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Baby Steps: How to Have Electricity in Your Car or Van For Very Little Money
This is another in my series on how to move into a car or van for very little money. Or, if you are still a few years away from becoming fully mobile, this is a step you can take to get your car or van ready to travel in by taking trips right now.
Question: I’m being forced to live in my car but I need some electricity. Eventually I want to get a suitcase style portable solar panel, but can’t afford it now. How can I have electricity for $100 or less?
If you are going to live in a car or van, you are going to need some electricity. At the minimum you will need to charge your phone, laptop and have some lights. In this post I want to show you how you can do that for the minimum amount of money. One thing I consider absolutely essential is a 12 volt fan like this great Roadpro. I bought mine off Amazon.com and you will find a link to it below.
To use it now all you need to do is get cheap jumper cables from Wal-Mart or a thrift store and then you can charge it while the engine is idling. But, it’s much better to charge it while you are driving, to do that you are going to have to drill a hole through the floor or find a way to get the cables from under the hood and into the passenger seat floorboards.
200 amp 10 gauge No Tangle Battery Jumper Cables, Extra long 12ft
I had a friend who was forced into living in her car and didn’t have the knowledge to hook up a solenoid or battery isolator–or the money to pay someone else to do it. But she was creative and figured out a way to do it herself for very little money with cheap jumper cambles:
- She clamped the jumper cables to the starting battery.
- Next, she rolled down the passenger window and ran the cables to the marine battery on the floorboard and clamped them on, then shut the door.
- Finally, she let the hood slam on the cables and drove away. The whole time she drove the Marine battery was being charged by the starting battery.
- When she was done driving, she un-clamped the jumper cables from the two batteries so she wouldn’t run her starting battery down.
I was impressed with her ingenuity! It cost her very little money and yet because her electrical needs were so simple it worked very well. She knew it was a short-term solution until she could save money to do it right. If you do the same thing, you should be very careful to watch the cable where the hood slams on it. With some cars it won’t damage them at all, but with some it will start to wear through the rubber and that can cause a fire.
If you have some money, its better to take it to a mechanic, have him cut off one of the ends of the jumper cables and crimp on ring connectors. Then have him drill a hole through the floor and thread the end through it, under the frame, and up to the starting battery.
To charge the battery all you do is connect red to positive and black to negative and you are charging. Leave it connected while you are driving, and when you stop unclamp them from the battery on the floorboards. Because the other ends is permanently connected to the starting battery, you don’t want them loose when not clamped onto the battery—if they touch each other or other metal they will spark. Get a bicycle inner tube and clamp them to it and wrap them so they are insulated. You can buy a bike tube cheap at Walmart.
This should cost you very little money and let you start having some electricity right now! Later, when you save some money, you can install a continuous duty solenoid and do the job right. But this will work for now.
One of my favorite 12 volt appliances is this Roadpro 12 volt oven. In this photo I am cooking a Stoufers frozen French Bread Pizza. It took about 30 minutes and works great while you are driving. Since I have solar, I can use it any time I want. I thought it was a toy until I got one. Now I love it!
There are two kinds of appliances you may want to use in your car or van: 12 Volt or 110 volt. I’ll tell you how to get both from your new marine battery. First, here are some things that you can use:
12 Volt Appliances You May Find Useful
- 12 volt fan
- 12 volt sleeping pad
- LED light
- Roadpro Oven
- 12 volt Compressor Fridge
All these products are available from Amazon.com at these links:
RoadPro 12V or Battery Dual Power Portable Fan
Heated Fleece Travel Electric Blanket – 12 Volt – Red Plaid
RoadPro 12-Volt Portable Stove
Whynter 45-Quart Portable Refrigerator/Freezer
110 Volt Appliances You May Have:
- Cell Phone Charger
- Laptop
- Camera
- Battery Chargers
- Compact Florescent Lights
- Radio
- DVD-TV
How to Connect 12 Volt items to your Marine battery.
You can buy a very simple and cheap little device that has red and black wires with alligator clips that you clamp onto your battery positive and negative posts. On the other end is a cigarette lighter plug you can plug. Wal-Mart sells them back in automotive and most auto parts store should have them. Or you can get them at Amazon.com at this link:
Roadpro 12V Battery Clip-On and Cigarette Lighter Adapter
If you need the cigarette lighter plug further from the battery, you can buy an extension cord here:
RoadPro 12′ Extension Cord with Cigarette Lighter Plug
This simple device lets you connect any 12 volt cigarette lighter plug item to you house battery. It’s one of the best purchases you will make as a vandweller.
For this you need an inverter. This is a simple device that either plugs directly into a cigarette lighter plug or connects to your battery posts directly. I recommend a Cobra 400 inverter. Once connected it gives you two regular 110 volt plug-ins just like on the wall outlet at home. It also gives you one USB port that you can charge anything that uses a USB charger. I’ve owned lots of inverters in the last 11 years, and this one is my favorite and also one of the cheapest. Highly recommended.
Cobra 400-Watt 12-Volt DC to 120-Volt AC Power Inverter with 5-Volt USB Output
This Cobra 400 inverter comes with two ways to connect it to your batteries. This is the best way with color-coded clamps to hook it to the batteries positive and negative posts. The other is with a cigarette lighter plug-in. That’s easy but can only handle 120 watts of power and not the whole 400.
This Cobra 400 has been the best inverter I’ve ever owned, and the one a recommend to you.
There you go, reading my mind again. I’ve just been going slightly crazy trying to figure out what minimal setup I need to get by until I can afford more. Relying on the library and relatives for power is getting old fast. Thank you!
LaVonne, that sounds like serendipity to me! I’m glad it was timely!
Bob
Great post. I would agree with it all.
I would also recommend that everybody that does what you suggest, also be mindful of the risks of potential hazard. Of course life is full of risk, and we all need to be mindful of the tradeoffs between risk and opportunity in all our activities throughout our lives. Make safety job 1.
First there is the battery risk: For the gel-cell marine batteries, you will end up paying more, but you have less risk from the electrolyte inside of the battery [sulphuric acid]because the acid is in a gel, and won’t spill out.
If you have less money and cannot afford the more expensive gelcell lead Marine battery, then you’re left with the normal lead- liquid acid Marine battery.
With a little caution these can be handled safely. I’ve never had a problem of handling them for over 40 years, but I take precautions. When you charge lead acid batteries, they emit a small amount of hydrogen gas, which is normally not much of an issue, but it’s better if the battery is vented when being charged. Also, it’s better not to smoke cigarettes or have open flames around batteries being charged. Because these marine batteries have a lot of lead inside of them, they weigh perhaps 50 or 60 pounds or more. This can be helpful or risky. If you place the battery on the floor, and hold it down with straps or rope, or Better yet, build a box around it open in the top so the gases can vent ok.
Attach the box to the wall of your vehicle so it can’t tip over if you go around a corner or have to stop, or if you should get into a fenderbender, and the vehicle suddenly decelerates when the other car is struck. If it tips over, the acid can spill out, and the acid is bad stuff. It is dangerous to skin, and it is poisonous, and it can destroy many materials. So keep the acid inside the battery is the best and safest policy.
