Exposing 6 LIES They DON'T WANT YOU KNOWING & Designing your PERFECT Offgrid 12v system / SOLAR

#offgrid #12volt #diy
The rookie 12v mistakes everyone makes because the 12 volt experts have lied to you! uncovering and the truth on 6 of the most common myths and misconceptions in the offgrid living, power, solar and lithium battery industry The experts don't want you knowing this and Designing your perfect 12v offgrid setup on a budget!
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cheap, DIY tips to get 50% more out of your 12v system in your 4x4, caravan or boat to keep you offgrid and powered up for longer! don't destroy your 12v system silently! ROOKIE 12V MISTAKES that 99% of people makes

[@Clynikal]

I really wanted to find holes in your video because obviously I think I know better being in electrical engineering but you’ve come up with really practical advice. Nice one.

[@WSallai]

With the exception of the Sun revolving around the Earth statement, but…the solar blanket is an exceptional idea for maintaining the maximum efficiency of capturing the Sun’s rays.

[@meruertmeyer8017]

55555aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaàaaaaaàaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaàaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaàaaaaaaa55aaaa6 ņmň😢😊😢😊😊ppö😢

[@kelinrkp]

What about the alternator / regulator shorting when it was under water, I just never thought about it before.

[@iantepuke2445]

​@@kelinrkpnn

[@StLUNATIC26]

@@WSallai yes this! I hope he just misspoke

[@derekeasterbrook6791]

Hi Keelan, I'm a 66 years old electrician and I've made several You Tube videos on the current draw from portable fridges and solar blanket inputs. I've explained why I changed my batteries from AGM to lithium and why appliances draw more current as the voltage drops, but you do a much better presentation than I do. Keep up the good advice because you're doing a great job.

[@SarahandKeelanTravels]

thanks mate!! that means a lot! im sure your videos are unreal and have helped a lot of people!! cheers for watching mate

[@Malc664]

@@SarahandKeelanTravels Derek has helped me Kee. He's a good bloke

[@ashleyward427]

Great to see, awesome reliable information, and finally someone who explains the ins and outs of the electrical setup. I've lost count of the number of times I've explained the same info to people who then choose to ignore it, more fool them. Keep up the great work.

[@RyanWattersRyanWatters]

I’d love to hear your thoughts on buying the simpler all-in-one portable systems like Jackery for ultra simple builds; e.g. I’m going to building a really simple teardrop for me and my wife for weekend trips, and I really only need something to keep a portable fridge and my max fan running over a weekend. (I’ll have propane for grilling, and small backup lithium batteries for our handheld devices, as well as tap lights for the interior of the teardrop.)

[@davidelliott5843]

AGM is lead acid with glass reinforcement in the active media. In every other respect it’s the same old same. Extremely heavy and you only get about 50% of the charge as usable power. Lithium let’s you use 95% or more.

[@ianmoreton5720]

You've nailed it I have 1450w of solar with 400 amps of batteries. you need to be able to cover your daytime use while collecting enough for night time.

[@MaritimeUnprepared]

Do you store all of your electricity together or do you have multiple systems?

[@jerrymyahzcat]

Do you mean 400Ah of battery storage? Amps is Current.

[@timwatson9413]

Excellent video. Learnt more in 30 mins than I did watching 100 other KZbin videos on 12V solar systems. Thanks.

[@Feebeeee]

Thanks for the info, the way you explain it makes heaps more sense & easy to understand. Thank you also for the savings codes, we have purchased numerous big ticket (for us) items in the past year, on sale & with the extra discount it has helped us get what we wanted sooner. We don’t care about flash or fancy, just want safe & reliable. Really enjoy watching your channel with the info you share & especially your mad fishing; glad we aren’t the only crazy people who get excited pulling in fish or even better mudcrabs etc & we are close to twice your age haha Hope you are well over your cv cooties & take things easier for a bit, it can take more out of you than you realise sometimes. Take care you two

[@WesternAustraliaNowAndThen]

One extra thing I would like to comment on is the daylight calc for solar power. We used to spend 3 months sitting on the north coast fishing. The van never moved in all that time and I decided to find out just how much solar we were getting under clear blues skies during different months. I measured solar input over a full day each time and it was quickly obvious that daylight is not the same in the early morning and the evening as it is during the middle hours of the day. The first two hours of daylight and the last two are almost useless for gathering solar and we eventually came to the conclusion that there were only 6 hours of peak solar during winter and 8 during summer. The difference in the position of the sun during different months was also a significant factor in the amount of solar energy it was possible to gather. Although the van was in exactly the same position for all the measurements I took and the days were clear and cloudless, there was less solar being gathered in June than in July and less in July than in August, That all came down to the position of the sun in the sky during diffrent months as all the other factors were as close to being the same as possible.

