Building a Solar Generator Setup

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I built my own solar generator. Now I can motorcycle camp and have electricity where ever I go.
Chapters----
00:00 Intro
02:26 Mods to the Solar Panels
08:11 Building the Battery Box
21:27 Mounting to My Trailer
29:25 How it Works
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Dokio Solar Panels - amzn.to/3ymRQqz
Ampere Time Battery - amzn.to/2Vv0kgs
Battery Box - Walmart
Battery meter/outlets - amzn.to/3xnZake
Battery charger - amzn.to/3flntJl
500w Inverter - amzn.to/3yp58mu
Aluminum Diamond plate - Home Depot
Aluminum Brazing Rods - Home Depot
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Опубликовано:

30 июл 2024

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Комментарии : 58

@JustinGuilds 8 дней назад

38:20 nice

@MicahBell_1860 11 месяцев назад

Good job

@kellyoconnor7896 7 месяцев назад

You can buy the battery box for $50 fully fitted out to save yourself time and money. I bought one for my 12v set up in my car. I took the lazy way out 😂 . Great video mate. Also your battery is full and once it is full your amps from solar will drop down. Try using some of the battery then plug in solar and your amps should go up. I run a car fridge 24/7 off mine.

@larrypeplinski593 8 месяцев назад

Good job!😊

@wanderinwonder5026 10 месяцев назад

Nice! Thanks!!

@johnrichardcleland4493 4 месяца назад

Thanks some great information do a follow up after actually using it in real time to share the performance

@SteveOutdoors 3 месяца назад

It’s been three years now. Still performing great just like when it was new.

@albertbrinson4075 6 месяцев назад

Enjoyed the build. On the Charge controller, at one point you state, “Battery first, then solar panels.” Later you stated, “Charge phone via USB ports on controller, without a battery.” I find this suspect, as the dead cellphone battery wouldn’t meet the power demand requirements of the Charge Controller. The voltage required to operate the controller, might be small, but destroying the controller, by hooking up panels without a battery source, seems detrimental.

@SteveOutdoors 6 месяцев назад

According to the controller instructions you can use the usb outlets without a battery plugged into the controller. But if you then decide to plug in a battery, unplug the solar panels first, plug in the battery, then plug the solar panels back in.

@rc3211 Год назад

Great video, I've been thinking about doing this exact same thing for a while. I always thought I would use a 100 Ah battery, but 50Ah would likely be more than adequate . The main need I have is to power my C-Pap but it runs on 12 v so no need to run through an inverter. I would also want to charge various camping accessories such as a mini air pump, fan, lights, etc. Eventually, I would like to add a Dometic 12 V cooler to get away from needing ice.

@lilyput118 Год назад

This is so stinkin CLEVER!!!

@Zbee167 7 месяцев назад

LOVED the ideas you shared here! Good job!

@jimkennedy8327 6 месяцев назад

Excellent video except for one thing. For those of us who are only mildly inclined electrically you did not explain what each component was as you were installing them. You need to give a minimal description of the glue used to fasten things down with. I have a marine battery and want to do something like what you have but I do not understand the electrical connections very well. I noticed later in the video that the cylinders you mounted in the side of the battery box are USB ports primarily. Could you have mounted an electrical outlet like a house has? Also you did some welding(?) with a torch and a rod on the metal that you mounted on the side of your trailer. What is that?

@SteveOutdoors 6 месяцев назад

I did this 2 years ago. I probably should have broken it down into 3 videos. Basically for the usb and 12V outlet you just need to hook positive to positive and negative to negative with a fuse on the positive line to the first component. For a 110 electrical outlet like a house has, I use a 500w inverter that hooks straight to the battery. If I used a bigger box I could have installed that in the box. But since I motorcycle camp I have minimal room. The aluminum shelves I added to my motorcycle trailer were for the battery box on one side and cords and inverter box on the other side. After this video I added a 12V fridge that I plug into the battery.

@mbeck9680 2 года назад

Fantastic instructional video! I am looking to get a pull behind trailer and you have provided some great ideas on how to improve a trailer. I really enjoy your videos, keep them coming!

@SteveOutdoors 2 года назад

Thanks!

@stevenbailey7656 3 года назад

Awesome video!!! Enjoyed that. Have a great trip.

@OldGuyonaBike 2 года назад

Good build. Having renewable power whle camping is great. Nothing like being able to base camp for a couple of days and still use all the lights you need and keep everything charged up.

@philloiselle8200 Год назад

Great Vid, really informative. thanks

@dougfreedom5200 2 года назад

Nice! Only thing I noticed negative was you don't use dielectric grease on soldered wires when using heat shrink!

@SteveOutdoors 2 года назад

Actually I did use dielectric grease. You must have missed it.

@dougfreedom5200 2 года назад

@@SteveOutdoors I worded that funny sorry. I meant you should not use it. The heat shrink is meant to seal up air tight and holds the joint and protects it from corrosion. Using dialectic grease prevents adhesion and a seal. I'm sure the way you did it worked fine.....just thought I would share my advice on it. Great video and content definitely gonna check out your other videos.

