Very nice, well thought out and constructed solar project. One caution to anyone thinking of doing a similar build: Plan for security! Dirtbags steal trailers often, and trailers don't have multiple hidden VINs like cars & trucks. Better to PREVENT theft, because there's less likelihood you'll recover a stolen trailer than a stolen car.
I already built a solar shed on a pontoon boat trailer with two Growatt 5K inverters and 3 server rack batteries. I don’t have panels mounted on it because I just wanted to put the off grid power for a mother in law style apt outside the house. I like the way you made the pivoting mounts. I have a EG4 6K inverter and 25 KWH battery that I plan to make a trailer similar to yours. I’m trying to find a way to design a collapsible ten panel string so it can serve as a portable power supply for basic electrical needs of a house when the grid service is lost. Maybe 3 panels mounted perpendicular to the trailer center line on the roof,then three on each side hinged to the roof panels . Finally a tenth and maybe an eleventh hinged on the front and back. Off grid solar has become an obsession for me because I already have all I need but can’t stop scheming. Thanks for the inspiration!
Nice to see you still making content. This is what solar panels are meant for, a niche for remote rural locations.. and making it mobile makes so much sense. A trailer camper with flip open panels on the sides would be neat.
You could add hinges to the outside edges of the wings and make them bifold units. Add new panels on the new wings. Store them with the current panels facing in to the center of the trailer. the new panels can be supported by prop rods when deployed. That would double your wattage on the panels.
Love the work. I do a lot of remote camping and want to add something like this to the kit. Sometimes we need more power then the small set up can give us. Inspiring for me. Keep up the great work!!
Looks really good. I think you have covered all the bases as far as safety.. The only suggestions i have are: Make sure to have a breaker between your solar panels and your charge controller and a breaker between your inverter and your battery banks. Also its a really good idea to keep your wires as short as possible and use the largest gauge pure copper wire that you can afford/install from your inverter to your batteries. Many DIY'rs skimp on the wire size and end up with too much loss and heat in the wires or worse: a fire.. Again, it looks really good.. very good use the trailer and mechanics! LOL and it looks like Will approves!
There's breakers between the solar panels and charge controller. There's a removable fuse between the battery pack and charge controller and inverter. This whole system is pretty low current. The big one to watch is current between the battery pack and inverter. Fortunately, being a 48V type pack instead of 12V reduces the current by 1/4th what it otherwise could be. That helps for using more reasonable size conductors.
The pivot would be a good way to replace an awning on a camper although the inside heats up. With diy LIfepo4 cells one could made a long thin battery along the front rail leaving the trailer bed free for a slid in box of some sort.
very cool... i think an upgrade could be a way to let the support posts hinge in toward the middle for transport such that the solar panel "walls" pitch inward like a sort of A-frame. might help on the highway
For weather protection you need to add are sheets of metal to slide over for the protection of the solar panels. if it hails or is in inclement weather or even while traveling, while in protection mode might prevent unwanted damage such as bird flying or rocks into panels panels. Its just a suggestion to protect the very good project you have there.
We have had two SEVERE hail storms at my house the last few years. My home solar was not damaged at all (although many cars in the area were very dented!) The panels fold vertical for travel and present their smallest dimension to the direction of travel. I think that if anything took damage from rocks on the road, it would be the tow vehicle.
The great: recycled components, aerodynamic for towing. Excellent. The questions: ventilation/ exhaust fan for heat generating electronics inside the box? (I'd do a thermostatically controlled exhaust fan powered by the battery.). Does one array shadow the other before mid morning or beginning mid afternoon with the current geometry?
Heat inside the box has never been an issue so far. It's aluminum, so the whole thing is sort of a heat sink. The inverter and charge controller both have automatic fans on them. The box also isn't completely sealed up. There are some small ventilations holes under the ends. As for shadowing - the design of the trailer offers quite a bit of flexibility. The trailer itself can be rotated whichever direction desired and then the two solar winds can be rotated independently. If nothing else, the solar panels can simply be rotated flat and pointed straight up. No shadowing at all then. Shadowing really depends on time of year, how far north/south of the equator you are, etc.