[@GetGemmaOG]

You've gathered research in the very area of interest I have. In addition the quality of the rays depending on where you are in the world and the weather patterns.

[@suitinaute]

Excellent content mate. Loved it. Good bit of humour too. One thing only. Earth moves around the sun 😂😂😂. Otherwise, 10 out of 10.

[@WesternAustraliaNowAndThen]

Errr, when I said the van didn't move at all I sort of meant from its position on the Earth - not quite sure if that was what you were referring to though :) @@suitinaute

[@suitinaute]

@@WesternAustraliaNowAndThen Sorry mate. Was replying on my phone and thought I was replying directly to SKT Travels. :) (As the sun is revolving around the earth 😂 8:35 I think we dumped that theory quite a while ago.)

[@mySeaPrince_]

Were the panels flat .. (I'm not a flat earther 😻 .. been reading the other comments in this thread).. I'm in the UK.. Like Australia (but more rain & less lethal wildlife) for Sun in the sky time. Angling to the Sun's tangent at midday can X5~ the output.. also cleaning the panels helps.. (do this when they are cool, water evaporates quick when hot.. also damage can happen.. in various ways! Turning or tracking the Sun does increase output but not drastically unless you're near the equator. The speed of the Sunset on the equator is really quick compared to the UK. There are specific MPPT controllers that are better but can be very expensive and not worth it.. better to buy another battery.. in my case I bought a decent electronic battery charger, main thing is the input voltage can be 195v to 280v .. and it does 7 stage charging.. I use lead acid.. almost ready to go lithium (not cheap one) and lead acid.. just got to save up.

[@cyclemoto8744]

Well done explaining all the concepts to those who haven't been educated. Not everyone is interested in educating themselves or able to understand electrical concepts as such there is a need for some to rely on retailers, so the key for anyone in that situation is to do their research to find reputable businesses who provide reliable advice. Cheers

[@amythinks]

You might want to consider that if you're going on an extended weekend, solar is not as important compared to those who are living in their rigs. If you can charge a big battery system at home and live off that for a 4 day trip, you're golden. That being said, I'm very happy to see you promoting ground deploy systems. I agree 100% that's the way to go.

[@johntatman9168]

It's great to see others who actually understand this. As you've stated the 2 problems people make are not having enough battery power to run through the night or a battery so big they can never get it charged. I recommend having more battery power and using portable panels as you have or even having a generator for days when it's overcast or rainy.

[@Thejonthomas]

What kind of generator might you recommend for those cloudy days?

[@johntatman9168]

@@Thejonthomas I would match the generator to the battery bank. Get one that can charge your battery/batteries from 20% to 90% charge in 2-3 hours. I have a 6700w battery bank and a 3000w generator. Hope this helps.

[@rawiridixon4430]

another great tip is for example if fully off-grid and rely on solar, for example you pull up at dusk, set up your panel for the morning to where the sun is set to rise. there is enough sun position apps to do that, if you sleep in to say 8am there is already an amp or 3 being generated

[@driftfitness]

I'm glad Keelan pointed out the actual amount of effective daily solar collection. We've been told 4hrs per day is about average depending on location and season. Great video

[@pastyhen2200]

OMG! Thank you so much! I never thought I would be able to wrap my head around the way a solar system works. Something about the way you explained this has helped me so much. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

[@user-zf5dm4yu6f]

Hey guys just want to say I love all your content. Love how you explain everything whether it’s travelling or content like this . Please keep up the amazing work . Thank you both . 🤙🍻

[@travelling_kelpies]

Best vid I've seen on battery systems!! Real world scenarios makes it so much easier to understand. Been tossing up if we go a 600ah system and this pretty well decided it for me. Can't survive without that coffee machine 😜 and damn those Indian curry eating birds 😂 Great vid! Thank you.