Beside the acid risk, the other reason to fasten down the battery is because of it’s large mass. You don’t want a 60 pound item flying around inside your car or van if you have to make a rapid stop, etc. Somebody could be injured or killed if you don’t have it tied or strapped down. Pipe strap is inexpensive and strong, but if you use metal, coated it with 1 or 2 layers of latex paint. many synthetic rope fibers, such as nylon or polyurethane or other plastic straps strong enough and may be less affected by sulphuric acid vapors from the battery.
If you decide to use say half inch thick plywood [ a good choice ] for your battery box, it’s a good idea to make a lid to go over the top of the battery, but make it so there is a sizeable gap all the way around the battery, say one quarter inch wide, so the gasses can escape rather than collect and create an explosion hazard from the charging of the battery.
The reason why you want a lid over the battery is because the terminals or metal posts on the top of the battery are the business- end of the battery. If you drop a piece of angle iron or other metals [for example] across the terminals of the battery, then you will have a very unpleasant experience.
You will cause the battery to “short out”, which means you create a circuit which is a very high current low voltage path between the posts. This is very dangerous. There is a LOT of energy stored in one of these batteries, and the battery could literally explode from the rapid electrical discharge of the battery from a short. If it explodes, you could have sulphuric acid and large pieces of lead sent through the air at a very rapid speed right at you. You could be killed or badly burned. So safety is JOB 1. Put a non-conductive [non metal] lid over the battery posts plastic or better yet use the half inch thick plywood over the top that you used to make the sides of the battery box.
Now, once in a while it’s unavoidable to short out the battery, for a very brief period. It’s not a problem if you only short out the battery for a quarter second, or a short period of time. In order to make sure that you never experience a longer short, it is a good idea to insert a fuse in series with the red wire from the plus terminal post on the battery. That way if you short the wire out, the fuse burns up instantly, and no problem. You just disconnect the wire, replace the spent fuse, and try again.
Just for a point of reference, it turns out in the late 1800’s they were just starting to build electrical circuits for power, and they didn’t have safety standards, and in many situations people didn’t have fuses. Turns out that happened to one of the University of Missouri buildings on campus actually burned down because a wire didn’t have a fuse. Remember Power and energy can do wonderfully good things if managed right, and bad things if not managed properly. Safety is job 1.
Dan, that is all very, very good advice!! Thanks for taking the time to share it with us!
Bob
Now I’m confused. Again. Which type is the marine battery you recommended, Bob? I couldn’t find it in the description I found on Walmart.com.
http://www.walmart.com/ip/EverStart-Maxx-Group-Size-29-Marine-Battery/20531539
LaVonne, that’s the one you want. It says right in the title that it is a Marine battery. If you need to save some money you can buy the smaller group 27 battery.
Bob
What I mean is, are marine batteries the gel cell type?
LaVonne, the simple answer is that the Walmart battery is not an AGM battery, it is a lead-acid battery that you must check the water peridically and they do give off a small amount of corrosive and explosive gas.
I’ve decided that the risk is real for them, but so small that I willing to take the risk. Many people are not willing to take the risk so they either get an AGM or put the wet-cell lead acid battery in a vented box.
You will have to decide for yourself if you are willing to take the risk. An AGM marine battery will be over $200, so you have to also take into account your budget.
Bob
Ok thanks, that’s what I was afraid of. With my chemical sensitivities, I can’t take that chance so I’ll either save up for an AGM battery, or get someone to build a box for me.
Your right to be concerned laVonne. My friend Charlene has serious breathing problems and she bought regular golf cart batteries and they really bothered her. She had to return them and get AGM batteries instead. They worked great for her and hopefully for you as well.
Bob
Bob, Can you recommend a gel battery?
Just a thought as to a coating of the inside of battery boxes…. I have recently had success with the spray-can rubber stuff like you see on TV. I bought mine at Menards, a big home improvement store, so I imagine most large stores have an alternative brand (Rustoleum too).
It’s messy and NOT smooth. Be careful and tape/cover. Go slow and in layers. Don’t expect pretty, at all (maybe better if you’d follow with a roller…). Buy on sale, if possible. Mine were BOGO @ $12. I was able to coat the bottom legs of pine 4 shelving units; bottoms, and 7 inches up with multiple coats until I had good “feet” to thwart future flooding damage in the basement, using both cans.
ILDan, I’m not familiar with that, do you have a link?
Bob
FlexSeal is advertised on TV infomercials.
http://www.walmart.com/ip/As-Seen-on-TV-Flex-Seal/20850472
Super easy to use, just a bit messy.
So if you get Marine Gel Battery do you still need vented box and Flex Seal spray?
https://www.amazon.com/Battery-Replacement-Sevylor-MinnKota-Marine/dp/B071Y27VGV/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1511022424&sr=8-5&keywords=gel+marine+battery
Good stuff….thanks. I need a good 12v fan and now I know what to get.
CAE, I’ve been real happy with it! It will also work off of D batteries which I’ve never done, but there could be situations where that would be an advantage.
Bob
I have been adding to my energy savings plan over the last few months and have a small portable solar battery recharging box that recharges my AA, C and D batteries. I am able to run small fans I have 2 with D batteries, off of my 12 volt battery system or AC… It gives me a great number of options as placements for the fans for optimum comfort. I have also added a 130 watts solar panel kit in a briefcase to charge my 12 volt battery. Using all of these has extended my energy bank a great deal.
klbexplores, that is a very good plan you are following!! I think everything you are doing is perfect. Te 130 watt panel should meet all your needs. However, we just had 4 days without any sun and it’s very good to have a back-up plan for when you run out of power. Your solar battery charger and D powered fans is a great back-up.
Do you have a link for your solar battery charger?
Bob
If you need to find low cost batteries, I have found that you can go to a auto parts store, ask them if you could check out their battery return cores, ( sometime you can find a battery that is not completely shot) for a few dollars, that would give you some power. Although it would not be like new, but can still work.
Also , a good friend has acquired used solar panels for almost free from state road maintenance facilities, they upgrade some of their signs with new ones and discard the old ones, they still work just fine..
Not trying to hurt sales from Bob through Amazon .. Just passing on some info that may help
GadgetMe, that’s a great idea that I’ve never thought of before. I know that Solar Mike at the Slabs took all the trade in batteries he got at his store and tried to recondition them and use the last little bit of good out of them. He ran his business and home off a whole bunch of them.
I had no idea about the used panels from the state. That’s a great tip and well worth checking out.
Bob
Bob_
That Roadpro oven seems like a good play…what other foods have you cooked with it? I was thinking about the Wavebox microwave but read mixed reviews and it’s a little pricey and I would have to get a bigger inverter. So it looks like the Roadpro for me to.
Thanks again.
Openspaceman, all kinds of things!! I’ve cooked:
fish sticks
frozen meals of all kinds (lasagna is great)
frozen burritos (my favorite!)
cookies from tubes
biscuits from tubes
Jiffy Mix corn bread
brownies from mix
And others I can’t think of. It is a terrific addition to any vandwellers kitchen!
