Paging HHFP (and Overlanders): Powering Camp

[CarsOfFortLangley]

@Taylor-Martin's post about solar power made me think about the amount of Overlander (rolls eyes) rigs with massive solar panels and such on them. Do you use any solar panels or power generation when on extended trips?

I have a very, very small solar lantern/external battery that I use all the time (I'd totally recommend it to anyone, and it's a non-profit device). I charge it on rocks during the day and it get's me enough light/power for the night to use the lantern in my tent and charge my phone.

I've often been tempted by the Waterlily, a Canadian developed turbine that uses rivers to generate power (and you can get a stand for it to use wind). Neat, and it would be neat to maybe charge my laptop with it somewhere I could get a 4G signal still. Definitely would let me be a smug overlander on work calls.

I'm interested to hear other's thoughts on in the bush electricity.

[gettingoldercarguy]

@carsoffortlangley I want but don't need a jackery power station and solar panel setup. Ergo, I don't have one.

[Exage03040]

@carsoffortlangley

Who ever harnesses the power of lightning first will be the undisputed ruler of green technology.

[HoustonRunner]

@exage03040 That gif gives me all kinds of anxiety.

[Highlander]

@carsoffortlangley I stay in a hotels.

[CarsOfFortLangley]

@highlander But sleeping in the woods is freeee

[AestheticsInMotion]

No need at the moment. I take a massive lithium-ion battery pack that can recharge phone, flashlight, earbuds and whatever other gadgets I've got many times. It can do the laptop a few times as well if I need to work.

Whenever I end up buying a van with the express purpose of week or longer trips, it will be getting a full solar setup. If I was sleeping in a tent, I probably wouldn't bother with solar, but if I'm building out a bed and interior living arrangements, I definitely want the added luxury of power when needed.

[Highlander]

@carsoffortlangley Bed bugs are free too.

[benjrblant]

@carsoffortlangley the LX450 has a secondary battery wired, but that was only for the fridge. I like to leave most of the electronics at home- really the only thing I needed aux power for was the fridge, phone, and radio.

If I were doing it again, I'd skip the second under-hood battery and get a portable battery pack that's not vehicle specific. Something like the jackery or the anker one allow pass-through charging which would be ideal for the fridge.

[HammerheadFistpunch]

@carsoffortlangley I'm constantely on the hunt for battery and or solar solutions. I was eyeing Jackary's sale just today trying to decide what to get...if anything.

It boils down to a few basic questions

What do you want to power?
How long do you want to power it without starting your car?

I would like to get a solar panel thats portable because the fridge draws too much current from the GX's battery for me to be comfortable on camping trips. I use 1.3Ahr on average with the fridge, which over the course of 24 hours is a little too much of the 55ahr starting battery for me to be remotely comfortable (its agm so it handles deep draw a little better than flooded, but still you shouldn't go below half). I tend to drive every 12 hours in the cruiser so my 105 ahr starting/house battery has always been enough to handle the deep drain. But if I wanted to stay put for a day or two...then I need to be looking at solar or larger house batteries.

I think that's why the 500 jackary or something like it, plus solar is appealing. It covers the 24 hour period for the fridge, plus I can charge it while Im just sitting around. It all get complicated and it all depends on your electrical needs.

I think those water lily things are silly and I can't imagine they will net you much real power, but I could be wrong.

[beefchips]

@carsoffortlangley my extended trips are to get away from civilization. I have a solar-chargeable lamp but that's really it.

[SilentbutnotreallyDeadly]

@carsoffortlangley
100 amp hour AGM RV or deep cycle battery (latter is better), a DC-DC inverter charger with solar input (either permanently installed in car or in remote battery box) and 200 watts of folding solar panel is more than enough to run the Engel fridge and camp lights for a couple of days or more.

As our vehicles have dumb alternators, we only need Voltage Sensitive Relays to make the dual Battery system work but your modern Jeep likely has a variable output alternator so you'll need a DC-DC inverter charger to do the same thing. Redarc are perhaps the best of the bunch down here...

I did a post once or twice on my setup before but I can take you through it again if you like...

[siennaman]

@exage03040 this reminds of how I don't like flying..

[HoustonRunner]

@highlander said in Paging HHFP (and Overlanders): Powering Camp:

@carsoffortlangley I stay in a hotels.

Ditto.

[ibRAD]

@carsoffortlangley said in Paging HHFP (and Overlanders): Powering Camp:

@highlander But sleeping in the woods is freeee

Getting there is quite expensive though!

[SilentbutnotreallyDeadly]

@ibrad said in Paging HHFP (and Overlanders): Powering Camp:

@carsoffortlangley said in Paging HHFP (and Overlanders): Powering Camp:

@highlander But sleeping in the woods is freeee

Getting there is quite expensive though!

Which keeps the riff-raff out...

[Demon Xanth]

@exage03040 A lightning strike has about 1.5MWh of power, so about the equivalent of a single wind turbine for an hour. The trick is to harvest them.

[dejock]

@hammerheadfistpunch @CarsOfFortLangley @benjrblant i've had one of the smaller jackery boxes for about a year and a half now and would definitely recommend it. goal zeros are too expensive for what you get

[Tripper]

@carsoffortlangley Yo, that water lilly thing is COOL

[ibRAD]

@hammerheadfistpunch said in Paging HHFP (and Overlanders): Powering Camp:

I think those water lily things are silly and I can't imagine they will net you much real power, but I could be wrong.

Website says up to 360Wh per day. Won't be doing any welding.

[pyroholtz]

@hammerheadfistpunch can you just go to a dual 12v battery system? If you're not comfortable pulling down your only battery, wouldn't doubling that capacity be sufficient and easier?

[HammerheadFistpunch]

@pyroholtz dual battery is a pain. to do it right is about a grand.