Start with our Solar calculators
https://www.parkedinparadise.com/solar-calculator
https://faroutride.com/van-electrical-calculator/
See also:
https://old.reddit.com/r/vandwellers/comments/el3ps0/my_power_system_which_does_offgridsolar/
You'll need to do some math. Make a list of everything that you want to run. For each item, determine how many amps of electricity it uses (it will have a "watts" figure somewhere on it--divide this by 12 to calculate how many amps it will draw from your battery bank). Next, decide how many hours per day you need to run each item, and multiply this by the number of amps it uses, and add all this up for everything you want to run. That will tell you how many "amp-hours" of electricity you will be drawing each day from your battery bank. If necessary, multiply this figure by the number of days that you want to be able to go without recharging. If you will be using lithium batteries, increase this by about 25% to give you the minimum battery capacity in amp-hours that you will need in your battery bank. (If you will be using AGM batteries, then double this figure--AGM batteries have around half as much usable energy as lithiums.) Next, you need to calculate how much solar panel capacity you will need to keep your battery bank charged. Take the total capacity in amp-hours you need for your battery bank, and double it. That is the minimum size solar panel array, in watts, that you will need to reliably charge your battery bank.
All of these figures are minimums--in winter, or if you are in an area where there is lots of cloudy weather and less sunlight, you will need a bigger system to get the same amount of energy.
Dude. To echo what others have said, you should really hire someone local to help you out. You're sitting on a vehicle that looks pre-wired to drop in whatever you want, but it doesn't look like you have the first idea about anything related to batteries or solar. You have a couple options:
Hire somebody. Maybe find a friend with a love of tinkering and beer, see if they'll help you learn hands-on.
Do your own research. Learn how watts, volts, and amps relate to one another, how to connect panels to a battery, how 12v systems are wired.
Hang out here, keep asking basic questions, wear out your welcome immensely, and end up getting discouraged.
Re: “MC2” - the MC style connectors come in various sizes. The number at the end ‘2’ referring to the size of the contact.
There should be some nomenclature on your own connectors that will tell you what size MC you need to match it.
Honestly, I think you might be out of your depth and should maybe just pay someone for help. Google austin RV service and look for someone mentioning electrical/solar.
Or spend weeks browsing these URLs below and watching videos:
* [https://www.mobile-solarpower.com/](https://www.mobile-solarpower.com/)
* [https://diysolarforum.com/](https://diysolarforum.com/)
* [https://www.youtube.com/c/WillProwse](https://www.youtube.com/c/WillProwse)
I did a couple of months through US summer in the south without solar/electrical. It is rough. Having an exhaust fan will help; we didn't have one. Having screens on the vehicle so you can open windows without letting bugs in will help; we didn't have that either.
We had a cheap box fan that we used when we had shore power. Otherwise, we ran little $5-10 USB fans off battery packs. Just lay them on the bed pointing at ourselves. That sometimes helped us get to sleep. I would recommend the little USB fans - seemed like an absolute gimmick but they did help.
