Aloha from a Solar Newbie in Hawaii

[inetdog]

You are learning the very valuable lesson that often it costs far less to reduce your load needs than to buy the extra PV system capacity for your original loads. There may also be significant value in your slimmed down emergency operation being more movable than your original setup if local conditions deteriorate.

[WH6FQE]

You are learning the very valuable lesson that often it costs far less to reduce your load needs than to buy the extra PV system capacity for your original loads. There may also be significant value in your slimmed down emergency operation being more movable than your original setup if local conditions deteriorate.

Well, I have another system installed in my van if I ever have to leave here. The only thing I don't have access to there is the cable internet and my aircraft transponder receiver, but I can only operate for 3 days in the van without recharging. Once I get this station completely figured out I will work on the van some more. The only service that I don't offer in the van is the Winlink RMS Gateway for HF and VHF, but if I can get the laptop system to work here at the house for that I can see about duplicating it in the van as well.

I am out of room on the roof of it for additional panels with the weather station, antennas and lighter up there already, so I am designing a trailer that will have more panels on it that I will tow behind me to augment the charging using a 4x8 cargo trailer that I have just sitting here not being used. I will have panels on the roof of it and frame awnings on the sides that will have panels on them that can raise up to match up with the roof. I am planning on using the same type of gas-assist system that a hatchback would use to lift the side panels up with. All of my equipment is stored in the van, so the trailer can be used to hold another larger battery bank as well as the panels.

I have been working on the design for the trailer for about a year, but it will be a while before I can get started on it.

[jflorey2]

That was for the car only, correct? the battery lease would have been about $90 per month.

Well, the car does come with the battery.

[bcroe]

Well, the car does come with the battery.

AND, an alternator. Bruce Roe

[solar pete]

Hi All,

I just happened to have a chat to one of our guys who has a friend who is a electrical engineer/ solar sparky here in Adelaide, and he has been doing something similar with a radio guy here is South Australia, they are having big issues with interference caused by the panels and inverters and all the other stuff you need to make it work. I plan on giving this guy a call today to have a chat about it (its still early here) and hopefully might learn something that I can contribute to the discussion here.

[jflorey2]

AND, an alternator. Bruce Roe

This is off topic, but . . it's an EV. It has a battery, inverter and a motor; no alternator.

[bcroe]

Hi All,

I just happened to have a chat to one of our guys who has a friend who is a electrical engineer/ solar sparky here in Adelaide, and he has been doing something similar with a radio guy here is South Australia, they are having big issues with interference caused by the panels and inverters and all the other stuff you need to make it work. I plan on giving this guy a call today to have a chat about it (its still early here) and hopefully might learn something that I can contribute to the discussion here.

Of course the interference will depend on the frequency/wavelength you are using to
communicate. RFI is going to originate in the efficient but noisy switching functions.
The straightforward, effective method is to build an RF tight shield around the offender,
then pass all access leads through feed through filters of proper rating to handle the
current. The filter should be mounted with input and output leads on the inside and
outside of the shield, with the metal case well attached to the shield.

The EMC filters are available in all sizes, with varying number of stages, those for
120VAC certainly are the cheapest and may be used for lessor power levels. You
might be able to make at least some of your own.

The shield must be RF tight, which means no opening more than 1/10 the length of
the shortest wavelength. A long slit at the door closing is not acceptable, will need
close spaced conducting fasteners (screws or contacts, I have even soldered shut)
to seal. My favorite is 1/2 inch hardware cloth, which is large hole screen but every
crossing point is soldered which guarantees the shield. In shielded room testing we
used an outer box around an inner box (room size) to get enough db shielding, but
this will probably not be necessary.

Someone is going to mention beads, really unlikely the few db they reduce will be
enough to do much good. Bruce Roe

[bcroe]

This is off topic, but . . it's an EV. It has a battery, inverter and a motor; no alternator.

Sorry, hard to imagine a car without an alternator. Bruce

[Mike90250]

This is off topic, but . . it's an EV. It has a battery, inverter and a motor; no alternator.

What does the motor do ?

[jflorey2]

What does the motor do ?

Makes the car go.

Perhaps start a new thread on this?