# Towable "power pack" for remote camp power?



## cbcansurvive (Jan 29, 2009)

My wife and I are hoping to buy land in Maine soon for the purposes of establishing a camp that will eventually become our home. We're looking at remote areas where grid power is not an option, and since we won't be able to be there full time at first, installing expensive solar panels, a generator, batteries, etc...that will sit unattended for long periods is a scary prospect. I was thinking the other night about whether or not it would be possible to custom build a trailer that could contain a genset, inverters, switchgear, and batteries that would be topped with solar panels (perhaps they could be removed and stored during transit)-the power would feed through a heavy cable (like one would use to plug a generator into a home electrical panel) so that when we arrived we would just need to hook the generator up to the fuel supply (in ground propane tank-well hidden), and the "power pack" up to the house. With a long enough cable we could even orient the trailer in the best position for the time of year we were there (summer vs. fall)-has anyone ever seen anything like this?


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## TraderBob (Oct 21, 2010)

Something like this work?
http://www.solargenpower.com/solar-power-generator.php

I saw another company doing it, but can't find them right now.


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## Ed Norman (Jun 8, 2002)

I once read about someone getting one of those highway department warning sign trailers with solar panels and batteries at a surplus auction. It made a great power source.


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## 12vman (Feb 17, 2004)

An idea.. 

If you're thinking custom, build the trailer using a differential from a car or truck and use the output of the differential to turn an alternator while you're taking the unit to your property..

There I go thinkin' outside of the box again..


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## Jim-mi (May 15, 2002)

The trailer idea is a good one.
Many have been built.
A place building "power trailers" here in MI was advertizing in Home Power for a while. . . they had some large PV options.

Covers for the PV panels could be devised for "in transit" times.


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## ryanthomas (Dec 10, 2009)

I've seen quite a few. It sounds like a great plan. I'd love to see pictures if you decide to build one.


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## mightybooboo (Feb 10, 2004)

Yup,very doable.And if your panels are flat mounted dont worry about covers,not needed,ask ANY Rv'er with solar..

Did what you are asking on my truck,have my xantrex Prowatt sw-2000 watt pure sine wave 375-399.00 dollar inverter waiting to be installed
http://www.outsidesupply.com/prowatt-sw-2000.aspx

Truck solar system
http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/showthread.php?t=350572&highlight=solar


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## ryanthomas (Dec 10, 2009)

Here's one for sale on eBay right now: Solar Trailer

It's solar only, but looks like a nice simple rig. You should be able to beat the $4,500 price by building your own.


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## TnAndy (Sep 15, 2005)

You're probably going to be limited on the amount of PV panels you could mount ON a trailer. ( roof I assume ) 

What I'd do is get an enclosed trailer, say 12-14' long, keep my generator, batteries, inverter, charge controller permanently set up in the trailer ( wouldn't take up too much space ), then built a set of racks inside the trailer for my panels ( like cookie sheet dividers in a kitchen cabinet), then use rest of the trailer to haul tools/equipment you'll need on the job site anyway.

THEN, on site, build a set of wood PV mounting racks, oriented in the correct direction and angle, and mount electrical Unistrut ( versus expensive aluminum racking made for solar panels ) permanently on the wood. When you get on site, pull the panels out, mount them on the Unistrut ( which is cheap, and steel, nobody would bother to unscrew it and steal ) with Z clamps meant to mount PV panels to aluminum rail, plug in your panels ( I'd make it so the trailer parks right behind the panel rack ) to a permanently wired plug on the trailer exterior, and you're good to go until you leave.....maybe an hour or so to mount panels, and the same when you want to leave.

If I WERE gonna mount them to the trailer, I'd do it like this:

Build a folding rack that resembles a book. The hinge of the rack ( picture a book spine ) would mount up at the top edge of the trailer. The solar panels would be on the flaps of the rack ( like the pages of a book ). For travel, the rack folds shut.....the upper part folds down over the lower part, bolts to the trailer lower side, the top panels face to face with the lower panels, back side of the top panels showing in travel mode.....and as Jim said, probably a cover of some kind so you could protect the panels and the junction box wiring on the backside.

