diy solar

diy solar

YES: RV Solar/ Li/ and AC running full time

I think I’d need two of those units for my 35’ RV. I don’t see the wall space for them without taking the kitchen cabinets down or placing them on a slide out, which because of piping I don’t think would work. You got me thinking about it though.
F.Y.I.
they make ceiling mount blower units as well.
 
Was it one of the tires on your front axle that blew? In your picture back a page, they look loaded more than your rears
 
Double check the load rating of your tires AND the speed rating. Some trailer tires have relatively low speed ratings. The trailer shop can answer those questions for you, too.
 
Input incoming

I have probably 50 hours of research into these units and project manage in the building trades so I have seen many of these units go in and work with the techs that install them.

First problem with all of the units you have brought up is that they all run on 230 volt a new inverter is the first thing you have to ADD to your system. I say add because you will probably still want your 115 volt to supply your outlets and a microwave?

The recessed ceiling mount you have shown needs a 22-12" hole in your roof and then a water tight cover to protect it. They are not made to be exposed to any kind of elements.

I wish in all my dreams that that suspended unit was as small as they make it look in the pictures. It is over 50" long ad 26" deep, and 10" tall. Just no way anywhere in my rig

The other described wall/floor mount units are all 230V also and all quite large.

Your last unit listed, the exterior unit is HUGE

Another thing to keep in mind is that higher BTU units don't always idle down to as low of BTU as the smaller units and that 38 SEER may not be as efficient as the 22 SEER that slows down to 3500BTU once a temp is achieved

Another thing your may find is a lack of reception if you wonder into an HVAC shop to ask questions.

Basic answer is "they are not for mobile use"

That is not going to stop me though. I have my eye on the 115 V Pioneer 9K Inverter++21.5 SEER model. Won't happen until this winter when we have no trips planned, and of course don't need AC then
Richard, If you live in the Phoenix east valley I can point you at some resources. I recently copied the "Thomas & Stacy" 12K Mini=split & 1640 watt Solar install on my 2008 Arctic Fox 30U TT. I ate the elephant in 3 bites 1) My unit had no rear bumper, so I had bumper of sorts fabricated which hangs from the frame rails and handles the condenser easily. VERY Stout. 2) My handyman installed the air handler/evaporator on the rear cabinets above the big picture window and ran the refrigerant lines out through the floor on passenger side and terminated it at the condenser in a coil. The drain line goes out the driver side and down through the floor. it is important for you to be level or slightly biased towards the driver side for drainage. 3) My regular AC contractor who does all my residential stuff was sketchy about this job as were several others I talked to. I wanted a pro for the hookup and when he finally got around to it he found he had the easiest part of the deal.

The unit initially worked great in 105+ degrees, but there is a leak that needs to be found and its probably the connection behind the unit in the cabinet which was very challenging to work in. It will be fixed soon.Condenser.JPGEvaporater_Air Handler.JPG
 
Very nice setup !....is there a reason for not cutting down the length of line set instead of leaving it in a coil ?
 
there is a leak that needs to be found and its probably the connection behind the unit in the cabinet which was very challenging to work in.
Is this a freon leak or a water leak?

The setup looks very good.
 
Very nice install, @mstud21 .

@richard cabesa it was a tire when the trailer had only a single axle. I think what happened is that I pulled up beside a curb and promptly abraded the tire wall. Within two miles of that stop the tire blew. I think I'm making every mistake possible as I learn this stuff.

Update on my build.

The mini-split is now (mostly) installed. I had two jobs for Adam's Mobile Air (near Dallas, TX): to install the a/c unit and to diagnose the issue I was having with my Webasto heater. They corrected the installation of the Webasto and it's been working perfectly the past few nights. He couldn't adjust it for altitude so that's something for the future.

The 12kW unit evaporator unit is a full 10" wider than the 9kW unit and thus I had to sacrifice my cabinet just like @Generis did in his build. Bummer but couldn't be helped since I'm short on time (the 9kW unit would have fit right above the door).

BVka



We also added support to the shelf to take some load off the welds at the bumper. I find out tomorrow if I've screwed myself with tight left turns because of the generator box on my trailer tongue.

aiH1


I also paid a visit to Signature Solar (Friday). They are experiencing an explosion in business. Good for them.

The good news is that they think I'll have my battery "soon" (before Christmas). The bad news is that their Growatt equipment may not work for me. I have two places I can put the equipment, under the bed and in the outside compartment. I want to keep it under the bed where it will stay warmer (even though I've already bought a warming pad I can turn on when visiting colder locations to do some skiing).

However, the Growatt does not have a remote control or control software on the phone (just monitoring); it's not practical to keep lifting the mattress just to make adjustments or turn it on and off. My current Giandel has a handy remote that's mounted in a convenient location.

So I'm looking at different equipment. The nice thing about the Growatt was it saved some space by being a combined inverter and MPPT charge controller. But it wasn't a hybrid inverter.

