Our Perfect VAN LIFE SOLAR SET UP // We talked with the pros
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- Äas pĆidĂĄn 8. 07. 2024
- #vanlife #sprintervan #letsbeus
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You've asked, we've answered. Here's how we power EVERYTHING in our van off-grid with a relatively small solar system set up. Don't take our word for it though, we went and talked to the pros at AM Solar to help you better understand why we chose what system we chose and even ask them some of the most popular FAQs around solar. If you're considering adding solar to your van/skoolie/rv/boat/etc., this video is for YOU!
âș 4:40 -whatâs the biggest mistake people make with solar?
âș 5:21 -Thereâs a lot of bad advice online about DIY solar systems.How does AM Solar help?
âș 7:30 -What questions should people be asking when buying their own solar system?
âș 8:33- What component brands do you use?
âș 10:00-Lithium vs AGM?
âș 10:48-Our Components
âș 12:09-how we charge our batteries
âș 14:58-coupon
== A M S O L A R ==
âș Based in Springfield, Oregon (just off I-5)
âș www.amsolar.com/
âș 541-726-1091
âș Call them for a consultation for your own solar setup!
âș * Special thanks to these guys for not only helping us through the whole process of setting up our own solar system, but also for taking the time to answer more questions when we stopped by their shop.*
== O U R M A I N S O L A R C O M P O N E N T S ==
âș Inverter: amzn.to/31Mjywg
âș Batteries: Victron 160ah Lithium Ion
âș Charge Controller: amzn.to/2TGAGkf
âș Battery monitor: amzn.to/2z42Ax5
âș Battery Protect: amzn.to/2HdXXVv
âș Lithium Control Board: bit.ly/2Mly6zh
âș Digital Multi Controller: amzn.to/2YXMbti
âșDC Distributor: amzn.to/2HebwEi
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________________________________
== A B O U T U S ==
Hey y'all! We're Chris + Sara, a husband and wife travel duo currently working and traveling full time with our pup, Kramer. We've always dreamed of traveling full time, and in May of 2018 we took the leap and made it happen! Today we're balancing work and fun everywhere between the Pacific and Atlantic. From hiking and cycling to tacos and coffee, we're trying to see and experience as much of this world as we can! While our home is currently on wheels in our DIY Sprinter van, our travels take us all around the world.
Be sure to hit subscribe here on CZcams and follow along on Instagram for more daily fun! Oh, and be sure to say hi while you're here. :)
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*Some of the links above are affiliate links through Amazonâs affiliate program, which means that if you choose to make a purchase, we will earn a small commission. This commission comes at no additional cost to you. All of the products we have linked to are products we use and can truly recommend. Please do not spend any money on these products unless you feel you need them or that they will help you achieve your goals.*
Solar makes #vanlife a lot more comfortable. I have 400 watts on the roof, a Blue Sky Solar Boost 3000i and 4 Trojan T-105s under the sink. I also have an 1100 watt Vanner Power Inverter tied into the campers electrical panel, so it's like being in a house...just plug stuff in. There are limitations, of course, but 90% of the time, you don't think about power at all, you just use it.
i dont mean to be offtopic but does any of you know a tool to get back into an Instagram account..?
I was stupid lost the account password. I love any help you can give me.
@Dillon Rory Instablaster =)
@Asher Hector i really appreciate your reply. I found the site thru google and im trying it out now.
Seems to take a while so I will reply here later when my account password hopefully is recovered.
@Asher Hector It worked and I now got access to my account again. I am so happy:D
Thanks so much you saved my ass :D
@@dillonrory2038 so you have 4 100w solar panels on the roof? I am looking on amazon, they are pretty cheap...
Really good information thank you for the video
14:37
You said the Magic words.. "ITs quiet"... I like the sound of that!
(pun intended) ... LOL
Really glad I found your video today! Iâm on the Oregon coast, Iâm gonna call AM Monday! Thanks! Yâall are great too! Easy, comfortable, honest! Thanksđâźïžđđ
Thank you. This was so helpful
Great video, thanks for sharing and congrats on your 10 months!! âïžđŸđđđ€
Great stuff, thanks.
Just found you guys, great video! Thank you
Nice job on this !
Thanks for making this video! Super helpful!â€ïž
So glad you found it helpful!
The way 200W is working for you is because you have HUGE amount of battery capacity - 320Ah of usable energy. Obviously 200W solar is not enough to power on it's own even half of your day working with iMacs etc but the amount of stored energy is helping you greatly.
