diy solar

diy solar

Full-time mobile living, wintertime, LiFePO4

The two tanks are outside unheated on the tongue of the trailer.

At what temps should I expect to start seeing issues?
Depending on demand partly, propane stays liquid in the -30s.
Stuff runs on propane 'gas'.
Easy hack when stuff won't stay lit? Pour boiling water over tank, get temps up.
Or stick em indoors to warm up.
 
Liquid to gas = pressure.
Insulate tanks, put em in a box...
I'm offerring most simple survival ideas.
You're rolling offgrid, limited resources.
Most here have houses n bench test equipment...etc.
You don't.
Simple solutions are best.
 
The two tanks are outside unheated on the tongue of the trailer.

At what temps should I expect to start seeing issues?
My experience is that a 20 lb tank starts to decrease output noticeably in the teens and once you are in the single digits the furnace really struggles to produce anything more than lukewarm air. Full larger tanks do much better. A lp furnace running continuously really chews up batteries if you are off grid.
 
My experience is that a 20 lb tank starts to decrease output noticeably in the teens and once you are in the single digits the furnace really struggles to produce anything more than lukewarm air. Full larger tanks do much better. A lp furnace running continuously really chews up batteries if you are off grid.
I've had a few mornings that were about 6ºF and everything was working just fine. I have a pretty small space (100ft²) and a small furnace but lots of battery and solar. So far my battery and solar has handled it with barely a dent each day. And I'm spending the rest of the winter parked where I'll get plenty of sun most days for the solar. I should also have very few mornings below 0ºF (I hope).
 
I've had a few mornings that were about 6ºF and everything was working just fine. I have a pretty small space (100ft²) and a small furnace but lots of battery and solar. So far my battery and solar has handled it with barely a dent each day. And I'm spending the rest of the winter parked where I'll get plenty of sun most days for the solar. I should also have very few mornings below 0ºF (I hope).
I would get what insulation I could under the floor or at least under the batteries. My goal for a similar trailer is to stick 2" rigid foam under the floor, outside. Still don't know how to make it stay in place though.

Diesel as an alternative could work. Don't let your fuel get too cold though.

If you get too much solar, maybe your water tank could be heated. There's a little heat reservoir for ya.

High temp today, a few hundred miles North of you = 14 ?
 
I've had a few mornings that were about 6ºF and everything was working just fine. I have a pretty small space (100ft²) and a small furnace but lots of battery and solar. So far my battery and solar has handled it with barely a dent each day. And I'm spending the rest of the winter parked where I'll get plenty of sun most days for the solar. I should also have very few mornings below 0ºF (I hope).
You probably have a smaller btu furnace. That won’t cool off the tanks as quickly. Also if the tanks warm up during the day it makes a huge difference. We were staying in a 38’ travel trailer with a 38000 but furnace.
 
The coldest outside temperature I've had to deal with was about 6ºF. I've burned through 50% of a 20lb propane tank in the last 12 days. It barely got above freezing a majority of those days.
Seems well insulated and efficient. My 26' RV trailer would burn 10 pounds per day in those conditions.
 
You probably have a smaller btu furnace. That won’t cool off the tanks as quickly. Also if the tanks warm up during the day it makes a huge difference. We were staying in a 38’ travel trailer with a 38000 but furnace.
My furnace is only 6500 BTU. That's one advantage of a 14' trailer. Small furnace, small A/C.
 
My build has 3" of industrial tank spray foam underneath.
That + the mini wood stove is more than enough.
Diesel heater as a backup when I'm away, to keep it warm.
Diesel tank inside as well.
EVERYTHING is inside.
 
I have the Dwarf 4kw. Of course TinyStove is kind of local to me.
Good small company that began by seeking wood burning solutions for RVs.

 
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