Folks... Please relax. As I said, "this is not a how-to video". I knew people would just rant and rave about everything I did wrong, but wow. Relax. Sip a glass of water and just enjoy my explanation. It's OK if you feel I did everything wrong in this install. But I did it my way. That's what makes this real, and worthwhile to me. Please, feel free to share with the world your own installation video as well. I'd love to see how we all think differently, but we don't need to be rude or mean here.
I think you did a great job! The RV didn't catch fire. Jax still has all 22 or 24 toes. And if you've got power and your batteries aren't melting...All is well!
It looks great. I done a few solar installs to and at the end of the day its all about if it works or not. Nomadic Fanatic, one thing though. I heard you said you where thinking about put a battery inside the RV. You could do that if you have it in a completely sealed container with a venting tube leading to the outside. I only say this because batteries give off a toxic fume, that when inhaled can be very bad for you health, but your idea of putting the batteries on the outside is perfect. I just suggest you run some sort of lock through them or something to make sure no one takes them. Batteries are gold. lol Great job on the roof. I hope this was helpful. good luck.
What is your amps input from the panels when under the street light? I can get a bright flashlight to get voltage from my panels but amps charge your batteries.
Good video Eric. The monocrystaline is the best. My panel can also get some juice from street lamps too. But your MPPT charge controller is the main reason why it does so good. It grabs every last bit of juice it can get. That's why it's so efficient. You got a great set up and did a great job on the install. I'm happy for ya.
Hello Eric. Congrats on the solar upgrade! I wanted to address the MPPT. Many people have identified it as an model itself. MPPT stands for Maximum Power Point Tracking. Simply put, when the charge controller has MPPT, it is able to provide a balanced power charge throughout the charging cycle for optimal charge efficiency. This actually makes your method of electrical creation more effective. Congrats again Eric on the upgrade. Keep making discoveries no matter the cost.
Just been re-watching some of your earlier vids from over a year ago. Wow...the miles you travelled, and the challenges you've faced and overcome. Dangerous people and hazardous driving, multiple repairs on Tilly, your medical issues, Jax's health care, trolls, financial scarcity, isolation, distance from friends and family. There's going to come a time when Tilly will have to be put to her well-earned rest, but your journeys have matured you and that will stay with you all of your life. Thanks, Eric.
Happy for your upgrade and it looks like you did a fantastic job with installation. I hope Mike's enjoying his new panel as well. Stay safe and keep the positive attitude.
It's really nice to see you happy and to see that accomplished look on your face. Seems like this project went really well for you. I'm glad. Safe travels my friend.
Hey Eric, don't worry about overcharging. The charge controller shuts off if other things have charged up your battery. You have a lot of shade possibilities with that rack on the small panel. One little bit pretty much shuts the whole panel off. There are nice diamond plate boxes made to store batteries to mount on the bumper but I don't know the price. Of course, if you are going with AGM batteries, you could mount two behind the seat near the inverter.. You need to have really short wire runs from the battery to the inverter to prevent voltage loss. Lots of loss if you mount to the bumper.
Gosh, the most exciting thing to me was not only did you get free electricity at Walmart, you recycled the power that had already been "used" in lighting the parking lot. Mind-blowing!
Enjoyed the video Eric. Especially the running of the wire! Trust me, the next time you do this, it will be much different and better. But for now, high fives for getting it done your way as you know it to be. Man can only research so long....then the project must begin. BTW, really glad the crankcase cleanout did the job on the lifter. Was hoping your mechanic friend would suggest that before diving into the engine. You know now that that lifter may act up again...better keep some of that cleanout juice on hand. Love these old vehicles! I've had a bunch of 'em. My best to Jax!
Hi Eric. Been reading the comments. I used the light from a lamp post tonight near my RV. I guess I am now a thief. Lol! Also the sun is in star mode right now. But don't worry. Tomorrow it will become the sun again. Hahaha! I had to text my son on that one. He used to work for Orion Telescope. Too bad you couldn't have run the wires down the vent pipe openings or the frig vent. Oh well. Do get a heavy rubber grommet and put it in the cut hole where the wires go through the wall. You will have to cut it to get it in since the wires are already installed but it will protect them from being cut on the raw edges of the metal wall during movement. Also someone said don't mix batteries. In fact different age batteries are not good either. When you are ready to get batteries, get rid of the 12 v deep cycle battery under the hood and just get an AGM sealed battery which can be housed inside the rig because it doesn't offgas. Also would be located closer to the charge controller so less voltage drop. You can still run a wire to the alternator to charge from engine as before. Two of those AGM batteries would be all you need. Ck on the proper way to connect them together. If you
Hey Eric good video! Regarding the rack of extra batteries on your back bumper, I would suggest to store them inside the RV, you are from north west and once the ambient temperature gets bellow to freezing values… you might run out of juice quickly + in the winter time you get less light hours a day … to recharge them…. Keep them inside, if you have extra room… Good Luck!
Awesome Eric! I am very happy you're getting that solar set up. It will save you a little headache down the road. I use Solar on my RV too. 450 watts worth of Solar Panels so far.
