Advice to purchase solar panels. 7.5'x16' cargo trailer. Ecoflow Delta Pro.

[JoeNewbie]

I'd like to add additional (or all new) solar panels for a 7.5'x16' cargo trailer.
This is my first post to forum, and I'm definitely a beginner. FWIW, I've been watching Will on YouTube for the last 12-ish months.

Recently purchased:
Ecoflow Delta Pro (3.6kWh, 1600w max input, 11-150V input). I believe the unit operates better at higher voltages.
Currently installed on roof:
(4)-100W panels Renogy Eclipse 100 Watt 12V Monocrystalline Solar Panel - Optimum Operating Voltage (Vmp): 17.7V, Optimum Operating Current (Imp): 5.70A. I just looked on Renogy's website. It doesn't appear like they are selling them anymore. They were purchased summer 2021. These panels are currently hooked up in parallel and were plugged into a Goal Zero 1400. The GZ 1400 is being replaced by the Ecoflow Delta Pro. The panels were mounted to the roof via strut channel. They are easily removed and/or movable. I bought these panels from watching one of Will's panel comparison videos.

Currently, there's a Max Air fan installed on the roof. An air conditioner might be added as some point. I made a scaled model in SketchUp. The trailer dimensions, some panel configurations, and the sketchup model are posted here.

Any (newbie) advice on which panels to buy and series/parallel configurations would be greatly appreciated. I could just buy more 100w panels and/or 200w panels. Perhaps a 300W+ might be a better choice?

Thank you in advance.

 

[rmaddy]

The amount of solar depends on your power needs and your battery capacity.

As for the A/C you might want to consider a mini-split instead of the standard RV style A/C units. The mini split won't take any roof space, will be a lot quieter inside, and it will use a lot less power. The latter is important when running on battery/solar.

 

[JoeNewbie]

The amount of solar depends on your power needs and your battery capacity.

As for the A/C you might want to consider a mini-split instead of the standard RV style A/C units. The mini split won't take any roof space, will be a lot quieter inside, and it will use a lot less power. The latter is important when running on battery/solar.

Thank you rmaddy.
The battery capacity is 3600Wh. Max solar input is 1600w. If I could reasonably charge 2000ish watts per day, that would be lovely.
I'm definitely considering a mini-split ac system. Definitely.

I dig your trailer friend.

 

[rmaddy]

If I could reasonably charge 2000ish watts per day,

Do you mean 2000Wh/day? That would be enough to replenish 2000Wh of your 3600Wh battery, or about 55%.

Around summer time you should be able to get roughly 5 hours of solar each day (on a clear day). 2000Wh / 5h = 400W of solar. Given the flat mount on the roof you would want about 500W of solar panels to ensure 400W of solar. But if you want to run an A/C on solar while the sun it out then you will want 800W - 1000W of solar panels. You could easily fit 3 300W-350W panels or 4 200W - 250W panels on the roof. Given your battery there is little need to try for more solar unless you will in areas that are cloudy a lot at the times you need to use the A/C.

I have 5120Wh of battery and I run a 430W window A/C unit in the hot weather. I have 990W of solar. I get more than enough solar on a clear day to run the A/C and recharge the battery at the same time.

 

[JoeNewbie]

I used the trailer for 5ish weeks of camping last summer/fall. Camping at campgrounds (no hooks-ups for now) and the goal is dry camping/boon docking. All the locations had trees and limited the solar input. The previous GZ 1400 would never fully charge. Here in Pennsylvania, it's cloudy more days than Seattle. So, it's not a great place for solar. I roughly consider the solar input to be half the wattage of the total panels..... at least that's been my (limited) experience. I would consider 1000W of solar the minimum install........

How do you use the window AC? Is it permanently mounted? I saw a small pic of your trailer. It looks like maybe there's a hatch in the front for the ac unit?

 

[rmaddy]

How do you use the window AC? Is it permanently mounted? I saw a small pic of your trailer. It looks like maybe there's a hatch in the front for the ac unit?

