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Solar power for deer camp trailer. #5629288 03/02/15 02:31 AM
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John Humbert Offline OP
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Ok, who's attempted it, who's been succesful, all info appreciated.

What I am trying to determine if it is possible, with aux batteries of course, is it possible to run a typical trailer off solar panels?

Re: Solar power for deer camp trailer. [Re: John Humbert] #5629301 03/02/15 02:34 AM
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Think it would be cheaper to use propane/butane for heating, refrigerator, stove, lighting, generator(if needed), etc. and you would get more consistent power/heat.


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Re: Solar power for deer camp trailer. [Re: John Humbert] #5629318 03/02/15 02:40 AM
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I agree, I would assume between battery cost it would be easier to get a good generator.


Re: Solar power for deer camp trailer. [Re: John Humbert] #5629332 03/02/15 02:45 AM
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If you will be just running lights then solar will get you by. If you are wanting to run a/c, fridge etc then you will be better off with a generator.


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Re: Solar power for deer camp trailer. [Re: John Humbert] #5629343 03/02/15 02:50 AM
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I've looked at wind and solar for a small residential application. Neither is cost effective yet. Are you without any power at all? As STX says propane or butane are the most economical. I can't deal with the noise of a generator.

Re: Solar power for deer camp trailer. [Re: John Humbert] #5629390 03/02/15 03:09 AM
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We ran lights off of a solar panel and one deep cycle battery. The rest was propane for heat and an RV fridge. It worked okay, but it is a lot better now that we have electricity.


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Re: Solar power for deer camp trailer. [Re: John Humbert] #5629513 03/02/15 04:06 AM
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Generators always seem to run out of fuel during he middle of the night.


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Re: Solar power for deer camp trailer. [Re: John Humbert] #5629644 03/02/15 06:22 AM
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For anything 12v you would be fine with solar, so your lights, furnace, water pump things like that will work. Depending on what batteries you are going to run you can install an inverter and be able to run some 120v fixtures it would just depend on how many amps they are gonna draw. Cost wise you are probably better off getting a generator, but it can be done with solar.


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Re: Solar power for deer camp trailer. [Re: John Humbert] #5629904 03/02/15 02:22 PM
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Yes, yes - I know of other options. I'm looking at a place where there is no electric hookups. Running a generator 24/7 isn't going to work since I won't always be there - and they would be noisy when I am there.

Re: Solar power for deer camp trailer. [Re: John Humbert] #5629913 03/02/15 02:24 PM
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Originally Posted By: John Humbert
Yes, yes - I know of other options. I'm looking at a place where there is no electric hookups. Running a generator 24/7 isn't going to work since I won't always be there - and they would be noisy when I am there.


What do you need power for when your not there?

They make very quiet generators.


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Re: Solar power for deer camp trailer. [Re: redchevy] #5630046 03/02/15 03:31 PM
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Sure need to know what you will want to be running full time and what to run when you are there.

Re: Solar power for deer camp trailer. [Re: John Humbert] #5630353 03/02/15 06:18 PM
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Well, I would like to be able to keep the fridge/freezer running so I don't have to clear stuff out. When I am there, would like to be able to run lights, sat TV/Internet. Ideally, would like to have the router running so I can use web-based security cams.

I realize that I might not be able to do everything I want - and will have to adjust plans accordingly. I am just exploring solar possibilities.

Also, I have a small place on the coast - with LOTS of unused roof space. Would like to explore possibilties of using solar there as well, to reduce or eliminate power costs.

I am seeing down the road, with some of the new Obama executive orders - that power/internet is fixing to get very expensive. We may see an increase of 30%-40% in rural areas in the next two years.

My GUESS is that solar is going to be larger pain than it is worth - but I want to know real numbers and have real information rather than guessing.

Don't want to be a position a couple of years from now saying "Dang, wish I would have done solar back in 2015".

Re: Solar power for deer camp trailer. [Re: John Humbert] #5630366 03/02/15 06:28 PM
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A lot of the overland guys do it.

They use solar and goal zero products.


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Re: Solar power for deer camp trailer. [Re: John Humbert] #5633675 03/04/15 03:21 PM
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All of what you want to do can be done. Cost effective, no. But it can be done. I guess it is relative though.

It depends on how many quality panels and how much storage you are willing to purchase.

Before I had electricty, I was running everything off of solar except the A/C. The A/C uses a lot of power and it is a killer on start up. This was just a project thing I did to improve the quality of deer camp life at the time. I am not a generator fan either. Can't stand the noise of even the quiet ones at night, but I'll take it over being hot. Little things matter, like watching a football game without hearing a generator in the background. Man, I was living then.

The biggest issue you listed is running the freezer 24/7 while you are not there. That will take some juice.

There is tons of info on the net on how to design and build your own setup.

Re: Solar power for deer camp trailer. [Re: John Humbert] #5634064 03/04/15 07:22 PM
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You can do what you want, the big thing and expense is batteries, I had several solar set ups for some work locations, we used a small panel and a single deep cycle cell battery for each window A/C unit, it would only run the unit for a few hours in the evening but it was enough to cool the room off.

We also had 6 deep cycle batteries in a bank hooked to a inverter that plugged directly into a regular outlet to run the lights fridge and such, the fridge was left running all the time while people were there using the place but everything else was only on at night.

When the location was not being used all power was shut down. This seemed to work well for a place that was used infrequent. I doubt this was the best way of doing things but it worked.

I agree with the people that posted before on info, there are plenty of solar companies and info on web that can tell the requirements that you will need for what you want to run, then you can figure out where to get everything and how you want to install it to keep it in budget or do it in stages.

Re: Solar power for deer camp trailer. [Re: John Humbert] #5635921 03/05/15 05:37 PM
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I am new to this also. I bought a 45 watt solar kit from Harbor Freight for about $150.00. I also bought two 70 amp hour batteries and a 750 watt power inverter. I have not used this stuff yet. I have a friend that has an off-grid cabin. He has a propane tank for the fridge, stove, and a heater. Solar for the rest. No air conditioning. He said this works great for him. I don't really know much about this. There are some great videos on You Tube.

Re: Solar power for deer camp trailer. [Re: John Humbert] #5636205 03/05/15 07:48 PM
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I have a system on my cabin in montell and im very new to it but theres solar panels and these arent very big maybe 2 @2'x2' and it runs to an old truck tool box with 3 car batterys in it and some switchs to turn on the system and different channels. All our lights in the place run off this and the 12v water pump. Our heat is propane and if you want AC or fridge you need a generator. Now if you invested some more $ and bought some serious solar panels and industrial batterys im sure you could do more. I have property in Colorado and some people up there run their entire home (and i mean 3000 sq' homes) on solar but their whole roof is covered in panels.

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