That 250 watt panel is sweet! I was surprised you drilled a hole in the side of your rv, I see most ppl feed wire down the refrigerator vent or make a sealed connection of their own. Just my opinion, I'd sell that 100w panel and buy two of those Trojan 105re batteries. Those have better amp hrs than 12v batteries. Is there any storage compartment you can use to build a battery bank or is the bumper the only option? Glad too see the rv running better and your spirits up! I think Jax did help, he kept your coach mouse free!
Great video something I would do to improve the output of your solar is to have a small gap between the panel and the roof so it could get some airflow when parked and it's hot outside,the hotter the panel gets the less charge you will get from them but with the roof being white will help keep some of the heat off the panels.
Glad to see your solar upgrade. I don't know what your plans are but if you wanna see the best parts of Florida besides Panama City I recommend staying on the west coast of Florida to see Tarpon Springs Sponge Docks a tourist area then stay on Alt. Old US Hwy19 to Clearwater Beach FL has a nice long fishing pier on the beach then drive on Gulf Blvd Rd. along the ocean to Treasure Island Beach then St. Pete Beach then especially see Ft. Desoto Beach/RV Park then Key West and maybe Miami Beach on the east side and West Palm Beach and Daytona Beach which you can drive and park on the beach there and maybe visit some attractions in Orlando FL in the middle by Daytona Beach. Happy Travels : )
Really enjoyed your video. One thing you did not mention in the video is a voltage blocking diode. Your controller may have one built-in, I am not sure, but you most surly do not want voltage go back toward your panels. I am about to add 2 panels of at least 100 watt each maybe higher if I can afford when I order them. I am also adding 2 more 6volt golfcarrt batteries for a total of 4 batteries. I also have a really cool 12 volt generator I need to do a video about soon to use as a backup charging system when the panels are not able to keep up. I plan on getting my panels and controllers from Missouri Wind & Solar. Just Google them. I have been recommended them several times. If your ever in the Montgomery, Alabama area hit me up. Keep up the videos and happy trails.
Good informative vid. You will need to weld a frame over those batteries you put on the bumper, with a lock that's difficult to cut. Theives are everywhere.
I know you have been getting info on the solar panels the chargers and wiring. I heard you say you were getting more batteries in the future and wiring them "in series" which I know is how you wire up 6 volt batterys but you can't mix them with a 12 volt deep cycle battery. I thought the one you have now under the hood was a 12 volt battery. I am sure if it is you will change it out to an equal number of 6 volt batteries as two 6 volt batteries wired in series equal but exceed one 12 volt battery in efficiency. Sooo glad to see you got the solar panels up and running on the roof. Looks like you have a good quality solar charger there and your power needs should be covered from now on. Yeah!!! So cool that you can also use the light poles at Walmart etc. Good tip! Ps. I always wonder why you have your blinds up and lights showing at night in Walmart and other spots. I always like to show no light and keep a low profile in those places even if it is not really stealth camping.
I like the setup. Here's my thoughts: there's a lot of cable length and DC voltage drop is going to probably eat a lot of your power. I'm glad you did some research, the 250w is probably a 24v panel and needs to be separated from the 100w 12v panel. Looks like you might have some shade on the panels much of the day from the rack and/or aircon, even a few square inches can reduce output by half, but I know space is limited up there so you've got to make compromises. I think the street light charging is brilliant, pretty sure polycrystalline are what you have (judging by the blue color) and those can produce some power even in low light. I'm worried about you disconnecting the battery from the charge controller, it may heat up without a load, definitely check the manual. And fuses man, where are your fuses? Anything connected to a battery needs to be fused, even a charge controller. Putting a battery bank on the rear is good idea, but there's a lot of concerns too, like theft, overheating or freezing, voltage drop due to even more long cable runs, and weight on the rear bumper. I like the secondary sealed battery behind the drivers seat, please put it inside a box designed to contain acid. Sealed batteries can still crack and spill acid, you never want that stuff in your living area. Dang, I'm starting to think about my own solar plans again. Taxes can't come soon enough man.
You seem happy again which is good. I hope the following info does not change that :). Now that you have mounted the PV panels horizontally on the top of the RV you need to consider the following; regularly cleaning the PV panels of dust and debris as this effects the PV output. Also as you go further North the PV panel output will be less [angle of Sun/air density etc] and could be as much as half the performance to where you are now. One observation - the hole[s] you drilled into the side of the RV - you should have used a cable gland or cable connector/fitting or simply a gromet to protect the cable[s] from the sharp edges of the RV outer skin. With the movement of your RV together with any increased flow of air as you drive - the cable[s] will move and eventually cut into the RV outer aluminum skin and short out. Wrapping the cable with electrical or gaffer tape is not enough. Second observation - I hope you have installed fuses/cut out switches etc to isolate the PV panels in the case of problems and also where you terminate the leads on the battery and eventual batteries - use vehicle type fuses to again isolate the PV system from the battery. Otherwise there's the potential for the system to short out and potentially heat up and cause a fire. As you probably know the optimum angle for the PV panels is not horizontal - but that's for another day - Good luck and safe journey :)
Hi Eric, great video! Thanks for uploading this new video on your new solar as it is appreciated. As a suggestion remember about security and/or creating some sort of tool box for the new batteries that you will have housed in this new battery box on your bumper. Too many meth heads like to steal your precious batteries out there. Also goes for your solar panels. Just a suggestion. Great concept and keep up the good work! If you can talk about how much panels have made a difference in your life in a future video that would be great. With all of the electronics you use, how much percent does the panels have to recharge back into the battery.