The A/C is mounted inside on drawer slides. The front hatch you see in the picture can be opened and then the A/C slides into position when in use. Putting it in the front of the trailer was the only option I had to work with the rest of my interior layout. I didn't want the A/C to be permanently mounted outside on the front where it could easily be damaged while driving and I didn't want it hanging out there most of the year when not needed.

This was all done before I really knew much about mini split A/C units. If I were to do this over I would strive to find a good way to mount the mini split.

 

[HRTKD]

All the locations had trees and limited the solar input.

I have ground deployed solar panels for that situation. It doesn't always work and depends a lot on how much PV cable you have. If you can't get the ground deployed panels into a sunny area, then all the PV extension cable in the world doesn't matter.

I do mostly boondocking with occasional stays at campgrounds with no hookups. The boondocking is a lot easier to get access to the sun than is a campground.

 

[12VoltInstalls]

Im wondering if instead of the echoflow for the money if you wouldn’t be better off with components or an AIO. That could offset some panel cost and exceed the battery capacity depending on how much moula the echoflow wants to take from you. I’m just not sure it will support the AC at the level you desire.
Maybe I’m wrong but I don’t think so.

 

[nickeboy]

Hi @JoeNewbie and @rmaddy. Great trailers. I am looking at doing something similar. I just ordered my 2 DP pros and the power hub. I would like to place panels on on a trailer roof. Any advice on trailers? Do you have a build site to follow or maybe an IG to follow?
I am wanting the trailer to also be able to back up my house for power if the grid goes down.

 

[JoeNewbie]

I have ground deployed solar panels for that situation. It doesn't always work and depends a lot on how much PV cable you have. If you can't get the ground deployed panels into a sunny area, then all the PV extension cable in the world doesn't matter.

I do mostly boondocking with occasional stays at campgrounds with no hookups. The boondocking is a lot easier to get access to the sun than is a campground.

Thank you HRTKD. I used some deployable panels (borrowed from a friend). Honestly, they were kind of a pain in the rear. I really thought deploying panels would be the way to go...while camping in a more wooded area. Leaving these expensive items laying around "unattended" just didn't feel right. I thought about mounting some panels to the tow vehicle instead. This is still on the table, but having panels mounted on the trailer is a mount it and forget it scenario.

I just want to buy the right panels with voltage/amps for a decent price and mount 'em.

 

[JoeNewbie]

Im wondering if instead of the echoflow for the money if you wouldn’t be better off with components or an AIO. That could offset some panel cost and exceed the battery capacity depending on how much moula the echoflow wants to take from you. I’m just not sure it will support the AC at the level you desire.
Maybe I’m wrong but I don’t think so.

When you say AIO, are you referring to something like the Growatt 3000? I really really really pondered this option. This was the setup I was seriously considering.

I was very close to buying these components. The kicker (for me) was the placement of the growatt. It really was intended to be mounted to the wall. One could hide it away, but there's no physical "remote control" for monitoring. There's a phone app and wifi dongle, but the wifi dongle seems secondary and difficult to setup/use. And then, you are using a phone app to control it. Who really wants to depend on a phone app to turn off/on the inverter? The wifi needs to be working, the Growatt dongle needs to connect to wifi and then the app.......I'm going to pass. Plus, the standby consumption of the Growatt seems a bit excessive......but I'm basing this on the Goal Zero 1400 currently powering the trailer. The inverter only pulls 7w when turned on.

I bought a refurb Delta Pro from Ecoflow's Ebay site. $2800. This was $800 less than a new one. It has an inverter pushing 3600w 120v AC output. This would be MORE than plenty for anything I'm doing. Ecoflow actually has a $100 small remote screen that allows the Delta Pro to be placed as needed and controlled/monitored from a physical remote. Honestly, this was the deciding factor. Additionally, going with a full custom install and buying all the components inverter/charger, batteries, fuses, cabling, shunt and bus bars leaves room for expansion, but the level of complexity and "failure points" wasn't really how I wanted to proceed. It would fun to build a custom system, but I don't want to fry the trailer because of my newbie experience. By the time you buy all the parts, the cost was comparable. The Delta Pro (hopefully) takes all the "extra" out of the setup, and at the refurb cost on the Delta Pro, it was worth it (for me). I compare battery cost of the Delta Pro to Battle Born batteries. BB's are $1000-ish for a 100Ah battery. So, the expandable Delta Pro batteries are right in line with these numbers.