Awesome! One small upgrade that is not impossible because of your excellent build would be a solar tracker. 2 bigger R/C servos and a Raspberry Pi Pico would do the trick I think. I think you could either do calculation (set the orientation, and time of day and maybe some more info like long/lat) and program it to set optimal degree. Or you could do a solar tracker (there are lots of easy DIY here on TH-cam, also with a Raspberry Pi Pico I guess) and then control the servo/panels.
Solar trackers are neat, but they generally need a post mount and very solid foundation - ie LOTS of concrete! They also add a layer of mechanical complexity, and are prone to breaking and needing maintenance. In recent years, with the cost of solar panels dropping, it's usually made sense to simply buy more solar panels rather than spending the money on a tracking system. And there's always something to be said for simplicity!
@@BenjaminNelsonX I just meant instead of tracking by hand the one axis by hand (that you put a sprint in) use a positional servo and to track the sun (you can use a couple of photo resistors) and very small computer to read the position of the sun and control the servos. Then you can track the sun by one axis and let panels position themselves. Not a huge gain, but 15-30% more on a single day I think without touching the panels... But ofc you can do it by hand also with the sprints.
@@BenjaminNelsonXthank you for this great observation. I was thinking about mounts and had considered a tracker setup, but cheap panels negates the need.
Great job but 30v per panel × 3 = 100v using unprotected wire seems hazardous or are they in parallel? I'd use wet outlet covers instead of damp outlet covers as well as gfci protection somewhere.
If you move the panel pivot up more it be better at getting both sets of panels in the sun and out of each other's shade. The downside is they will be out of balance. I hope you put each set on its own mppt or in parallel or even a small bit of shade on 1 panel will basically shut it down.
I noticed you're using Nissan Leaf batteries, which I also use for my Prius plug-in. I've had them for the past two years now. Have you noticed any significant degradation? I’m not sure if your project is recent, but I’d be really interested in hearing about how Nissan Leaf batteries hold up over, say, 10 years. If anyone has experience with long-term battery degradation, your insights would be greatly appreciated! 😀
@@backtotheprius Definitely degradation on them. The advantage of Leaf cell modules is that they are so easy to work with. Just bolt them together - no soldering, welding, etc.
as a demonstration platform it is a good system, if you needed to adapt it to a higher capacity production design then obviously higher wattage panels would be a good improvement but creating a telescoping mount to elevate the panels could also help as there may be a shade issue from the panels on one side blocking the panels on the other side?
@@barrymclaughlin794 Either or both sets of panels can be set to flat horizontal if there are any self-shading issues. I did consider setting up one of the two sides to telescope, but considering the weight and a few other challenges, it would get complicated fast.
I know you did it for balance. But if you had put the pivot axle closer to the edge of the panels, it would make the panels stay out of the shade of the others
In regular use, the panels really do NOT shade each other. At worst, they can always be both pointed straight up. Balance IS important here. I REALLY struggled with the panels in early testing when they were NOT balanced!
The sun is UP. It shines DOWN on the panels. In regular summer weather, the panels do NOT shade each other. If the sun is low in the sky, you can simply tilt the front row of panels flat.
It doesn't get that hot. The box is shiny, so it reflects sunlight away. The internal components all have their own fans. The box is NOT air-tight. I've NEVER had an issue with it being hot in there. Aluminum is an excellent heat sink.
They are batteries I already had. I've used them on other projects. They wouldn't be good for a car anymore, but they are still useful for other projects. While they don't have the capacity that they once did, they still work just fine. I'm ok with that math. If a person wanted to spend some money, there are all sorts of great battery options available nowadays.
Honestly... He's probably not far off if you think about it. A car's model year has little to do with when it was assembled or it's components were made. A model year 2012 vehicle could easily have been made in 2011 of components manufactured 2009-2011.
I have been following you for a while and saw your build on this solar trailer. I got the bug and started building my own. I posted photos on Will Prose DIYsolarforum on portable systems. I added the solar frame today and would greatly appreciate any input during the build. I decided to do a roll on setup so I can still use trailer. With your permission I will post a link in the comments to the photo.