I've heard that batteries that are banked together, need to be purchased and connected at the same time. Otherwise the new add-ons are only as powerful as the oldest one in the system....I'm not sure about this, but it's worth checking out. All the best!
sweet, I have been researching solar also for my camper. We have an Interstate Battery here in town and they sell refurbed batteries, deep cycles go for 50 bucks so I am gonna go with those, just an idea for ya. when it gets warmer out I go to a lot of Festivals and work, get paid a place to stay and music, another idea for ya. keep your vids coming and dont fret the trolls.
Good update...Looking to get a portable solar panel in the near future. Will pay attention to what kind of charge controller I'll need. I too, would be very hesitant drilling holes in my roof. Might want to re-think getting 6 deep-cycle batteries in your future project. Better to get one or two higher end ones instead.
The ones that are best for rainy days and cloudy days is the ones with rounded corners. The will pick up more power under those conditions but the panels you have will pick up better in full sunlight
Thanks for the info. I was just curious because, I was thinking about using your same exact setup. I just wasn't sure if those screws would get the job done. Keep up the good videos.
I hope the roof mounted solar panels work fine for you. I was concerned about the wind at 60mph but maybe that downward slope on the roof before the panels will direct the wind over the top of the panels and not cause the panel to lift. I am still watching and learning and enjoying. Give me a shout If your ever in Jacksonville, I have a cool coffee gadget for you that I use while camping. Cheers
Yep, that is nice panel Eric, I got 2 small panel's for my van, plus my 1500 watt generator. I read a book that said our sun is a Star, good thing it changes back into a sun in the daytime. Peace.
now we are talking, nice vid , great upgrade on electrics and a very important one in my view... now you have an excellent home there hope you never think again on downgrading to a van ! lol even if the entire motor explodes .. :) that is home . congrats and good luck
It's neat that Walmart uses energy to light their parking lot and you are able to recycle that energy. It's a win-win-win (them, you and the environment).
Good upgrade that's great. That's one thing I miss about Wal8 Mart having those super centers is you don't see the various campers that showed up on the lot year after year.
Eric get Dicor tape to put over the wires and keeps them flat on the roof, if you would have just used that, you wouldn't need the cable clamps...Dicro roof tape at CW does a excellent job for solar wires on roof....!
I had the same set up, I removed the blown up generator and replaced it with six deep cycle batteries, Six was overkill, I never came close to needing that much, I have it hooked up to four and thats plenty enough, Batterys add allot of weight. It's fun to make your own power though,
Think I would go with 2 separate independent systems. Use the smaller panel and controller to charge the battery under the hood, and use the larger ones to charge say 4 batteries on the rear bumper mount. That way you will always have one complete system working should the other one have a problem.
Eric, Enjoyed the video........My only concern about mounting batteries on the rear bumper would be getting rear ended and the batteries exploding or causing a fire or both!! I'm no expert, but just be careful!
Hey Eric, when you mount your batteries on the bumper, just remember that they're going to be affected by the heat/cold/exposure. Just something to take into consideration.
Hi Eric.. I really enjoy your presentations on TH-cam... Very pleasant and down to earth.. I noticed that when you were gleaning energy from Walmart parking lot lights...where is the internet coming from..WalMart as well..?? TY
Love your videos, living vicariously through you. I'm a single parent with two teenagers still at home and just a few years from being an empty nester. Pretty sure I'll be utilizing what I have learned through watching your videos then. Keep up the good work. I do have one question though, why make so many improvements to your current RV if you are on your way to pick up a newer different one? Just curious...
Alex A all the more reason to upgrade! I love doing that stuff....no need though it would be nice to have a newer rig however just upgrading over time brings it all home. Very cool indeed.
Great start on your solar build - build your battery box with double layer floor to handle the weight and cover/hide everything. For boondocking you need pairs of 6V DEEP CYCLE, like Trojan or Interstate batteries in series. Don't draw down your batteries below 12V or you will lose longevity. Batteries and copper cables are high grade targets for low grade thieves. I use 2-270 watt panels & 4 - L-16 batteries.
I hope the sealant is the stuff for RV's with rubber roof. The sealant expands and contracts with temperature and not all "roof" sealant will work on a RV TPO membrane roof.. I would have used etherbond tape and dicor over the top. But then again it might be fine I just wished you asked your viewers for advise some of us have experience and are here to help :)
Black fiberglass roof cement on a TPO/EPM roof or any RV roof will leak its not the right product to use it will harden and crack when the RV flexes. I made comment so other will know better and not make the same mistake. I will try to explain in my next video.