[@SarahandKeelanTravels]

thanks mate!! glad you enjoyed it!! I reckon you'll never ever regret getting the 600 ah, just make sure you have the solar ratio too!! 2:1 if not better and you'll have no issues at all!! hahah you don't want the pelicans eating curry mate

[@glenstod]

Bloody hell, brilliant. Learnt more in the last 20 mins than i have talking with so called retail experts for the last 2 years. Wish i had seen this 12 months ago because i have been chasing my tail trying to sort my power issues in my bus. Well done ol' mate. Cheers. Glen and Di.

[@JeffLudlow-ys4wp]

Thanks for the great information, will watch again as many times as I need till it sinks in. Will also look to swapping out the AGM for drop in Lithium but will have to drop into the BMPro non lithium management system supplied in my Urban. Not off grid for more than a few days at a time but thanks I can now calculate what extra I may need to somehow add into the system. Well done, I have watched your videos since the first van.

[@PureGlide]

A few thoughts: - More battery is good if you want to go more bad weather days or over winter. Spending money on more solar instead will only help if you live in a really sunny place like Aussie. You can always plug in to charge your big battery (overnight for example) so more battery will help. - My general rule is put as much solar on your roof as you can fit. As you say that is the cheapest... - Lithiums can be charged fast, but a smaller slower charger is better for them. They'll last for more cycles if you charge slower. So yeah no problem having a slower charger.

[@danemmerich6775]

Exactly!

[@AiChatbot443]

Yeh, this guy is purely speaking for what is good for him and it’s obvious. I wouldn’t trust what he says when he’s using words incorrectly lol 2 minutes in and he’s saying ‘reinterate that’ not even a word.

[@SnowIsMyTerrain]

Up here in the northern bits of North America for half the year, I need 920Ah (11.77kWh) of battery to last me a long weekend trip with all the stuff I get up to (which, granted, is a lot) since it's just completely infeasible to recharge via solar, especially in snow/rain/storms.

[@mrmagoo2255]

@@AiChatbot443 Absolutely delighted to hear that mate. We have lived sustainably for decades on Fraser Island and it pisses me off that smart arse show pony misinforms people trying to learn something so he can subsidise his yuppie lifestyle as a narcissistic, hypocritical salesperson for tyre deflators. Have a nice day.

[@is-ness]

If your travelling it Manu’s sense to have more battery bc you get the alternator amps to tie you over longer when stored in the shade mentioned at all camp sites. 🤷‍♂️

[@jasonhepburn2706]

I am loving the salesperson voices hahaha

[@SarahandKeelanTravels]

Hahah that was a jockey voice mate hahah could win the Melbourne cup with that vocal pitch

[@kurtburkhardt5862]

We do love your adventures and videos. Your advice is good and as an electrician I do know a bit about power, solar and batteries. I installed a 2nd 100 AH Optima AGM battery in our 4Runner with a Redarc 1225 controller 3 years ago. With 200 watts of solar it worked fairly well powering our ICECO fridge and lighting. Of course it won't compete with a Lithium battery (I may swap in a 100AH lithium, my charger can do lithium) We have a travel trailer now and I just upgraded the 90AH lead acid battery with a LiTime 300AH lithium battery a Victron MPPT 100/50 charge controller and a 3000watt Xantrex converter/charger. It is winter here so I did test everything by connecting the 200 watt panels we currently have. Will be putting the trailer in storage until spring. I was planning on 600watts of solar, but will definitely add a 2-400watt flexible separate panel. We don't use nearly as much power as you do, but I would rather have too much than not enough. Like any power system it needs to be balanced. Can't wait to try everything out in the spring...

[@seanchristie7150]

Awesome video Keelan, must be the 12v day Ronny did a video today too. Love that you have given not only real world info n figures but as a trained professional. Well done on exposing the charlatans in the industry

[@e210dall3]

Epic video. thanks Keelan. Appreciate your time and effort putting these together. Entered competition.

