Camping power options?

LiveonJG · Post by **LiveonJG** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 6:41 pm

I'm still in the planning stages on this one, but I'm going to build a portable solar generator. Starting with a small motorcycle trailer, add solar panels and fill with 4-6 deep charge batteries. I want it to be light enough to pull around by hand, set it up and I'm golden! A long extension cord will let me still park under the trees. And no loud generator to annoy my neighbors.
-John

spiffy · Post by **spiffy** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 6:54 pm

LiveonJG wrote:I'm still in the planning stages on this one, but I'm going to build a portable solar generator. Starting with a small motorcycle trailer, add solar panels and fill with 4-6 deep charge batteries. I want it to be light enough to pull around by hand, set it up and I'm golden! A long extension cord will let me still park under the trees. And no loud generator to annoy my neighbors.
-John

That is a great idea.
All we heard in Yellowstone was generators all day long...as soon as 800 AM rolled around the land yachts fired theirs up and kept em going till 800 PM......JEESH!!

chitwnvw · Post by **chitwnvw** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 7:56 pm

I wonder how many watts you could generate if you did the entire roof of a bus in solar panel, assuming a sunny day....

LiveonJG · Post by **LiveonJG** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 8:08 pm

chitwnvw wrote:I wonder how many watts you could generate if you did the entire roof of a bus in solar panel, assuming a sunny day....

I've given that some thought but I hate camping out in direct sun.

static · Post by **static** » Wed Sep 20, 2006 2:55 am

I've given that some thought but I hate camping out in direct sun.

Then maybe you should consider outfitting your bus with lunar panels.

LiveonJG · Post by **LiveonJG** » Wed Sep 20, 2006 8:22 am

static wrote:
I've given that some thought but I hate camping out in direct sun.
Then maybe you should consider outfitting your bus with lunar panels.

It still might be easier to park under trees.

Adventurewagen · Post by **Adventurewagen** » Wed Sep 20, 2006 8:24 am

static wrote:
I've given that some thought but I hate camping out in direct sun.
Then maybe you should consider outfitting your bus with lunar panels.

"Lunar Panels"!!! I love it =D>

I have a single 80W polycrystaline panel that can pull up to 5 Amps in direct sun, 3 on a cloudy/partially sunny day and close to 4 in the morning and evening when not in direct sun. I can average anywhere from 15 - 50+ Amp Hours in a day, probably mostly around 25-30 which is a pretty good amount of power to use in a day.

I've thought about adding two panels to the bus, but it would be crammed so instead I've upgraded to an alternator and doing fine although I think you could get upwards of 300 Watts worth of power on your roof in that space which would be roughly 4 times what Ive got and probably get near 100 AH's in a day! You'd need at least a 4 bank battery bay of 6 volts though and you'd want a regulator which would make the setup pretty dang expensive. Probably about 1500 for the panels to get good ones so you could even get 300+ Watts, then 500 or more for a good regulator and about 400 in batteries and another few hundred in wiring, connections, ends and mounts. That would be a cool setup but at 3k or more its getting just a little expensive

tristessa · Post by **tristessa** » Wed Sep 20, 2006 8:46 am

hambone wrote:The first obstacle: pooping in the woods....

eh, who really needs more than a small shovel and a roll of paper? Or did I just spend too much time backpacking with the Scouts?

We've got a little toilet-like thing in the Bus, but it's basically a glorified bucket with a seat. While we instituted a "No #2!" rule when we got it, it could be used for that if needed .. though mostly it's for my wife's late-night nature calls. Was around $30 at Walm*rt .. I despise that place but the toilet is handy.

spiffy · Post by **spiffy** » Wed Sep 20, 2006 9:27 am

tristessa wrote:
hambone wrote:The first obstacle: pooping in the woods....
eh, who really needs more than a small shovel and a roll of paper? Or did I just spend too much time backpacking with the Scouts?

We've got a little toilet-like thing in the Bus, but it's basically a glorified bucket with a seat. While we instituted a "No #2!" rule when we got it, it could be used for that if needed .. though mostly it's for my wife's late-night nature calls. Was around $30 at Walm*rt .. I despise that place but the toilet is handy.

I have thought about getting one of those, I hate having to get out of the fart sack in the middle of the night, slam my head on the shelf, find shoes, freeze me arse off and then crawl back in.

Adventurewagen · Post by **Adventurewagen** » Wed Sep 20, 2006 12:34 pm

spiffy wrote:
tristessa wrote:
hambone wrote:The first obstacle: pooping in the woods....
eh, who really needs more than a small shovel and a roll of paper? Or did I just spend too much time backpacking with the Scouts?

We've got a little toilet-like thing in the Bus, but it's basically a glorified bucket with a seat. While we instituted a "No #2!" rule when we got it, it could be used for that if needed .. though mostly it's for my wife's late-night nature calls. Was around $30 at Walm*rt .. I despise that place but the toilet is handy.
I have thought about getting one of those, I hate having to get out of the fart sack in the middle of the night, slam my head on the shelf, find shoes, freeze me arse off and then crawl back in.

Eeeeewwwww! hehehe. I don't think I could ever get one of those. Heck I lived in the bus for about 7 months and never had one. The trick is knowing where the bathrooms are. My bathroom of choice while on the road was Starbucks. Wake up, drag around, get the bus running and start off the day by hitting a starbucks to use their facilities ;) Otherwise if you can't get over pooping in the woods your never going to be able to have enough solar panels on the bus to have enough gadgets to please the wify.

I'd break her in with camping trips in a tent or backpacking with a bivy sack. A couple of those and the bus will seem like the Ritz!

vdubyah73 · Post by **vdubyah73** » Wed Sep 20, 2006 4:49 pm

Used to spend weekends on my boat. A marine starting battery of about 750 cca ( cold cranking amps ) as an aux battery will run interior lights( my boat used the same bulbs as a back up light on a Bus, can't think of the number) a stereo ( just remember the louder you go the more juice it eats ) a 12 volt blender, a small tv if you want. And an anchor light all night. I'd start the boat every morning and let it idle for about 1/2 hour and every thing was good. Just gotta make sure that your starting battery won't be run down when you think you are on your aux batt. Don't know how to do that.

If yer gonna be up all night cranking the music, with an amp, out in the deep woods, howling at the moon. your results may vary. just park it where you can push start it.

Bill

Itinerant Air-Cooled

Itinerant Air-Cooled

Camping power options?