The only flaw I see right off the bat is that the small 100w panel is going to get shadowed at every turn being so close the luggage rack. If you raised it up to a little above the rack or to another location you'll be fine. Any shadow will knock the power output down by something like 80-90%, depending on the ambient sunlight. I made a similar error. So I did the measurements. The big panel is near the ac unit too so shadows can be a problem. Did you consider Running the inverter cables down one of the vents?? No holes that way.
hello, i have been watching your vid's and i like them. I am in the same spot you are , well mostly. Electricity for me is a challenge. I added a few things over the summer. But i really need a panel like yours and of course a charge controller. That is really cool you can charge by a street lamp, i wondered about that myself......lol!! I charge right now from my alternator but i have to have something more efficient.
Nice tip about nighttime "solar" charging via streetlamps! I wonder if that is because his panels are the so-called Daylight panels? Panels that are not exclusively dependent on full on sunshine and work as long as there is daylight, even in cloudy days? I heard that new upgrade panels do work in that manner...
Is your engine and generator hooked up to the deep cycle battery for the cloudy days? If you mentioned it, I must have missed that part. It's very nice that you will be able to collect solar power from street lamps! Free power is always nice on the road! Nice video Eric! Well done installation to by the looks of it.
I am closely going to follow your Solar Panel project since I am also going to do the same on my Travel Trailer. I will go with the Golf Cart deep cycle batteries. They last longer and have a higher amperage rating.
Well done! I wonder if you can rig a cover for those loose wires so Jax doesn't chew on 'em? In any case, love the upgrade and charging at night from lamp poles. Love to see where you head to next. Is Key West a possibility?
I'm curious your thinking about the pros and cons of mounting solar panels so they can tilt up at angles? I've seen some RV solars that are in a type of aluminum frame and they can be adjusted. I've also seen where the solar was mounted first onto a frame of some sorts, even wood and then secured to the roof. Thanks for another informative video! Hi to Jax!!!
They have to have more space under them to make room for the brakets that will enable them to rise. To if you forget to lover them and drive there is a good chance that you will hit something or rip them of on the highway. But then again you can get up to 30% more power out of the panel if you tilt it 42 to 43 degrees towards the sun. I would rather jus buy one more panel and be over that concern.
Great video , freekin cool solar upgrades and just one more thing the second part of your three part video has a fantaastic quality, what are you filming in? It,s like direct TV or soemthing
WOW !!! This is Brilliant ! I know that this is something that we will need to install, but I know that you must have had to take a lot of time and effort to research and educate yourself to the best system needed. We will probably need to have help from an expert. We have 2 additional 40 gallon gas tanks in the new 5th wheel ( toy hauler ) to run the generator. However, that costs $$ and sun is free and ever streaming. Also, certain National Parks & State Parks frown on generator usage. I don't really like them either. Disturbs my Peace. And isn't that what this life is all about in the greater scheme of things ? Great, Great information this time, honey !
Folks... Please relax. As I said, "this is not a how-to video". I knew people would just rant and rave about everything I did wrong, but wow. Relax. Sip a glass of water and just enjoy my explanation. It's OK if you feel I did everything wrong in this install. But I did it my way. That's what makes this real, and worthwhile to me. Please, feel free to share with the world your own installation video as well. I'd love to see how we all think differently, but we don't need to be rude or mean here.
I think you did a great job! The RV didn't catch fire. Jax still has all 22 or 24 toes. And if you've got power and your batteries aren't melting...All is well!
It looks great. I done a few solar installs to and at the end of the day its all about if it works or not.
Nomadic Fanatic, one thing though. I heard you said you where thinking about put a battery inside the RV. You could do that if you have it in a completely sealed container with a venting tube leading to the outside. I only say this because batteries give off a toxic fume, that when inhaled can be very bad for you health, but your idea of putting the batteries on the outside is perfect. I just suggest you run some sort of lock through them or something to make sure no one takes them. Batteries are gold. lol
Great job on the roof. I hope this was helpful. good luck.
Yep no hate here.. Looking forward to seeing your upgrades to come
What is your amps input from the panels when under the street light? I can get a bright flashlight to get voltage from my panels but amps charge your batteries.
Caleb Romo a AGM battery is a theoretically safe nonventing battery.. kind of spendy but safer than lead/acis
Awesome idea about getting power through a solar panel and street light! I'm going to give that one a try myself.
So nice to finally have a vid with no drama and belly aching. Vids like this are the reason people sub to you. Keep it up!!!!
Good video Eric. The monocrystaline is the best. My panel can also get some juice from street lamps too. But your MPPT charge controller is the main reason why it does so good. It grabs every last bit of juice it can get. That's why it's so efficient. You got a great set up and did a great job on the install. I'm happy for ya.
Hello Eric.
Congrats on the solar upgrade!
I wanted to address the MPPT. Many people have identified it as an model itself. MPPT stands for Maximum Power Point Tracking. Simply put, when the charge controller has MPPT, it is able to provide a balanced power charge throughout the charging cycle for optimal charge efficiency. This actually makes your method of electrical creation more effective.
Congrats again Eric on the upgrade.
Keep making discoveries no matter the cost.
Glad to see you smiling and Happy again.
Just been re-watching some of your earlier vids from over a year ago. Wow...the miles you travelled, and the challenges you've faced and overcome. Dangerous people and hazardous driving, multiple repairs on Tilly, your medical issues, Jax's health care, trolls, financial scarcity, isolation, distance from friends and family. There's going to come a time when Tilly will have to be put to her well-earned rest, but your journeys have matured you and that will stay with you all of your life. Thanks, Eric.