[@SarahandKeelanTravels]

all good mate! as long as it helps someone out there im happy as a pig in poo!! cheers for the comment legend

[@pauldemarco3370]

Hey Keelan & Sarah, Thank you guys for being honest and refreshing in the way you do your vid's, great info keelan, proper figures with good reasoning as to your choice's. How right you are on the portable solar blanket, preach it brother!! I like in your vid's how you guy's have not lost that feeling for camping, swag's etc I think sometimes we can get caught up in having the best this or that to do the job but in reality you only need a simple setup to have fun out there in this big country. Keelan hang on to Sarah with both hands mate it's hard to find a partner that obviously loves you and is a decent lovely person, you are both suited to each other and people can see that in your vid's, Keep the video's coming and thank you for entertaining me in my lounge room. Regards Paul D

[@remigiuszdejnarowicz7764]

One of the main advantages of solar blankets, and other non fixed pannels, is that if you have roof solar, you need to park your caravan in sunny place to get needed charge. It can get really hot inside, and sometimes you waste your power on AC. It's far more reasonable to park in the shade and put only solar blankets on the sun.

[@Aetisdios]

I’m new to 4x4ing and learning heaps. Mate this was an excellent video! Gave me a good NO BS understanding of 12V systems. Cheers!

[@Mr83rt]

Loving your videos mate. My wife and i are planning a lap and have zero idea on what we are in for but with thanks to you and your informative videos we are the little more wiser

[@kathryntucker3701]

Hi Keelan…I’ve heard this before but have not much idea of how it all works! Jim watched the whole episode with me and agreed with your presentation as that’s how our van is set up. We’ve been around Australia using this system so we can vouch for it working. You do a great job…keep up the good work and thanks for your generosity, luv ya ❤️

[@SarahandKeelanTravels]

thanks legend! thanks for being locals on the channel!! we appreciate all your comments and kind words!!

[@travellingwithgeoffv795]

Great to hear and see a common sense video on off grid set ups. A great presentation and hopefully more traveller's will think twice about what they need to survive the jungle of solar setups. Well done

[@SarahandKeelanTravels]

thanks legend!!

[@bradrobertson1451]

Hey Legends. Keep up the good work. I actually collected my Austrack van same morning as you couple years ago in Adelaide. Good to see you’ve moved on to bigger and better things!!

[@duncancremin1708]

Nice presentation, well thought out and simplified for folk beginning to figure this stuff out. Obviously slightly biased by your own experience in a sunny climate, but good nonetheless. I generally tell people to size their battery banks using your method, then add 20-30% for stuff they’ve forgotten and to allow for inverter issues. The batteries should be able to run for a “reasonable time” without needing to be charged. Exactly what constitutes a reasonable time will vary from one person to another and one location to another and can be tricky to work out, but 24 hours is a minimum. Adding charging sources will extend the time you can use the system and most people will have at least one source they can charge from away from base. Car alternator, portable genny, site hookup, solar, or wind. The more different options you have, the greater your chances of not running out of power. But you do need enough storage to cope with total collapse of your charging system for long enough to fix it. So, figure out your minimum battery size, to manage for your own “reasonable time” then figure out how to charge it adequately to avoid ever actually using the full capacity.

[@deirdrefisher2773]

Thank you for your pure honesty. Interested in replacing agm with lithium into the back of our Ute for fridge, oven, coffee machine etc. We were told by a reputable company we could not put lithium in to replace agm with our redarc system. We would have to buy new system to change to lithium battery in rear of car. However I’m hearing you say we can buy a itec compatible lithium, no issues. Once again, another good info session👍

[@SarahandKeelanTravels]

thats no good mate, iTechworld are the only real ones making a proper AGM drop in replacement with the full warranty too! we proved it works off an old charger and we had it under bonnet too.. I would just replace the battery or batteries you have with some itechs! like I said you might not get the top couple percent out but you won't even notice that. SKT for extra 5% off!!

[@debbiestorm1801]

Great episode Keelan & Sarah. Great information about solar & battery systems. Thanks. 😊

[@SarahandKeelanTravels]

cheers for watching Debbie!!

[@michaelcameron8904]

Keelan i think you explained things very well. We live totally off grid so we became aware early about the best system for your needs. Bravo from Victoria Australia

[@tybernhardt2970]

So i glad i found & subscribed to this dude! currently 4640w solar on my 32' converted shuttle bus, 1860w of that is the awning, when parked runs an ac/dc mini split. just 600Ah of storage, proves longer to save $ for.