Bob
Donna and I are also RoadPro enthusiasts and we’re eating better on the road than we ever thought possible. One of our favorites is fritattas: 4 eggs, bacon bits or pre-cooked sausage, some thawed frozen hash browns, mushroom pieces, olives and maybe artichoke
hearts or chopped broccoli all mixed together. We’ve also made chili dogs, country spareribs, assorted baked fish dishes, smoked turkey drumsticks, as well as the aforementioned lasagna and meatloaf. Brownies also. This may sound like it takes a lot of preparation but mostly it’s just opening a few cans and throwing some stuff over the main ingredients. One thing that does require a little extra effort is using a glass loaf dish instead of the aluminum pan. The food cooks more evenly and we feel it’s healthier.
mark, wow, that is very creative use of the Roadpro! Do you have solar that allows you to use that much power? How do you cook the eggs–details please! Actually, I’d love to have you do a guest post on how you use it and some of your recipes!
Bob
We would love to share some recipes so we’ll get together. To answer some of your questions we do have solar (we have the flexible panels on our fiberglass roof) although most of our cooking is while we’re driving. We’ve been known to run minor errands just so our meal could cook without stressing the battery! We also have a 12v plug hooked to our golf cart batteries so we can use our oven when stationary.
The eggs and other ingredients are put into a quart size freezer bag kneading the mixture so it can be poured into the pan. Plug it in and about an hour later breakfast is ready.
Bob, for instance how long does it take a frozen burrito to cook? tube cookies?
Frozen and bake goods are in the 30-45 minutes range.
Bob
Mark Alan
So happy to discover your post! I have been wondering how a glass pyrex small loaf pan would work in my new rogdpro oven as I was not happy with foil or disposable loaf pans. Thanks!!!
Bob, for instance how long does it take a frozen burrito to cook? tube cookies?
There are also laptop/USB chargers that plug into 12 volt cigarette lighter outlets. You can find them at places like eBay. Be sure to check the specs so it puts out the correct wattage and has the connecter your device requires. This way you don’t need to go from 12V to 110V to 12V in order to charge your computer or phone.
Like Bob, I also thought the lunch box oven was a toy, but it works great. And a fan in a small space like a van or car can do a LOT to help you feel cool without air conditioning. And LED lights use very little power. I have some car customizing strip lights installed and running off the house battery, but I also have some LED tap lights running off AA batteries. The lights aren’t bright enough to read, but enough to putter around the van at night.
I 100% agree Al!
bob
Oh, and a tip on the RoadPro oven: it comes with three foil liner pans, and truck stops usually carry 3-packs of additional pans, but I line my liners with foil. That way I can just toss my foil and not need to wash or toss the liner pan.
Al, that’s also exactly what I do.
Bob
Our daughter makes meatloaf in her RoadPro oven. She puts all the ingredients in a gallon zipper bag and kneads the bag to mix the ingredients. Then she dumps it into the pan while turning the bag inside out and uses it to press the meat down. No hand washing required!
That’s brilliant Linda! Thanks for that tip!
Bob
Linda that is a great idea, thanks!
In solar panel set-ups, there is a way to monitor how much charge is left in the battery so that you don’t discharge it too much. Anyone have advice on the cheapest way to monitor the battery charge? Thanks much.
WriterMs, this is the cheapest and easiest way:
http://www.amazon.com/INNOVA-3721-Battery-Charging-Monitor/dp/B000EVWDU0/r
It just plugs into a cigarette lighter plug and gives you a read out on the voltage of the battery.
Bob
Thanks for the info on the battery monitor. I went straight to Amazon via your link and purchased one. I have one of those monitors in my Sprinter RV that only shows the house battery state in full, 2/3, etc. This will make it much easier when I’m boondocking to monitor my battery.
I hope to live out of my van one day but currently am taking care of my elderly parents. If I outlive them, I will hit the road. In the meantime, I take short trips when I can. Enjoy reading your website a lot!
Glad to help Jo!
Bob
Great post Bob!
Really helpful all the posts with step by step instructions which does 2 things.
One, makes it harder to fail.
Two, takes away all our excuses for not going forward.:)
Thanks Curtis. That is exactly my thinking. I have the advantage of not being handy, so I am sympathetic toward people who aren’t handy. Because of that I am always looking for the simplest and easiest way to do things.
Bob
Please don’t sell yourself short. I’ve seen how handy you are. (And generous) Simply Sid
Thank you very much for the details and the range of information you are sharing. I will be on the road in ’15. You have addressed and answered many questions that I have. Thank you.
I’m delighted to hear that I’m being helpful Woody! That really is my goal. I remember so well first moving into a van and what a shock it was to me. I’m trying to solve problems for my readers before they become problems.
Bob
Bob, thanks for this post with easy, not-intimidating instructions, with pictures!!!! I’ve been to so many sites that just show what looks to me like a bunch of scary wires that made no sense whatsoever to me. This is very helpful info!
Gail, that’s music to my ears! Being someone who actually is intimidated by anything mechanical, I can appreciate how hopeless it makes you feel and I want to offer all the easy alternatives I can.
Be aware that the jumper cables will work for awhile but you really do need to get a permanent solution. There are increased risks with temporary solutions like this one.
Bob
reading your site for hours at a time.lots of good useful information.my wife and I are retired and live on a small farm in michigan.we like to travel as much as we can, to see as much of america as we can.we want to build a small camper on our 1/2 ton 4×4 silverado.your tips and ideas will help us with how to live in our camper on the road.our thanks to you and everyone who sends in ideas.really enjoy your site.
jim,julie palmer.
Jim, I’m glad you like the site! there are lots of things you can say about me, but generally I’m not boring!
A 1/2 ton has limited carrying capacity so you are going to want it to be as light as possible! Once you are on the road, I’m sure you will love it!
Bob
A $15.99 solenoid battery isolator is a cheap investment and you don’t have to worry about disconnecting your battery all the time, I got mine on ebay also there are battery boxes that have a hose to vent them, however the cheapest Iv found is $65.00 used on race cars, The Walmart group 29 battery is the best deal 105 ah and a 24 month replacement warranty. however I have a gell that is over 7 years old and still puts out full power, the cigarette gauge only measures the engine battery, so a permanent cig lighter plug for the coach battery with two or more outlets would be what you want then you could use the cig lighter volt gauge.
You’re right Glen, the solenoid is by far the best and cheapest solution. But many of my readers don’t have the skill to install one, nor the money to pay someone else to do it for them. I’m always on the look-out for a solution for them and i thought this was a good one.
Bob
The battery Is group 27 however Menards has them if you catch them right for $68 on sale and 11% off, as stated above you could fashion a coated wood sealed box, with two holes for the cables and one for the vent the aluminum ones on ebay only have a 3/4″ vinyl hose for a vent
Glen, that is an incredible price! A gel battery for less than $100 is a great price!