Which is one of the reasons why their system was so expensive. Panels are cheap, but batteries aren't. Probably engineers recommend such autotomy and strong alternator.
@@pavel9652 yep it doesn't make sense - there is no need to do that unless you travel to Arctic where days with sun are very short
@@ciechantrial This is what probably had happened. They must have said they wanted to travel far north, have a large load, want a week of autonomy and drive a lot, so inhalers recommended alternator and batteries, and solar panels are just for fun ;) I think they got 70 amp alternator which will drain 5-10 hp from the engine. They say it works for them, but seems to be silly, unless they travel north a lot.
Sara really does have amazing hair! đ€Ł love the videos guys keep being you
Thanks for sharing đ I've found this very helpful. đ
Glad it helped!!
These guys rock..... very good.
thanks you so much for story. I now don't have to look at any more video on the subject. Keep posting.
Huge help, thanks for posting! Just subscribed
Thanks for the sub!
The number 1 reason I want solar... is NOT lugging around heavy Propane tanks...
Okay, they're not that heavy, but the point is, trying to find a place to have them filled
and Electric is so much more clean..
I "Flip" RVs and being 64 years old, and am working on my 24th & 25th RV Flip
a Vintage 1972 Travel Trailer, and a1982 Class A RV... this year... I had never thought
about going solar, or replacing carpet with vinyl tile, or many many other upgrades that
the 21st Century needs now... I am the new and improved RV Flipper...
I'm seriously thinking about making the Vintage Travel Trailer into a Mobile Office.... upgraded to 2019...
Again, Thank you both for such a great video... Let me know if you have other videos that could help
me update my RVs although now, I might be thinking a VAN... (Smile).
I only use diesel as I already have it onboard and it's safer. I have a diesel powered hob, heater and water heater combo. I just fill the van with diesel and that's job done.
11:50
You said you have an Electric Water Heater... That is what I want too...
Do you have a video on you installations of the Water Heater... or can you
provide me the name and how many GPM...
(I am so loving this GREAT Video)... So many questions being answered...
Thank you both for such a great video..
Good video. Thank you for the info on AM solar. I do think that people would be far better off if they stopped thinking an RV/van is just like a home on the grid. IMO, if you need 3000 watts to live in your vehicle, you would be better off changing your lifestyle instead of buying a ton of solar. People keep getting sold on "lifespan" of panels and batteries. Realistically, you won't own that panel or battery for 10 or 20 years. Technology changes too quickly for that. Curious though, will your insurance cover your solar costs if something happened to your van?
*very informative Iâm adding more solar*
So thats how all the alot of electricity came from...... Nice, i like it!
What a powerful video
+Polecat Fan thanks! âșïž
Let's Be Us no problem. Just saying how shocking the video quality is
Great vid much appreciated, going this way then maybe 300ah lithium, 300w of panels and worst case start the motor and idle charge..Stressing over sun or no sun, loading the roof up with panels just ain't worth the grief...What dc to dc charger, not listed??
Do you have a cut sheet for the install that can be downloaded
This is #goals
Love it
Thanks so much!
Great, thanks
Thanks for watching!
This shit is so confusing...what have i gotten myself intođ
You said you'd say why you took the 3000 watt inverter , but didn't?
Thanks đ
The answer is that 200w of solar isn't power all that. Your batteries are. You might as well not have solar and just plug in from time to time.
Also you said you would talk about the muliticharger/inverter and didnât. I am thinking about buying something similar but really donât know itâs full usage. Is this what you use to charge off the alternator? And it also converts your dc power to ac... correct?
Hey there! This is the multicharger/inverter we use: amzn.to/3lEn1I9 hopefully that helps!
It would've been nice if you talked about the setup and components used for alternator charging. Do you use a secondary alternator?
Hello! We actually do not use a secondary alternator.
How u use solar pannels
Great, so how much was it?
Do you not run your air conditioner during the summer months. I didnât hear you mention it please explain
New subbie. Great video đ.
Thank you!!
@@chrisandsara yeah, I do not have any experience living the van life but I do have a solar cabin kit at home and I started out with 200w and it just wasn't enough for me at home. I suppose 200w would be enough if there was a big battery bank like 5kwh then all that energy can be stored up to use later. Anyways, cool video. đ
You two are the Best!