[@izzzzzz6]

there are at least 3 other common ways to charge batteries. Generator, Alternator, Grid. These and some others are reasons some people might want to have more batteries than match upto the panels. Also you can draw more while stressing the batteries less. Generally this extends the discharge time and extends longevity. Having the fold out, roll out or by carrying extra panels are good options. Whats most effective is angling a panel into the sun on an extension cable. This way you can be parked in a spot that comes into the shade, or preferably in the shade all day but run your panels on a cable out into a sunny spot, walking over to them from time to time to realign the panel. Mono and poly panels on a flat roof are less than ideal unless close to the equator. Alignment by hand into the sun all throughout the day is in my opinion the best setup when camping out for a period in one spot.

[@BrianGolding-mp1wf]

Thanks! Watched Keelans & Sarah's video on battery and the importance of CHARGING and how to go about it correctly. Absolutely spot-on advice and totally agree you need twice the solar wattage to battery amps. For every 120amp battery system requires a 200-240w solar system with a good MPPT regulator to operate well. You both give strong advice keep up the good work travel safe. Brian 👍

[@SarahandKeelanTravels]

thanks Brian! appreciate the comment and the super thanks mate! glad you got good info out of the vid!

[@malcolmwaugh8678]

@@SarahandKeelanTravels You have people talking about 120amp battery ?????Really use the correct terminology, 120 amp Hr . and what about the max discharge current limitation of lithium batteries, Most seem to be up to 100 amps????

[@ssteele1812]

@@malcolmwaugh8678 Most of the LiFePO4 batteries on the market now are 1C discharge rate. meaning that a 100AH battery can discharge 100A continuously. My 200AH battery can discharge 200A continuously. If you parallel the batteries, increasing the AH total, you also increase the discharge for the pack. SO, 3X 200AH batteries could discharge 600A continuously. Then there are the peak ratings that offer 2-3X the discharge rate for short bursts.

[@Malc664]

Mate, you blew me away with your knowledge and fast clear speaking right through till the end. I love these advice videos ❤❤🌞

[@raymondcochrane8617]

Just caught you two first time today. What a genuine young couple of Aussies you are. You are both so honest and humble. Well done Sarah and Keelan and best of wishes for the future of the channel

[@matthewnirenberg]

Only a few points to add: - More storage (if in budget) means you'll be fine if you have a few days that are overcast or if you don't have the ability to otherwise charge (i.e. camped for three days in the shade or if a storm comes along) - Modern lithium batteries like all lithium batteries have more life (cycles) if you keep them between 38% and 92% charge. By buying batteries with twice the capacity you need (so if you wanted to use 50Ah you'd buy a 100Ah battery) you're able to set the max charge % and minimum charge % to ensure that you get the most life out of the batteries. - Modern lithium batteries prefer to be slowly charged. Fast-charging dramatically shortens their life (cycles) the same as running them to charge %'s outside the 38% - 92% range.

[@javabeanz8549]

When my area was hit with the remnants of Hillary, one of the people that I helped with their solar system was running out of power in the middle of the night, the cloud cover was just too much to get a decent charge on the batteries. Plus, he has flooded lead acid, golf cart style batteries.

[@shmayazuggot8558]

Since when does a LifePo4 last longer by keeping charge state above 38%? Lol this is what needs to be considered for Acid batteries.

[@javabeanz8549]

@@shmayazuggot8558 not sure about the actual numbers, but it is advised to not fully charge or discharge them. From what I heard, the last 10% is what degrades them most. LiFePO4 batteries do have a different number of charge cycles depending on the depth of discharge.

[@matthewnirenberg]

@@shmayazuggot8558 Because outside the percentages I mentioned, the cell degredation accelerates and thus greatly shortens the life of the battery. For lead acid batteries its the voltage drop in the battery that you have to be careful of, not the percentage. For example a 12V lead acid battery who's voltage drops below ~11.6V will struggle to charge again.

[@CaptainSeamus]

Really good video! And I say this as a solar and renewable energies instructor. One thing you maybe sorta missed on was with MPPT you can step your voltages up (putting the panels in series instead of all in parallel) which lets you use smaller wiring to carry the same number of watts. The MPPT unit then steps it down to charge the batteries at the voltage they need. Also, Amazon is horrifically bad about peddling PWM as MPPT... which is just shameful. ANYONE getting into this needs to get some professional training or advice, and I commend you for pointing that out at the outset! Lastly, with your LiPos - I wouldn't hesitate to sleep on your bed... if I had lead acids, though... yeah, not so much... And I say this using lead acid for my little 200AH (and 400w of solar!) set up, and well aware of all the ups and downs. I live in an area where we can drop to -25C or 0F - LiPo doesn't like any charge below freezing, where lead acid is ok... it always about tradeoffs!

