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Airstream 1967 off grid plan

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  • #46
    Wind Turds are a No-No for any application other than commercial wind farms using someone else's money to buy them.
    Wind turbines work great for commercial installs. Not sure why you insist on getting in a dig on all forms of renewable energy, whenever they come up.

    Anyway, another thought for the OP: you mentioned flexible solar panels, which I'm guessing is for cosmetic reasons. Another thing you might consider is frameless panels. They're not flexible, but they're extremely low profile (a few mm's thick), and are often bizarrely cheap, I've seen them in the $60 range for 300 watt panels. I think when the frames have defects they're no longer usable for grid tied installs, and then they come to us nice and cheap.

    Anyway lots of people use those panels in the VW Westphalia universe, since they're lighter, which keeps the pop top easy to lift. So if you have trouble figuring out how to mount them, you might see how they're solving it.
    Last edited by Wrybread; 05-26-2017, 06:22 PM.

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    • #47
      Thanks for the tip, Wrybread, on the frameless panels. I currently am in Alberta, Canada. I will begin to look for them. From customer support for my solar fridge: For the UGP-260L you would need at least a 200 - 25- Watt panel to support the fridge alone. So, if there are 300 watt panels, two of those would support the fridge and a few LED lights, right? The toilet will be composting, no fan. I did not want propane for heat, but a tiny marine wood stove instead and yes, I have heated with wood all winter here in the frozen north. It is doable. I need power for an imac computer, but no TV. The real other BIG power draw I hope to do is the single burner induction hot plate. For backup, I will keep the propane stove and oven and furnace. There is a solar powered washer available and a freezer too, but I am thinking those would have a separate array left in place where I park the most, possibly a small bit of acreage. Oh, and propane for water heat, though in summer passive solar hot water might be quite easy.

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      • #48
        I think you're going to be adjusting your usage a lot once you install your panels. No biggie, that happens to everyone as they learn more about off grid living, especially in an RV. I predict that that electric hot plate will be the first to go.

        I recently typed up a bunch of gear recommendations that might get you started:

        https://www.solarpaneltalk.com/forum...e-advice/page2

        As far as the solar water heating, I think that's a great idea. Hell, you could even just throw a solar shower bag up there and call it heating. Or something DIY:

        http://tinyhousetalk.com/wp-content/...ter-heater.jpg

        Or, of course, get a prefab solar water heater.

        Whatever you get, keep it away from the solar obviously, but if your trailer is long enough that shouldn't be a problem.

        If you do go propane, you could get a small on-demand water heater. The whole world other than America uses them to heat their water, they're very efficient and work fantastically well.

        And out of curiosity, do you have a link to the fridge you're getting?
        Last edited by Wrybread; 05-27-2017, 01:37 AM.

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        • #49
          Originally posted by Wrybread View Post
          Wind turbines work great for commercial installs. Not sure why you insist on getting in a dig on all forms of renewable energy, whenever they come up..
          Your reading comprehension needs improvement. "They only work in commercial installations" is what I said. Otherwise they are Wind Turds. Like a FORD (Fix Or Repair Daily). They also have to be elevated at least 50 feet higher than any obstruction within a 1/4 to half mile. Where I use to live has generates more RE energy than any other place in the world, and all of it from wind farms as far as the eye can see. If you add up all the 49 states in the USA wind power production still comes in second place to TEXAS. We were smart, you paid for it, and we keep the power and sell it to you for big profit.

          Learn how to read and comprehend what you read.
          Last edited by Sunking; 05-26-2017, 07:42 PM.
          MSEE, PE

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          • #50
            Learn how to read and comprehend what you read.
            It was the "other people's money" barb that I was referring to. There's *always* a barb with you. Everyone around you has to be exposed to your relentless anger. It's completely inappropriate.

            Anyway Eileen, I posted a reply to your other post but it's held for moderation since it has a link in it, but it should go through soon.
            Last edited by Wrybread; 05-26-2017, 07:45 PM.

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            • #51
              Originally posted by Wrybread View Post

              It was the "other people's money" barb that I was referring to. There's *always* a barb with you.

              Anyway Eileen, I posted a reply to your other post but it's held for moderation since it has a link in it, but it should go through soon.
              No Barb, just fact. That is one reason why solar and RE is crashing. The public is starting to learn the truth. It is welfare for the rich. Those wind Farms are from the legendary oil and gas juggernaut Okie Boone T Pickens. Taxpayers picked up 50% of the cost. Even lefties are getting into as now Mark Cuban is getting in on the free money.
              Last edited by Sunking; 05-26-2017, 07:50 PM.
              MSEE, PE

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              • #52
                Either that or people care about clean energy, both for economic reasons (keeping up with the technology globally) and environmental reasons? The whole rest of the world is making a push towards clean energy, and for lots of reasons it's important that America keeps up.

                But it's really not relevant here, and your digressions are completely inappropriate in this thread, as usual.
                Last edited by Wrybread; 05-26-2017, 09:00 PM.