Bob
Harbor Freight was having a big sale today, got a 2000/4000 watt inverter for 129.00 a 2 cycle mini-generator for 99.00 a battery charger with emergency start back up battery for 29.00.
pretty sweet set up for less than 270 bucks.
Armed with these I went to walmart and got their biggest marine battery for 99 bucks. I wanted to use the smaller terminals on the marine battery to hook to the inverter so I could use the larger terminals for charging and connection to the starter battery, but walmart didn’t have the connectors I needed so went to Pep Boys.
One thing I saw at Pep Boys I’m kicking myself for not buying was a auto-disconnect switch, it looked like something from an old Frankenstein movie, flip the switch and your starter battery and house battery would be disconnected. Think I’ll go out and get that tomorrow before I start on the box.
Rich, sounds like you are getting set-up really well with the things you need! that simple switch will serve you well to keep your starting battery from running down when you are using the house battery.
One warning though, don’t throw the switch while the motor is running. That can throw a spike through the electrical system and damage the car electronics.
Bob
Hi Bob, Been following your adventures for quite a while. A question if you please? What do you consider as being the best Wifi antanae? Appreciate your input……..HoboJoe
Joe, I don’t use wifi much because I have Verizon for data so I have never used a wifi antenna. Bu I have friends with the CC Crane and they love it!
http://www.ccrane.com/antennas/wifi-antennas/super-usb-wifi-antenna-3.aspx#.UwJuq_ldWSo
Bob
I have found your web site very informative and simple to use how to do’s. I am currently converting a 6×12 Cargo Enclosed trailer to a off the grid atv hauler / over nighter camper for two adults. keep the info coming
Thanks for you kind words Herb. i’b glad to be helpful. I’m also a big fan of converting cargo trailers. Send me some pics of what you are doing.
Bob
When I started over in a new van I added a 100 Watt photovoltaic panel and an adjustable charge controller.
With the help of a VoltMinder tm adjustable low voltage alarm which I keep set at 12.35 volts and turning everything off if the voltage should ever drop that far, I have ran a Dometic 27 litre refrigerator, a window fan during the day, charged my Android phone, and all the LED lights I have wanted for the last 5 months, without having a house battery, and so far I have never had to turn everything off or start the engine. I’ve just used the starting battery, but, I’m aware of the voltage level.
LaMarr, sounds great! Yeah a 100 watt panel is all a lot of people need. Glad it’s working so well for you!
Are you my friend LaMarr in the Chrysler minivan? If so, are you still in it?
Bob
Once you put your battery or batteries in a box with air space on top does it have to be vented outside?
Sue Ann, there is a slight risk to it, but I don’t have my batteries vented. But, technically yes, unless you have AGM batteries that are already sealed) they need to be vented.
Bob
Hey Bob, I appreciate what you got going on here. I have been logged into your forum since the year of ’12 I got a lot of good advice from good people when things were truing south for dad, that is about three years and I have not been kicked out, I think maybe this may be where I fit in.
For some odd reason since I was a young fella I have been asked to leave Sunday school, church camp, asked to NOT to return to church camp next year! One fine day I, my daughter and wife were removed from the circus by 4 clowns, I have been banned from forums of various types, but this one seems to tolerate me just fine.
Thanks Bob.
I appreciate you and what you got going on here.
I watched you on the video, you sure look like a happy man, I have some property up in Nebraska where I grew up, by a creek has an orchard, been kind of kicking the idea of making it sort of a place for folks to stop in for a spell.
I do not know, but I sure am appreciative of your web site and forum.
Thank you.
C
C, us odd-balls got to stick together!! If we don’t accept and love each other, who will!!!!!???
All kidding aside, it truly is a great joy to me to know that perhaps I’ve helped a few people a little bit in their journeys through life.
Life can be hard and we all need all the help we can get!
Bob
Wow As a hobby besides cooking, baking, knitting and crocheting I am Cauliflower Clown the balloonic. Yes I make balloon creatures an things to a never ending line of kids. Never been in a circus but i have been in parade and church carivals and an hispanic festible. I had been working hour with no bathroom break and I was so happy when Ronald McDonald showed up to give a kiddy show. He gave me a wink and asked who are you? I said Iam Cauliflower Clown. He said I think you are so cute. I just thanked him and smiled.
Bob,
I simply cannot tell you how wonderful your postings are to me. I’m certain many others feel the same way I do too. As we read your posts, it is easy for us to forget how much research and work is put into it by you. Thank you for ALL you do for us. Your info on so many subjects is truly priceless to us. And add the time to update that info is, well, an added act of love give give all of us. You are truly special and I just needed to let you know how valued you are to so many of us Van-camping Van lovers.
As for me, I recently bought a gently used Chevy Limited SE Conversion Van with the Explorer Van Company package already installed. While it comes with all the bells and whistles I do prefer to not use the main battery or onboard inverter. I have purchased a free-standing power supply, 2800 watts, for my basic electrical needs…Fan, RoadPro Oven, LED Lights, DVD player, radio, etc. Of course I cannot use all of those at the same time, would not need to do so, but with careful planning it seems to work well enough until I can go to a Goal-Zero Solar generator complete set-up.
My question is this: Does what I am currently doing sound like something I can continue to do for a while longer without causing any down the road problems for me? My current power source has it’s own encased battery, 6 plug-ins for AC use…but I only use one or two at a time. I know that my current set-up is not for van dwelling full-time. I won’t be dwelling in my van, instead I do take it for extended road-trips to the ocean and stay-cay camping around the deep south. That said, should I be doing anything differently or ceasing to do anything I am currently using to run off the powerhouse power source? Sorry, I am so knew to all this. It is much different than how my Airstream TT works off LP Gas or campground power. Like anything in life there is always a learning curve. You and your wisdom makes that curve much shorter and sweeter to learn! Thank You!
Pama, that seems like a lot to ask from a small battery. Are you charging it as you drive? There are so many variables it’s hard for me to give you a good answer. However, my best guess is the battery in it will die fairly soon but if you only use it for a few weekends a year for one or two days at a time it might last you for years. If you try to use it every day for a couple months I think it will die very soon.
The Roadpro oven is a heavy draw, I would only use it off the cars cigarette lighter with the engine running.
If you are going camping enough, you would be far better served with a house battery (about $100) and a 100 watt Renogy solar panel kit (about $200). If you drive a lot on your trips, you might be satisfied with just connecting a house battery to the starting battery with a solenoid between them so you can’t be left stranded.
I hope that helps.
Bob
Bob,
Thanks so much for your quick reply. I’m sorry, I didn’t state things clearly about the RoadPro. Yes, I only use it in the cig lighter when driving. When my food is done I take the tin out, cover it with AL Foil and put it in an insulated hot/cold pouch…like the pizza delivery people use, works great. My fan is a free standing small fan, runs on AC or DC batteries, I do some of both when it is hot. My phone I charge off the powerhouse power source. Since it is almost never used it holds a charge for several days. The DVD is used only on rainy days, a movie or two. Other than that I pretty much just enjoy the views and nature around me. The beach always has something new to see and enjoy. Yes, going back and reading my post it did sound like I used all that power at once or for long periods of time, my mistake, I do not do that. Yes, agree that careful management of the powerhouse resources is key. I hope to upgrade by the end of the summer to a more permanent system. Thanks for the info about what to consider upgrading to!
