VAN BUILD SOLAR EXPLAINED | How it went & How it's going
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- čas přidán 9. 07. 2024
- Here I explain my solar set up in detail, with a visual diagram, and my thoughts on the process. I answer commonly asked questions about my 200watt solar set up and how it has been working for us while we have been full time vanlifers!
Please consider supporting us on Patreon, every little bit helps!
/ linneaandakela
HERE ARE THE DETAILS!
Jackery Link - www.jackery.com?aff=414
My 200watt Renogy Kit Install - • SOLAR INSTALLATION 200...
Renogy Sizing Video - • Renogy: Sizing Your Ba...
MY SET UP
Renogy 200watt Premium Kit - www.renogy.com/new-200-watt-1...
NOTE: Here is another option similar to my kit but with a bit more - amzn.to/39o3lnd
1000watt Pure Sine Wave Inverter (new edition) - amzn.to/3dfS6OK
100ah Deep Cycle Battery - amzn.to/31uOaUQ
Fuse Block - amzn.to/3wc8V5C
Bus Bars - amzn.to/39pDlYv
4 Gauge Battery Cable: amzn.to/30xKYru
3M VHB Tape: amzn.to/33vpNs0
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We are Linnea and Akela. In May, 2020 I purchased our 2016 Ram ProMaster, Togo, to become our full-time home. With this van build, I am using my stubbornness and drive to show individuals that they, too, can convert a campervan BY THEMSELVES and ON A BUDGET, with a lot of learning, rolling up the sleeves, and getting to work.
Our goal is to inspire individuals to chase their dreams... to break from societal limitations and live the life they truly desire. And, to GET OUTSIDE!
SUBSCRIBE for van build details, wanderlust travel, and the truth about van life with a big german shepherd!
Follow on Instagram: @linnea.and.akela
Im 51 doin a reno by myself...i have been so intimidated by any electrical but i watched ur Maxxair van install vid once n then did mine myself w no probs!!! U r the ONLY channel i have found that explains each build detail so well that anyone can do it!!! I have done a ton of research n u r seriously the ONLY ONE i will watch!!!! Thank you for doing this so ppl like me can understand in layman's terms and actually accomplish their van install!!! U rock girl!!!! ✌&💜
Agreed
Also agree as I am doing my build myself as well.
I’m more of a visual person so i appreciated you drawing it out.
As for the sequence, remember to always plug your battery to the charge controller first then solar to the charge controller. This will prevent burning out the charge controller
Wow that diagram was awesome 🤯... im a visual learner so your drawing and explanations was 💯! I love that you break things down. You are truly the only person ive found that has done this. Thank you so much!
Wow that’s the simplest explanation of the system I’ve ever heard. Great job
To be honest, I was initially intimidated by electrical build on my new van and was considering using a big portable power station. However, your clear and detailed cute diagram made the concepts much more accessible and engaging. I greatly appreciate your explanation, and as a result, I am now planning to undertake a self-built electrical system in my van very soon. Subscribed.
I have a Jackery 1000 and highly recommend it. Jackery customer service is absolutely amazing.
Linnea -- I just recently purchased my van and I'm in the process of building it very slowly as the money comes in I purchased July 1 engine light came on soon as I got it home the day I purchased it so I've had a few setbacks along the way I do have my sound deadening all in I just recently put my floor in but I think I made a mistake I'm gonna have to go back and add some cross pieces to it I believe I don't know what I'm doing I'm 70 years old but I'll tell you what "your videos are
AWESOME" you have helped me in ways I would have never known" just this morning I watched your video of you and your mom that was great my mom is in a nursing home she knows that I'm building a van she wants to go with me so I am trying my best to get my swivel in my passenger seat we have a potty chair which is for handicaps got the arms and everything on it we're going to use that and my bed is going to be low so that she can get in it and I have an office chair in my van that we can motor around on instead of a big wheelchair so things are looking up she will be 100 years old June 11th just hoping I can beat the clock - now winter is upon us I'm struggling to get'er done:
You are such an inspiration - once I get out there An item on my bucket list is I must meet you
You really have your ____ together and Akela is adorable
I have my Mom's dog Matewan which she is closest to the end of her life span ---- so I'm moving fast as money will allow
I'm watching everyone of your video's AWESOME ❤ WE LOVE YOU Wish us luck 🍀 ❤
I've watched SO MANY videos on how to do this and the 2-3 minute sketch segment literally made it all make sense😭 THANK YOU👏🏾🥲💙
Renogy owes you for this one
It says "This video has paid promotion". Guess by who... 😅
The paid promotion isn’t from Renogy - I stated in the video that the sponsor was Jackery.
