sunking]

What about a truck with less to run? I have an a/c, two fridges, water heater and pump, along with a few small appliances in my truck. I would like to do Solar Panels because generators are loud and take up a lot of room and everything in it is electric not gas. I can plug in but not every venue is set up for that.

Just not going to happen. If you think the generator takes up room and weight how about 5000 watts of solar panels enough to cover a 18-wheel tractor trailer, and 6000 pounds of batteries pulled behind you in a trailer. Even if you could do that still requires the generator.

[SunEagle]

What about a truck with less to run? I have an a/c, two fridges, water heater and pump, along with a few small appliances in my truck. I would like to do Solar Panels because generators are loud and take up a lot of room and everything in it is electric not gas. I can plug in but not every venue is set up for that.

If you read any of the previous postings you would understand that it will take a very large truck to mount all of the solar panels needed along with the battery system to run your food truck equipment. Running A/C units, fridges and heaters on batteries is very expensive and impractical.

If your equipment requires electricity, a portable generator is your best solution and compared to the battery and inverter system a nice quite 3000watt Honda generator takes up less space.

[russ]

a nice quite 3000watt Honda generator takes up less space.

And they can be quiet!

[rustbucket4wd]

If you read any of the previous postings you would understand that it will take a very large truck to mount all of the solar panels needed along with the battery system to run your food truck equipment. Running A/C units, fridges and heaters on batteries is very expensive and impractical.

If your equipment requires electricity, a portable generator is your best solution and compared to the battery and inverter system a nice quite 3000watt Honda generator takes up less space.

Food? Okay, after one buys food they need a nice cool place to sit and eat it. How about one of those solar tents that the military was testing out. I think theys called powertent or shade power. Maybe power shed. How about parabolic food cookers. If you want to create a solar food cart, why be inside? Use a parabolic mirror and create a show. Use panels for cooling food and the sun for heating. Maybe possible if one gets off the thought of only panels and batteries.

[Sunking]

Food? Okay, after one buys food they need a nice cool place to sit and eat it. How about one of those solar tents that the military was testing out. I think theys called powertent or shade power. Maybe power shed. How about parabolic food cookers. If you want to create a solar food cart, why be inside? Use a parabolic mirror and create a show. Use panels for cooling food and the sun for heating. Maybe possible if one gets off the thought of only panels and batteries.

Food Trucks tend to operate in cities, particularly downtown areas where population density is very high surrounded by tall buildings and very little space. Not much Sun or area to do any of that. Fact is kitchens need large amounts of power. For mobile applications there are only one energy source that can do that, petroleum products like LPG, diesel, and gasoline.

[russ]

We have been through the solar trucks (landscaping, auto repair, food) many times - it is a dead horse you are cooking. Now Bill Gates could manage it as a hobby I suppose.

If you want to have people think you are green just place one old panel on the roof with wires going inside - not connected to anything. People will be impressed and have no idea.

If you are at all concerned about cash then just use a good quality and quiet generator if you are in a location where you can't plug in.