Happy for your upgrade and it looks like you did a fantastic job with installation. I hope Mike's enjoying his new panel as well. Stay safe and keep the positive attitude.
Great video Eric, so glad to see things going good and that smile on your face.
I like the set-up Eric. Always out and ready to go. No need to set it up when you park. Heck it even works under a street light. at night.
It's really nice to see you happy and to see that accomplished look on your face. Seems like this project went really well for you. I'm glad. Safe travels my friend.
Hey Eric, don't worry about overcharging. The charge controller shuts off if other things have charged up your battery. You have a lot of shade possibilities with that rack on the small panel. One little bit pretty much shuts the whole panel off. There are nice diamond plate boxes made to store batteries to mount on the bumper but I don't know the price. Of course, if you are going with AGM batteries, you could mount two behind the seat near the inverter.. You need to have really short wire runs from the battery to the inverter to prevent voltage loss. Lots of loss if you mount to the bumper.
Nice job Eric, it's good to see you smiling back
Gosh, the most exciting thing to me was not only did you get free electricity at Walmart, you recycled the power that had already been "used" in lighting the parking lot. Mind-blowing!
I love your video's like learning about boondocking. Plan on going full time this year, so doing alot of research. Thank you keep em coming!
Hook it UP, Eric! Looks like you did a GREAT job on the wiring. I'm IMPRESSED! I ❤️U guy. Stay strong. Keep your head up. Keep enjoying YOUR life.
Great job with the solar install, i really enjoyed watching this. Thanks for sharing.
Enjoyed the video Eric. Especially the running of the wire! Trust me, the next time you do this, it will be much different and better. But for now, high fives for getting it done your way as you know it to be. Man can only research so long....then the project must begin. BTW, really glad the crankcase cleanout did the job on the lifter. Was hoping your mechanic friend would suggest that before diving into the engine. You know now that that lifter may act up again...better keep some of that cleanout juice on hand. Love these old vehicles! I've had a bunch of 'em. My best to Jax!
Good job, interesting about the street lamps!
Thanks for posting that, especially the last segment on collecting energy from overhead street lamps. Very informative.
Hi Eric. Been reading the comments. I used the light from a lamp post tonight near my RV. I guess I am now a thief. Lol!
Also the sun is in star mode right now. But don't worry. Tomorrow it will become the sun again. Hahaha!
I had to text my son on that one. He used to work for Orion Telescope.
Too bad you couldn't have run the wires down the vent pipe openings or the frig vent. Oh well. Do get a heavy rubber grommet and put it in the cut hole where the wires go through the wall. You will have to cut it to get it in since the wires are already installed but it will protect them from being cut on the raw edges of the metal wall during movement.
Also someone said don't mix batteries. In fact different age batteries are not good either. When you are ready to get batteries, get rid of the 12 v deep cycle battery under the hood and just get an AGM sealed battery which can be housed inside the rig because it doesn't offgas. Also would be located closer to the charge controller so less voltage drop. You can still run a wire to the alternator to charge from engine as before. Two of those AGM batteries would be all you need. Ck on the proper way to connect them together.
If you
I think you did a great job. That's my next addition roof solar panels.
Hey Eric good video! Regarding the rack of extra batteries on your back bumper, I would suggest to store them inside the RV, you are from north west and once the ambient temperature gets bellow to freezing values… you might run out of juice quickly + in the winter time you get less light hours a day … to recharge them…. Keep them inside, if you have extra room… Good Luck!
Awesome Eric! I am very happy you're getting that solar set up. It will save you a little headache down the road. I use Solar on my RV too. 450 watts worth of Solar Panels so far.
That 250 watt panel is sweet! I was surprised you drilled a hole in the side of your rv, I see most ppl feed wire down the refrigerator vent or make a sealed connection of their own. Just my opinion, I'd sell that 100w panel and buy two of those Trojan 105re batteries. Those have better amp hrs than 12v batteries. Is there any storage compartment you can use to build a battery bank or is the bumper the only option? Glad too see the rv running better and your spirits up! I think Jax did help, he kept your coach mouse free!
Great video something I would do to improve the output of your solar is to have a small gap between the panel and the roof so it could get some airflow when parked and it's hot outside,the hotter the panel gets the less charge you will get from them but with the roof being white will help keep some of the heat off the panels.
Glad to see your solar upgrade. I don't know what your plans are but if you wanna see the best parts of Florida besides Panama City I recommend staying on the west coast of Florida to see Tarpon Springs Sponge Docks a tourist area then stay on Alt. Old US Hwy19 to Clearwater Beach FL has a nice long fishing pier on the beach then drive on Gulf Blvd Rd. along the ocean to Treasure Island Beach then St. Pete Beach then especially see Ft. Desoto Beach/RV Park then Key West and maybe Miami Beach on the east side and West Palm Beach and Daytona Beach which you can drive and park on the beach there and maybe visit some attractions in Orlando FL in the middle by Daytona Beach. Happy Travels : )
When we did our solar, we wired through by going into the fridge vent. Saved alot of time, and drilling.
Nice setup Eric, Glad it worked out.