Heading to OR after this post..,
Aloha
Sarah does indeed have amazing hair
Whatâs the best location for solar? Iâm trying to figure out my layout for my 3 panels and 2 roof fans
The best orientation is a fan in the very back, as far back as you can put it (between ribs of the van roof), and a fan in the very front, as far forward as you can put it (also between ribs on the van roof). From there, you can fit the panels in between the two fans and they'll be easy to wire together since they'll be all right next to each other :)
Thankyu
Thanks for watching!
what are the safety measurements for lithium? is there any way that it could over heat and blow up?
I suppose it could, but statistically they are MUCH safer than AGM batteries. We also have a temperature monitor on the batteries that will notify us if our batteries ever do overheat.
water heater... use a heat exchanger... runs from your radiator heats a coil which your water is in... you just run the engine for a bit.
Nice video! One thing I am still not clear on, is why you do not have more Solar. You are living off your batteries, which are pretty well sized and have a large inverter. The only thing that would need to be upgraded is your charge controller, I think, plus additional panels. Adding more solar (maybe 200 watts) would mean either longer boondocking or, more importantly, more hot water đ. Having to run your engine if you get low is inefficient and even the additional load while driving costs money. Also, I have heard that the lower charging rate from a mppt solar controller is better for your batteries than coming from the alternator. Am I missing something? Was roof space the problem ?
toadlguy It really just depends on the userâs lifestyle. If you drive half an hour per day you can generate about 70Ah of charge from the alternator. Thatâs the equivalent of what about 300W of solar panels would do for you. Considering the amount of driving they do, and the size of the battery bank, more solar would just be drop in the bucket. As for the charge rate, lithium batteries work very well with a high current charge whereas lead-acid batteries are the ones that benefit more from being gently topped off by an MPPT charge controller.
Panels are dirty cheep these days. They must have upgraded alternator. Extra 70 amps will drain 5-10 bhp from the engine.
Excellent information đđđđđ„thanks for sharing and safe travels
I did it quickly and efficiently with instructions from Avasva .
10:22
What is AGM Batteries?
Judi Christopher AGM stands for Absorbent Glass Mat and it is a popular battery chemistry used with vans and RVs because it doesnât offgas or require distilled water like Flooded batteries. AGM batteries are becoming less popular as lithium battery systems have become cheaper and easier to use.
@@GarretTowneAMS
WOW... That is new to me...
... but good to know...
Thank YOU so much for your reply.
4:49
What is a Shunt?
Judi Christopher Itâs the part of a battery monitoring system that measures current. If not all the current passes through the shunt, the monitor wonât be accurate. The system in this rig uses a Victron BMV-712.
@@GarretTowneAMS
Thank you for your reply...
Yes, I'm learning about Watts, Voltage, Currents etc.... LOL
Great video! Does your $10 van blueprint include your solar panel electrical setup and wiring diagram from AM Solar? Thanks
Thank you! So the van blueprint doesn't include the solar setup from A.M. Solar. It does include the measurements of our inside and layout plans.
@@chrisandsara Ok. Thank you. I appreciate the fast reply. I might pay $10 just for that since there is so much bad solar advice out there.
Do you have a diagram of how your solar system is set up?
Hey there! So our solar diagrams are a part of our custom solar package from AM Solar. The diagrams come free when you purchase through them and they're a game changer! AM Solar does free consultations so we recommend at least talking to them about your wants/needs.
Thank you for getting back to me. Very helpful
I'm sorry if you already said this, what was the cost of your solar system?
Hey pat! We actually have a video with the cost breakdown of our van here: VAN LIFE // How much did our DIY Sprinter Van Conversion cost? czcams.com/video/6BluRg9nRho/video.html hope this helps! âșïž
I saw that video first and you mention price for solar was over 9000$ which seems to be over price until AM solar is using solar planes used in spacecrafts.
In India we can install 3kw setup in this price
So that video is really vague, how about a line by line breakdown of what you paid for solar, because $9000 for solar is atrocious. It's funny cause you call the company your friend, well of course for $9K I can act friendly too. Top of line lithium batteries $2500,. Charger/Inverter/Distribution $1-2K & two panels $500... So where is the other $4K? ...Profit...lolđ
Santosh sharma can you come to Calif and install here for me? ; )
đđđđ
How many watts do you see on a sunny day? Also, what is with the tattoo on your forearm? It looks like a barcode or something
I think a heat pump would have been a better example of something big.
Ok
How much was your complete solar system?