Buying a $500 quiet generator on sale at Costco was probably the biggest missed opportunity. I love the idea of solar. I have some on my RV. Its awesome. However, most applications don't make sense financially, logistically, or practically. You could literally throw a small generator in the bed of your pickup truck, along with a small gas can and extension cord, and power everything at the cabin. Instead, you're gonna spend thousands of dollars on bulky equipment, suffer reduced MPG towing a trailer, all to have very limited power generation IF the sun happens to be shining. I'm not trying to hate on solar, but let's be realistic here. With some quick, non-precise math in my head I basically determined I could pay 3 YEARS of power bills at my house by the time I purchased the solar trailer. Again, I mean no offense to Mr. Nelson - the trailer idea is cool and I enjoyed the video, but the applications are very few.
@@gormanthomas8135 I completely agree with you that a simple gas generator is an inexpensive and turn-key way to make power off the grid. Just the other day, we took the trailer to my friend's off-grid property. He has been running a generator continuously whenever he's there to be able to provide power for his RV camping trailer. He really dislikes the noise. There's also maintenance and the cost of fuel, and the hassle of refueling. With solar, it's silent. And the battery part of the system allows it to run all night. Comparing a complete portable off-grid system to a home electric bill isn't a fair comparison at all. That's like the difference between renting and owning a piece of equipment. But yes, you are correct that it generally wouldn't make economic sense to disconnect your house from the grid and invest in a large solar battery system. But if you have a property where it is NOT connected to utility power and would cost tens of thousands of dollars just for the power utility to hook you up, a modest solar system makes PLENTY of economic sense. A solar system also makes lots of sense when COMBINED with a generator. Many off-grid solar folks design their system for what's needed most of the time, and also have a generator for the longest days of winter and unusual weather patterns. A generator can charge the solar battery. So even then, it greatly reduces the number of hours the generator has to run. As for reduced fuel economy of a vehicle towing the trailer, that's just to get the trailer to the property. It's not as though somebody is towing it both directions to and from a recreational property every weekend. It stays there! I had fun building this trailer, and I already had most of the materials. Frankly, the largest cost was splurging on the brand-name MPPT charge controller. If not for that, the whole project would have cost me in the neighborhood of $100 out-of-pocket. I would NOT have built this whole thing from scratch if I was using new parts, I just don't have that much need for it when I already have a quality public power utility and a grid-interactive solar system mounted on the roof of my garage. th-cam.com/video/dvUohDXKjYw/w-d-xo.html I AM a big fan of solar, but that doesn't mean it's right for every situation. It certainly doesn't work well in the middle of the woods, with all the tree branches blocking the sun. It's also pretty challenging if you are a renter, especially in an apartment. No, it's not perfect for every situation, but as a demonstration project made from recycled and salvaged parts and then going to an off-grid property which would be cost prohibitive to run utility power, I think it's a pretty good use.
@@BenjaminNelsonX I am a fan of solar. I use my time to watch videos about it, obviously. I can't imagine not having solar on our RV. It's ideal for off grid camping. I am constantly looking for ways to use solar more. I am also a fan of truth. And, I suspect a LARGE percentage of the public who view solar as a viable source of energy production have NEVER actually used solar. Its applications are very narrow.
Don't rule out solar just because of overcast skies. You just need more panels. I live in Canada and winters are very overcast where I live, yet my small system supplies almost all of my electrical needs.
Please read the video description for chapter points, links, and more information!
Very nice
Hey Will, I didn't know you were subscribed to this channel.
Nice work, I like how you build it using very obtainable components
Love what you do here brother! I can't wait for tractor updates too.
Very nice, well thought out and constructed solar project. One caution to anyone thinking of doing a similar build: Plan for security! Dirtbags steal trailers often, and trailers don't have multiple hidden VINs like cars & trucks. Better to PREVENT theft, because there's less likelihood you'll recover a stolen trailer than a stolen car.
I remember you building that, I think it is really neat. Thanks Ben.
I already built a solar shed on a pontoon boat trailer with two Growatt 5K inverters and 3 server rack batteries.
I don’t have panels mounted on it because I just wanted to put the off grid power for a mother in law style apt outside the house. I like the way you made the pivoting mounts.
I have a EG4 6K inverter and 25 KWH battery that I plan to make a trailer similar to yours. I’m trying to find a way to design a collapsible ten panel string so it can serve as a portable power supply for basic electrical needs of a house when the grid service is lost. Maybe 3 panels mounted perpendicular to the trailer center line on the roof,then three on each side hinged to the roof panels . Finally a tenth and maybe an eleventh hinged on the front and back.
Off grid solar has become an obsession for me because I already have all I need but can’t stop scheming.
