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solar power while camping?
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Posted by saintclare (My Page) on Thu, Sep 1, 05 at 8:08
| Can someone help figure out how I can use something like a "Brunton SolarRoll" a solar panel you can roll up; http://www.rei.com/online/store/ProductDisplay?storeId=8000&catalogId=40000008000&productId=47875654&parent_category_rn=4500465&
I want to be able to use electronic equip. while on a long camping trip. I don't want to be always worried about have an electric site and my camping neighbors will never even know, so no worries abot the noise. The thing is I want to be able to plug in a regular 2 pronged electric device and not have to worry about having the right adapter. Is this possible? |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: solar power while camping?
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| 4.5 watts is equal to the power of about 4 AA 1.4 volt sized batteries. Not much power to work with. Watts = Amps x Volts Let's say that you wanted to run a 120 volt coffee maker that draws 2 amps when turned on. 2 x 120 = 240 You will need at least a 240 watt solor panel that is capable of producing 120 volts to run your coffee maker. You will need a huge bank of 4.5 watt solor panels to pull that off. And still you will need an inverter. Now an inverter in it's self is a different story. It connects to a 12 volt car battery and converts 12 volt DC to 120 or even 240 volt AC. 
If you choose the inverter route. Make sure that you get one large enough to power your devices. I just posted the pic and link from the first site that I came upon to give you an idea. Shop around and look at the Watts Peak Power (Like for starting a motor) and Watts Continuous Power (power it take to keep the motor running). I personally would not suggest anything under 1200 to 1500 watts continuous power when chooseing an inverter. |
Here is a link that might be useful: 12V DC to AC 1400 Watt Power Inverter
RE: solar power while camping?
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Thanks so much Hippy, this seems more like it but would this drain my car battery and how do I get around that?
Thanks! |
RE: solar power while camping?
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| get a $50 deep cycle battery from Wally World and hook up some 12V sockets and a power inverter as pictured above. should be all the power you need for a couple days. mine in my camper lasts days running small draw items. you can also get a nice plastic battery box to keep it in. Bob |
RE: solar power while camping?
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| Oh, and then I would just recharge it with my car battery? Sounds like a great idea! Thanks so much! |
RE: solar power while camping?
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Clair
Most of the better quailty inverters have a Low voltage alarm or Auto shut down mode should the batteries power becomes to low. It would really help if the make and model of the auto was given. For some cars, trucks and vans can be wired with a Battery Isolator. They allow you to connect two batteries to the cars alternator. Then you can power equipment from the second battery and not drain the one that is used to power the car. Since both the Main and Aux batteries are mounted in the car. You do not have to remove one to recharge it. For the Isolator will charge both at the same time to a full charge. |
RE: solar power while camping?
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| what kind of electrical device do you want to power while camping? the brunton solar panel you referenced is only 4.5 watts. a better choice would be their 14 watt brunton solar panel with a xantrex portable powerpack. there's a built-in inverter with one 120 volt ac outlet & a 12volt outlet. it also has an air compressor, a light and battery cables so you can jumpstart your car. i usually charge the powerpack before a trip using the ac charger & use the solar panel as a trickle charger to the powerpack to help extend its useful power time. works as a great alternative to those noisy generators as long as you use it sparingly. don't expect it to power your 1800 watt hairdryer. it's heavy, so keep it in the car. look for a 12 volt alternative to whatever appliance you want to use. they are out there, usually at rv stores. the nicest way would be to follow the previous post & mount a second deep cycle battery in your car. this is what i plan to do once they qualify the power manager my the 2004 tacoma 4x4. it is qualified up to 2003. |
Here is a link that might be useful: xantrex 300 plus portable powerpack
RE: solar power while camping?
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I drive a 94 Volvo 850 Turbo, and I am embarrased to say i want to use a fan while camping...just can't sleep without it. I am a zombie after a couple days of camping and my small battery operated one just doesn't cut it.
