No Power at Storage Unit? Try This!
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- čas přidán 30. 08. 2020
- Most storage units do not have power for your personal use. So here's what I did to get power to charge my boat batteries and run various other electrical items using a solar panel kit and a generator. Very simple and affordable. Great to use on trips when finding power is a problem.
Check the storage facility rules of use before trying this. Each place is different. - Sport
Dam,... People like you I Idolize!! 🌅📟🙂
Lmao thanks 😂
Free power is always good, I store my boat at home in the garage and have 2 small solar panels to keep batteries charged up. Great video.
Hey Nate! Free power is nice. Luckily I don't have to do this anymore because I've managed to finally get the boat in my garage which is saving me large! That's a good idea to keep the panels on it especially in the winter to keep the batteries topped up. Thanks for watching!
I have considered doing this myself for my RV. It has 2 batteries wired in parallel. My facility is supposed to be secure as well. I might go ahead and try this. thanks!
It's the best way to go. Keeps those batteries topped up. Thanks for watching 👍
Great idea. In, NJ, though, I'm sure that panel would vanish real quick.
Yeah, it's ridiculous. Where you gonna keep the panels at a Mini storage🙄
If you have a ladder in your storage unit just put the solar panel on the roof of the storage unit and they will not even see it there.
Leaving it on the ground outside of your unit door could prompt a break in by a criminal who is curious as to what may be inside of the unit.
Hey James. Thanks for your comment. I had thought about doing what you said but I'm sure someone would have seen me putting it on the roof and said something. Plus there are security cameras all over the compound so the owners I'm sure would have seen it. I've been there for over 2 years now and never had a problem. You do make a good point though. Hopefully no one ever breaks in. Thanks for watching.
@@X2OAnglingOutdoors Your chances of someone seeing you climb up the ladder for a few seconds to set the panel on the roof are far less than the 100% chance of everyone who enters the complex and drive past your unit seeing it sitting on the ground. Also, the cable could exit the top of the door and directly up onto the roof to the panel in a less obvious way .
@@JamesWorley I don't have it sitting outside all the time. Only when I need it. Plus I take it on trips with me to charge the battery when I don't have a power source.
I was literally thinking the same thing!!!
You rock! Thanks buddy!
No problem Dave! My pleasure 😁
You ever considered the lithium battery generators? I’ve been looking at that l. Charge them for 5-10 hrs in the house then take it to the unit and plug into the 2 bank straight into the battery generator ...? I’m considering that/ your method. Thanks again man !
Actually I did consider buying one and still may do so. Going to do a bit more research on them and go from there. I do like the concept.
Only benefit I can see with the generator is saving a trip to the unit to switch from the trolling to the cranking battery. Only thing I’m still unsure of is if the 300-500w lithium generators have enough to charge both batteries .... in which case the solar panels are the best option
Agreed. I will say this much. My cranking battery never really needs a long charge. It's the trolling motor battery that gets lots of use on my boat and gets charged most often. I think the lithium battery generators are a cool concept but I don't know much about them.
I plan to turn my unit into my business office. I wonder if this can work for me.
I'm sure with the right set up anything is possible. Depends on exactly how much power you need?
Property owner was ok with you putting a solar panel outside the roll up door?
I never had any issues at all. I'm sure there are some storage facilities that won't allow you to have one outside the door but these guys were pretty good.
Get a unit with a built in lightbulb and put an outlet adapter in it
That's a great idea. If you can find one is the fun part. I've seen those outlet adapters. Awesome idea. I got this unit for a great rate compared to other places with this size unit. For the little extra effort I have to make for charging batteries it is worth it. Thanks very much for your comment. Definitely a good suggestion if there's a light bulb in the unit.
They don't come with light bulbs. If they did, everybody woukd just do that. None of this makes sense. There is no place to put solar at a Mini Storage
Nice caveman you have over there for all your toys!
Thanks buddy! I would much rather have my own garage but this will do for the time being thanks for watching 👍
I got power, now how do I get more bars?! My service is really bad
Hey there! What do you mean by more bars? Not sure what you're asking for? Thanks
How to keep the unit not overheat in the day ?
Hi MDV Studio. Thanks for your comment. When you say unit overheating what specifically are you talking about? Never had anything overheat on me and the generator I would only run when I was out there doing work. Solar system would automatically stop charging when battery was topped up. Not sure if that answered your question?
extension cord over to any yard lamp
Hey Kevin that's a great idea too. I unfortunately didn't have that option. I have used that method in the past where a yard lamp was available. Thanks for your comment!
Your unit is open on both ends? Why did you run the line of the solar panel from the far end instead of the closer door?
Hey there. Yes my unit opens at both ends. My reason for running it from the furthest door is because it faces south where the sun is. The other door is in the shade all day.
@@X2OAnglingOutdoorsAhh that makes sense.
i have a storage unit that has an outlet but the outlet doesnt work.
Well that sucks. Did they permanently disabled the outlets?
But how could one get any sort of power at a storage that's. Ore like a chain,like Public Storage ect..
Hi Ryan. There are the odd public storage units that have lights in them. Mine unfortunately not. I've heard of people tap into the light for power using a screw in lightbulb adapter. What I use works for what I need to generate power.
@@X2OAnglingOutdoors I of course am at the odd ball facility, even if I wanted to do solar I wouldn't have a way to run wires out of the unit to mount/put the board on the roof. It's very frustrating to NOT have power for simple things, I personally wouldn't mind paying a small fee monthly just to have access to power it's a shame it's come down to this
@@AZHerps I understand your frustration. I honestly wish they would give people the option to pay a bit extra for the use of hydro but I'm sure someone would probably abuse that option and ruin it for everyone else. Between my generator and panel I get by pretty good. I just lay my panel against the door so its very simple and easy to put away or take with me on a trip. If I tried putting it on the roof I'm sure I would get in trouble lol.
i would just sit it on the roof of the unit
That's a good idea and trust me I thought about it but I'm sure if I tried to do that the storage place probably would've kicked my ass outa there lol. It worked just the same. Thanks for watching.
Huh man that thing is noisy haha 😆
Lol what's a little noise when you're making some ⚡😁
ID NEVER LET YOU SET THAT CRAP OUT SIDE THE DOOR AT MY FACILITY.
Hi Scotty. Thanks for your comment. Do you care to elaborate more on why that is? I assume you own a storage facility? Where I am allows it. I keep it nice and tidy and when its not in use it goes inside. And if my facility didn't allow it I wouldn't do it. I definitely don't encourage people to break the rules of any storage facility if its not allowed.
@@X2OAnglingOutdoors If you let people store something out side there unit . They will take advantage with larger items. trash up the place. Every one has the rule nothing out side the space your rent. I came across the vid looking for a alternative power and not have any utility bill.
I hear where you're coming from. And I agree some may junk the place up. I wouldn't like that either. Everyone is pretty good out where I am. Some may do a small solar panel or run a generator like me to charge something for a day or part of a day and then put it inside. People are pretty respectful of the facility. Like I said before I don't encourage people to break the rules but if you can do it keep it low key and tidy. I do appreciate your explanation. Have a great day Scotty!
My facility doesn't care, it's un zoned and no one causes problems.. it's open 24 hours and also within gates are big shops working on cars boats etc so it's also commercial. As long as ppl respect stuff no one cares and they keep him as a happy client
Thats the difference of being a renter vs a owner. Gotta work clean. If you can get away with it more power to you