That's the clearest explanation of a simple van solar setup I've seen. My system is similar, with 200W of panels on the roof, a 100 Ah LifFePo4 battery and 30A charger from Renogy. I don't need an inverter, so I got the DC-DC charger that can power to/from the starter battery or charge from solar automatically. I was also shocked and dismayed that the wire house [a.k.a. cable entry housing mount] doesn't come with the premium kit.
Thanks for doing such a thorough job on your video explanations; it's appreciated.
You are the first person to say anything positive about Renogy customer service. So many people talk about no return calls or emails. That said they also say the product is good. I have a Excel sheet that automatically calculates your solar needs. I’ll find it and sent it to you for your subs if you like. It’s free. Cheers from Canader eh!
Yeah I keep hearing the same thing about Renogy. I am really concerned about them. Nice products, but they're not accurate and their customer service sucks from what I understand. I've had a little marketing dealings with them, and while they're three different departments (sales, support, and marketing) I am not impressed with the level and quality of responses.
Wow that is crazy! They have been great with me and really patient with my lack of knowledge throughout this whole thing. I have called them many times and while I did have to wait, they sent me some awesome resources and talked me through my questions. I am sure they could do better for many others though!
@@Linneaandakela I’m hoping that with all the bad reviews for customer service that they are improving that department. Cheers
That was the best description of solar I’ve seen yet! Thank you this video did help muchly!😊
Aw I'm so glad it was helpful!
When I think about a system such as that I think of it like a drive to town making my stops along the way in the right order.
If you replace that charge controller with a hybrid controller, you can charge your batteries whenever you drive the van as well.
Hi Linnea! Thank you so much for all of your videos. In December I was trying to decide whether I would actually go through with purchasing a van and converting it myself. It’s been a dream of mine for years. The very day I was going to purchase the van but still having a high level of hesitation, I came across your channel and it gave me the confidence I needed to go for it. Since then, I have enjoyed watching all of your videos for both the incredible level of detail you provide (you really are an exceptional teacher) and the camaraderie (I cried tears of joy when you succeeded in your solar setup). Anyhow, I just wanted to share that I am one of many who is getting so much from your videos and your willingness to take us all on the journey with you. I hope you continue to find joy in all that you do!
This is a great complement to your install video. Also very encouraging to see how confident you now feel about a really intimidating part of the build. Glad to see all the comments showing that you've accomplished your teaching goal of making van builds accessible. Thanks again!
I love your wood interior. You've done fantastic for someone going in with so little knowledge!
Hey just incase you hadn't heard about them (apologies if you have) you can DIY a 280AH lithium battery for around $500 using 4x 3.2v lithium lifepo4 cells from Ali express. There are a few great explainer videos on CZcams, its no more complicated that the solar system you've already figured out. That'll give you almost 6X the usable power you have there :)
i love each and every one of your videos, im here from tiktok and staying on youtube, i wish to have some sort of van life, but is not realistic for me now. hugs for both of you from Dominican Republic
I've had the jackery 1000 fore about a year. Make sure the get the 100 watt panals.. I've installed 375 watt panals on my van with a 3000 what inverter. My mppt controller is 40 amp. I also have 2 100 amp AGM batteries. Headed back to Arizona next week fore new adventures.
I love Akeila's pink nose
Love the videos!! Currently doing my own van build and your video are super helpful!!!
May be a bit late, but a lot of devices you use in a home environment (like laptops) are actually DC items. With a different charger you can charge direct from your DC setup rather than converting to AC via the inverter and then back again to DC (really inefficient!).
U are such a Great Teacher! U learned and explained it so well. Many pros already know about systems and must assume We do too? I Love your videos!
You are my amazing...I love that you show how you do stuff and how you learned it!!
Thanks for this topic and the diagram! I've been trying to wrap my head around all this. The diagram really put it into perspective!
Hey you have done very good for somebody who had to learn as they went......Ya did good kiddo.
You explained everything very well. To the point I even got it.
I enjoy how you explain everything in your videos. Thanks.
All of your videos are very informative and appreciated.
🙏❤
You answered questions that I have been wondering about. Thanks!
Simply put... You are the best!!!! Thank you!!!!
This is the best and simplest explanation of solar!! Thank you.
your vids are great. you have a great sense of what people need to know.
Love your jackery system. I have a small battery bank for my cell phone & love it, though it is really heavy. Awesome video...as always! 💕
Great stuff!! ... thank you for sharing your knowledge 😊
The drawing was great. I’ve wired cars and many car radios so I’m not afraid but for others the drawing is a big help.
