Mobile cart build

[timselectric]

Mount you an oversize custom built roomba underneath and you can vacuum the floor at the nursing home in no time.

Always good to plan for the future. lol

 

[42OhmsPA]

Well, I can get a conversion kit from 36v to 48 volt for a little over $2k so it's certainly not out of the question.

TXT48 Conversion

My cart is an older TXT that was refurbished and retrofitted with lift kit, fancy wheels, folding rear back seat/cargo carrier. It's in great shape other then the FLA batteries being dead as a doornail. This may have to go on my wish list. There should be a way to mount the little EG4 3kw inverter somewhere, like maybe where the rifle rack was going to go. Now if they only made those 4WD conversion kits anymore I'd be in good shape. A mini panel on the roof. Still need someplace for the rifle rack though ...

Now I want to buy a golf cart ?
I worked on a golf course in a past life, those 2wd carts can go some pretty incredible places in stock form... I'd just add some off road tires and a small lift.
Weld a winch on the diy front rammer / bumper that has a mount for the rifle rack on the windshield side...

Edit golf cart, but I'll take a gold one if anyone's giving one away.

 

[EastTexCowboy]

Weld a winch on the diy front rammer / bumper that has a mount for the rifle rack on the windshield side...

Perfect!

 

[OffGridForGood]

I am thinking more like the Action Track Chair, in Camo Green, Inverter mounted on the rear, rifle rack on the front-right side, extra batteries for sure...one 250W panel as a sun roof...
Edit:
And weld a winch on the front, heck weld one on the back too, since no one ever reversed into a spot they shouldn't be in...

 

[JoeHam]

I would be very surprised if an Anderson SB-50 won’t be sufficient for solar panel connections. Mounting options available as well. SB-175 is overkill in the extreme.

I’ve even used 30 or 45 amp (much smaller) for lower Amperage panel connections not exposed to weather and used intermittently.

Of course, all of the Anderson stuff is DC rated, not sure about the NEMA plug you mentioned.

 

[EastTexCowboy]

I would be very surprised if an Anderson SB-50 won’t be sufficient for solar panel connections. Mounting options available as well. SB-175 is overkill in the extreme.

I’ve even used 30 or 45 amp (much smaller) for lower Amperage panel connections not exposed to weather and used intermittently.

Of course, all of the Anderson stuff is DC rated, not sure about the NEMA plug you mentioned.

I was wondering the same thing about the NEMA plug. I think the Anderson was a good suggestion. I'll look at the ratings. I'd rather overkill a little than the alternative, but no need to waste money.

 

[OffGridForGood]

I would be very surprised if an Anderson SB-50 won’t be sufficient for solar panel connections. Mounting options available as well. SB-175 is overkill in the extreme.

I’ve even used 30 or 45 amp (much smaller) for lower Amperage panel connections not exposed to weather and used intermittently.

Of course, all of the Anderson stuff is DC rated, not sure about the NEMA plug you mentioned.

Actually the original comment about the Anderson 175A - I meant for the DC connection of the batteries to a mobile inverter, so it can be moved in component parts, but quickly reassembled. Most of the inverters will need at least 150A, - I used 175A because I had them.
For the PV, you are correct that typical amperage on a few panels will be well below 50A, and an Anderson 50A would work here, and is rated for DC. But an Anderson connector is only 2 conductors, if you would like to have a ground to the panel frames, then you need something with 3 conductors. And if it is mobile, likely a floating ground, since few people are going to take the time to drive in a ground rod, it may depen on the applicantion, OP was talking about a back up system for family member's home, so there may be ground connection in that set up.
Can a NEMA connector be used for DC? - seems to me that a few PV panels would mean low amperage and the NEMA plugs all seem more robust than an MC-4 carrying the same current.

 

[timselectric]

Anderson also has multiple pole connectors called power poles. Might be worth looking at.
But any connection will do, as long as it is NEVER disconnected under load.

 

[OffGridForGood]

Sure, if you want.
Mine might be built on a re-purposed mobility chair.

OR
built onto a re-purposed 3500 duallly converted to EV...200kWh battery pack, connects to the house for bi-directional power sharing/charging...PV fold out trailer for worksites with another 200kWh of ESS as wind-ballast and power storage ... oh the possibilities.

 

[OffGridForGood]

Anderson also has multiple pole connectors called power poles. Might be worth looking at.
But any connection will do, as long as it is NEVER disconnected under load.

I never saw these before, Anderson three conductor connectors!
Always something to learn on this forum!

 

[timselectric]

OR
built onto a re-purposed 3500 duallly converted to EV...200kWh battery pack, connects to the house for bi-directional power sharing/charging...PV fold out trailer for worksites with another 200kWh of ESS as wind-ballast and power storage ... oh the possibilities.