Open to thoughts. No offensive intended or taken.

 

[JoeNewbie]

Hi @JoeNewbie and @rmaddy. Great trailers. I am looking at doing something similar. I just ordered my 2 DP pros and the power hub. I would like to place panels on on a trailer roof. Any advice on trailers? Do you have a build site to follow or maybe an IG to follow?
I am wanting the trailer to also be able to back up my house for power if the grid goes down.

I personally pondered (for a long time) the trailer purchase. I looked and looked and looked. Used, new, steel frame, aluminum, craig's list, marketplace were all on the table. I live in the city, and maneuvering/parking on my property is tricky. I went for a new 7.5x16' all aluminum trailer ATC brand name. The 7.5' wide trailer actually allows the tow vehicle to see around the trailer in the side view mirrors. This is amazingly useful going down the highway. The small campers I pulled prior were total "blind spot" blockers. My friend has an Airstream Basecamp which is narrow as well. He also appreciates the view from his side mirror for safety reason. The trailer was purchased January 2021 ($10,000) when inventory and options were limited. The all aluminum trailer cost was 30% more than a steel, but the weight savings was worth it. PLUS the fit and finish far exceeded a regular steel frame trailer. I'm driving a mid-sized SUV which limits tow capacity. Daily driving a larger-towing-capable truck in the city, isn't a great experience. The aluminum trailer is 2500 pounds and the steel was 3500 pounds (roughly). It seemed like a no brainer to have a lighter weight better built trailer.....and NO RUST! I've never regretted the choice......my wallet hurts a little more, but it's all expensive. My build cost is still less than the-crap-build quality of traditional campers.

I don't have a build site. Honestly, I was bit apprehensive to show how/what I was doing. Mostly, because it's not an "instagram" trailer. Additionally, I'm doing the build "backwards". Everyone pulls the plywood and insulates first. Not knowing where and how everything fits together prior to insulating doesn't really help. The trailer cabinets/bed/"bathroom" could be completely cleared out in about an hour. Insulating is still on the agenda, and I'm close to that point. The build is for a 4 person family + large dog travel trailer.....plus and the ability to transport a motorcycle. I'm also shooting for a "no-power-needed" to occupy the trailer. What happens if you don't have power? Can you get water out of the facet? Can you lower the elevator bed? These were some of the considerations for the build. It's all really a hobby for me....like camping is. Something to occupy the brain. What's the simplest, easiest, most functional, most esthetically pleasing way to construct it? Brain loves it. I also "taught" myself to weld a couple months ago. This definitely opens up options for the build.

What size/kind of trailer are you thinking about?

 

[HRTKD]

Thank you HRTKD. I used some deployable panels (borrowed from a friend). Honestly, they were kind of a pain in the rear. I really thought deploying panels would be the way to go...while camping in a more wooded area. Leaving these expensive items laying around "unattended" just didn't feel right. I thought about mounting some panels to the tow vehicle instead. This is still on the table, but having panels mounted on the trailer is a mount it and forget it scenario.

I just want to buy the right panels with voltage/amps for a decent price and mount 'em.

Ground deployed panels are a bit of a PITA. Especially the size I have (320 watts). I have a great spot to store them that is out of the way, but getting them in/out is a lot easier with two people, but I can do it myself if I'm careful. It would be a lot easier with 200 watt panels.

 

[JoeNewbie]

The A/C is mounted inside on drawer slides. The front hatch you see in the picture can be opened and then the A/C slides into position when in use. Putting it in the front of the trailer was the only option I had to work with the rest of my interior layout. I didn't want the A/C to be permanently mounted outside on the front where it could easily be damaged while driving and I didn't want it hanging out there most of the year when not needed.

This was all done before I really knew much about mini split A/C units. If I were to do this over I would strive to find a good way to mount the mini split.

In my mind, a slide out "traditional window ac" kinda seems like a excellent option......as long as drains and has airflow. I'm curious, have you had issues? Or why would you prefer a mini-split system? Better cooling for similar power consumption?