On site, you release the lower side, the top part of the rack flips up, and a couple of 'legs' swing to the other side top edge of the trailer and secure in permanent mounts, at the proper angle for you latitude. The bottom part of the rack swings out from the trailer side to match the top half angle, and is secured also with couple 'legs' that mount to the bottom edge of that side....I'm thinking a pc of angle mounted at all points where the legs have to attach....legs attach to angle.


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## wy_white_wolf (Oct 14, 2004)

http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles2/yago108.html


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## Jim-mi (May 15, 2002)

Very good links guys.
So there you see the 'large' and the 'small'
That one by Jeff Yago is darn nice..............
So my point here is don't go small........
If your going to 'build' a place then your "Skillsaw" can suck up a lot of power . . . . . . . .
With the enclosed trailer you could haul 4x8' sheets of plywood . .
You and the wife might also enjoy a "inside" toilet . . . .lol

Bigger is better here . . . . . . . . lol


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## wy_white_wolf (Oct 14, 2004)

Jim-mi said:


> Very good links guys.
> So there you see the 'large' and the 'small'
> That one by Jeff Yago is darn nice..............
> So my point here is don't go small........
> ...


I couldn't agree more with you on this.

Go on the large size because any power tool is going to suck up the power.

Go with high quality components here as you can remove them from the trailer and use them on the house after it's built or built it so you can park the trailer next/close to the house and use it as the power station after your done. They're putting the wood fired boilers outside so why not have the batteries and panels outside. That could really be to your advantage in the summer. Allows you to build so your house could be shaded in the summer and have the panels in the sun.


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## kruizeag (Jan 10, 2009)

Have you considered a wood-gasifier to produce fuel to run a large gas generator? Google wood gasifiers and check out the FEMA guidebook for a simple free energy source. You can build it for a fraction of the cost of one PV panel. Might work well for an occasional use generator.


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## Valleyguy (Jan 5, 2011)

Yes, the Jeff Yago trailer is nice. Smart guy using the Outback inverter and Outback MX-60 (now the FM-60):thumb:. And he is right about the golf carts battery vs the L-16. The L-16 had a pricing disadvantage last time I checked, the golf cart battery was a much better deal. 

However, a forklift battery has more heft compared to either one and they are not as expensive as you might think, comparatively speaking. But, it is a little more difficult dragging around "one" forklift battery versus several smaller L-16's or GC's. 

One problem with the BW Home article is the explanation of how long a battery will last, ie., " if your system will have eight of these batteries, you could power a 1,000 watt load for eight hours, or a 2,000 watt load for four hours". Peukert effect will disagree with that. We, in the off-grid world, sometimes give too rosy of a picture to what it is like in the real world of battery-based living.

Otherwise the article is reasonable. And you are right about leaving solar equipment alone for an extended period due to thieves. Guess that is a problem in some parts. In Alaska however, we are still allowed to carry "protection" and tend to watch out for our neighbors. 

Rick
*Homepage*: www.power-talk.net
*Forum*: forum.power-talk.net/


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## Valleyguy (Jan 5, 2011)

Kruizeag, the gasifier is interesting. Wonder how you control the rpm to spin a generator? I remember reading about a wood fired generator and it took some enormous amount of wood to get a few kW's. The guy was so worn out from gathering and splitting wood that he couldn't enjoy the electricity the unit produced . 

cbcansurvive didn't say how many wooded acres he had :grin:


Rick
*Homepage*: www.power-talk.net
*Forum*: forum.power-talk.net/


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## OntarioMan (Feb 11, 2007)

I'd wait until you were there permanently to consider the use of solar panels. Since you'll be doing some building, the genset and a battery bank + inverter should meet your needs and are easily transportable.


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