[@robinkelly1770]

Just as long as your series wiring for panels doesn't take your voltage from extral low up to low voltage. (In Australia 120v dc ripple free) You then need a qualified electrician

[@CaptainSeamus]

@@robinkelly1770 Very true. Also, something a lot of people may not realize - in the USA all motorhomes, campers, trailers and the like fall under the NEC for wiring. Lots of details to worry on. Cheers!

[@GAZUNC-fh7sd]

I have been learning about Solar for the last 5 years in my Coaster bus and you sir are SPOT ON. Well Done😊😊

[@rcuintheshed6981]

This vid has made my day I'm just about to build an offgrid cabin thank you thank you thank you so much good info in this one package 👊 and a fellow Aussie

[@alexandramary3118]

Hi Keelan and the excellent camera person Sarah, Thank you for this informative video. It took me some time to get my head around solar power for my horse float and then I realised that I needed more solar panels because my fridge was using more power than I had charging the batteries. You have also pointed out information that I wondered about with regard to using electrical items during the daylight hours when the batteries are charging. My system currently is 348 Ah AGM batteries, 450 watts portable solar panels with MPPT regulators which is working but I might get another 200 watt panel. I got AGM batteries because I read the lithium batteries didn’t like high temperatures but perhaps that has changed and the lithium batteries were much more expensive. I am a 65 YO female. I laughed at the term you used “as much use as boobs on a bull”. I have done some work on a large dairy farm and momentarily wondered how to fit the milking machine on the bull. Kind regards, Alexandra.

[@craigtomkinson2837]

Cracking Ep guys and super well explained well done,. for my camping set up I have 2 to 1 Ratio solar to battery as I make lots of ice every day and freeze hot fish every two days it just does the job, I got 280amp of Lithium batteries and got 750watts of solar, Iam going up to 1000 to 1200wats of Panels, so your so spot on

[@SarahandKeelanTravels]

thanks legend!!

[@joshuakerr2411]

3 to 1 is a much better ratio. Allows for overcast days and winter yield 👌

[@josiestephenson4602]

Thanks so much guys this helps me so much with set up!

[@johnkillen588]

that was the best expose/explaination on solar that I have heard and I thank you. I have a degree in EE and your explanations are clear, concise and above all Accurate! thanks

[@basspig]

The ratios will vary depending on what part of the world your system is located in and what kinds of conditions you have. For me I get two to three good hours of sunlight being in the middle of the Woods so I have 21 KW of solar panels which manages to keep my 42 KW hour battery bank at full charge under most conditions like hazy sunshine bright overcast and of course fully sunny days.

[@campwinnietravellingaustralia]

Hi Keelan. I'll do something not often seen. From one KZbin travelling channel to another, I appreciate what you have done here!! Thank you for sharing your professional knowledge on 12v systems, lithium batteries and solar panels. We are full time on the road and currently need an upgrade, and this has helped us greatly! Thanks again buddy. Really hope to see you and Sarah in the wilderness sometime. My shout for a coldie 🍻 Love from us @Camp Winnie

[@SarahandKeelanTravels]

thanks legends!! Safe travels!

[@ewetuber186000]

Great video! I learned a lot! Regarding solar panels vs battery storage…I’m in North America, USA - Michigan, solar angle not too good, cloudy days, shade from tall trees…often we don’t get enough sun in summer to charge the battery bank. Spring Fall and winter are hopeless. Alternator charging and a good old generator are essential for me.

[@birgitpetersen6771]

Thanks so much again for your great advice. As always you make it easy to understand. We were concerned about our new caravan we have ordered (ready next year). They are talking about the flat (glued on) solar panels being utilised instead of the hard. I'm guessing it's a cheaper alternative. We really like the idea of the setup being under the bed. Unfortunately we have been advised the law is changing (Nov 2023) and our batteries will be placed outside the van. It's frustrating as we rely on them to do the right thing. Anyway, we have decided to request they don't put any solar on, but just run the cable to the roof. Then we will install them ourselves. Thanks again for sharing.