Ground deployed panels are a bit of a PITA. Especially the size I have (320 watts). I have a great spot to store them that is out of the way, but getting them in/out is a lot easier with two people, but I can do it myself if I'm careful. It would be a lot easier with 200 watt panels.

It's just so much money.....just laying there.........out in the open.....You gave me an idea though...I have a Thule cargo carrier. It's decently wide......and an adhered flex panel on the carrier might be perfect! I know those aren't the best.....but totally doable.

 

[HRTKD]

It's just so much money.....just laying there.........out in the open.....You gave me an idea though...I have a Thule cargo carrier. It's decently wide......and an adhered flex panel on the carrier might be perfect! I know those aren't the best.....but totally doable.

I made an aluminum frame that sits on the ground. I drive four 12" lag screws through the frame into the ground to keep the panels from blowing/walking away. The panel is attached to the frame with hinges so I can easily change the tilt.

 

[jbird526]

In my mind, a slide out "traditional window ac" kinda seems like a excellent option......as long as drains and has airflow. I'm curious, have you had issues? Or why would you prefer a mini-split system? Better cooling for similar power consumption?

While mini-split is the most efficient have you thought about something like this unit? Pioneer 9000
I know it isn't the highest BTU but the packaging may work well.

Have been thinking about mini-split at the V on a trailer also. Do you have a narrow or deep V? Is there room enough for the outside unit to sit on the frame rails and not interfere with the tongue jack?

 

[JoeNewbie]

While mini-split is the most efficient have you thought about something like this unit? Pioneer 9000
I know it isn't the highest BTU but the packaging may work well.

Have been thinking about mini-split at the V on a trailer also. Do you have a narrow or deep V? Is there room enough for the outside unit to sit on the frame rails and not interfere with the tongue jack?

My trailer is flat front. It's a windsail driving down the road. The mini-split could easily fit on the tongue. It's a hugly thing. Don't you think? And any "stealth" a trailer provides is gone at that point. But yeah, the tongue is great location for a mini-split.

The link to the Pioneer 9000 is a very cool unit. So little! So quite! It looks with a couple of small cuts in the floor, it sets right in. Plug in the power and start pushing cold/hot air. Vent the ducts as needed. Holy smokes my friend. I wonder how well it works. Website says it pulls 995w for cooling. I wonder what the real world usage is.

 

[jbird526]

Not sure about the Pioneer 9000. It intrigues me but really wonder how well it works. I would much rather cut a hole in the floor than in the roof of well.... anything.

I do wonder about adding a V to the front of a flat trailer to not only add some wind break but also to hide a mini split and other equipment behind it. I have seen some flat fronts that have had a fiberglass or ABS "bulb" added to it. Only covers the top half but seems like it would help with wind resistance. Also think if you had a truck cap and possibly a small wing added to the cap, it would help deflect a good deal of wind over the trailer instead of hitting the front.

 

[rmaddy]

In my mind, a slide out "traditional window ac" kinda seems like a excellent option......as long as drains and has airflow. I'm curious, have you had issues?

The whole idea of the drawer slides is that the A/C slides to the outside of the trailer leaving just the front controls inside the trailer. The A/C hangs outside just like it would in a standard window installation. So far I've only used it in August and September last year but it's working great.

This is the video that inspired what I did though my install is in the V-nose and a bit different. The video quality is poor but it gives you a rough idea.

Or why would you prefer a mini-split system? Better cooling for similar power consumption?

Two things: 1) Mini splits are efficient 2) The noisy part stays outside and only the quiet vent/controls are mounted inside.

I guess one disadvantage is that the main part stays outside year round.

I have two 20lb propane tanks on the tongue of my trailer but the mini-split could be installed above the tanks.

 

[jbird526]

Been interested in opening one of these units to see what exactly is running from the inside to the outside. Just a compressor output and input copper line? If it could be split "easily" to make a wall hanging unit but with minimal hole cut in wall, would make a low cost mini-split to hang high on the front of the trailer. Maybe just a thought experiment. I've seen some guys break down a standard window unit and mount the condenser under a van. This seems like it may work better since it is almost 2 components already. Especially if the compressor is in the "outdoor" half as that generates heat.

Saddle Wall Unit