Updated list of requirements:

Inverter/Charge controller
• 120V/240V inverter with more than 4kW output to run the microwave and a/c unit
• MPPT charge controller
• at least a basic remote for on/off
• pull from solar and the battery simultaneously (in case a cloud covers the panels i.e. hybrid)
• charge battery when there is extra juice

Converter/charger:
• 120V to 48V (already spec'd)

Transformer:
• 48V to 12V (already spec'd)

Solar:
• 4 440W panels (Signature Solar has some bifacials in stock)
• single axis actuators to lift panels (already spec'd)

Battery:
• 48V LiPo (should arrive soon)

Here are the contenders so far:

SigmaMax Hybrid Solar Power Inverter (6000W, 18000W Peak) with 80A MPPT Charger Controller & LCD Display – Multi Functional Pure Sine Wave Hybrid Inverter for Home & Commercial Use - Split Phase 240VAC 48VDC ($1399)
• from what I can see, the output is just 240V so I would need a transformer to get 120V
• the input also is 240V; don't really want two transformers for when I'm plugged into shore power/a generator

Sigineer Power 6000W Solar Inverter,Built-in 80A MPPT Solar Charge Controller,48Vdc and 240Vac Input to 120V 240V AC Split Phase Pure Sine Wave Output,for 48 Volt Off-Grid Solar System ($1699)
• seems to have almost everything I want and has an optional remote control
• 6,000 watts
• 48V DC
• Output is 120V/240V AC split phase pure sine wave inverter
• Input is 240V so I would need the transformer, above
• 80A MPPT solar charge controller
• 60A AC to DC battery charger and automatic transfer switch
• remote monitoring and control by WI-FI/GPRS (included)
• AC/Battery/PV priority selector, 4 charging modes, 3 output power priorities

The con is:
• idle consumption is 80 watts; at least the Power Saver Mode is just 20 watts

As hybrids, both units work like this and the priority can be set:

64bddc6b-1859-48bd-b6e1-c18b90a17ceb.__CR0,102,499,499_PT0_SX300_V1___.jpg


It appears the Sigineer is closest to what I need.
 
Last edited:
Great thread. I’m in. Though after 6 pages I skipped to the end. Need to go back and read it all.

I’ll be putting one of these on my cabin in central Texas. I need one cool room. Hope the extra space makes this easier but the basics look the same.
 
Very nice install, @mstud21 .

@richard cabesa it was a tire when the trailer had only a single axle. I think what happened is that I pulled up beside a curb and promptly abraded the tire wall. Within two miles of that stop the tire blew. I think I'm making every mistake possible as I learn this stuff.

Update on my build.

The mini-split is now (mostly) installed. I had two jobs for Adam's Mobile Air (near Dallas, TX): to install the a/c unit and to diagnose the issue I was having with my Webasto heater. They corrected the installation of the Webasto and it's been working perfectly the past few nights. He couldn't adjust it for altitude so that's something for the future.

The 12kW unit evaporator unit is a full 10" wider than the 9kW unit and thus I had to sacrifice my cabinet just like @Generis did in his build. Bummer but couldn't be helped since I'm short on time (the 9kW unit would have fit right above the door).

BVka



We also added support to the shelf to take some load off the welds at the bumper. I find out tomorrow if I've screwed myself with tight left turns because of the generator box on my trailer tongue.

aiH1


I also paid a visit to Signature Solar (Friday). They are experiencing an explosion in business. Good for them.

The good news is that they think I'll have my battery "soon" (before Christmas). The bad news is that their Growatt equipment may not work for me. I have two places I can put the equipment, under the bed and in the outside compartment. I want to keep it under the bed where it will stay warmer (even though I've already bought a warming pad I can turn on when visiting colder locations to do some skiing).

Don't limit yourself to just one supplier, there are other units out there.

However, the Growatt does not have a remote control or control software on the phone (just monitoring); it's not practical to keep lifting the mattress just to make adjustments or turn it on and off. My current Giandel has a handy remote that's mounted in a convenient location.

I have a remote switch mounted inside my TC to turn the GW on/off. Took 2 wires and a toggle switch.

I own a Giandel too, same concept.

So I'm looking at different equipment. The nice thing about the Growatt was it saved some space by being a combined inverter and MPPT charge controller. But it wasn't a hybrid inverter.

GW does have 48V hybrid inverters, probably the problem is SS doesn't sell them.