[@aquadmc7295]

Great episode guys, I'm learning slowly. I've had IITECH products for a year or so, I like them. Just last week I ordered 200w solar blanket ( to replace a heavy 250 W folding panel) and a battery box for the portable battery I have. Thanks again, Cheers.

[@marks7120]

I’m an electronics tech by trade and I could talk 12v till the cows come home. Thanks mate great practical advice. Good old ohms law, love it. One exception worth noting when it comes to adding batteries rather than solar is for those who are doing weekend away and just need enough to last a few days and can charge on the trip home or plug in at home. Keep the videos and advice coming. I’m a big fan.

[@SarahandKeelanTravels]

hey mark thanks for watching! for sure mate! We try make these videos as general as we can to try cover peoples best interests (weekenders, weekers, monthers, fulltimers) it's a hard balance trying to cater for all bases! cheers for the comment mate and watching the video!!

[@marks7120]

Yeah, I get you 100% like I said “top job”. It’s always best to get qualified, unbiased advice from a pro such as yourself. Keep it up.

[@trparker3607]

Weekend warriors require storage and charging via vehicle normally big alt. So heart is the battery... But nice work

[@jerrytalley802]

Just found your channel. I’ve seen so many solar videos and I’m thinking this is the best one by far. You’re not only a professional but you live in reality, and have years of real life experience in the trenches per say. I’m a solar amateur but I concluded myself that the most bang for the buck is solar panels, and also concluded I need some portable panels, as much as practicable. On my Jayco camper, I can add 2 panels with the current charge controller and factory wire. So my plan is to add 2 panels on the roof, the get the portable with built in charge controller to hook to the battery to add capacity without changing the internal wire in the camper. I will be referring back to this video, and go through others you have. No doubt the most accurate/informative solar video I’ve seen since I started looking into it, years ago.

[@user-jw3jm4qm5d]

Excellent work mate. You’re a champion. Just getting set to do a lap on a working holiday. Invaluable info cheers. Safe travels

[@karlieblack918]

Thanks so much! We have needed a decent video on 12v system and you simplified it perfectly. Thanks heaps

[@SarahandKeelanTravels]

thanks legend!!

[@crcurran]

Exceeding your battery bank size is for the cloudy / overcast days. You could even run petrol motor to charge up your batteries.

[@brianrawlinson8488]

Great vid! And you are spot on 👍 I was going to replace the solar that came with my van but have decided an extra solar blanket is a smarter choice, thanks for the 5% off

[@SarahandKeelanTravels]

for sure mate! solar blankets are awesome! enjoy mate and you're welcome!! thanks for watching and supporting

[@PollyHistor]

Howdy from the lush green Willamette Valley of Oregon PNW!🌲💚🌲 First time viewer here who wanted to leave a comment to say THANK YOU and boost your algorithm! Admittedly, I am NOT an electrical engineer by any means, but I am trying to learn as much as I can while I'm in the planning process for a personal conversion build for nomad life. I've wanted to know how to plan for going above and beyond my energy consumption needs and what kind of solar panel system I would require for practical application, not theoretical. This video was invaluable in helping me to realize I actually do "know more" than I'm giving myself credit for and when others tell me "you're going overboard" then that means I'm right on par with where I want to be. 😅 I'd rather plan on "too much" than getting out under daily application and finding out the hard way that it "wasn't enough" because I was following someone else's advice rather than going with what my personal needs are. I look forward to watching more of your videos and I'm sure I'll watch this one a couple more times in order to cement in what you're teaching. I genuinely appreciate that you're sharing your knowledge (based on credentials) and real-world (tested) application. You're a shining gem and I value what you're doing! Thanks again & Blessed Be! ✨️

[@missiontrekkers]

Great advice mate!!! Fellow electrician and traveller.. with your advice around 2:1 is what I took on and helped us live off-grid for weeks at a time. 👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻

[@VetinaVan]

Nailed it, good to hear some common sense advice! When we left some time ago i put in 400ah of lithium and 1.6kw solar.. Been so many occasions when we have had a run of overcast days where others with much bigger battery systems have struggled to keep up charge, yet we were back to 100%. Solar is absolutely the heart! Safe travels. 🍻🍻🍻

[@jerrymyahzcat]

Unfortunately many don’t have the space for the size solar arrays being discussed here. You need lots of real estate for large solar.

