Solar/generator/batteries options

[dyhardhuntr]

Friend in the business tells me transformers are in fact very hard to come by right now. Those nasty storms back east.  Have caused a shortage in all all types of electrical supplies he tells me. Power companies all over are being very stingy with their inventories for fear they might get hit with the same type of huge damages that have happened back east.  Don't know if that's true or not, but seems like it could be after seeing the aftermath of some of those disasters on the news.

This is very true. For those of you not in the business of suppling power you obviously don’t know the struggles they are going through to get supplies. Baldopepper has it right. The inventory they currently have is being used for emergencies that pop up and or customers that currently have power. New construction is being seen as not an emergency. Just like most every other supply line it is what it is. You can’t make it go faster no matter how hard they try. A couple years ago I could walk across our yard and see 100 transformers ready. Now it’s like 15. I assume the transformer you will get is a ground mounted one not a pole mounted one. What we have been doing is sending guys out to find the “unused “ transformers to see if they are usable and repurposing them. It puts utilities in a bad spot. They aren’t holding things back to be d!?$&.


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[Norman89]

https://www.ruralpowernorthwest.com/ local guy (sheriff) that sells solar panels at a screeming deal from solar farms, I have 10 panels from him that perform perfectly. He often gives a discount code for renogy when you buy panels from him, that's how I got my new renogy 40amp mppt charge controller. My system is poor man as hell with 2 heavy duty truck batteries and been going strong for 5 years powering my shed and carport with a cheapy harbor freight 3000 watt Jupiter inverter. For my needs of outdoor power does great. Would benefit a lot from a proper battery bank but not at today's prices for batteries. Rarely need to run the generator to charge batteries even during trapping season when the carport turns into the fur shed and lights run 2-4 hours every night while I'm skinning

[Russ McDonald]

Hi,

My only input ... Which is a little off topic but still important is.... Which ever route you take, don't try and recharge a battery bank while 2 charge sources are connected.

Meaning, say you have a solar system set up and operational and then decide to charge the batteries with a generator using either a stand alone charger or the on board charger in the RV..... when you apply power to either of these, they will see the charge from the solar system's voltage and incorrectly think the batteries are charged and go into float mode this not charging the batteries. Disconnect the solar before charging with onboard or external charger with generator.

He is correct.  I would look up on YouTube how to hook up solar with inverter to a trailer.  I have looked into it and you will have to have a transfer switch between the generator and solar for your batteries plus a converter which is what charges the batteries in a trailer.  Really need to calculate the load of everything you will be running.  Like some have said a good company that does solar would be great but if your looking to save money look on YouTube.

[fishngamereaper]

There's some chart's that are online that estimates the amount of energy you can generate from solar base on location. I've been doing a bunch of research as we want solar as a back up option for property we are buying in Idaho...from Nov - March we would only be able to create enough energy for 30 percent of our use...that's north central Idaho..so you would be the same or worse.

If I where in your position I would go straight generator. Natural gas or diesel. Gen tran switch in the house and call it a day ..and hope your power company comes through sooner than later.

And the bonus is you invest in a good generator now you have quality stand by gen for your new house already to roll.

[KFhunter]

I got a 100watt panel and best I could get was 80 or so, usually on a sunny day I see 60 or so

Hafta fidget with it to get peak power

I would over spec by a factor of 2

[NRA4LIFE]

I seen a show on off the grid building and they were installing a 4KW or so solar system/batteries and I think the whole setup was around $20K.  If this is truly temporary, I'd go generator.  And like others have said, when you do get your permanent power, you'll have a nice backup system.  I have installed a number of transfer switches, it's pretty easy.

[Special T]

While you are adding up how much power you are using I would map the outlets so you can isolate power consumption.  The key is not using things that draw a heavy load all at the same time.  Go buy a dual fuel generator. I know Costco had some before Christmas. If you have a big propane tank you won't have to fetch gas as much, and you arnt gonna want to deal with that. Buy 6 volt deep cell batteries. I use them in my off grid cabin to run lights charge phones and such.

Your in for an education getting tossed in the deep end of the pool.

[Stein]

If I were you I would run the house on a generator and then a very small battery bank overnight.  It's only a couple months and you will have a backup generator when you are done instead of a huge pile of batteries and large inverter you won't have much use for.

[KFhunter]

Agree, and if a 'couple months' turns into summer without AC... that's a whole bunch more solar crap laying around, or you sweating it out in a hotbox.

[HuntandFish]

This is all great input everybody. It looks like I am going generator shopping this weekend! Going to start with 4 batteries wired parallel and see how that goes!

I will give an update in a few weeks!

H&F

[KFhunter]

You might consider two genny's,   a small 2200 inverter will power a lot of your stuff and sip the gas


I would not do dual fuel, you're going to run it too much and they aren't as efficient.  I would rent a tank, 250 gallon, and run your propane furnace off that. 

Another option is buy a couple 100lb tanks and use those instead of your smaller 30lb tanks

Skirt your trailer with straw or something, that'll help a lot keeping water lines from freezing.   Heat tape your waterline.


If you haven't wintered in an RV before you're in for a stiff learning curve, I did it in college for a while and found it was cheaper to rent an apartment than suck all that propane and crap I was dealing with living in an RV


Maybe rent an apartment??      

Oh and heating blankets on your bed set to warm up 30-40 minutes before sleep

[KFhunter]

Solar don't work so good in the winter folks, and he'll be on the grid hopefully by spring. 

[HuntandFish]

You might consider two genny's,   a small 2200 inverter will power a lot of your stuff and sip the gas


I would not do dual fuel, you're going to run it too much and they aren't as efficient.  I would rent a tank, 250 gallon, and run your propane furnace off that. 

Another option is buy a couple 100lb tanks and use those instead of your smaller 30lb tanks

Skirt your trailer with straw or something, that'll help a lot keeping water lines from freezing.   Heat tape your waterline.


If you haven't wintered in an RV before you're in for a stiff learning curve, I did it in college for a while and found it was cheaper to rent an apartment than suck all that propane and crap I was dealing with living in an RV


Maybe rent an apartment??      

Oh and heating blankets on your bed set to warm up 30-40 minutes before sleep

Ha! Totally agree, have never tried to live in an RV especially not through a Montana winter…bro love it or not we are leaving a perfectly good house 15min down the road, I have tried to convince the wife this is a bad idea with 4 kids…but she doesn’t want to stay in our house as she doesn’t like it at all. Plus her and the kids want to enjoy the 33 acres full time…can’t say I am pushing back too hard…we all like to live in the woods, this town living has got us going crazy!

And yes, good idea about the two generators, I have an older 9000w that is loud and not efficient, I think I grab a quiet 3500w and use that for the everyday things and to charge 4 batteries, use the big Gen for the well pump when need to fill the tanks and try to get through each night running the fridge and heater on batteries….

I will let you know how it all is going…we are moving the trailer up there Monday and will start the moving process all next week and hopefully living full time by the following…fingers crossed they find some transformers….

H&F