Another well done, quality video. Solar is in my near future as well. This helps. Bravo.
You are so young! I ow another old video! You were trying👍 love it!
Really enjoyed your video. One thing you did not mention in the video is a voltage blocking diode. Your controller may have one built-in, I am not sure, but you most surly do not want voltage go back toward your panels. I am about to add 2 panels of at least 100 watt each maybe higher if I can afford when I order them. I am also adding 2 more 6volt golfcarrt batteries for a total of 4 batteries. I also have a really cool 12 volt generator I need to do a video about soon to use as a backup charging system when the panels are not able to keep up. I plan on getting my panels and controllers from Missouri Wind & Solar. Just Google them. I have been recommended them several times. If your ever in the Montgomery, Alabama area hit me up. Keep up the videos and happy trails.
Good informative vid. You will need to weld a frame over those batteries you put on the bumper, with a lock that's difficult to cut. Theives are everywhere.
Thanks Eric, interesting. Bodes well for the future.
I know you have been getting info on the solar panels the chargers and wiring. I heard you say you were getting more batteries in the future and wiring them "in series" which I know is how you wire up 6 volt batterys but you can't mix them with a 12 volt deep cycle battery. I thought the one you have now under the hood was a 12 volt battery. I am sure if it is you will change it out to an equal number of 6 volt batteries as two 6 volt batteries wired in series equal but exceed one 12 volt battery in efficiency.
Sooo glad to see you got the solar panels up and running on the roof. Looks like you have a good quality solar charger there and your power needs should be covered from now on. Yeah!!! So cool that you can also use the light poles at Walmart etc. Good tip!
Ps. I always wonder why you have your blinds up and lights showing at night in Walmart and other spots. I always like to show no light and keep a low profile in those places even if it is not really stealth camping.
I'm guessing he meant to say parallel.
I like the setup. Here's my thoughts: there's a lot of cable length and DC voltage drop is going to probably eat a lot of your power. I'm glad you did some research, the 250w is probably a 24v panel and needs to be separated from the 100w 12v panel. Looks like you might have some shade on the panels much of the day from the rack and/or aircon, even a few square inches can reduce output by half, but I know space is limited up there so you've got to make compromises. I think the street light charging is brilliant, pretty sure polycrystalline are what you have (judging by the blue color) and those can produce some power even in low light. I'm worried about you disconnecting the battery from the charge controller, it may heat up without a load, definitely check the manual. And fuses man, where are your fuses? Anything connected to a battery needs to be fused, even a charge controller. Putting a battery bank on the rear is good idea, but there's a lot of concerns too, like theft, overheating or freezing, voltage drop due to even more long cable runs, and weight on the rear bumper. I like the secondary sealed battery behind the drivers seat, please put it inside a box designed to contain acid. Sealed batteries can still crack and spill acid, you never want that stuff in your living area. Dang, I'm starting to think about my own solar plans again. Taxes can't come soon enough man.
Way to go Eric, love the set up..
You seem happy again which is good. I hope the following info does not change that :). Now that you have mounted the PV panels horizontally on the top of the RV you need to consider the following; regularly cleaning the PV panels of dust and debris as this effects the PV output. Also as you go further North the PV panel output will be less [angle of Sun/air density etc] and could be as much as half the performance to where you are now.
One observation - the hole[s] you drilled into the side of the RV - you should have used a cable gland or cable connector/fitting or simply a gromet to protect the cable[s] from the sharp edges of the RV outer skin. With the movement of your RV together with any increased flow of air as you drive - the cable[s] will move and eventually cut into the RV outer aluminum skin and short out. Wrapping the cable with electrical or gaffer tape is not enough. Second observation - I hope you have installed fuses/cut out switches etc to isolate the PV panels in the case of problems and also where you terminate the leads on the battery and eventual batteries - use vehicle type fuses to again isolate the PV system from the battery. Otherwise there's the potential for the system to short out and potentially heat up and cause a fire. As you probably know the optimum angle for the PV panels is not horizontal - but that's for another day - Good luck and safe journey :)
Ive got a plan for today, getting on with it! with all the major issues and then to see what others get upset about..... "have fun"!!
Cool, I want to do Solar and need to do more research.....Thanks for the video Eric....Happy Trails Cheers !!
Dang Eric you did a awesome job buddy. That looks great!
Hi Eric, great video! Thanks for uploading this new video on your new solar as it is appreciated. As a suggestion remember about security and/or creating some sort of tool box for the new batteries that you will have housed in this new battery box on your bumper. Too many meth heads like to steal your precious batteries out there. Also goes for your solar panels. Just a suggestion. Great concept and keep up the good work! If you can talk about how much panels have made a difference in your life in a future video that would be great. With all of the electronics you use, how much percent does the panels have to recharge back into the battery.
I was curious about charging from street lamps, thanks for answering my long unanswered question!
I've heard that batteries that are banked together, need to be purchased and connected at the same time. Otherwise the new add-ons are only as powerful as the oldest one in the system....I'm not sure about this, but it's worth checking out. All the best!
sweet, I have been researching solar also for my camper. We have an Interstate Battery here in town and they sell refurbed batteries, deep cycles go for 50 bucks so I am gonna go with those, just an idea for ya. when it gets warmer out I go to a lot of Festivals and work, get paid a place to stay and music, another idea for ya. keep your vids coming and dont fret the trolls.