Thanks for the inspiration!
@@danielking2944 Do you have a build blog or photos posted that we could check out? Sounds like a fantastic project!
Nice to see you still making content. This is what solar panels are meant for, a niche for remote rural locations.. and making it mobile makes so much sense. A trailer camper with flip open panels on the sides would be neat.
You're a Boss Bro! Nice work!
I like the design. One could put a lot more batteries on there if needed.
Have fun on your outing up north.
Trailer towed great, no flat tires or other "adventure"!
Lots of great ideas !
That is just a cool solar unit. And Affordable
I think I saw it years ago at an event. Cool!
You could add hinges to the outside edges of the wings and make them bifold units. Add new panels on the new wings. Store them with the current panels facing in to the center of the trailer. the new panels can be supported by prop rods when deployed. That would double your wattage on the panels.
Great setup.
Love the work. I do a lot of remote camping and want to add something like this to the kit. Sometimes we need more power then the small set up can give us. Inspiring for me. Keep up the great work!!
Looks really good. I think you have covered all the bases as far as safety.. The only suggestions i have are: Make sure to have a breaker between your solar panels and your charge controller and a breaker between your inverter and your battery banks. Also its a really good idea to keep your wires as short as possible and use the largest gauge pure copper wire that you can afford/install from your inverter to your batteries. Many DIY'rs skimp on the wire size and end up with too much loss and heat in the wires or worse: a fire.. Again, it looks really good.. very good use the trailer and mechanics! LOL and it looks like Will approves!
There's breakers between the solar panels and charge controller. There's a removable fuse between the battery pack and charge controller and inverter.
This whole system is pretty low current. The big one to watch is current between the battery pack and inverter. Fortunately, being a 48V type pack instead of 12V reduces the current by 1/4th what it otherwise could be. That helps for using more reasonable size conductors.
@@BenjaminNelsonX agreed higher voltage means you can use smaller wire. Wasn’t sure what voltage you were running.
Thanks for sharing, bifacial panels are great for these trailers
The pivot would be a good way to replace an awning on a camper although the inside heats up. With diy LIfepo4 cells one could made a long thin battery along the front rail leaving the trailer bed free for a slid in box of some sort.
Super interesting setup. And I have a feeling yours travels a lot better than mine for far trips 🤣
very cool... i think an upgrade could be a way to let the support posts hinge in toward the middle for transport such that the solar panel "walls" pitch inward like a sort of A-frame. might help on the highway
For weather protection you need to add are sheets of metal to slide over for the protection of the solar panels. if it hails or is in inclement weather or even while traveling, while in protection mode might prevent unwanted damage such as bird flying or rocks into panels panels. Its just a suggestion to protect the very good project you have there.
We have had two SEVERE hail storms at my house the last few years. My home solar was not damaged at all (although many cars in the area were very dented!)
The panels fold vertical for travel and present their smallest dimension to the direction of travel. I think that if anything took damage from rocks on the road, it would be the tow vehicle.
Love this. I would love something like this. If you sale these that be next in my list to buy
The great: recycled components, aerodynamic for towing. Excellent. The questions: ventilation/ exhaust fan for heat generating electronics inside the box? (I'd do a thermostatically controlled exhaust fan powered by the battery.). Does one array shadow the other before mid morning or beginning mid afternoon with the current geometry?
Heat inside the box has never been an issue so far. It's aluminum, so the whole thing is sort of a heat sink. The inverter and charge controller both have automatic fans on them. The box also isn't completely sealed up. There are some small ventilations holes under the ends.
As for shadowing - the design of the trailer offers quite a bit of flexibility. The trailer itself can be rotated whichever direction desired and then the two solar winds can be rotated independently.
If nothing else, the solar panels can simply be rotated flat and pointed straight up. No shadowing at all then. Shadowing really depends on time of year, how far north/south of the equator you are, etc.
Awesome! One small upgrade that is not impossible because of your excellent build would be a solar tracker. 2 bigger R/C servos and a Raspberry Pi Pico would do the trick I think.
I think you could either do calculation (set the orientation, and time of day and maybe some more info like long/lat) and program it to set optimal degree.
Or you could do a solar tracker (there are lots of easy DIY here on TH-cam, also with a Raspberry Pi Pico I guess) and then control the servo/panels.