They said in a different video, over 9k. It seems like they got taxxed big time and over paid though
American made does not mean quality like it used to. There are many Asian made products these days that surpasses American made. They are light-years ahead, and they are much cheaper since you are not paying for the "American made" tag.
Itâs not even just quality weâre after with the American made. Itâs the supporting of the local economy as well as trying to ensure that our products are responsibly sourced (as often as possible). We try to avoid purchasing products that may have been made in sweat shops by employees who make less than a living wage.
@@chrisandsara Hell yeah!
đđđđđđ
So about 10,000$ ?
you need at least 600 watts of solar panels.. At the most ideal conditions your 200 watt panels will only get max 100 amp hours a day...
We charged largely off our van's alternator so solar was never that big of a deal. More would be nice but at the time we wanted to save room on the roof for an AC unit.
So then it seems you guys mostly rely on the alternator and the fact that you drive at least 30 minutes every day? Im guessing 200 watts of solar wouldnt be nearly enough for your uses if you were to stay in one place for more than a day(if you didnt have so much battery capacity already stored up)? I was hoping 200w would be enough for me but I will only be driving every 3-7 days most of the time
Hey! Have you figured out your power set up? Did you end up getting solar panels and how many watts⊠or batteries?
I think you answered your own question.
ok, I'll bite. How does Sarah have that amazing hair?
Did you guys mean that you can go off-grid for 5 days without sunlight to provide energy for the batteries? Or were you saying you could go five days without your batteries in general or what? Lol I'm so confused because you've been on the road for months.
What was the total cost of the entire solar system setup? You said 5% would save you $450, but that would mean the entire system cost $9.000 and that can't be possible!?
Solar systems are very expensive, and even when you total all of the components which are the panels, solar charger, batteries, inverter, distribution panels, and possibly more such as an alternator hookup and battery monitor, there is still more to buy. Wires, lugs, heat shrink, crimping tools, solar cable extensions, a roof entry gland, rubber grommets, and possibly even more tools are needed. For the amount of power they have, and the brands that they bought from, $9000 actually makes sense.
One thing everyone forgets is that Lithium batteries get destroyed if you charge them when it is freezing cold...
So you do not charge them when it is freezing cold
@@Sasoon2006
Plus there are ways to keep the battery itself above zero, either DIY or integrated into the battery itself.
Why though solar is so cheap, like I think you should just go with as much solar as you can fit, like I would get only going with 2000Wh of batteries, batteries are EXPENSIVE, but solar go nuts.
Like me
Some of the background sounds/effects added seem a bit loud. Constructive criticism. Hope no one gets worked up over this comment
its something ive noticed on multiple videos of theirs
I've never noticed any noises. I'm watching on my phone. I wonder if that made a difference.
It would take 20 hours to recharge your LifePo4 batteries off your 200w solar setup. Why not add more solar? It's dirt cheap compared to everything else.
They drive a lot, so with the alternator, they don't need it. This is how they are getting by with only 200W.
Solar systems aren't complicated. All you need is third grade math skills and you can design a solar setup. The problem is that most people approach solar power the same way these people did.
They go to a shop and ask "how many panels and how many batteries do I need?" That question right there smells smells like money, because you've admitted that you have no idea how solar works.
Listening to this AM Solar guy talk in this video, knowing absolutely nothing about this channel or the van they have, the way the salesman talks about "what do you NEED to run vs what do you WANT to run," combined with the self proclaimed 200w of solar panels, I KNOW that guy sold you a ton of batteries for your setup.
Shops make profit off of markup. Let's say they're nice guys and only add 20%. Where do you think the most money comes from? Like the video says, wire is cheap. 100w solar panels are about $40 when you buy them by the pallet instead of individually. It's good GP, but their size and weight make them a hard sell. Good, pure sine inverters are expensive - but you really only need one. So the last component of a solar system is energy storage, and that is where the money is made.
You can think of a solar power system as a barrel of water with a hole in the side. How big of a hole the barrel has is determined by how much power you need every day. The bigger the hole, the faster the barrel drains. Water is added to the barrel every day by a hose, which represents the solar panels.
As long as the amount of water added to the barrel is more than what is spilled out through the hole, then the barrel will never run dry.
However, if the hole leaks more water than the hose can provide, then the barrel WILL become empty and dry.
You can delay this truth by increasing the size of the barrel, or by adding more identical barrels in series. But the truth still remains. If your barrels leak more water than you can supply, they will dry out.
The same is true for solar power. If the amount of power being produced is less than what is being used, then the system is not balanced. An unbalanced system is not sustainable.