Good update...Looking to get a portable solar panel in the near future. Will pay attention to what kind of charge controller I'll need. I too, would be very hesitant drilling holes in my roof. Might want to re-think getting 6 deep-cycle batteries in your future project. Better to get one or two higher end ones instead.
The ones that are best for rainy days and cloudy days is the ones with rounded corners. The will pick up more power under those conditions but the panels you have will pick up better in full sunlight
I put a 100 watt panel on my 14' trailer and it works great. Solar is very nice to have.
I'm loving the street lamp trick. Hell yeah.
Really helped me out, the video in last part looks amazing too!
Thanks for the info. I was just curious because, I was thinking about using your same exact setup. I just wasn't sure if those screws would get the job done. Keep up the good videos.
I hope the roof mounted solar panels work fine for you. I was concerned about the wind at 60mph but maybe that downward slope on the roof before the panels will direct the wind over the top of the panels and not cause the panel to lift. I am still watching and learning and enjoying. Give me a shout If your ever in Jacksonville, I have a cool coffee gadget for you that I use while camping. Cheers
Yep, that is nice panel Eric, I got 2 small panel's for my van, plus my 1500 watt generator. I read a book that said our sun is a Star, good thing it changes back into a sun in the daytime. Peace.
now we are talking, nice vid , great upgrade on electrics and a very important one in my view... now you have an excellent home there hope you never think again on downgrading to a van ! lol even if the entire motor explodes .. :) that is home . congrats and good luck
It's neat that Walmart uses energy to light their parking lot and you are able to recycle that energy. It's a win-win-win (them, you and the environment).
Good upgrade that's great. That's one thing I miss about Wal8 Mart having those super centers is you don't see the various campers that showed up on the lot year after year.
Way to go, Eric!
Positive Vibrations, man!
Great video. We want to add solar to our 5vr too.
Eric get Dicor tape to put over the wires and keeps them flat on the roof, if you would have just used that, you wouldn't need the cable clamps...Dicro roof tape at CW does a excellent job for solar wires on roof....!
Hopefully Jax doesn't chew on the wires!! Safe and happy travels!!! :)
Good job on the solar setup.
That`s the SMART way to go !
Have fun & save on electricity.....lol
Be safe !
Nice barter. That 250w solar panel and new charge controller are worth around $500 - 600.
I had the same set up, I removed the blown up generator and replaced it with six deep cycle batteries, Six was overkill, I never came close to needing that much, I have it hooked up to four and thats plenty enough, Batterys add allot of weight. It's fun to make your own power though,
Think I would go with 2 separate independent systems. Use the smaller panel and controller to charge the battery under the hood, and use the larger ones to charge say 4 batteries on the rear bumper mount. That way you will always have one complete system working should the other one have a problem.
Eric, Enjoyed the video........My only concern about mounting batteries on the rear bumper would be getting rear ended and the batteries exploding or causing a fire or both!! I'm no expert, but just be careful!
Hey Eric, when you mount your batteries on the bumper, just remember that they're going to be affected by the heat/cold/exposure. Just something to take into consideration.
Hi Eric.. I really enjoy your presentations on TH-cam... Very pleasant and down to earth.. I noticed that when you were gleaning energy from Walmart parking lot lights...where is the internet coming from..WalMart as well..?? TY
Love your videos, living vicariously through you. I'm a single parent with two teenagers still at home and just a few years from being an empty nester. Pretty sure I'll be utilizing what I have learned through watching your videos then. Keep up the good work. I do have one question though, why make so many improvements to your current RV if you are on your way to pick up a newer different one? Just curious...
@DJ De La Paz That offer fell through and he's now keeping Tilly.
Alex A all the more reason to upgrade! I love doing that stuff....no need though it would be nice to have a newer rig however just upgrading over time brings it all home. Very cool indeed.
Congrats on the bigger solar setup
Great start on your solar build - build your battery box with double layer floor to handle the weight and cover/hide everything. For boondocking you need pairs of 6V DEEP CYCLE, like Trojan or Interstate batteries in series. Don't draw down your batteries below 12V or you will lose longevity. Batteries and copper cables are high grade targets for low grade thieves. I use 2-270 watt panels & 4 - L-16 batteries.
I hope the sealant is the stuff for RV's with rubber roof. The sealant expands and contracts with temperature and not all "roof" sealant will work on a RV TPO membrane roof.. I would have used etherbond tape and dicor over the top. But then again it might be fine I just wished you asked your viewers for advise some of us have experience and are here to help :)
Its old-school aluminum roof. No rubber.
Patrick Price I do believe that's a rubber roof. Regardless dicor is the way to go even on alum and I never seen it in black.
BlackTop Boondocker No sir, its metalic. Eric told me via email when he asked me solar questions & specs.
The early part of the video shows black fiberglass roof cement later painted white
Black fiberglass roof cement on a TPO/EPM roof or any RV roof will leak its not the right product to use it will harden and crack when the RV flexes. I made comment so other will know better and not make the same mistake. I will try to explain in my next video.