@poiryra Год назад

Very Nice setup and loved the video. I also have the Lumina XL trailer but have only used it for traveling to motels. But want to start camping with it too. It's a hard sell somewhat to my wife when we also have a 40 ft. 5th wheel toy hauler. Lol!!!

@tangowiskey4740 Год назад

Thank you your videos are very motivating. What is demension of the cooler base you got from the same company. Thanks. Very cool on MS to Baltimore triop working with my trailer when get home will use your idea for motivation . Have same trailer only difference is assembled with 3M marine adhesive to all joints including the axles to aluminum slow electrolysis and rain seeping in .

@SteveOutdoors Год назад

I'll measure it when I get home to Texas. I'm in Colorado and my trailer is home in my garage. I know it fits a 20 qt RTIC cooler perfect. It also fits my 12V Fridge.

@MrGuitarfool 2 года назад

Thank you for sharing your Knowledge with us ! Can you show more detail of the wiring inside the box? What is the pink wire for ? How do you hook up and use the 500w Inverter ? Can you use it without the solar panels hooked up and only use the battery ? Sorry for all the stupid questions but I want to do mine the same as yours ! Have a safe trip and catch alot of fish ! Hope to go there next year .

@SteveOutdoors 2 года назад

When I made this video I was trying to hurry and get it ready before my Colorado trip. I think I'm going to remake this video into 2 or 3 separate videos so I can go more in detail and show more of how to do it. Thanks for the questions it will give me ideas of what I need to go over.

@texaslonestarrider Год назад

Why not mount a solar panel on the top of the trailer so you can charge the battery riding down the road? Works great on my trailer.

@SteveOutdoors Год назад

I have been looking at getting one for that little spot just behind the cooler. I'm always carrying stuff on the very top: Boat, electric bike, fans, etc.

@Remember0811 2 года назад

2:34 - now THAT'S a knife

@coolgeorgiaboy 2 года назад

Very sexy fabrication and install. Excellent job

@SteveOutdoors 2 года назад

Thanks!

@dhorp 3 года назад

hola mi amigo 🙌🏻

@chriscoon1687 2 года назад

Thank you Steve for the great video. You have a nice and easy way of presenting your information and experiences with motorcycle camping. I have a question in regards to the method you used to "weld" the diamond plate brackets for your battery box. Could you let me know which solder you used and if there is anything special you did for this process ? Thanks again for your great videos. Ride safe Chris

@SteveOutdoors 2 года назад

Hey Chris, You can get aluminum brazing rods at Home Depot or Lowes. I used the Benzomatic brand. You'll need brazing rods and a good torch. I always sanded the area to be fused together first and then wiped it with acetone to make sure it's good and clean. Clamp the pieces together. Then you want to heat the area until it's hot enough to melt the braising rod when you touch it to it. It's good to practice with some scrape pieces until you get the feel of it. I used ceramic tile under the aluminum and against any wood to protect the wood from catching on fire. I also kept a fire extinguisher handy.

@chriscoon1687 2 года назад

Thank you Steve. Appreciate the info. Look forward to more of your videos. Ride safe. Chris

@patzke Год назад

How do you hook up the 500w inverter? Did I miss that in the video? Thanks!

@Remember0811 2 года назад

Very impressive. I am in awe of how patient and meticulous you were in creating this. Like a surgeon. Like Doctor Frankenstein. For those who may not realize Mr. Allen’s dedication, it was 100 degrees out while he was making this video. Great job.

@brandonmorris5209 Год назад

Could you run another set of panel in parallel to a single controller to provide more Amps?

@SteveOutdoors Год назад

Yes I don't see why that wouldn't work. I'm thinking about mounting a small panel on the front of my trailer. I could it to charge while traveling and use both panels to charge at camp.

@flhxs8364 2 года назад

You might have mentioned it, but have you considered running a pigtail to you bike to charge the battery pack? Nice set-up. Cheers~

@SteveOutdoors 2 года назад

I haven’t yet but I may. So far the solar panels are charging it pretty fast.

@okiemoto6114 3 года назад

I purchased a trailer like yours. Do you weigh your tongue after loading it? We are going to take a big trip soon. I enjoy your videos.

@SteveOutdoors 3 года назад

Yes I weigh the trailer and the tongue. Make sure the tongue is at least 10% of the trailer weight. I weigh under the tires with a bathroom scale and use a fishing scale to weigh the tongue. Add all 3 together for the trailer weight.

@okiemoto6114 3 года назад

@@SteveOutdoors Okay. Do you have a upper limit to the tongue weight?

@SteveOutdoors 2 года назад

@@okiemoto6114 I keep it between 10% and 15%.

@kb-xy6pc 2 месяца назад

Better look that file up, it is not a bastard cut file...

@johnnyrodgers6356 2 года назад

Now that you have this up an running is it performing and meeting you expectations?

@SteveOutdoors 2 года назад

Beyond actually. I just got back from a 5 day camping trip. It was a non-electric site. I just left the panels setup facing south and plugged into my battery. I brought a fridge/freezer with me this time. I ran the fridge continuously and ran string lights at night. After the first hour of sunlight every day the battery was completely recharged.

@johnnyrodgers6356 2 года назад

@@SteveOutdoors that is outstanding! Running a CPAP all night should be no problem. Thanks.