Solar trackers are neat, but they generally need a post mount and very solid foundation - ie LOTS of concrete! They also add a layer of mechanical complexity, and are prone to breaking and needing maintenance.
In recent years, with the cost of solar panels dropping, it's usually made sense to simply buy more solar panels rather than spending the money on a tracking system.
And there's always something to be said for simplicity!
@@BenjaminNelsonX I just meant instead of tracking by hand the one axis by hand (that you put a sprint in) use a positional servo and to track the sun (you can use a couple of photo resistors) and very small computer to read the position of the sun and control the servos. Then you can track the sun by one axis and let panels position themselves. Not a huge gain, but 15-30% more on a single day I think without touching the panels...
But ofc you can do it by hand also with the sprints.
@@BenjaminNelsonXthank you for this great observation. I was thinking about mounts and had considered a tracker setup, but cheap panels negates the need.
Great job but 30v per panel × 3 = 100v using unprotected wire seems hazardous or are they in parallel? I'd use wet outlet covers instead of damp outlet covers as well as gfci protection somewhere.
If you move the panel pivot up more it be better at getting both sets of panels in the sun and out of each other's shade. The downside is they will be out of balance.
I hope you put each set on its own mppt or in parallel or even a small bit of shade on 1 panel will basically shut it down.
On each side, the three solar panels are in series. The two sides are connected in parallel to the solar charge controller.
I noticed you're using Nissan Leaf batteries, which I also use for my Prius plug-in. I've had them for the past two years now. Have you noticed any significant degradation? I’m not sure if your project is recent, but I’d be really interested in hearing about how Nissan Leaf batteries hold up over, say, 10 years. If anyone has experience with long-term battery degradation, your insights would be greatly appreciated! 😀
@@backtotheprius Definitely degradation on them. The advantage of Leaf cell modules is that they are so easy to work with. Just bolt them together - no soldering, welding, etc.
Do you think 5 panels per side would be too much weight?
as a demonstration platform it is a good system, if you needed to adapt it to a higher capacity production design then obviously higher wattage panels would be a good improvement but creating a telescoping mount to elevate the panels could also help as there may be a shade issue from the panels on one side blocking the panels on the other side?
@@barrymclaughlin794 Either or both sets of panels can be set to flat horizontal if there are any self-shading issues.
I did consider setting up one of the two sides to telescope, but considering the weight and a few other challenges, it would get complicated fast.
I know you did it for balance. But if you had put the pivot axle closer to the edge of the panels, it would make the panels stay out of the shade of the others
In regular use, the panels really do NOT shade each other.
At worst, they can always be both pointed straight up.
Balance IS important here. I REALLY struggled with the panels in early testing when they were NOT balanced!
When both sides are pointed toward the sun, how do you keep the front one from casting a shadow on the back?
The sun is UP. It shines DOWN on the panels. In regular summer weather, the panels do NOT shade each other.
If the sun is low in the sky, you can simply tilt the front row of panels flat.
Can you build us a solar trailer - what would this cost?
How do you keep everthing in the truck box from over heating ?
It doesn't get that hot.
The box is shiny, so it reflects sunlight away.
The internal components all have their own fans.
The box is NOT air-tight.
I've NEVER had an issue with it being hot in there.
Aluminum is an excellent heat sink.
Hey Benjamin I'm in Syracuse NY I've got a truck I want to turn into electric. Do u think this trailer would be enough to charge a 40kwh leaf battery?
Sure, it would charge it great, but it would take 40 hours to do it!
Where could I find old EV car batteries?
Popular places to find used electric car batteries include junk-yards ( www.car-part.com/ ) eBay, batteryhookup.com/ , and a few other online sellers.
⚡️😎
Wha I like bout that there trailer is with them high sides you can load a lot uh scrap metal in it. And get paid and save the planet.🤪
2012 nissan leaf batteries...14 year old batteries now 🤔 The math isn't mathing here in 2024 😂
They are batteries I already had. I've used them on other projects. They wouldn't be good for a car anymore, but they are still useful for other projects.
While they don't have the capacity that they once did, they still work just fine.
I'm ok with that math.
If a person wanted to spend some money, there are all sorts of great battery options available nowadays.
@@BenjaminNelsonX - Love your reuse/recycle/make-do mentality. I do the same.