Great video and information!!!
u should try to set up a temporature control for ur fridge so that is not running constantly
Thank you for this! My solar/electrical is the hardest part of my van build.
SO SO helpful! Please keep up the awesome content, hope you're having a blast too living the dream
Thanks so much!!
Great & helpful video!
Great video as always. Nice explanation of your solar system. I’m running pretty much the same system with the 40 amp Rover and 4 panels. That said, it’s powering a 27 foot trailer.
So I can not help being a bit of an electronics geek, You video was ok.. But what was Fantastic and so many people do not understand is the little bit of where your are... you said 8:52 "I am in the desert .. lots of Sun" but living elsewhere with less Sun means the the charging time is less... So Important !
Please Hug me through the screen.. LOL x.
Yes, so important! Thank you!
Hi I just wanted to say I love ur videos sooo much. :)
Loved this video....thank you for posting it. I’ll be ordering that little plastic housing for the cables , so handy to know that I need to purchase it separately. Safe Travels 🚚
Thanks, just got my Promaster and have watched a few of your videos. Already ordered my solar panels, but they are the flexible ones.
Great video. Thank you
This is an unrelated question at all but I just really want to know what your workouts look like when you’re away from a gym. I am planning a van build/lifestyle but I love to lift heavy. I would love to know if you do another q&a.
Thanks good honest info!
Renogy has a nice combined dc-dc and solar mppt charger that can charge your house battery while you drive and can charge both your house and starter batteries from solar. I started with that and a battery, added a 200W solar panel later and plan to add up to 2 more panels and batteries in future if I need it. I originally intended to go with an inverter but nothing I run really needs it and I haven't bothered yet. My laptop was the trickiest since it uses more power than a standard 12v cigarette lighter socket can handle so nobody makes a car charger for it. I just bought an off-the-shelf buck-boost converter of the proper output voltage (19v is common these days) and wattage for $25, attached it to the house battery and attached a cable with the right barrel connector for the laptop. I've got a router (openwrt dual wifi and lte) and a dehumidifer that also run on DC power and I use similar converters for them. Most everything else I use was designed to run from a cigarette lighter socket so they just get plugged right in to the house battery.
Good news. You can get good 100 amp lithium batteries note for $300.
Just a tip, you can save some power by getting a DC charger for your computer. A regular computer charger is taking AC power and converting it to DC for your computer so it saves energy to skip the conversions. Great videos. I binge watched your whole playlist.
Thanks for the tip! And thank you for the support!
Good job!
i plan on getting rengey panels for the roof and have them plug right into the Anker PowerHouse 767 (its like jakery but it better) that way i dont have to mess with that other wiring
Great video! I love all of your videos. One question: are you able to charge your big system with a cord from house power or power from a campground?
I was the 800th "like" - I get a bumper sticker or something, right? ;-)
Just found u on CZcams amazing videos on the electrics especially the lights mystery solved nice weather in the USA baltic in uk
Great info....thank you!
Glad it was helpful!
I have followed your videos to hook up my system and it has been a huge help also I think you should consider getting a battery isolater so your charging while you drive
Cooly explained setup. Thanks for sharing 👍 big hugs back 🥂
Thank you!! :)
I would recommend a good battery to battery charger. It's a game changer. This would charge your battery while the engine is running. I have one that give 40A.
For you, if you're only on 100 amp hour battery, you're probably only allowing yourself to drop about 40 amps max anyway, so you'll be full again after an hours drive (or less with the help of your solar).
Sometimes I just start the engine as I start my diesel heater so starting the heater doesn't have such an impact on the battery. Then I turn the engine off when the heater is up to temperature.
I installed mine before solar because you can always drive or run the engine. But you cannot make the sun shine. Especially across the pond in England!
Would it not be less expensive and more permanent to have bought another battery for you solar system vs the jackery. Basically, why buy the jackery rather than buy another battery. Thanks for sharing your build, I’ve enjoyed all your video’s.
Great job on your solar.
Thank you!
Great job of explaining your set up! Go L & A!!
Thank you!!
Thank you SO MUCH!
You're so welcome!
First Great Video! Second, Good on Ya for installing your own solar set-up! I think it's pretty intimidating. I totally agree on needing a 2nd battery- that's your real issue. Your power requirements simply exceed your storage capacity by a little bit.
Thanks! It certainly was intimidating, but also super fun to figure it all out
Can anyone explain why you need busbar? and fuse? also in-line fuse in creating a circuit?
Great information. If you never want to worry about your solar setup, just add 2 more batteries and also hook up a DC to DC charger, and you're all set. :)
Yup! I just simply don't want to yet haha
Thank you!
