MOBILE SOLAR GENENATOR BUILD - THOUGHTS PLEASE

[Ralo]

I want to build a mobile solar genenator on a trailer similar to this or this. I hope to use 6 300w+ solar panels, use 2 tesla 5.3kw or 4 BYD 4kw batteries, and a MPP Solar LV 5048 All in One. If the MPP 5048 is insuffienct, please let me know why and suggest an option. I'm trying to keep the cost down.

I would like to use it 24/7, with max load being a 9200BTU AC. If this setup will support 2-3 times that load, I feel it will be sufficient. I also have a 3kw gen so I have backup.

Thoughts please! Thanks!

 

[nosys70]

you have to make your calculation, because here you speak only about power input, but you do not tell how much you need and how long.
with only 1800w of PV, you are already short since PV will not deliver enough power to charge the battery and to operate the load.
so it means you will need an additional source of power and if you mean the battery, it means at the end of the day you will get discharged battery.
usually you have to count the instant power needed first (in Amps). This is the most difficult, because you need to find the number.
a motor is asking a lot more than the Amps written on the sticker.
when you know the number, you can decide if this is a baseline (and you will size everything on that number), or if is an exception (most of the time it is) and let the batteries absorb the shock.
so with 1800w you can say that under 48 volts, it is 37 amps.
then you have to look at the charge rate. Most chargers are about 30-50 Amps, so it should be ok.
but with good sun , 8 hours a day, you will get 8x37= about 300Amps. so you should not build a bigger battery, because you will be unable to charge it.
also 300amps on 48v= 14KW.
now you have to make your calculation an see how many watts you will spend during 24 hours.
here the answer is pretty simple, because since you got only 1800w of PV, you get only 8x1800W=14KW
it means that if you are lucky and have a good sunny day, you can charge the battery, and empty it on the night.
but there is not power left to run a load in day time.
do not forget we made calculation on 8 hours, based on sun availabilty.
but a day is 24 hours, so there is 16 hours you have to fill. Especially if you sleep with AC on.
so 14KW/16 = is only 800w per hour.
So your backup gen will probably need to run also several hours a day if you are off grid.
but for the eventual current spike, you cannot go wrong with a 300a battery and a 5KW converter.

 

[Ralo]

Thanks for your reply. The matching of panels, batteries, chargers, etc. is kind of complicated. I need to learn a little more then try again. Thanks!

 

[Craig]

Fun project looks like the 5048 can process over 7kw per hour to charge batteries so that should not be a problem. if you had TEN 300 watt panels you could get 15kw in a 5 hour day so then its just a matter of figuring out how much power you wish to store. Although your AC could cost you 24kw per day so if you had 8 hours of sunlight per day you might make enough energy to power the AC 25/7 15 panels would be better thing is how do you point that many at the sun at any one time.

 

[Ralo]

Fun project looks like the 5048 can process over 7kw per hour to charge batteries so that should not be a problem. if you had TEN 300 watt panels you could get 15kw in a 5 hour day so then its just a matter of figuring out how much power you wish to store. Although your AC could cost you 24kw per day so if you had 8 hours of sunlight per day you might make enough energy to power the AC 25/7 15 panels would be better thing is how do you point that many at the sun at any one time.

Since the AC I want to run is in my RV, and since I needed new batteries anyway, I've decided to try running my AC off of 2 - 280ah batteries. That's equal to five 100ah Battle Born batteries, and I know a guy that ran his AC at night cycling 50% of the time for 5 hours on 4 BB batteries. And he has a 15K BTU AC. Mine is only 9200 BTU.

So since I needed more house battery capacity in my RV anyway, I'm going to give it a try. The 280ah batteries were only $550 apiece shipped, so it's worth a shot. The weak link might be my battery charger which is a Progressive Dynamics PD9245CV which is only 45 AMPS, so I'm not sure if it will be able to recharge the batteries by the following evening. I'm really going to be giving my generator a workout, but even if I have to rebuild it, it will be cheaper than building the solar generator. We will see how it goes.

BTW, the generator is a Predator 3500 Inverter generator which I've converted to fit into my RV. It's has been very reliable so far and I have nearly 1000 hours on it in 2 years. But I'll probably triple that this year.

 

[Craig]

I would get a cheap SCC like a makeskyblue and a couple of panels to augment the converter/charger. you could get that done for about 400 bucks.

 

[Ralo]

I would get a cheap SCC like a makeskyblue and a couple of panels to augment the converter/charger. you could get that done for about 400 bucks.

Good idea. I was thinking about adding solar panels anyway. But I try to avoid parking in the sun, so I don't know how much good it will do.

 

[Freddmc]

Solar Install: Part 4 - Finishing Up

Finally, we are at the end of our solar install. We had just a few last pieces to put it all together and see our designs come to fruition. First up was mounting the upper panels into the racks. Luckily that was fairly simple since the racks were already up.

www.beginningfromthismorning.com

You might want to look at this guys solar installation. He has a 35' motorhome(bus) with enough solar to run the airconditioners directly off the solar panels.
Lots of good pictures and video.

 

[Venezuela Solar]

I want to build a mobile solar genenator on a trailer similar to this or this. I hope to use 6 300w+ solar panels, use 2 tesla 5.3kw or 4 BYD 4kw batteries, and a MPP Solar LV 5048 All in One. If the MPP 5048 is insuffienct, please let me know why and suggest an option. I'm trying to keep the cost down.

I would like to use it 24/7, with max load being a 9200BTU AC. If this setup will support 2-3 times that load, I feel it will be sufficient. I also have a 3kw gen so I have backup.

Thoughts please! Thanks!

Maybe you should start with an AC meter, like this

AC Current Voltage Amperage Power Energy Panel Meter LCD Digital Display Ammeter Voltmeter Multimeter with Split Core Current Transformer CT AC 80-260V 100A (AC 100A Meter(Split Core Transformer))

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07JB9B2QL/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_ntJjEb4ES17KA

Its very likely that you use only 120v on the trailer right? You would have to unplug the trailer from the grid o whatever source you are using, the clamp goes to the live wire on the main panel and the other two to in parallel to L and N to power it, then you could wait a couple of days, i would recomment at least a week to have enought data of power consumption and an idea of how many Kwh you need, if you use split phase in the trailer you would have to buy 2 of this or do two tests, one for each live wire, but i think it would not be precise, using those numbers you can calculate everything else

 

[ghostwriter66]

We have a client that builds solar trailers like the first one -- BUT the smart thing he does is has a row on each side of the panels that folds down -- thus literally doubling the panels

 

[Ralo]

We have a client that builds solar trailers like the first one -- BUT the smart thing he does is has a row on each side of the panels that folds down -- thus literally doubling the panels

Does he sell them to the public? Do you have a link? Thanks!

 

[Ralo]

Wow, looks like I may be able to purchase a mobile solar generator cheaper than I can build one...maybe. Their is a big auction taking place online for a company that went bankrupt call DC Solar. They are auctioning off more than a 100 solar generator trailers. The only is they are in Las Vegas and I'm in Atlanta. But I can hire a shipper. I'm tempted to bid on one.

Seems this isn't the first auction associated with this bankruptcy. In a previous auction there were over 700 trailers sold, but not all were solar generators.

If I get one, hopefully I can sell it after a few years and get my money back.

DC Solar 6 - 100+ Mobile Solar Generators