On 9/6/2012 10:05 AM, Anne Pearse Hocker wrote:
> Hi Mitch,
> I am doing some writing and photography (or trying) and use of a computer or iPad and cell phone (chargers) will be important, although I can scale back. I guess the generators will have to pick up the slack, but when moving around and not setting up base camp for an extended time, lifting and hauling those things, risk of theft, and adhering to specific daytime hours if necessary, is a big pain ( for me). Otherwise the expense would not be worth it. Besides, I like the notion of solar power.
> I have friends who have a motorhome with solar and they use their slow cooker to prepare dinner as they are driving down the road. By the time I've taken care of all the critters, and set up camp I often can barely open a can.
>
Anne,
All that is possible with SOLAR power quite easily... Before I go into
details, let me say I do not mean to discourage you from using an
inverter and AC powered devices, my intent was to cause you to realize
that use of an inverter is a very inefficient way to generate AC power.
I use an inverter, I have a 600 watt true sinewave inverter however I
pride myself on how seldom I use it....
As to cameras and cell phones and a good HP Laptop computer which I use
most of the time, all these devices have 12 VDC power/charging cables as
options and do not require AC to charge batteries and keep them
operating. I use a Verizon JetPack 4G wireless/WiFi Internet router
which also acts as my inhouse wireless router for all digital devices
such as a HP wireless 4500 series multifunction printer. The 4G JetPack
plugs into a USB port to charge its internal battery off the Laptop...
I also have a full blown hotrod desktop computer and large high
resolution graphics monitor for image editing that if I need to run it
when in the field, it runs off the 600 watt inverter and I have run day
long sessions with it without denting the battery capacity too much
however I prefer to keep that work until I am hooked up to shore power
and have all the AC I need without running the inverter...
The one item I have not spent the money on to change from AC to 12 Volts
is my satellite TV system however it draws little power and runs fine on
the inverter with about a 60 watt total load. To change it to DC would
mean about a $1400 -$1500 outlay of cash so for the time being, I accept
what it costs me in SOLAR power which is cheap in the long run...
And the beauty of SOLAR power is very high reliability and being dead
quiet, always there, power... In ten years I have replaced batteries
once, and the charge controller twice.
Batteries because I used cheap Sears deep cycle lead acid originally and
after 4 years, they were shot. I replaced them with a pair of Deka AGM
deepcycle batteries and now with 5 or 6 years on the AGM, thay are still
as good as new...
The original controller was a Morning Star 15 amp (not MPPT) and I
changed it to a Blue Sky MPPT when the Blue Sky became available.
Then, a year and a half ago, I revised and did a major expansion of my
SOLAR system from the original 150 watt configuration to its present 420
watt by adding two 135 watt panels to the two 75 watt original panels
and needed a larger current capacity MPPT controller to handle the
higher current generated by the larger SOLAR array hence I am now on my
third charge controller by my own design, not for any failure or break
down of the system...
I'm very impressed with the SOLAR system and how well it works and love
that it doesn't make a sound and only maintenance is two or three times
a year to get the stepladder out and use a sponge mop to wash the grunge
collected on the panels off although the grunge doesn't seem to affect
the efficiency very much... I just know if I let it build up, eventually
it will and the longer I leave it there, the harder it is to wash off...
I hope this helps to convince you that you are headed in the right
direction by adding SOLAR, especially with the critters you travel with,
I would think having the clean quiet power would be extremely beneficial
to your lifestyle and will be a choice you will never regret making...
--
--
Mitch Hill
(Sent from HP DV6T via wireless internet connection)
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