If five deer share the same space as fifty wolves, what do you think happens to the population of both species? One of two things.
If the wolves eat all five deer, then both populations go to zero.
But if most of the wolves die off at the start, then the deer population can grow. More deer in the area means more food for the wolves, so the wolf population also increases. Over time, a balance is met, and the number of both species in the area stabilizes. The system is balanced.
Adding more batteries to a solar setup is like adding more land to the deer/wolf problem. More land doesn't change the amount of calories the wolves need to survive, it only slows down the rate at which the deer are consumed.
Adding more batteries doesn't solve anything, but it does stretch out the problem over a longer period of time. And since people usually ask "how many panels, and how many batteries," and batteries are smaller than panels, they're easier to sell. You probably can't fit six solar panels on your van, but I bet I can find a way to add ten batteries with room to spare.
And once you're convinced that you need 6+ batteries, then I can sell you on the lithium ones because they weigh less. Let's discuss that for a minute.
Generally, vans are just trucks with a different body style. For example, the vans made by Ford are exactly the same as the F150. Same engines, same transmissions. The only major difference is the body style. The truck body is designed to haul things, while the van body is designed to haul people. Besides that, they're exactly the same.
Now, a marine battery can weigh as much as 75 pounds. Typical marine batteries are around 55 pounds. We'll go with 75 pounds in this example, just to emphasize how ridiculous the battery weight argument is.
Let's say you have a van with third row seating. That means the van is DESIGNED to haul seven people. The average self-reported weight of adults in America is 181 lbs. So the weight capacity for passengers in our example van is around 1,250 lbs.
Remember were being extreme and using the heaviest batteries around, weighing 75 pounds each. We also assume that our hypothetical van only has two seats for the driver and passenger, everything else has been gutted and replaced with "van life" amenities.
If we assume occupancy of two people of "average" weight, that leaves our van with 900 lbs of cargo capacity. Let's subtract 200 lbs just for fun, because I'm sure someone will say the conversion process adds weight. And let's take another 100 lbs for the two 100w solar panels.
So now we only have 600 lbs we can add to the chassis, according to the manufacturer. And we can finally answer whether or not six, 75lb batteries are "too heavy," making lithium the better choice.
75lbs x 6 = 450lbs, which means our example van, fully converted, with 100 lbs of solar panels and 450 lbs of cheap, lead acid batteries, weighs in 150 lbs less than the maximum weight for passengers.
So do you NEED lithium batteries because they weigh less? Probably not. But if your van needs six batteries of any kind, then you obviously have a problem with your system. Large RVs don't even have that many batteries.
You mentioned charging laptops and that you "heard" it uses a lot of power. But Apple told you it doesn't, so end of story.
This is also a clear indicator that you know nothing about this topic. I can see why AM Solar liked you so much as a customer.
To put it as simplly as possible, charging a laptop or a cell phone via the "normal" way in an off grid setup uses about 95% more power than plugging into an outlet on the grid.
If Apple says your laptop charger uses 15 watts, inside your van it's using around 30.
This should be obvious to you, IF you understood how any of your equipment worked.
Solar panels output s
DC current. Your overpowered 3000w inverter changes DC to AC, losing around 30% in the process. Then you plug in your laptop charger. A laptop battery uses DC, so your charger converts the AC back to DC, this time losing around 45% of the power, because you don't care if it's efficient, you just want it to work.
If your laptop charger outputs 15 watts, it's consuming 30. That's what you're not understanding when you say apple told you it's low power. You don't understand how solar power works. You don't know what an inverter does. You're probably confused about why your laptop charger has that box thing attached to it. You just know you have an outlet in your van, and you plug stuff in.
And your good friends at AM Solar charged you thousands of dollars more than market price to make sure you could charge that laptop, but only for a short time.
You said you can only run off grid for 5 days - for the price you paid, that's pathetic. But that's also the point.
They told you that more batteries were the way to go. Then they talked you into buying expensive lithium ones. All while installing only 200w of panels.
We're right back to the barrel thing again. All they did was give you a bigger barrel. It probably feels like they improved something, but they didn't
Sooner or later, you're gonna go back to them because you need more power. And they're gonna sell you more batteries. Oh, they're probably gonna tell you that your first set of batteries are trashed too.
You'll never come out ahead this way. They'll keep selling you batteries, when your problem is generation, not storage.
I feel so bad for you
Everything in your comment is completely false. Have a great day!