He didn't mention it but he's from the future, he's still adjusting, cut him some slack lmao XD
Honestly... He's probably not far off if you think about it. A car's model year has little to do with when it was assembled or it's components were made. A model year 2012 vehicle could easily have been made in 2011 of components manufactured 2009-2011.
I have been following you for a while and saw your build on this solar trailer. I got the bug and started building my own. I posted photos on Will Prose DIYsolarforum on portable systems. I added the solar frame today and would greatly appreciate any input during the build. I decided to do a roll on setup so I can still use trailer. With your permission I will post a link in the comments to the photo.
Sounds good!
Not using bifacials was a wasted opportunity
These were solar panels I already had.
Buying new bi-facial panels would essentially be a big increase in cost with only marginal production gains.
Buying a $500 quiet generator on sale at Costco was probably the biggest missed opportunity. I love the idea of solar. I have some on my RV. Its awesome. However, most applications don't make sense financially, logistically, or practically. You could literally throw a small generator in the bed of your pickup truck, along with a small gas can and extension cord, and power everything at the cabin. Instead, you're gonna spend thousands of dollars on bulky equipment, suffer reduced MPG towing a trailer, all to have very limited power generation IF the sun happens to be shining. I'm not trying to hate on solar, but let's be realistic here. With some quick, non-precise math in my head I basically determined I could pay 3 YEARS of power bills at my house by the time I purchased the solar trailer. Again, I mean no offense to Mr. Nelson - the trailer idea is cool and I enjoyed the video, but the applications are very few.
@@gormanthomas8135
I completely agree with you that a simple gas generator is an inexpensive and turn-key way to make power off the grid.
Just the other day, we took the trailer to my friend's off-grid property. He has been running a generator continuously whenever he's there to be able to provide power for his RV camping trailer. He really dislikes the noise. There's also maintenance and the cost of fuel, and the hassle of refueling.
With solar, it's silent. And the battery part of the system allows it to run all night.
Comparing a complete portable off-grid system to a home electric bill isn't a fair comparison at all. That's like the difference between renting and owning a piece of equipment. But yes, you are correct that it generally wouldn't make economic sense to disconnect your house from the grid and invest in a large solar battery system. But if you have a property where it is NOT connected to utility power and would cost tens of thousands of dollars just for the power utility to hook you up, a modest solar system makes PLENTY of economic sense.
A solar system also makes lots of sense when COMBINED with a generator. Many off-grid solar folks design their system for what's needed most of the time, and also have a generator for the longest days of winter and unusual weather patterns. A generator can charge the solar battery. So even then, it greatly reduces the number of hours the generator has to run.
As for reduced fuel economy of a vehicle towing the trailer, that's just to get the trailer to the property. It's not as though somebody is towing it both directions to and from a recreational property every weekend. It stays there!
I had fun building this trailer, and I already had most of the materials. Frankly, the largest cost was splurging on the brand-name MPPT charge controller. If not for that, the whole project would have cost me in the neighborhood of $100 out-of-pocket. I would NOT have built this whole thing from scratch if I was using new parts, I just don't have that much need for it when I already have a quality public power utility and a grid-interactive solar system mounted on the roof of my garage. th-cam.com/video/dvUohDXKjYw/w-d-xo.html
I AM a big fan of solar, but that doesn't mean it's right for every situation. It certainly doesn't work well in the middle of the woods, with all the tree branches blocking the sun. It's also pretty challenging if you are a renter, especially in an apartment.
No, it's not perfect for every situation, but as a demonstration project made from recycled and salvaged parts and then going to an off-grid property which would be cost prohibitive to run utility power, I think it's a pretty good use.
@@BenjaminNelsonX I am a fan of solar. I use my time to watch videos about it, obviously. I can't imagine not having solar on our RV. It's ideal for off grid camping. I am constantly looking for ways to use solar more. I am also a fan of truth. And, I suspect a LARGE percentage of the public who view solar as a viable source of energy production have NEVER actually used solar. Its applications are very narrow.
I think solar power is pretty cool but I live in a perpetually overcast part of the planet.
Don't rule out solar just because of overcast skies. You just need more panels. I live in Canada and winters are very overcast where I live, yet my small system supplies almost all of my electrical needs.
@@MikeyCanuck123 I'm currently renting, so it's not really an option for me right now.