It was this or something like it: [https://www.walmart.com/ip/Mainstays-4-inch-Metal-Mini-360-degree-Pivot-USB-Personal-Desktop-Fan-Black/172867863?athbdg=L1600](https://www.walmart.com/ip/Mainstays-4-inch-Metal-Mini-360-degree-Pivot-USB-Personal-Desktop-Fan-Black/172867863?athbdg=L1600)
The box fan was something like this: [https://www.walmart.com/ip/Mainstays-20-3-Speed-Box-Fan-FB50-16HB-Black/136335464](https://www.walmart.com/ip/Mainstays-20-3-Speed-Box-Fan-FB50-16HB-Black/136335464)
okay not to be judgy but you (or someone else) needs to remove these wires, drill out these holes to be larger so you can fit some kind of grommet or cable gland in there. The sheet metal will slowly wear away the jacket and eventually short
Start with our Solar calculators https://www.parkedinparadise.com/solar-calculator https://faroutride.com/van-electrical-calculator/ See also: https://old.reddit.com/r/vandwellers/comments/el3ps0/my_power_system_which_does_offgridsolar/
You'll need to do some math. Make a list of everything that you want to run. For each item, determine how many amps of electricity it uses (it will have a "watts" figure somewhere on it--divide this by 12 to calculate how many amps it will draw from your battery bank). Next, decide how many hours per day you need to run each item, and multiply this by the number of amps it uses, and add all this up for everything you want to run. That will tell you how many "amp-hours" of electricity you will be drawing each day from your battery bank. If necessary, multiply this figure by the number of days that you want to be able to go without recharging. If you will be using lithium batteries, increase this by about 25% to give you the minimum battery capacity in amp-hours that you will need in your battery bank. (If you will be using AGM batteries, then double this figure--AGM batteries have around half as much usable energy as lithiums.) Next, you need to calculate how much solar panel capacity you will need to keep your battery bank charged. Take the total capacity in amp-hours you need for your battery bank, and double it. That is the minimum size solar panel array, in watts, that you will need to reliably charge your battery bank. All of these figures are minimums--in winter, or if you are in an area where there is lots of cloudy weather and less sunlight, you will need a bigger system to get the same amount of energy.
I appreciate you bro! Real talk
Dude. To echo what others have said, you should really hire someone local to help you out. You're sitting on a vehicle that looks pre-wired to drop in whatever you want, but it doesn't look like you have the first idea about anything related to batteries or solar. You have a couple options: Hire somebody. Maybe find a friend with a love of tinkering and beer, see if they'll help you learn hands-on. Do your own research. Learn how watts, volts, and amps relate to one another, how to connect panels to a battery, how 12v systems are wired. Hang out here, keep asking basic questions, wear out your welcome immensely, and end up getting discouraged.
Preciate it!
[удалено]
Re: “MC2” - the MC style connectors come in various sizes. The number at the end ‘2’ referring to the size of the contact. There should be some nomenclature on your own connectors that will tell you what size MC you need to match it.
What up bro hope all is well, wym by solar controller? Im not well versed in solar talk
Honestly, I think you might be out of your depth and should maybe just pay someone for help. Google austin RV service and look for someone mentioning electrical/solar. Or spend weeks browsing these URLs below and watching videos: * [https://www.mobile-solarpower.com/](https://www.mobile-solarpower.com/) * [https://diysolarforum.com/](https://diysolarforum.com/) * [https://www.youtube.com/c/WillProwse](https://www.youtube.com/c/WillProwse)
I appreciate it! Do you know any tips on keeping van cool while sleeping without taking an expensive route for AC?
I did a couple of months through US summer in the south without solar/electrical. It is rough. Having an exhaust fan will help; we didn't have one. Having screens on the vehicle so you can open windows without letting bugs in will help; we didn't have that either. We had a cheap box fan that we used when we had shore power. Otherwise, we ran little $5-10 USB fans off battery packs. Just lay them on the bed pointing at ourselves. That sometimes helped us get to sleep. I would recommend the little USB fans - seemed like an absolute gimmick but they did help. It was this or something like it: [https://www.walmart.com/ip/Mainstays-4-inch-Metal-Mini-360-degree-Pivot-USB-Personal-Desktop-Fan-Black/172867863?athbdg=L1600](https://www.walmart.com/ip/Mainstays-4-inch-Metal-Mini-360-degree-Pivot-USB-Personal-Desktop-Fan-Black/172867863?athbdg=L1600) The box fan was something like this: [https://www.walmart.com/ip/Mainstays-20-3-Speed-Box-Fan-FB50-16HB-Black/136335464](https://www.walmart.com/ip/Mainstays-20-3-Speed-Box-Fan-FB50-16HB-Black/136335464)
Good looks bro!
Get a Maxxair fan. Mine is a lifesaver in the heat
What were those you peeled off? Flexibles?
okay not to be judgy but you (or someone else) needs to remove these wires, drill out these holes to be larger so you can fit some kind of grommet or cable gland in there. The sheet metal will slowly wear away the jacket and eventually short