Advice for my charging situation? Solar?
Hi folks -
This is for my minivan.
I have:
- 24 hour usage around 1 kilowatt, on average. Half a kw on a lazy day (which usually = a cloudy or rainy day, for me). Max I have read on the kill-a-watt meter is 1.5 so far, but some days may be more.
- 2 @ 74 aH MK gel batteries that I use during the day, in a 24 volt system. I would like to recharge them every day, morning and evening, and use them approx 11am-4pm about 2 out of 3 days.
- 1 @ about 150 aH house battery, AGM, used at night, would like to recharge each day.
- A mini freezer that I would like to run while boondocking but I don't HAVE to. It uses 77w while running (kill-a-watt) but has a big surge when starting (would need a big inverter).
- According to kill-a-watt meter, no phantom loads when freezer is off. I have no propane, so no CO2 detector, etc.
- A bad back that makes lifting a 35lb generator completely out of the question.
- Camping habits that lean heavily towards desert and beach, very little deep shade (usually none).
- Not enough money to do solar AND a genny this year.
- Experience with 12/24v systems design and debugging (before I came here, I thought I knew a lot...) and none at all with small gas engines.
So, what do y'all think?
I'm leaning towards solar, but a genny permanently mounted inside the van, under the bed, with an exhaust vent to the outside and a fuel pump running off the van gas tank is an option. My main concern there is that I know nothing about debugging and maintaining gas engines.
Solar-wise, I could mount panels on the existing roof rack, and run the wires through the window. Am thinking a solar30, 300 watts 12v panel/s, and anderson connectors that let me hook to any of my 3 batteries. Very much subject to y'all's suggestions/improvements.
I also want to run power from the alternator. But I don't drive a lot in a day, or every day. Still, it is something.
I look forward to your comments and ideas! I have been reading a lot, in other threads, but I still feel ignorant. I'd like to get something going within the next month or so.
This is for my minivan.
I have:
- 24 hour usage around 1 kilowatt, on average. Half a kw on a lazy day (which usually = a cloudy or rainy day, for me). Max I have read on the kill-a-watt meter is 1.5 so far, but some days may be more.
- 2 @ 74 aH MK gel batteries that I use during the day, in a 24 volt system. I would like to recharge them every day, morning and evening, and use them approx 11am-4pm about 2 out of 3 days.
- 1 @ about 150 aH house battery, AGM, used at night, would like to recharge each day.
- A mini freezer that I would like to run while boondocking but I don't HAVE to. It uses 77w while running (kill-a-watt) but has a big surge when starting (would need a big inverter).
- According to kill-a-watt meter, no phantom loads when freezer is off. I have no propane, so no CO2 detector, etc.
- A bad back that makes lifting a 35lb generator completely out of the question.
- Camping habits that lean heavily towards desert and beach, very little deep shade (usually none).
- Not enough money to do solar AND a genny this year.
- Experience with 12/24v systems design and debugging (before I came here, I thought I knew a lot...) and none at all with small gas engines.
So, what do y'all think?
I'm leaning towards solar, but a genny permanently mounted inside the van, under the bed, with an exhaust vent to the outside and a fuel pump running off the van gas tank is an option. My main concern there is that I know nothing about debugging and maintaining gas engines.
Solar-wise, I could mount panels on the existing roof rack, and run the wires through the window. Am thinking a solar30, 300 watts 12v panel/s, and anderson connectors that let me hook to any of my 3 batteries. Very much subject to y'all's suggestions/improvements.
I also want to run power from the alternator. But I don't drive a lot in a day, or every day. Still, it is something.
I look forward to your comments and ideas! I have been reading a lot, in other threads, but I still feel ignorant. I'd like to get something going within the next month or so.