Have a fine weekend and if you celebrate The 4th stay safe and enjoy the fireworks!
Pama, that sounds like a very good plan and should work just fine. Sounds like you’ve got it all figured out!!
Bob
Bob,
How can you make sure you don’t overcharge your AGM battery when charging it from the starting battery?
I’m thinking of going with the jumper cable idea. Also, would a group 24 batter suffice for low power items like laptops etc?
Thank you Isaac
Isaac, your car has a voltage regulator that protects the starting battery from overcharging. If the house battery is on the other side of the starting battery it will never be overcharged.
Jumper cables work but if you are using the clamps and they come off and touch something you can do some bad damage. A group 29 won’t be much more so why not get it instead?
Bob
My brother in law and I were trying to fix my back window that wouldn’t roll up. We got the covering of the door off to take a look at it, and we realized that it was a wiring problem. We are wanting to find an auto electrician that can help us out, but we don’t know what to look for in one. This helped, and I hope that we can get this figured out soon.
I’m glad to help Jason!
Bob
Bob-
Can you explain a bit more about the solenoid? How exactly would one wire it in between the two batteries?
I’ve bought the 100W Renology kit and will (most likely) buy the group 24 Wal-Mart marine DC battery. All the talk on the forums about the benefits/necessity of an occasional higher bulk charging rate makes me wonder if I should wire in the house battery to the starting battery. I’m planning on trying to camp out of my Ford Escape initially but it won’t be the final setup. I have too many dogs to live in the SUV. 🙂
TooManyDogs, wiring the house battery to the starting battery and also having the 100 watt Renogy solar kit is a very good idea. The solenoid is fairly simple to install. A wire goes from the starting battery to a post on the solenoid, and another wire goes from another post on the solenoid to the house battery. A third wire goes to the wiring harness of the vehicle that goes off when the key goes off. A common choice is the power wire to the radio since they usually go off with the battery. What happens is that when power comes from the wiring harness when the key is turned on, that power energized a magnet in the solenoid that makes a connection between the two wires between the house batteries.
Generally there is a 4th pole and it goes to a ground.
Bob
Often
Hi Bob!
I have read where you enjoy finding a nice day park, or city park to spend a day. So I wanted to share with you a super kitchen appliance I use at day parks and city parks. I find it is great for steaming/cooking my one pot meals to take with me later…
It is: “The Wolfgang Puck Mini Rice Cooker”.
While it is called a rice cooker it does steam foods/meats wonderfully.It also steam food beautifully.
Great for those solo one pot lunches.
Amazon sells both items, the mini steamer and the travel bag!
What’s great about the travel bag is this, you can cook your foods first, then leave them in the cooker and put it in the travel bag making it act-like a thermal cooker for later. And it only uses 200 watts of AC power so with a 12 converter adapter plug you can even use it in your car, van, truck, whatever. Anyway, I own two of them and two travel bags. Thought I would pass the info along since Christmas Holidays are coming up and people are shopping through your Amazon links. Search Amazon for them and post any links to them.
I hope you find this info as a good-to-know-about. With this cooker and the Road-Pro Oven that is about all you need for kitchen cooking on the go. BTW, the carry bag even has a handle and shoulder strap. Bonus! 🙂
Pamela, thanks so much for that feedback! Would you be willing to do a write-up with pictures of your cooker? If so I will put it up as a post on the blog.
I looked it up on Amazon and they don’t list the travel bag, is it separate?
Bob
http://www.amazon.com/Blue-Sea-Systems-Blade-Block/dp/B001P6FTHC
I use this and a
http://www.amazon.com/Blue-Sea-Systems-Series-Selector/dp/B015ZPBKQM/ref=pd_sim_200_44?ie=UTF8&dpID=518waMaP5EL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&refRID=0SSVGCHZQWX3N9FJDWAG
clean neat operation
That’s very good Terry, thanks for that!
Bob
WriterMs., The most accurate way, is to have an inverter that includes a volt readout. This way, you’re seeing the actual voltage going to your appliances. Depending on your wire gauge and how long your wires are from source to appliance, you can have as much as 1.5 volt difference by the time you begin using it. As an electrician, I always tell folks to use the largest wire (0 guage) and run it the shortest distance possible, to reduce power-drop. Also, even with solar systems, I recommend running your aux battery to your starting battery, by way of an isolator switch to make the most of your vehicle’s alternator… Which comes in REALLY handy in cloudy, rainy climates. If you have any questions about any of the things I mentioned, don’t hesitate to ask. -Think, Live, Be Free!
Rob, that’s good advice, thanks.
Bob
Thank you Bob for taking ALL the stress away when it comes to me getting electricity in my van as I am about to embark on going full time!!! I can’t believe that I will be able to sort this out myself!!! I treasure this website and I thank everyone for their questions and answers about everything!!! Everyone is SO helpful!!!
Sue, it’s my pleasure to help in a very small way to make your life better!
Bob
Bob,
Do you have any advice on installing a panel on a fiberglass van roof? I am a little hesitant to drill into old (1989) fiberglass.
Thanks,
Michael
Michael, if you know you’re way with fiberglass, you can use mounting feet. But If you don’t they make very tall ladder racks that will go up to 28.5 inches so it an fit over a 24 inch turtle top. They aren’t attractive, but they work. Here is a company (vantech) that sells them:
http://vantech.us/Custom-H1-1-Bar-System-Questions-Please-Call-718-497-3482-H-Custom.htm
Is it possible to run a small fan by using D batteries that can be recharged with a cigarette lighter outlet?
It is possible. Just get the fan, battery charger and batteries from Amazon and also a little inverter to run it. Probably 200 watts. You can get 12 volt fans that will run off the cigarette lighter while you are driving or from a house battery if you install one.
If you use this link to enter Amazon, I’ll get a small percentage of your purchase and it won’t cost you anything.
http://amzn.to/28YD00k
Bob
Hi Bob…do we have to shop a certain way on Amazon for you to benefit or is it just by clicking the link you provide?
Bob, I just discovered this site and love it! Thank you for such great info and advice! I haven’t found the answer to this yet: I’m still trying to figure out how to add a house battery to my Dodge Caravan. I just pulled the headliner out, insulated the roof with styrofoam and reflextic and wow! What a difference! About 20 degrees cooler than it was before. Now I want to add a Fantastic-Fan in the roof, but have no idea what to wire it to. I work on my own car, and managed to figure out how to replace the radiator fan by myself. So I can do basic stuff if I have clear directions. I think I can handle the solenoid job! This is where I am lost – not knowing whether to put it on a house or starter battery. I will only use the house battery to charge lap top, cell phone etc. and maybe to watch movies at night. My lights are LED AAA battery powered, or I use a headlamp or other battery powered light. At night I’m usually so tired I just go to sleep! I do want to get a low watt microwave to heat soup and power my hot pot. https://www.amazon.com/MaxiMatic-EHP-001-Cuisine-32-Ounce-Electric/dp/B002DUCC8S/ref=sr_1_3?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1466898654&sr=1-3&keywords=hot+water+cooker I keep reading about charge controllers, and monitors and just don’t know what I need besides the battery! Can you list the things for a basic set up and what they do? Thank you!
