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TxGregory's avatar
TxGregory
Explorer
Nov 10, 2016

solar power for dry camping & cpap machine

***Link Removed******Link Removed***Hello, I recently purchased a 2006 Thor Wanderer 30' travel trailer. I was disappointed that I could only run my cpap machine when the trailer is plugged in. I also dislike rv parks, and I really want to spend my time elsewhere, and preferably not plugged in all the time. I am going to put two 100 W solar panels on top. They come with a mounting kit and a charge controller. I thought about just hooking them up to charge the battery, but that doesn't do much for me, because I still can't run my cpap when I am not plugged in. So I was thinking of connecting them to a second deep cycle battery (I have a place for it up front), then using the second deep cycle battery to power an inverter that I would plug into the 30 amp plug that would normally go to external power. My wife also has a cpap, and we like to spend time on our laptops. I put together a picture of what I was thinking. I need some help from someone proficient in electronics to advise me on this. I don't have a lot of money, and I am not physically able to do crawl around the insides of the trailer reconfiguring things. So I came up with this, hoping that it would not all blow up! I am unsure of the size of inverter I need. I would like to just put a 3000W one on, but they are expensive. The 1000W inverter was much cheaper. Also, I am wondering if I need three panels. I am guessing that 3 panels and a 3000W inverter, on a sunny day, would allow me to run everything just as if I was plugged into power. But I don't want to spend that kind of money if I can avoid it.


Thank you in advance,

  • MEXICOWANDERER's avatar
    MEXICOWANDERER
    Explorer
    Nov 10, 2016
    Examine the plug in brick carefully. By law the brick must display the power voltage range admitted from the AC plug in inlet to the brick (this cord is usually disconnectable just like a laptop power brick cord)

    And then the brick's info with continue on and then list the output voltage and amperage potential of the brick. Aha! This is what you are after. Write down the voltage (12 volts)? and write down the amperage (5 amps)?

    Does the brick say 12 volts and 5 amps (very common)?

    If yes, you can purchase a power cord that plugs into a cigarette lighter socket, then purchase a long extension (I have encountered ads for 12 feet) cigarette light plus an socket extension cords.

    This is a far more practical way than using a PURE SINE WAVE inverter that wastes power converting 10 volts to 120 volts AC then back to 12 volts. The power waste going to inverter is expensive and is sort of nuts...if tour CPAP is indeed 12 volts.

    But with a battery conversion the CPAP must be unplugged from the cigarette lighter before starting the engine.

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