Lwiddis wrote:
Running A/C on batteries isn’t practical IMO. Same with heating. Use the generator and propane and save a bundle of bucks.
You may like the West. I do. But the transition from green Virginia to the brown SW might prove unsettling.
Don’t underestimate your build time. Take longer than you think.
I won't be running the heat completely off of 800 Watts of batteries. As I stated in my post for heat I will also have propane and may add a diesel heater if I need it. I'm going to have about 1200 watts of solar that can be tilted for maximum sun exposure. This should be plenty enough to run a 400 to 600 watt air conditioner rated between 5000 and 8000 BTUs. I will only be cooling a 7 by 16 box and will not need a 13500 BTU roof AC. In the summertime I will not be living under air conditioning 24/7. It will be mostly when I'm closed up inside the trailer or overnight if it's above 80°. I have already budgeted for the cost of solar, so money is not an issue.
I lived out west for 7 years when my father was in the Air Force. His mother, brothers and sisters lived in West Texas and we were also in southeast New Mexico north of El Paso for three years, so not having green from time to time will not be a big bother for me. I will be moving around seasonally within the area bounded by the four states that I mentioned, so there will be plenty of opportunity to be around areas that are green.