Becky, I’m not sure what you have now, but here is what I recommend you end up with. Get a continuous duty Solenoid to go between the starting battery and the house battery so it charges when the engine is running but won’t drain the starting battery when the engine is off. Connect the fantastic fan to the house battery and drive enough to keep it charged.
A microwave is a much more difficult thing and you won’t have nearly enough power to run one. For a microwave I recommend 400 watts of solar, 4 golf cart batteries and a 2000 watt pure sine inverter. That’s quite a lot of money.
To greatly simplify solar, I recommend you buy a Renogy kit,most people find 200 watts is enough. That makes it super easy and simple and just about as cheap as is reasonable. I prefer the MPPT controller and buy in-line fuses since they do not include them.
Bob
Hey been using your site as a reference for a while. I’ve been living in a converted short bus for a while now and always check up for some tips. One thing I’m wondering is if I set up a deep cell house battery that recharges off my starting batteries, even if I put a solonoid between them, won’t this wear down my alternator a lot? Or is the idea to keep the house battery usage low enough that the alternator doesn’t have to do too much work? Because I’m in a bus I need two batteries just to throw my starter and relie on my alternator to fill those back up. Just want to be cautious that I wouldn’t be overloading my alternator recharging my starting and house batteries.
Any info helps! Thanks,
Ray
Ray, you’re right, charging a house battery through a solenoid will reduce the life of the alternator–the only question is how much. For most people the advantages more than offset the extra wear on the alternator. But in your case with a bus, my guess is that you have a large, heavy duty alternator and the difference in its life will be minimal. I wouldn’t hesitate to do it.
Bob
Hi there, thanks for sharing your wealth of information! Just wondering if you could put a link to the color coded clamps: This Cobra 400 inverter comes with two ways to connect it to your batteries. This is the best way with color-coded clamps to hook it to the batteries positive and negative posts. The other is with a cigarette lighter plug-in. That’s easy but can only handle 120 watts of power and not the whole 400.
Thanks!
Marcia, that’s not clear to me, I thought it came with the clamps. Bob
Hi,thanks so much for your quick response! Trying hard to get off grid full time before the weather turns. Stuck in a friends driveway right now using elect hookup so I have air conditioning in this wicked hot weather.I’m hoping soon I can be on my way. This is the only one I could find on Amazon and doesn’t have clamps. Maybe I should check out autozone? https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001550DVU/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER
I saw this. It might be pretty cool:
http://www.instructables.com/id/Portable-12V-Battery-Pack/
Thanks Fred. Bob
I intend travel when I am free of obligations but do not want to make a lot of changes to my van. Ca I just use my cigarette and an inverter to run a 1 1/2 quart crockpot while driving
Annette, yes you can do that. However, I don’t know how much power your crock-pot draws so be careful at first. Plug the crockpot into the inverter and check often for their temperatures. Hold the inverter plug where it goes into the socket and also hold the wires along their run. If it gets hot, then it is a fire risk and won’t work, unplug it. Same with the crock-pot cord. Be certain none of the cords get hot!
If they do, it won’t work. You could then run a heavy gauge wire from the battery to a new cigarette lighter plug and that should work. But that defeats your purpose of no modifications.
Just curious, how long would it take to charge let’s say a 100 amp hour battery using the car’s alternator? I’m certain that it depends on the type of battery and the output of the alternator, and if the car is being driven or at idle, but a ballpark guess would be very helpful. Thanks for all you do. This has truly become my “go to” website for trustworthy reliable information.
Bryan, these are just pretty wild guess because there are too many variables to give a firm answer, mainly just for the principles involved. Batteries can be bulk filled pretty easily, that means bringing it from 50% up to 80%. So maybe 4 hours of full speed driving. It’ll probably take another 3 hours to bring it to 90% and another 3 hours to 100%. So, all day should do it.
Hi Bob, In Texas, I found a company who would take batteries 3 yrs old or less and redo them and sold them for $45. with a 90 day warranty, I bought one for my Dodge Van, and its still going,, so that is another option to look for, and I found that on Craigslist.
Hey, Bob. In order to save money, I am trying to set up a system as inexpensively as possible using the battery (ies), and an inverter for my tiny travel trailer. My biggest needs will be running a 5000 btu window a/c and mostly the refrigerator – small (bigger than dorm size) a/c fridge. I have many questions but the first would be do I need a charge controller to monitor the marine batteries when charging from a generator or even from my car. I do not want to drain them too low or over charge them
I hate to give you the bad news, but AC off solar is virtually impossible without a very large system and lots of batteries. It will cost a minimum of $2000 and that’s parts only, not installed.
whew bob u need an award for all these questions i dont see how u can keep up with it all lol . i think ull agree that the batterys are the most important and the foundation of the system and at the same time the weakest link. so make sure you dont let ur batteries get below 50% adn u watch it with a battery monitor. this is tiem consuming and u have to watch it like a hawk till u get used to running stuff. your battery bank is like ur bank account of your system the battery monitor is like ur check book u keep track of ur funds by, in the same way your battery monitor keeps track of the power going out of ur batteries watch it close like a new born baby cuz thats what it is da baby. your batteries bank account reaches zero at 50% discharge. The more power u suck out of it the faster it reaches 50%. get used to watching it carefully till u get experiance. the bigger the battery bank the more bank account u have the more u can afford to run but what ever size it is remeber the account is empty at 50%. now refilling this account takes power going into the batteries, be it jumper cables continous duty selinoid solar panels or a plain old fastion jump start, jsut remember the more u take out the more u have to put back in. the slower u recharge the bank the longer it is before u cna use it again. the problem with ac is its working in the heat of the day discharging the batteries when they sould be recharging so the short answer is yes u can take alot of power out of a small battery bank for a short amount of time when the battery reaches 50% its lights out cuz going below 50 and ur killing the batteries. you can run ac all day if your battery bank is big enough all u have do is fill it up again and just liek your cars gas tank. the more u run out the more u have to put back in. the more u put back in the more it costs. so ya u can run ac on strainht solar in fact people are doing it plus charging their batteries. BUT they have alot of solar and alot of batteries. and thats very expencive.