Thanks for the xantrex link, I will look that up also! Thanks |
RE: solar power while camping?
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| Ok, I found a 12v fan that draws 3 amps per hour at: http://www.campingworld.com/browse/skus/index.cfm?skunum=21314&tab=reviews Could I use the xantrex 300 plus portable powerpack with this or the deep cycle battery/inverter option? |
RE: solar power while camping?
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| 36 watts = 12 volts x 3 amps xantrex
although they claim it's a 300 watt / 20 amp hour battery, you're going to experience much less practical use out of it. don't get me wrong, it is great to have when camping, but real world usage is going to be different than their lab tests. besides, the air pump has come in handy too. it should work to power your fan. i use it to power a shurflo water pump and my led lights. i'm trying to rig a shower to my truck & it seems to work fine. the solar panel also works fine to power my pump. the deep cycle battery / inverter should work as well, although you may not want to keep the battery in the area you're sleeping in. it vents toxic gases. even a sealed gel battery is questionable if it should be used in a sleeping area. |
RE: solar power while camping?
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| A Simple power system while camping. Here's my solution. Running everything on 12 volt DC seems simplest to me for camp site power. I use a 12 volt 19 amp hour garden tractor stored in one of those plastic ammo boxes w/ handle for storage. To recharge and maintain the voltage I use a 350 ma solar panel. If I start the trip w/ a full charged battery this system will have enough power to run my Zodi shower pump (2.0 amps draw) for two 10 min. showers a day, plus pump enough hot water to wash the daily dishes (about 10 min) with some juice left over to run a radio/CD player for 2 weeks of camping. I have a portable 12 VDC fan that draws 2.8 amps on high that I rarely use, I am sure this would discharge the battery in a few hours. This power supply is a compact unit w/ three quick connect automotive type 2 prong connectors to hook up the items that need power. I used a formula I found in a West Marine catalog to calculate the storage and recharge capabilities I needed for what I wanted to power. I think this formula is commonly available on a lot of internet sites, start by looking at West Marine. A Coleman Northstar is hard to beat for lighting. If I knew how post photos on this web site I would post few of this system. |
RE: solar power while camping?
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| Garden Tractor Battery, the fingers are a little slow on the uptake!! |
RE: solar power while camping?
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| Saintclaire, if you don't want to convert your vehicle to a 2-battery system as described above, Costco and large automotive suppliers sell a portable charging station. This will start your vehicle if you have a dead battery. The better one has 110V plugs as well as "cigarette lighter" plugs built into it. It can be plugged into any 110V outlet to recharge, or recharged off any car battery. I think these are the greatest things since sliced bread, are less than $ 100, and will power a light or radio or any low-wattage electrical devices for a long, long time. They are about the size of a lunchbox and weigh about 12 pounds. |
RE: solar power while camping?
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| BTW, these power stations are junk! Mine didn't last one year before battery exhaustion. They can't be both jump starters and power supplies as those are two entirely different types of batteries. I'm moving to a deep-cell Optima battery as a power supply with a DC converter that won't suck 5w off my battery like an inverter will. |
RE: solar power while camping?
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hello everyone,
Great tips and I will have to check it out when I go out camping!! Maybe I can even use it to power the pump to blow up the inflatable bed? Enjoy the summer and gardening...bye for now. |
Here is a link that might be useful: printer cartridges
RE: solar power while camping?
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Geez, if i had to go to all that trouble just to go camping out in the woods, I'd stay at home!
I thought folks went camping to get away from the problems, but here you are--talking about taking a whole mess of new problems with you--to worry about!
If ya need all that excess junk--better stay home! |
RE: solar power while camping?
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| I agree, it's an another problem to think.. Camping doesn't need solar or any power for lights and gadgets. Camping is an experience to live outdoor, without electricity it's an experience. |
Here is a link that might be useful: Yellowstone Cabins
RE: solar power while camping?
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| i get the 12volt/inverter hook up. can't a 24volt/inverter set up be used as well, supplying more power? |
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