You're welcome!
Really helpful video thank you. Could you add another deep cycle battery and be ok? I can't afford a lithium either
you should add dc to dc so you can also charge thru the engine
Keep coming back to this channel to learn more and more🔥
What are you gonna do for ac during the summer? Like will you install a system where you can attach to a window and keep water in it
perfect timing of this video. I will be wiring my bus conversion next week. I'll be traveling in the northeast mostly, and am concerned about having too much reliance on solar panels. I'm going with two gel batteries that'll charge from #1. the engine (with isolator so I don't drain starter battery), #2. via direct A/C (extension cord to house or campsite pole), #3. PLUS I have a Renogy "suitcase." I can take that out and hook up with alligator clips to batteries if I'm staying put and in sunny area. 12 v. Fuse panel connected batteries for fridge, fan, lights and a super small car inverter for laptop.
To anyone with experience,...Does that make sense?
I wondered if you encountered any leaks in your van since you been full timing for the past two months. when I do get on the road, I plan on getting the jackery as a redundant power system.
thanks for the video as always even if akela only had a brief cameo! LOL
thanks Linnea hope we cross paths one day ;)
My question is have you had any problems with the gel battery I've seen that they have a 200ah one im thinking about getting 2 of them not really much research on CZcams on them
Anytime you have to cut a hole anywhere. seal it with primer and the coat it with pick up truck spray bed liner this stuff is very very tough. It never chips and you will have no rust in that area.....I hope this helps .....Do not use auto under coating it is not the same and will not hold up.
Thx
Absolutely
Which heater do you use?
yay
Did you ground your system?
Are you using the Renogy BT1 or the BT2 Bluetooth monitor?
I m amazing it .
I love your system but I think I would go with 2 batteries, Do you think it would be hard to add another one to your set up?
No not hard at all!!
My only question is what or how do people charge their batteries by running the van?
what domestic cooler do you have ? and how much does it use from the battery per day?
I have the 50L! I am not sure about how much it pulls daily
Little confused with solar panels..so because you got it wired to your positive and negative blocks, are the solar panels also charging the leisure battery or is it simply just making enough power to power fridge etc etc?
It charges the batteries as well
Cool stuff, thanks for this! I binged the vanbuild videos in January and the solar part was the most confusing tbh (and I'm kinda anxious about my own build when it comes to that). This helped clarifying a lot!
One question: you mention your system held well in all kinds of weather. I'm particularly concerned with hail and thunderstorms (the Mediterranean has developed some weird summer weather lately...). Any particular precaution I should take?
Thank you for sharing this, I am glad it clarified some of the previous confusion!
I have been in storms with no issue but I am not sure about how the severity would change things... I have really loved calling Renogy with questions and I wonder if they would be open to answering this or suggesting other types of panels. I know they make flexible panels as well that aren't covered in glass! I guess I don't have a straight forward answer for ya, but I hope that helped a bit!
@@Linneaandakela it did, I'll check directly with the producer for what they recommend weather-wise! Cheers :)
Hi @Linnea & Akela, thanks a lot for the video. That helps much to have such understanding tutorial like yours.
Only a simple addition: the fuse are protecting the wires from overcurrent (short circuit for example), I would recommand to add a fuse (100 to 150A) to your battery -> inverter cable (1000W @ 12v => 83A drawn max, so a 150A with the usual 1.25 margin factor would suit well if your wire gauge can handle 150A). Otherwise you may blow the internal fuse from the inverter or even do not have a protection in case your connexion to the inverter fails. see recommandation here: www.renogy.com/blog/how-to-fuse-your-solar-system/. I am surprised this fuse is not mentionned in the inverter documentation.
Thanks so much! Yes I haven't seen this before and I am surprised by that as well!
Did u get a lithium ion battery yet?
1st !!!
💜💜
😊❤️
do you recommend getting a higher watt inverter instead of the jackery thing. in your first solar video you said your set up was sufficient and now with the paid promotion it ain't the same energy sis lol
👑👑👑
Thank you so much for the wiring diagram! I read so much about how to wire my van but I needed something like this to really understand it!
Me too!
Did you have to connect a ground to your car somewhere?
Hi, from the documentation manual from Renogy, yes, you should connect the ground lug from inverter to the vehicle chassis (p11 - grounding - [...] Whether using the inverter in a mobile application, such as an RV, or in a building, grounding is highly recommended[...].
In the manual, you also have the size of the wires to use to ground the inverter.
🌀❤️🌀
Do you watch movies or shows in your van? Any interest in adding a tv later?
Sometimes I watch stuff on my computer but rarely, and no I am not interested in a TV :)