its up to u the scales work like this self suficiancy verses dependance. i know a guy thats running a webasto heating system that burn diesil fuel its very fuel efficant but hes still burning fuel right but it works good and draws low power. he also has a very small portable a/c unit that works and is low on power draw however last i heard form him he was having trouble with the exhaust port that put the heat out of the ac heating the cabin of his van and he was gonna work on getting the exhaust port closer to the outside somehow also insolate the pipes, im sorry i dont know any more but he had to go to work but im fairly sure he got it taken care of his system was somwhere between 380-400 watts of solar and two agm batteries with 2000 watt power inverter (that the thing the ac plugs into)and the ac was a portable unit. so put the ac blow duct where u want the cold air directed put the unit close to where ur gonna exit the exhaust hot air and insolate that pipe from the unit to the went to the outside and insolate it very well plug it in and watch that battery monitor and take baby steps this is new teritory play it safe error to teh side of caution. if u decide to go for it watch those wires if tehy get hot shut the thing down other than that worst thing is ull kill 200 dollars worth of deep cycle batteries adn ull have to buy more good luck just remember i said play it safe ull need 400 watts solar two AGM batteries a continuous duty solanoid a two thousand watt pure sine wave inverter mttp charge controller and most importantly a battery monitor. So whats the worst that can happen wies catch on fire put it out u kill 2-6 hundred dollars worth of batteries. i may be missing something but i dont think so.if u want to play it safe and just get a generator to run ac and micro hot pate or what ever draws lot of current that can be done to. one thing im absolutly sure of if or when u get it figured out, u’ll be covered up faster than a jungle full of monkeys on the last bananna on earth lol but i think my pal the union man has it figured out if u go with a portable a/c unit ull be better off. best of luck to ya hope it all works out for ya
and bob this may not be the best place to put this post if not feel free to move it elsewhere. being to hot is a considerable problem but i feel confident that if we put our heads together we shll succeed God willing i should add.
This is a serious problem if you take into consideration that copd and other victoms with breathing trouble where going up in elevation is out of the question. We have considerable knowlage and wisdom and manpower to get the job taken care of with more to fallow im sure best of luck to us all
im out scoot
Love all your info!!!
If I purchase the group 29 marine battery and the cobra inverter like you suggest . What can I run off of this system? Regular house appliances? Toaster oven? Coffee maker? Hand vacuumed? 2 burner stove top?
I’m getting ready to hit the road (so excited!). I bought a van and have been getting it ready. It was used as a catering van and I got it off Craig’s list, so I can’t ask the previous owner. It has 3 12 volt plugs where the radio used to be—perfect I thought. However they are not hooked up. The wires are there, I see the fuse box but can’t figure out how to hook them up. I also would like to install an AGM battery on the floor of the passenger seat and hook up a solenoid so the starter battery could charge while driving. Obviously I’m no mechanic. Do you have a suggestion of where I could go to find a mechanic that would be knowledgable to do this for me. I was thinking maybe an electronics shop or an auto parts store. I just don’t want to pay an arm and a leg. Do you have any idea on how much I should expect to pay? Mechanic shops in this area charge $100/hr just to do anything. Any info would be helpful…thanks.
hi scat i can tell u what u need to get the ciggarette lighter going what u need isa fuse box wire tap it’ll have a red wire comming off of it. for safty and protection from damaged componets disconnect the 12volt batteries take the ground off first then the positve cable now ur fuse box is dead no paoer running to it. unplug ur fuse plug in the wire tapp and plug ur fuse into the wire tap now connect the red wire form the fuse tap to teh cig lighter and ur in bussiness. Now remember this is always hot u have to unplug what ever u plug into it. now if u want it to be off when you shut key off u have to find a only hot when keys is on or (in run position)fuse if u do that then when u trun key off and put it in ur pocket the cigg socket wil be dead no power.
as far as the AGM battery goes thats lil more complex this also needs to be on a only hot when ignition is on fuse now run that wire to the sol. when u turn key on u should hear a click that would be the litle eletromagnet pulling the poles closed thats teh big posts on the sol. now hook one of the big posts to the battery house and one post to the car service battery the one that starts the car. now hook the positive to teh car battery and the postive to teh AGM battery and then connect the ground to the battery and now u should have key on hot to houe battery and hot to the cigg. plugs. only thing is u have to figure out is how ur gonna run wire form the car service battery to the AGM cabin battery
as far as getting the work done i know here in town the boys at autozone do small odd jobs for cash adn help costomers out ull just have to ask around. but they work pretty cheap and it dont take all day to do this stuff. theirs others that can do that sort of work lots small bussinesses can get stuff liek this going lawn mower mecahnics gutter hustlers the list goes on and on ask around tel lem ur taking bids and ull think it over. labor this day and age is easy to find and usally work cheap. so think of it as a shopping spree and have some fun while ur at it.
now if i might take u down another avanue consider you tube vidieos in fact bob has one where a guy does this very thing in a very detailed vid. so look that up. im sorry im disabled for lack of short term memory but i know it was one of his and all i just dont know where i can direct u to it sorry…. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amvt9S8l3fU …… in that video the cneter post is one that closes the electromagnetic switch comming from teh back of alternator it closes the switch and the thereby connecting house battery to car battery adn charges the car battery and therefore charges the house battery the only real problem is running wire to house battery not to difficult hands on just hard to explain here lol best of luck scoot
Hi Bob, Like everyone states: “You help a lot of people”; including myself. I’m ‘on my way out’ this fall to live out/ in of my Chevy S-10 truck w/ topper. Just wondering if I go to AZ in winter, & back to MT in summer… How to I get my mail & or packages I order? Also- MAJOR concern is; my many meds are shipped to me by mail. How could I get it mailed to Quartzsite, AZ in winter, then later in summer to MT. They require a designated address & PH # to mail them. I’ve lived in MT for about 47 of my 55 years. I’m a Very green small town man. H E L P Also I’ll need a cell PH & internet… no idea how. Read Verizon is best for both??Thank you, Chip~
https://www.amazon.com/Battery-Replacement-Sevylor-MinnKota-Marine/dp/B071Y27VGV/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1511022424&sr=8-5&keywords=gel+marine+battery Are these the right battery with Gel,
No, those are terribly overpriced. Go to a local automotive parts store or a Batteries Plus store to find either a marine battery or, if you can afford the money and space, two golf cart batteries. A marine battery will go for around $100 and have around 75-90 amp hours instead of the 35 amp hours of the battery you linked to. A pair of golf cart batteries will have about 150 amp hours of power and, if maintained correctly, can last ten years. A pair will cost around $250.
Hey BOB, Thank you for the first shear with us a great information. Your information is very helpful for the people.
I’ve been a fan of yours for a few years, but I’ve finally reached the point where I can buy a cargo van to build out and take-to-the-road! My son will be helping me, at least initially, and I make sure he sees pertinent videos of yours. ? (BLESS YOU FOR BEING HERE FOR IGNORAMOUSES LIKE ME! ?)
My question here is: Are these particular solar panels I just came across appropriate to use with my van?
https://selfrelianceplan.com/ppg/solar-generator-works-indoors.php
Awesome Content and Terrific conversations.
Hi Bob,
Great site and work! One question: f you keep the fridge powered all the time, that alone consumes some 65W*24hs= 1560 W (or 65/12*24= 130Ah in a day alone). How does it play out with your battery setting and other devices? I feel I am missing somenthnig.
Thank you.
Hi, such a nice article and thanks for sharing.
