# Solar Panel for the Survival Bus



## SurvivalBus (Sep 18, 2010)

I get my 65 Watt Solar Kit for the bus tomorrow. Im still looking for a inverter what would you guys recommend, I want to use it for light camping but also a back up generator for the house it the power goes out.

Im think 1000-2000 watt inverter


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## TnAndy (Sep 15, 2005)

"Im think" that without information regarding expected load, time required to run that load, and battery storage capacity, an informed opinion is impossible to make.

I AM amazed how many folks approach alt energy completely backwards. I guess solar panels just look so cool that folks want to run buy them first, and then try to figure how the hard stuff later.  

My analogy would be "I'm dropping a 350hp turbo charged engine in a 3/4 ton truck and plan to use a pop can for my gas tank"....which will work fine until I reach the end of my drive way.


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## SurvivalBus (Sep 18, 2010)

yes my typing sucks sorry

well Im going to have around 3 Deep Cycles, unsure of the capacity, basiclly its going to be running a laptop, and the bus Aux systems, pump for the sink, stereo, lights, & some 12v plugs. The inverter is just a back up if I need to use it for the house. everything used in the bus is 12v


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## TnAndy (Sep 15, 2005)

65w (the pop can ) will probably keep three batteries topped off from their self discharge.....as long as you don't use them for anything else.....forget all that other stuff.


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## mightybooboo (Feb 10, 2004)

Get yourself 300-400 watts to run that.150 watts will keep the lights going.....a little computer maybe,a little waterpump time.....not much more.

Definitely get more panels before you spend cash on inverter IMO,or at least what I'd do.

Had 150 watts on motorhome,kept the batteries nicely charged,but sure didnt do much else beyond what I said above.


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## wy_white_wolf (Oct 14, 2004)

TnAndy said:


> ...My analogy would be "I'm dropping a 350hp turbo charged engine in a 3/4 ton truck and plan to use a pop can for my gas tank"....which will work fine until I reach the end of my drive way.


:goodjob: I couldn't have put that better


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## Off Grid Rving (Jul 25, 2010)

Personal experience here = I live off the grid in a tiny home 48sq feet.
I have a single 210 watt solar panel, and two golf cart batteries giving me 220 amp hours of capacity.

This provides more energy than I can use. I have a composting toilet (small fan for the exhaust) linksys router, 33db tv antenna amplifier running 24/7 
I have an eee pc 901 12v netbook running every day as well but only charge it up once a day - has 8 hour battery life on it. 

in addition I have a water pump for the fresh water system and a water pump in the sump area of the shower drain that runs now and then. 

you do not need as much energy if you keep things straight 12v I do not have an inverter for anything.

19 inch flat screen tv is direct 12v as well!


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## SurvivalBus (Sep 18, 2010)

yea I got 12v everything even laptop, I plan to get another 65 watt just dont want to spend all the money right now. 
The only reason for the inverter is to make the bus a solar gen for the house if the power goes out

depending on weight and mounting I may be able to get 4x 65 watts on top, I wont need that many for basic living in the bus, I most likely will just due 2 at most. I will be testing the single and seeing how it works out


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## Jim-mi (May 15, 2002)

A 12 vdc 19" flat screen tv . . .. . .curious what brand . .?? . .and where you got it . .??


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## SurvivalBus (Sep 18, 2010)

you can get them at places like this HERE


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## SurvivalBus (Sep 18, 2010)

Got the Panel today and got it mounted on the cargo carrier and hope to get it reinstalled Sat :banana02:


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## Ed Norman (Jun 8, 2002)

Won't the rays of sunlight ricochet off the flat panel on the cargo carrier? Will you set it up and facing the sun when parked?


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## roachhill (Jul 8, 2009)

As far as an inverter for small occasional use, personally I wouldn't get to fancy. A simple cheap unit sold for semis and trucks should be fine. I use them all the time and have units from 200 to 3000 watts. The little ones just plug into a cigarette lighter over around 800 watts or so they need to hard wire in. They have gotten pretty cheap lately I think the 3000 watt unit only cost around $200. I had a 5000 watt unit but unfortunately it got damp in the semi and fried, Bummer.


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## roachhill (Jul 8, 2009)

Incidentally I picked up a 19" Kenmark flat panel TV/Computer monitor at Walmart that had a transformer in the power cord but actually ran on 12V DC. I just unplugged the cord that came with it bought a 12V cord at a truck stop that had the same plug end on it and Bam instant portable TV for the truck. Sometimes you just have to turn them around and look at the back.


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## mightybooboo (Feb 10, 2004)

Jim-mi said:


> A 12 vdc 19" flat screen tv . . .. . .curious what brand . .?? . .and where you got it . .??


Mines a Samsung monitor/tv 12 volt.

Xantrex has a 2000 watt pure sine wave for 375 dollars,now thats a great deal and will run anything you own within its wattage.With that price mod sine wave isnt even a considered option for me any more.










The little cheapy 300-400 watters mod sine wave will do the job too,but not all that durable in my experience.

Ed,Ive heard figure about 25% loss max from flat mounting,or for every 4 panels add another to flat mounting to compensate for power loss,and with watts so cheap and mounts not so cheap......and with the hassle of variable mounting on an RV most folks just keep em flat.
A very nice setup from an electrician friend Dan....










SB,make doubly sure your mounting isnt allowing ANY shading on your panel,just a smidgen of shade will knock the snot out of your charging.Looks nice,just wondering if it can get shading,other than that,nice.

What are you using for a charge controller?


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## SurvivalBus (Sep 18, 2010)

It came with a very simple charge controller I dont have the name right now, but I want to get something that has a display of stats


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## greg273 (Aug 5, 2003)

Yes, you can get a cheap inverter, a minimal battery set, and see how it works. You'll figure out pretty quick what is what, as far as capacity of the system goes. Which is the limiting factor always in the long run. You'll either wind up with a system that suits your needs, or you'll have to expand. My guess is you'll have to expand if you plan to spend much time with the engine of the survival bus off.

btw, this is my first post in about a year... finally got an internet connection at the house!


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## greg273 (Aug 5, 2003)

Make the panel(s) mobile, so you can park in the shade!

and booboo, thats the first i heard of the new cheap pure sine. Those things used to be $1800! wow ive been out of the loop for awhile! But it sounds great, and 2000watts is generally enough to run most portable power tools!


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## mightybooboo (Feb 10, 2004)

greg273 said:


> Make the panel(s) mobile, so you can park in the shade!
> 
> and booboo, thats the first i heard of the new cheap pure sine. Those things used to be $1800! wow ive been out of the loop for awhile! But it sounds great, and 2000watts is generally enough to run most portable power tools!


Yup,prices are really falling on these things.


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## cmcon=7 (Mar 7, 2010)

you might look at unisolar for mobile applications, they are literally bullet proof.
however any quality unit will survive, I had 8 arco 16-2000 on the top of my pickup canopy for several years, they are no worse.
Having a larger inverter is nice for the vacuum or other high draw loads, there is no reason you can not have several inverters hooked to the same bank (use the inverter suited to the load, they are most efficient at 60%-85% of capacity). So a 300-500w for tv. laptop, lights and a 2k or better for microwave,vacuum, etc.


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## mightybooboo (Feb 10, 2004)

Yup,unisolar makes a good mobile panel,but they are also larger per watt output.If I could have gotten them its what I would have put on my truck,but my source for used bargains dried up.They dont last as long as crystallines do tho....


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