I've seen people run the wires down the fridge vent but your install looked good to me. It is a trailer on wheels....
Hey Eric...great setup. Curious on how to protect the solar panels from things like hail.
Ingenious idea using street lamps to charge at night! Do the panels provide enough power to run your fridge for a few hours?
The only flaw I see right off the bat is that the small 100w panel is going to get shadowed at every turn being so close the luggage rack. If you raised it up to a little above the rack or to another location you'll be fine. Any shadow will knock the power output down by something like 80-90%, depending on the ambient sunlight. I made a similar error. So I did the measurements. The big panel is near the ac unit too so shadows can be a problem. Did you consider Running the inverter cables down one of the vents?? No holes that way.
hello, i have been watching your vid's and i like them. I am in the same spot you are , well mostly. Electricity for me is a challenge. I added a few things over the summer. But i really need a panel like yours and of course a charge controller. That is really cool you can charge by a street lamp, i wondered about that myself......lol!! I charge right now from my alternator but i have to have something more efficient.
Nice tip about nighttime "solar" charging via streetlamps! I wonder if that is because his panels are the so-called Daylight panels? Panels that are not exclusively dependent on full on sunshine and work as long as there is daylight, even in cloudy days? I heard that new upgrade panels do work in that manner...
Did you ever find out which panel is better at charging from a street lamp? Thanks man learned a lot and enjoyed the video!
U r 1 kool kat.. Thanks for making and sharing the info in your video. Thumbs up
Is your engine and generator hooked up to the deep cycle battery for the cloudy days? If you mentioned it, I must have missed that part. It's very nice that you will be able to collect solar power from street lamps! Free power is always nice on the road! Nice video Eric! Well done installation to by the looks of it.
I am closely going to follow your Solar Panel project since I am also going to do the same on my Travel Trailer. I will go with the Golf Cart deep cycle batteries. They last longer and have a higher amperage rating.
Solar from the streetlamps - genius ! LOL
Well done! I wonder if you can rig a cover for those loose wires so Jax doesn't chew on 'em? In any case, love the upgrade and charging at night from lamp poles. Love to see where you head to next. Is Key West a possibility?
I'm curious your thinking about the pros and cons of mounting solar panels so they can tilt up at angles? I've seen some RV solars that are in a type of aluminum frame and they can be adjusted. I've also seen where the solar was mounted first onto a frame of some sorts, even wood and then secured to the roof. Thanks for another informative video! Hi to Jax!!!
They have to have more space under them to make room for the brakets that will enable them to rise. To if you forget to lover them and drive there is a good chance that you will hit something or rip them of on the highway. But then again you can get up to 30% more power out of the panel if you tilt it 42 to 43 degrees towards the sun. I would rather jus buy one more panel and be over that concern.
Good points, thanks!
when i get my rv going this year i will be doing the same. there is a hitch u can raise so u can make them face the south.
I have the tilt mounts from AM Solar. Haven't used them to capture the sun more efficiently, just keep the roof clean.
Jonathan Smith That sounds interesting. How does it keep the roof clean with the panels tilted?
the thing with the lights charging is cool
Great video and learning experience, Just wondering how Tilly is running, the heavier oil help any ??
You should put LED bulbs insted of classic ones! It saves 80% of energy. I have allready done it in my RV and its works ! :)
Eric, if you head to the keys let me know. My friend owns a hippy ranch you could stay at and he's totally off the grid, a solar genius.
Thanks for the valuable and useful information on this video Nomadic Fanatic .
Great video. Nice setup!
Great video , freekin cool solar upgrades and just one more thing the second part of your three part video has a fantaastic quality, what are you filming in? It,s like direct TV or soemthing
I love that guy at 5:55. He must think Eric has lost it. All he can see is Eric on the roof ALONE just chatting up a storm. LOL
Mike Hunter If ever accused of talking to myself, I two defenses: 1. Talking to my camera. 2. Talking to my cat. So far, my alibis are working... lol.
Great video. Enjoyed it. Tell Jax to relax, he's not Rosie O'Donnell, the videos are not always going to be about him. lol be well and stay safe.
Wow!! Solar power from street lamps?! Amazing!!
Awesome Eric Can you now use a electric toaster oven ? please let me know. Thank You!
A very smart man and a good job
This is one of your better videos. Thanks
Eric good job, not the most ascetically pleasing, but hey, who's going to see your roof .. its hard to argue with success...
What did you do for air conditioning? I know there are ways to wire an inverter into your who system, but I'm assuming most people don't do that.
Well, you're commenting on an older video, but check this out for how I run the AC off solar: th-cam.com/video/qlXOyT0Yymg/w-d-xo.html
WOW !!! This is Brilliant ! I know that this is something that we will need to install, but I know that you must have had to take a lot of time and effort to research and educate yourself to the best system needed. We will probably need to have help from an expert. We have 2 additional 40 gallon gas tanks in the new 5th wheel ( toy hauler ) to run the generator. However, that costs $$ and sun is free and ever streaming. Also, certain National Parks & State Parks frown on generator usage. I don't really like them either. Disturbs my Peace. And isn't that what this life is all about in the greater scheme of things ? Great, Great information this time, honey !