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electrical:12v:intro
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electrical:12v:intro [2023/08/24 22:55] princess_fluffypants Moving sections around |
electrical:12v:intro [2024/02/21 13:44] (current) frater_secessus [higher bank voltages] |
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| ====== Powering your vanlife ====== | ====== Powering your vanlife ====== | ||
| - | Making, storing, and using power wisely is important for happy vandwelling. Power issues can seem overwhelming and confusing; | + | Making, storing, and using power wisely is important for happy vandwelling. Power issues can seem overwhelming and confusing; |
| Before you spend money on making/ | Before you spend money on making/ | ||
| Line 37: | Line 37: | ||
| * <=100w loads from [[https:// | * <=100w loads from [[https:// | ||
| * very small loads (like a cellphone) might be run off the ciggy/USB port [[https:// | * very small loads (like a cellphone) might be run off the ciggy/USB port [[https:// | ||
| - | * **Easy to run** off a [[lifestyle: | + | |
| - | * fan | + | |
| + | * Phone/ | ||
| + | * Fan | ||
| + | * Small 12v LED lights | ||
| * [[https:// | * [[https:// | ||
| + | * Note: there are power stations available in all the sizes described below. | ||
| * **Average loads** - small ($) house power system: | * **Average loads** - small ($) house power system: | ||
| * Small [[food: | * Small [[food: | ||
| Line 49: | Line 53: | ||
| * **Harder and more expensive to run** - substantial ($$$) house power system - 400w of solar, 200Ah+ of battery | * **Harder and more expensive to run** - substantial ($$$) house power system - 400w of solar, 200Ah+ of battery | ||
| * Larger 12v compressor fridges (especially if they have a freezer) | * Larger 12v compressor fridges (especially if they have a freezer) | ||
| - | * 120v refrigerators off [[electrical: | + | * 120v refrigerators off [[electrical: |
| * charging/ | * charging/ | ||
| * gaming consoles|laptops|PCs | * gaming consoles|laptops|PCs | ||
| Line 57: | Line 61: | ||
| * **Difficult and very expensive to run** - Massive ($$$$$) house power system - 600w+ of solar, 400ah of [[electrical: | * **Difficult and very expensive to run** - Massive ($$$$$) house power system - 600w+ of solar, 400ah of [[electrical: | ||
| * Cooking with electricity, | * Cooking with electricity, | ||
| - | * This includes things like insta-pots, electric stovetops, toaster ovens, larger microwaves, etc | + | * This includes things like insta-pots, electric stovetops |
| * [[hvac: | * [[hvac: | ||
| * electric [[food: | * electric [[food: | ||
| Line 65: | Line 69: | ||
| Note: devices that have [[electrical: | Note: devices that have [[electrical: | ||
| - | ==== Calculating | + | ===== Calculating power, battery, and solar requirements |
| The following is a guide to calculate battery storage and solar needs. **Be honest** about what loads you want/need to run and how long you plan to run them. You can also check out [[https:// | The following is a guide to calculate battery storage and solar needs. **Be honest** about what loads you want/need to run and how long you plan to run them. You can also check out [[https:// | ||
| - | No one has ever complained about have too much battery capacity or too many solar panels, so rounding up is always a good practice. | + | A general guide is to have **200w of solar for every 100ah of 12v lithium battery**. |
| === Calculating your battery size === | === Calculating your battery size === | ||
| Line 85: | Line 89: | ||
| * **Calculate your //total// daily draw** in watts by adding the individual watts for each device together. | * **Calculate your //total// daily draw** in watts by adding the individual watts for each device together. | ||
| * Assuming you'll be utilizing a 12 volt LiFePo4 battery bank and wanting a 25% buffer to protect the longevity of your battery bank, use the following equation to get your minimum battery bank capacity in amp-hours: (total daily watts * 1.25) / 12. | * Assuming you'll be utilizing a 12 volt LiFePo4 battery bank and wanting a 25% buffer to protect the longevity of your battery bank, use the following equation to get your minimum battery bank capacity in amp-hours: (total daily watts * 1.25) / 12. | ||
| - | * Jot the result down down -- **this is the minimum battery bank capacity in watts** (or watt-hours, Wh, if you want to be pedantic) | + | * Jot the result down down -- **this is the minimum battery bank capacity in amp-hours** that you'll need to power your devices for a single day. |
| === Calculating Solar Size === | === Calculating Solar Size === | ||
| - | Solar panels only operate at "peak capacity" | + | Solar panels only operate at "[[electrical: |
| As a general estimate, assuming ideal weather conditions, but worst-case charging time, **divide the result of your minimum battery bank capacity by four**. This result shows how many total watts of solar you'll require to fully charge your battery bank each day. | As a general estimate, assuming ideal weather conditions, but worst-case charging time, **divide the result of your minimum battery bank capacity by four**. This result shows how many total watts of solar you'll require to fully charge your battery bank each day. | ||
| The chances of getting the full yield out of your panels are slim to none. In the North American winter, for example, you might only get up to 50% of your panel' | The chances of getting the full yield out of your panels are slim to none. In the North American winter, for example, you might only get up to 50% of your panel' | ||
| + | |||
| + | For a more exact estimate based on time/place, see [[electrical: | ||
| === Putting it all together === | === Putting it all together === | ||
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| ===== higher bank voltages ===== | ===== higher bank voltages ===== | ||
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| Although 12v house banks are most common there are use cases where higher bank voltages (24v, 48v, etc) may be desirable: | Although 12v house banks are most common there are use cases where higher bank voltages (24v, 48v, etc) may be desirable: | ||
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| * when someone stumbles into a great deal on a higher-voltage pack (Leaf battery fell off a truck) | * when someone stumbles into a great deal on a higher-voltage pack (Leaf battery fell off a truck) | ||
| * when the vehicle has a 24v alternator, as found in some commercial vehicles like buses or box trucks | * when the vehicle has a 24v alternator, as found in some commercial vehicles like buses or box trucks | ||
| + | * when wiring and solar charge controller expenses need to be reduced | ||
| Challenges: | Challenges: | ||
electrical/12v/intro.1692932123.txt.gz · Last modified: 2023/08/24 22:55 by princess_fluffypants
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