Hi all,
I'm preparing the solar power set up for my tow vehicle and camper trailer for a trip around Australia. We will be gone for a year, maybe more. Here are the requirements I've come up with:
* these are rough over-estimates
** I'd like to have 3 days capacity in case of inclement weather
*** there will be times when the car and van are detached e.g. unhitching the trailer to drive to a more remote location and camp in a tent for a few days. Or leaving the trailer at a campsite and driving somewhere else for the day.
**** the list is missing a few things like a 12v kettle, batteries for tools (occasional) etc.
Questions:
1. Are my calculations realistic? I'll be working and studying while on the road, while my girlfriend will be working part-time.
2. How should I spread the batteries? 200ah in the car, 100ah in the trailer?
3. I think I need to build two fully independent systems, but is there a more efficient way to do this rather than building two of everything? The trailer has much more roof for solar, while the car has an alternator. So while camping for a few days the lack of solar for the car's second battery is OK as it has a much larger capacity and is charged relatively quickly with the alternator, while the trailer has ample solar power for the smaller battery? Can i put say, 600W solar on the roof and charge both batteries while stationary, while the alternator charges the two batteries in the car and the (excessive) solar on the trailer charges that battery rather quickly?
4. OR should I just bite the bullet and have two DC-DC MPPT chargers, two 200ah banks, two 400W sets of solar panels (a combination of foldable and roof-mounted panels for the car due to space). I'll likely need to upgrade the alternator to a higher output unit. Yes, saving 12kg by having a 100ah battery is important, but having my electrical needs covered is more important.
Hope this post reads clearly, even though I'm confused!
Thank you.
I'm preparing the solar power set up for my tow vehicle and camper trailer for a trip around Australia. We will be gone for a year, maybe more. Here are the requirements I've come up with:
Power usage | ||||
Car | ||||
Amp/hr | Run time | Use in 24hr | ||
Fridge | 2 | 24 | 48 | |
Van | ||||
Laptop J | 1 | 12 | 12 | ~5amp battery |
Laptop A | 1 | 5 | 5 | |
CPAP | 1 | 8 | 8 | 7w=airsense10 hum off, temp off. Airmini=6.3W, hum on |
Lighting - bulb | 0.3 | 5 | 3 | ea |
Lighting - strip | 1 | 5 | 1 | ea |
Pumps | 2 | |||
Fridge | 0 | run on gas | ||
Phones | 4 | |||
33 | ||||
Total | 83 |
* these are rough over-estimates
** I'd like to have 3 days capacity in case of inclement weather
*** there will be times when the car and van are detached e.g. unhitching the trailer to drive to a more remote location and camp in a tent for a few days. Or leaving the trailer at a campsite and driving somewhere else for the day.
**** the list is missing a few things like a 12v kettle, batteries for tools (occasional) etc.
Questions:
1. Are my calculations realistic? I'll be working and studying while on the road, while my girlfriend will be working part-time.
2. How should I spread the batteries? 200ah in the car, 100ah in the trailer?
3. I think I need to build two fully independent systems, but is there a more efficient way to do this rather than building two of everything? The trailer has much more roof for solar, while the car has an alternator. So while camping for a few days the lack of solar for the car's second battery is OK as it has a much larger capacity and is charged relatively quickly with the alternator, while the trailer has ample solar power for the smaller battery? Can i put say, 600W solar on the roof and charge both batteries while stationary, while the alternator charges the two batteries in the car and the (excessive) solar on the trailer charges that battery rather quickly?
4. OR should I just bite the bullet and have two DC-DC MPPT chargers, two 200ah banks, two 400W sets of solar panels (a combination of foldable and roof-mounted panels for the car due to space). I'll likely need to upgrade the alternator to a higher output unit. Yes, saving 12kg by having a 100ah battery is important, but having my electrical needs covered is more important.
Hope this post reads clearly, even though I'm confused!
Thank you.