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Old 07-13-2018, 04:03 PM   #21
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Off-the-grid-RV

Sailboaters have for years used less than 800AH battery capacity and a few 200W solar panels to run for weeks at a time off the generator. They lack few creature comforts and with some judicious use of power go for two weeks or more without the genset.


The minute you throw in the air conditioner all thoughts of off the grid go asunder. This includes Lithium options that are priced within the realm of the common retiree. We are not really there right now.


There exist a few new nano technology battery options on the horizon that offer 10x the capacity and almost instant recharge capability if the gen-set allows. Alas, this technology may be 10 years away. So either do without the aircon or use the generator.
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Old 07-13-2018, 04:16 PM   #22
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Based on what I saw I think the only really effective solution for now is that of Volta (attached), but I suspect the costs are prohibitive!

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File Type: pdf Volta Battery Pack Class A RV.pdf (1.39 MB, 78 views)
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Old 07-14-2018, 05:26 AM   #23
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Based on what I saw I think the only really effective solution for now is that of Volta (attached), but I suspect the costs are prohibitive!

Very interesting. The down side for RV'ing is their only solution is recharging the batteries from the engine alternator. You would have to run the RV engine for at least a couple of hours to recharge the battery.



By my figuring the battery pack is about 1650 AH at 12V. If you have room for five 325watt solar panels at a size of about 60" x 72" (5' x 6') that would be an excellent system.



Another consideration. The lithium is a lithium magnesium cobalt chemistry where the typical RV lithiun battery is Lithium Iron Phosphate. I am familiar with the safety of the LiFePo battery, but not the other.
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Old 07-16-2018, 01:41 PM   #24
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I agree with your position, I also installed immediately the solar panels, for a total of 1.2 kW, obviously waiting that the lithium technology... drop in price.
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Old 09-06-2018, 08:58 AM   #25
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Sailboaters have for years used less than 800AH battery capacity and a few 200W solar panels to run for weeks at a time off the generator. They lack few creature comforts and with some judicious use of power go for two weeks or more without the genset.


The minute you throw in the air conditioner all thoughts of off the grid go asunder. This includes Lithium options that are priced within the realm of the common retiree. We are not really there right now.


There exist a few new nano technology battery options on the horizon that offer 10x the capacity and almost instant recharge capability if the gen-set allows. Alas, this technology may be 10 years away. So either do without the aircon or use the generator.
This...

We did 3 years with 300 watts solar (poly, not mono due to shading from sailboat rig) and 420aH AGM - had refrigeration, no AC and never owned a generator, and not once did we need to start the engine to charge. This is all possible with a thoughtful install and judicious use of power. That being said, we ran a 3000w pure sine inverter connected directly into the shore power mains with a manual transfer switch and had full ability to charge phones, laptops, camera equipment, blender, hair dryer occasionally, water maker, water pumps, fans, lights, just as if we were plugged into shore power. The things that made this possible were a quality battery monitor (Victron), and high volume low draw 12V fans to stay cool. For refrigeration anything with a "swing compressor" is ideal. They are some of the most efficient ever made - ours would run on either 12v DC or 120v AC, though I only ever used DC (compressor is 12v DC native, so why waste efficiency converting precious energy to 120v only to then again waste efficiency changing it back?) and the draw was 2.5 amps DC under full load, the icecream would be solid!

My point is that off grid energy use is much less about energy production - that's the easy part, it's all about storage capacity and usage efficiency/monitoring.
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