Solar or Generator??
We are going to have some short boon-docking trips (3-4 days). I do not know my actual energy needs right now, but the DW and I are conservative when it comes to water and power. I really just want ...
Forum Discussion
Hi BFL13,
Start with 875 amp-hours of battery bank. Add in 7 amps per hour for 5 hours per day (for that is what I harvest in leafy shade).
Add in 27 square yards of insulating covers for the windows, door, skylights, vents, and blanket for separating the cab from the living quarters. This has reduced the heating requirements down to 75 watts (255 btu's) per degree F. 35 to 68 = 33 x 255 = 8415 btu's of heat x 24 hours = 201960 btu's per day for heating. That's less than one hour of run time on the furnace. But let's say my figures are wrong--and it is 1.5 hours. That means about 13 amp-hours per day for the furnace.
If it is raining my system harvests 3 amps per hour (again lets use 5 hours) 5 x 3 = 15 amp hours.
My lighting is led based. So that is not much--say 10 amp-hours per day?
Parasitic loads are 24 amp-hours per day.
13 furnace
24 parasitic
10 lighting
47 amp-hours per day - 15 amp-hours = 32 amp-hours from the battery bank.
32 x 14 = 448 amp-hours
50% of 875 = 437.5 amp-hours, so I do go below 50% state of charge--assuming rain for 14 days straight. I think that is unlikely.
Start with 875 amp-hours of battery bank. Add in 7 amps per hour for 5 hours per day (for that is what I harvest in leafy shade).
Add in 27 square yards of insulating covers for the windows, door, skylights, vents, and blanket for separating the cab from the living quarters. This has reduced the heating requirements down to 75 watts (255 btu's) per degree F. 35 to 68 = 33 x 255 = 8415 btu's of heat x 24 hours = 201960 btu's per day for heating. That's less than one hour of run time on the furnace. But let's say my figures are wrong--and it is 1.5 hours. That means about 13 amp-hours per day for the furnace.
If it is raining my system harvests 3 amps per hour (again lets use 5 hours) 5 x 3 = 15 amp hours.
My lighting is led based. So that is not much--say 10 amp-hours per day?
Parasitic loads are 24 amp-hours per day.
13 furnace
24 parasitic
10 lighting
47 amp-hours per day - 15 amp-hours = 32 amp-hours from the battery bank.
32 x 14 = 448 amp-hours
50% of 875 = 437.5 amp-hours, so I do go below 50% state of charge--assuming rain for 14 days straight. I think that is unlikely.
BFL13 wrote:pianotuna wrote:
Hi BFL13,
I'd be quite happy to go to that park or one like it such as the Provincial Park at Fernie, BC. I'm sure I could manage for two weeks. All it takes is a system designed to fit the conditions.
That system would have to be really something!
At approx. 35F raining some days, we went through 160AH a day of which at least 80 was furnace.
Up to you to explain how you would survive in the woods like that with solar only---I just don't believe the math can possibly work out.
Mind you, there were some IMO strange (ie young) people with pup tents and just a car camping there too while we were using up the 160AH in the trailer. Big tarp stretched from tree to tree to keep the rain off. Must use the girlfriend in the sleeping bag as a way to keep warm! :)