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                • #53
                  The fridge:http://uniqueoffgrid.com/product/sol...d-dc-fridge-2/
                  I am also looking at a solar washer:http://uniqueoffgrid.com/product/por...shing-machine/

                  and possibly a solar freezer:http://uniqueoffgrid.com/product/por...zer-80-litres/

                  I have a single burner induction cooktop, but it is 1800W. I guess I could cook with propane unless plugged in somewhere to use it.

                  Do you mean a power surge protector for the entire trailer for detecting dirty power and rectifying it? Does anyone have a link to a product please? Thank you.

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                  • #54
                    Originally posted by Sunny Eileen View Post
                    The fridge:http://uniqueoffgrid.com/product/sol...d-dc-fridge-2/
                    I am also looking at a solar washer:http://uniqueoffgrid.com/product/por...shing-machine/

                    and possibly a solar freezer:http://uniqueoffgrid.com/product/por...zer-80-litres/

                    I have a single burner induction cooktop, but it is 1800W. I guess I could cook with propane unless plugged in somewhere to use it.

                    Do you mean a power surge protector for the entire trailer for detecting dirty power and rectifying it? Does anyone have a link to a product please? Thank you.
                    There are a number of surge protector products out there. I own a Progressive Industries model EMS-PT50C. Here is a website that sells them but I would look for others and do a comparison before I purchase one.

                    RV Surge Protectors

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                    • #55
                      Sunny, you are making mountain out of molehills. TVSS is not an issue with motors like a compressor in fridge, Secondly TVSS is only an issue if the device is powered by AC from the utility, and all your AC will likely come from a 12 volt Inverter. You should have no use for SPD's, all your power comes from DC which is immune to TVSS. Only exception is if you use Shore Power,

                      TVSS is only a concern on sensitive electronics, and all your electronics like a TV, DVD, Laptop, cell phones should be powered by 12 volt DC which is immune to AC power disturbances on the utility lines.

                      Here is something you need to know no one has told you yet. Batteries have a limit of how much power they can deliver based on its size. Example common sense tells you cannot run your laptop with your cell phone battery. A battery can only deliver so much current before its voltage collapses and the Inverter trips off line. With good golf cart batteries C/5 to maybe C/4 for short periods of time. A gold cart battery has roughly 225 AH and that means at C/5 can only deliver at most is 45 to 50 amps. 12 volts x 50 amps = 600 watts at most. So a 1800 watt Induction cooker is well beyond your system capability and that would on top of all that power hungry refrigeration and everything else you have running.

                      You have an Airstream Trailer, and you have a challenge just to find room for a pair of golf cart batteries. A pair of golf cart batteries takes 200 to 400 watts of panels your trailer does not have room for.You do not have a single flat spot to mount any panels on except the floor underneath the trailer. You have a lot of challenges and champagne taste. Something has to give.
                      Last edited by Sunking; 05-27-2017, 06:28 PM.
                      MSEE, PE

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                      • #56
                        A pair of golf cart batteries takes 200 to 400 watts of panels your trailer does not have room for.You do not have a single flat spot to mount any panels on except the floor underneath the trailer.
                        Always trying to talk people out of solar.

                        Anyway, in my experience even small Air Streams have plenty of room for multiple panels, even if they need to be raised a bit on the edges or tilted slightly.

                        And there's *plenty* of room for batteries even in the smallest Air Stream.

                        Besides, do we even know the length of this Air Stream?
                        Last edited by Wrybread; 05-27-2017, 08:35 PM.

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                        • #57
                          Originally posted by Wrybread View Post

                          Always trying to talk people out of solar.

                          Anyway, in my experience even small Air Streams have plenty of room for multiple panels, even if they need to be raised a bit on the edges or tilted slightly.

                          And there's *plenty* of room for batteries even in the smallest Air Stream.

                          Besides, do we even know the length of this Air Stream?
                          Mounting solar panels to curved surfaces like the body of an Air Stream makes them cause a lot of drag when you are pulling or driving. They can also cause a lot of stress on the frame which can give some one heartburn.

                          I would think a portable solar panel system that is ground mounted and easily set up would be a better choice then a fix panel array. Especially if you would rather park in the shade then having fun sun on the panels and RV.

                          Actually that is how I built my solar pv system. All of the panels can be stored inside one of my compartments and easily pulled out for set up.

                          Check out some photos in the next post
                          Last edited by SunEagle; 05-27-2017, 08:49 PM. Reason: added last sentence about photos

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                          • #58

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                            • #59
                              I was thinking of that sort of set up. Just stick it in the trailer and set it up when parked. Not that I cannot learn about the watts, wiring and such, but I would rather hire a competent person to do all that for me - the battery, adapters, protectors, and the panel hook ups. I do not plan to move the trailer very often once parked where I want to end up.

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                              • #60
                                Oof, portable solar systems are my bane. They're such a hassle to carry and store, and the best place to store them is on the roof anyway. You might want to go to an Air Stream forum and see how they're solving it?

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