Maybe you can consider generator as standby power. But your way is really good
Hi Bob,
Fairly new to living in my Van but finally got sick of LA rents and been sort of making it work for me with an Office job! The last few months in a Sprinter van. Unfortunately i am stuck in LA and with the job for Child Support reasons or I’d be out of here. But until then power is a bit of an issue the van came with a nice stealth mounted 100 watt solar panel but no power system. Instead of wiring the van further I made due with 12 Volt extentions manually unplugging when the Van is not running and one of these: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MRO4Q5M/?coliid=I3RQLHUSOW9XQU&colid=2MNFWH2B3Y95I&psc=0&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it which seems to be an economic alternative to the Goal Zero thing – Problem is my work has been nice enough to provide me with inside parking so no sunlight on the solar during the week and the manual unplugging is getting to be a drag. I am thinking about getting another ACO power battery and doing a rotation leaving one charging in the office since I have free access to electricity there (no one should ask since in the bag looks enough like a personal lunch cooler except for the part plugging in. To get around the hard wired solenoid or cut off switch and stop unplugging I’m also thinking about getting one of these: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0001MQ7FO/?coliid=I2OJEB7EE3XCS3&colid=2MNFWH2B3Y95I&psc=0&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it do you know anyone who has used one? THought being with the rotation of the two ACO power batteries and alternator charging and the solar when the van is not actually in a garage this should meet my needs without the fun of running out of power on a hot LA summer night – I am only running a Max Fan and Apicool fridge off the ACO power unit and without a decent charge the 400 watts gets me about 2 days – no issue in the sun and driving around on the weekends but during the week inside out of the sun and less driving the battery needs wall charging and that means the fridge does not have power while it does?
I’m very new to this and very lost. I love that people are doing this with enthusiasm. I’m doing it by circumstance and the anxiety is high. I’m realizing it might be saving me though. Ok, so my question is, among others, why use marine batteries instead of a car battery? I’m going for the option of jumpers to a battery inside my car. There are vented boxes for sale at walmart, and that would be my go to given there’s no one I know that would build me anything. I don’t have the tools to build a box.
Thank you for the post.
Solar panels are at the forefront of of power collection options for van dwellers. Solar panels can be a great solution for someone living in a van because the power is clean, minimal, makes no noise, and the cost of solar has gone down significantly in the past few years.
As I read through your articles it would seem that most people use the 12v battery system, which makes since in most instances. There are some appliances that simply draw too much electricity to use a 12v system, such as an AC unit. As I am thinking this through, I am thinking that I want to run dual power sources. Some appliances will run off both AC/DC power, so I would install both styles of outlets near these appliances so I could plug into which ever power source I am using. I want to install a power cord like you see on large RVs where you can plug into the RV site. This would run through a normal breaker box and from their to high power appliances or outlets. It would also run to a battery charger so it would charge the house battery. Then when I am off grid, I would switch over to the 12v system and have either a generator or solar panel charging system. So say that I can accomplish the same thing running my 110 appliances through an inverter but I don’t see the logic of connecting 110 power to a charger, through the battery to the inverter to return it to 110 power. Your thoughts
Thank you for all your information! I’ve been planning on full time boondocking for a few years. Right now, I’m tied to Central California to care for my mom. However, I just got notified that my apartment building is being sold; I may have to stealth camp in Fresno (where they’ve made it pretty much illegal to be homeless). My biggest advantage is that I was a long-haul truck driver, years ago. I have basic knowledge and skills. Biggest disadvantage is that I have NO VEHICLE! I’m hoping that I can find someone willing to take payments while I am using the vehicle. When I was driving, I used my “lunchbox oven” daily. I also used a Koolatron electric cooler. I’d pack it full, with several days worth of frozen meals from home. I’d freeze them in loaf pans, to fit the oven. I’d also have milk last for at least a week that way. My 12v mattress pad was more effective than an electric blanket, and used less power. I’d be interested to know what other former truckers have brought to a boondocking life. My most important item is my lo-o-ong list of places I want to see, that I had to pass by… it covers all 48 states, and 3 provinces of Canada that I drove through!
While I have enjoyed reading valuable information extracted from the fruits of your experiences Bob, I have to admit I am just seriously challenged. While I know what you are listing for purchase, I am not sure it really applies to me . In view of the fact that you are primarily a van dweller and not a car dweller. I have been dying in the South Florida heat and am in dire need of a source of electrical power. I am not overly concerned about the cost vs safety, and great function. I need a list of what to buy that is current and least invasive to the process of installation. Please help me. I drive a Chevy 2012 Traverse SUV. I will purchase all through your Amazon lead. Frying w/the Fish in Fla. -Val.
Hi Bob,
Getting ready to pull the trigger on a Transit Connect, not to live in, but serious travel.
Thought I might be able to do it without deep cycle battery, now think otherwise.
In your main (very helpful) electricity page, you leave one thing out- how long does the deep cycle battery take to recharge from the alternator? (when half full, I suppose).
Thanks for all you do!!!
Thanks for such a nice content. Apppreciate it 🙂
Cheers
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Sounds like a good solution! Thank you!
OK few tips here comming from an old fix it urself mechanic ya i been to school for it. Anyway protect anyplace wires go though metal for example couple peaces of carpet old tires bicycle tires would work welcome mat. put this where the cables go between hood and car. AS for shorts off gasses and the like think of an old cooler secure it to the floor with screws right though the cooler and though the floor. dont want no holes no problem use some high grqade roof or construction grade adheasive and glue it down. if u really wanna get fancy drill hole in side of the box insert a hose seal it up with some calking drill hole in firewall or kick panel insert other end the hole the battery is vented. wrap the cooler in plastic or just use duct tape to seal the gases in. there she is nailed down sealed up and vented. the old adage is still true better safe than sorry. wisdom sees trouble comming and hides itself away from it is what i like to say.
anyway some very real threats have raised their ugly head but jsut liek whack a mole lets just keep putting them in thier place.
a childhood friend of mine had a dad that owned lots of semi trucks adn he took up driving for a while but he found the wrich and the hammer best fit for his hand. anyway while out driving he had tool box in front seat. all of a sudden an old man pulled out in fromt of him well he knew he couldnt stop in time but he applied brakes anyway and hoped as he approched the ole man it was no use he was gonna hit him so over the embankment he went, meanwhile the the truck rolled and and he said he tought that toolbox was gonna beat him to death before he stopped rolling. THIS IS HIS ADVISE TO ME AND IM PASSING IT ON do not have anything in any driving compartment that is NOT nailed down that u wouldnt want hitting u in the eye at 65 miles per hour
ive seen lawn mowers that were hauled loose in the back of a truck total out the truck. so keep that in mind whats loose in the back of your rig. i know all this im stil no worry wart but i do listen to my gut and if its not safe or the risk is high i avoid it. dont let worry ruin ur game instead secure issues as they arise make plans form solutions and exicute them then move out when ever ur comfortable uve solved the trouble chase teh wind
scoot
Thanks for sharing so useful and detailed information.
Solar panels for my camper van will be my investment this year.
A home accumulator allows you to store the electricity generated by your solar panels to use in the dark or on a cloudy day.
such a good artical 3kw solar