Updated list of requirements:

Inverter/Charge controller
• 120V/240V inverter with more than 4kW output to run the microwave and a/c unit
• MPPT charge controller
• at least a basic remote for on/off
• pull from solar and the battery simultaneously (in case a cloud covers the panels i.e. hybrid)
• charge battery when there is extra juice

Converter/charger:
• 120V to 48V (already spec'd)

Transformer:
• 48V to 12V (already spec'd)

Solar:
• 4 440W panels (Signature Solar has some bifacials in stock)
• single axis actuators to lift panels (already spec'd)

Battery:
• 48V LiPo (should arrive soon)

Here are the contenders so far:

SigmaMax Hybrid Solar Power Inverter (6000W, 18000W Peak) with 80A MPPT Charger Controller & LCD Display – Multi Functional Pure Sine Wave Hybrid Inverter for Home & Commercial Use - Split Phase 240VAC 48VDC ($1399)
• from what I can see, the output is just 240V so I would need a transformer to get 120V
• the input also is 240V; don't really want two transformers for when I'm plugged into shore power/a generator

Sigineer Power 6000W Solar Inverter,Built-in 80A MPPT Solar Charge Controller,48Vdc and 240Vac Input to 120V 240V AC Split Phase Pure Sine Wave Output,for 48 Volt Off-Grid Solar System ($1699)
• seems to have almost everything I want and has an optional remote control
• 6,000 watts
• 48V DC
• Output is 120V/240V AC split phase pure sine wave inverter
• Input is 240V so I would need the transformer, above
• 80A MPPT solar charge controller
• 60A AC to DC battery charger and automatic transfer switch
• remote monitoring and control by WI-FI/GPRS (included)
• AC/Battery/PV priority selector, 4 charging modes, 3 output power priorities

The con is:
• idle consumption is 80 watts; at least the Power Saver Mode is just 20 watts

As hybrids, both units work like this and the priority can be set:

64bddc6b-1859-48bd-b6e1-c18b90a17ceb.__CR0,102,499,499_PT0_SX300_V1___.jpg


It appears the Sigineer is closest to what I need.
I do have a question on how you will handle shore power as a 50a service is just two 120V seperate circuits and not 240V split phase.
 
@Zwy

"Don't limit yourself to just one supplier, there are other units out there."

Oh, I'm looking. My Google doc has over a dozen brands listed that I've examined. And I found this comparison chart. So far the Sigineer is still the best choice.

I had thought of making my own switch but other controls/displays provide more than just power control. I may end up making my own in the end. We'll see.

"I do have a question on how you will handle shore power as a 50a service is just two 120V separate circuits and not 240V split phase."

I was thinking of using a transformer. The ac unit uses 6.5 A at 240V so a step up transformer brings that to 13A x 1.15 (for transformer losses) = 14.95 A. Should be fine even for 30A service. Might need a soft-start...but maybe not.
 
Last edited:
$2700 for what I want, about $1K more than the Sigineer:

Now, maybe there is extra quality and it's worth it. I don't know.
 
How about Victron?
$3.1k and seems their 230V version is for Europe only.

"Note: *** This Product Is 230 VAC Output, European Voltage, Not For Use In The U.S.A ***"

 
Sorry. I didn’t see Sigineer on the chart you linked and though it was a typo. My bad
 
$3.1k and seems their 230V version is for Europe only.

"Note: *** This Product Is 230 VAC Output, European Voltage, Not For Use In The U.S.A ***"

Ah, you want a 240v inverter. I missed that. But, why? Is your mini-split 240v?

Anyway, you can program a Euro-spec Victron to run at 60Hz and 230v. Then use an auto-transformer. Or, get the Multi II 2x-120 and use an auto-transformer. But yes, Victron gear is more expensive. For it, you get a lot of integration, reporting, and remote access if that matters. And, in my opinion, reliability.

P.S. Dang, I just went and re-read your requirements. You want to run 48v and specify greater than 4kW. I can run my 120v, 12k BTU mini-split and microwave just fine from my 3000VA (2400W) MultiPlus 3k. The MultiPlus 48/5000/70 would do it, but you'd need an autotransformer and more $$.

So, sorry, I don't have anything constructive to add! Move along, nothing to see here. :whistle:
 
@K8MEJ yes, I've learned that to get the higher efficiencies (say, above 25 SEER) one needs to go to 240V and I installed the 12K BTU GREE (private labeled as Innovair). SEER is 30.5.

1638749623995.png


Re: the Victron units, do you know why they say their units are "Not For Use In The U.S.A." if it's so easy to change their settings?

Also, if I understand things correctly, since it outputs only 240V and takes only 240V in, I would need a transformer on both sides.

Because the Sigineer provides both 120V and 240V out and requires 240V in, I need to buy just one transformer on the input side to connect to shore power/the generator. (And it's easily $1400 less than the Victron.)

The MultiPlus-II is also just an inverter/charger; the Sigineer includes an MPPT charge controller (which I currently don't own).

I'm not familiar with auto-transformers. I was just going to buy a conventional transformer. I see from this description that an auto-transformer is more efficient and possibly less expensive, too:

I'll look for one of those.
 
Last edited:
Here my take and working system for Solar and A/C.

I have not replaced the Roof mounted A/C unit yet. Since during the seasons when I use the RV - I don't use it that much. I need between 2kwh and 10kwh a day for cooling.


All In One RV System  V3.png
 
2kwh and 10kwh a day for cooling
I can see doing the lower end with what you mentioned for 2 kwh/ day, but the higher end I‘m having trouble seeing how solar provides that power unless the Growatt pulls from the grid.
 
Back
Top