That's a different project, on my list.
But of course, you already know that. lol

 

[Leeds]

On the extension cord topic-

Why not use a retractable cord? If you cut the ends off and install a male where the female is and vise versa you end up with a retractable cord that reached out towards house power instead of the other way around

 

[OffGridForGood]

That's a different project, on my list.
But of course, you already know that. lol

YUP!
I have similar "ideas", just the time and costs of the thing, -it will have to wait...

 

[EastTexCowboy]

That's a different project, on my list.
But of course, you already know that. lol

Two of them on your list, if you count the one you're going to do for me ...

 

[EastTexCowboy]

Actually the original comment about the Anderson 175A - I meant for the DC connection of the batteries to a mobile inverter, so it can be moved in component parts, but quickly reassembled. Most of the inverters will need at least 150A, - I used 175A because I had them.
For the PV, you are correct that typical amperage on a few panels will be well below 50A, and an Anderson 50A would work here, and is rated for DC. But an Anderson connector is only 2 conductors, if you would like to have a ground to the panel frames, then you need something with 3 conductors. And if it is mobile, likely a floating ground, since few people are going to take the time to drive in a ground rod, it may depen on the applicantion, OP was talking about a back up system for family member's home, so there may be ground connection in that set up.
Can a NEMA connector be used for DC? - seems to me that a few PV panels would mean low amperage and the NEMA plugs all seem more robust than an MC-4 carrying the same current.

That's a good point. I was also thinking for the PV but it's certainly an option for the battery. I'm going to have to think about when that would make sense for them. I suspect they're going to want as simple as possible. The one thing that comes to mind is it might make it easier to load in the truck if they could pop the battery out. Not so much working out on the farm, because they have cordless tools aplenty, but something like taking it to my granddaughter's house to charge up her fridges. I'm going to have to get a little farther into this. Depending on how I attach the battery it could be easily added later.

 

[df00z]

I am using Renogy flexible panels. I don't want the liability of framed panels blowing off on the road, or seals ripping in the roof of a trailer. Plus they are light. A bit expensive but fine for like a kW or two.

 

[EastTexCowboy]

I am using Renogy flexible panels. I don't want the liability of framed panels blowing off on the road, or seals ripping in the roof of a trailer. Plus they are light. A bit expensive but fine for like a kW or two.

For this application they're rarely going to be used. I just can't see spending that much money for them. I'm thinking a few used 250w panels would be fine for the occasional use these are going to see.

 

[1201]

@EastTexCowboy what loads do they want to power during a power outage?

 

[timselectric]

TV, beer cooler, and mood lighting.

 

[EastTexCowboy]

@EastTexCowboy what loads do they hold to power during a power outage?

Probably two fridges and an upright freezer. They should be able to get more than a day out of the battery with no assistance. Then they have to decide if they want to drag out panels and hook them up or charge it with their portable gen. Personally I'd do the solar panels but they may feel otherwise. I need to talk with them about it. I do know they got very excited about the prospect of me building this for them. I did make sure they understood it was a small unit and had limitations. But you know how that is. They're going to have to drive it a time or two to see what works best for them. They're probably going to build or buy a new house within the next year or two so putting a real solar system on the existing one is out.

 

[EastTexCowboy]

TV, beer cooler, and mood lighting.

You're closer to the truth than you might think!

 

[1201]

Probably two fridges and an upright freezer. They should be able to get more than a day out of the battery with no assistance. Then they have to decide if they want to drag out panels and hook them up or charge it with their portable gen. Personally I'd do the solar panels but they may feel otherwise. I need to talk with them about it. I do know they got very excited about the prospect of me building this for them. I did make sure they understood it was a small unit and had limitations. But you know how that is. They're going to have to drive it a time or two to see what works best for them. They're probably going to build or buy a new house within the next year or two so putting a real solar system on the existing one is out.

Ok. What's the advantage of the mobile cart. ie why not just mount it on the garage wall or something?

 

[EastTexCowboy]

Ok. What's the advantage of the mobile cart. ie why not just mount it on the garage wall or something?

They're going to want it portable so they can do things like loan it to my granddaughter and her family if they have an outage, take it out on the farm if they need something beyond cordless tools, stuff like that. Plus there's the cool factor. Don't want to underestimate that. The cart's a tiny part of the cost anyway.

 

[1201]

They're going to want it portable so they can do things like loan it to my granddaughter and her family if they have an outage, take it out on the farm if they need something beyond cordless tools, stuff like that. Plus there's the cool factor. Don't want to underestimate that. The cart's a tiny part of the cost anyway.

Loan it to your granddaughter? What the heck? Why aren't you building her her own setup?

 

[EastTexCowboy]

Loan it to your granddaughter? What the heck? Why aren't you building her her own setup?

Fortunately for me, neither of them are even remotely aware of this forum. But now that you mention it, as soon as she sees it that may become a reality. Kids and grandkids and great grandkids are sure expensive.