Looking at building a solor Generator and would like some feedback

ikk

Adventurer
I have a few extra of these plugs from Australia for the interested.

As a minimalist at heart Im like the idea of a power supply but I also feel after running solar for several years its more than most need. Educate the people on what power needs are and make the system scalable would be nice IMO. Point being I meet a guy living out of a new hightop van in AZ with 300w solar/300AH of battery just running LED lights and because he was new to solar power he was not sure if he had enough capacity to last a couple days.

sent you a PM
 

LandCruiserPhil

Expedition Leader
Yeah, I have a smaller battery box with a 35ah battery that I hook up Led lights when camping. It works without an issue. As I live in CA where we have fires and earthquakes I wanted something more substancal. I do have a 2000 watt inverter generator that I can use, but if I can use the batteries at night for lighting, and running say my garage chest fridge and freezer which it can currently. as well as the ability to break it up, and be able to take in on longer trips when we dry camp to run my 12 volt shower inflate our inflatable Kyaks, and charge our kid electronics is always nice.

The balance between needs and wants is alway a challenge. In the beginning I had everything now if it takes over 3 minutes Im not interested but I travel and rarely spend over 8 hours in one place.
 

teotwaki

Excelsior!
I currently am looking at building possibly two solar generators as I have two 134 ah batteries and 3 100 watt solar panels. My thought process with two is that having both together would be a burden to move around and I have no need to run two 134 ah batteries while I am camping.

What I didn't see was an estimate of what you need to power, how much it consumes, how often and how long. Calculate it all in Amp-Hours. Then you can size your panel(s), controller and inverter appropriately and be will happier with the results.
 
Last edited:

john61ct

Adventurer
High-amp low volt DC connectors etc should be explicitly rated for that purpose, using mains fixtures is very very dangerous, and very illegal in more-developed countries.

Andersons are great to syandardize on.

Links to "weatherproof" fittings, boots, mounts etc would be appreciated.
 

No Ma

Wonderer
High-amp low volt DC connectors etc should be explicitly rated for that purpose, using mains fixtures is very very dangerous, and very illegal in more-developed countries.

Andersons are great to syandardize on.

Links to "weatherproof" fittings, boots, mounts etc would be appreciated.

A good source for Anderson PP parts and other DC power piece-parts:
https://powerwerx.com/dc-power-products There are a few environmental boots there for powerpole connectors.

Marinco and Blue Sea Systems also have a variety of DC mounts, panels, ports, connectors, etc.
 

DLTooley

Observer
Check out the Victron MPPTs. Given the dynamics of battery charging typically afternoons have surplus available solar power. This can used to charge laptops, etc, and reduce house battery size or stress.
 

rayra

Expedition Leader
Anderson makes / sells leashed rubber caps for their big connectors. I've got one in my rear power setup for times when I need to disconnect and remove that power box. THe box itself has a rotating power cutoff switch in it. It cuts power to the inverter and to a future rear bumper extension of the main power supply, for a hitch/carrier mounted winch.

powermodule182.jpg
powermodule165.jpg
powermodule166.jpg


http://forum.expeditionportal.com/t...on-my-inputs-and-ouputs?p=2238931#post2238931
 

Forum statistics

Threads
185,527
Messages
2,875,535
Members
224,922
Latest member
Randy Towles
Top