[@SarahandKeelanTravels]

Thanks legend, love your system! I have actually seen a video you have done showing your solar setup, it’s perfect! Fill the roof is the best advice haha cheers for watching

[@Rufffy8]

Hey Keelan great content and details, follow on video would be great if you can share how you have set up your system with the HA35 and extra MMPt's and then how you monitor this as the HA35 is a popular stock item.

[@Bobbakerfield]

Seriously thanks for making these. I know it can be thankless work making these, but there are people using the info. So thanks again.

[@coolhandluke1503]

This is golden, I've been thinking about this for days, even the simultaneous charge. Subbed and mostly because I'll need this knowledge soon, so I'll be checking out some other vids and this itech stuff, cheers for the help

[@tylercrosbie]

Awesome vid Keelan, we've just started our indefinite lap and totally agree with everything you've said. We ended up with 400ah, (probably should have gone 600), but my big thing was having enough solar. 800w on the roof and 2 300w itechworld blankets. I run on the assumption of 5 hours of useable sun, (I think 6 hours was being generous :) .. The blankets are the thing for me that really keeps the system humming along nicely. Being able to reposition is excellent. And multiple chargers is a must. I have a 30amp BMS and a 40amp DCDC charger to take care of it all, (Redarc gear on that front, batteries, blankets and inverter are all itechworld) Love your presentation style, humour and knowledge mate.

[@SarahandKeelanTravels]

how exciting mate how good is road life!! we would struggle to go back to a house haha I tried to be pretty accurate with my estimations and calculations to stress to people you don't get optimum conditions all the time! thanks for the comment mate!!

[@ouraussieadventuresinamog]

This is great, well done explaining this. Alot of people certainly get this wrong. We have just gone through all this with our build for the Mog. Great episode it's funny to see a serious Keelan, hope your feeling better.

[@explore_n_pour]

Awesome vid guys! Big help now that we're planning our set up for the new van 😊

[@trentdonjeany]

Honestly this video is just what I needed to see! Great advice and well presented! I learned a few things today! Cheers from a fellow Electrician from NZ!

[@brendanlind-uh6cf]

Mate you broke it down very good a lot to take in but easy to understand

[@SarahandKeelanTravels]

thanks Brendan!! glad you enjoyed it mate!

[@mickburns5546]

Excellent presentation. I’m a retired sparky and agree with your logic. I’ve also been running Itechworld lithium under bonnet and in the van for several years. I also have a lithium starter battery under the bonnet of the Cruiser. Still having arguments with people who assure me that the batteries will catch fire and kill us. Still waiting 😅

[@SarahandKeelanTravels]

Thanks mick!! Good on ya mate, we get told the same things haha you might be waiting a long long time haha 😂 cheers mate

[@andrefischer5025]

On the fire topic… it’s another misconception right? Lithium batteries don’t cause/start anymore fires than other batteries. But if something else causes a fire and the lithium catches it’s bad, real bad, no way to put out. Like I wouldn’t put a winch isolator close to a lithium battery.

[@ianweal3081]

Likewise, running Itech winch/starter lithium under bonnet in Troll & Itech auxiliary batteries in rear storage system and Itech lithium in van. Obviously mine is yet to detonate still also. What is ignored by the conspirators, I'm yet to see a lithium battery to explode, however I have witnessed a lead acid explode in my garage, showering all within the garage with acid, 2 people straight into a cold shower, 2 cars immediately subjected to detailed wash, many tools washed and lubed, acid crystals still formed in nokes & crannies for years after the event. I'll notify you when a lithium copies it, should I survive, 😂.

[@sevansoft]

Super useful content, I've been after this kind of info recently and you nailed it for me, I now understand what I need to consider when designing my power system.

[@markhodgson5894]

I’m a big fan of iTech; just bought a 1420CA cranking battery and 120X to drop into the Prado along with a 200 watt solar blanket. I’m a newbie when it comes to solar systems for a caravan and found your info very useful. What I would like to see in your video is more pictures of your setup rather than focusing on your face (even as pretty as it is).

[@michaelgralike8886]

Loving your honest and straight forward explanations on this subject. Hopefully people will come across your video before they start their 12 volt systems as this is probably the best explained one i have seen so far. Thanks

[@SarahandKeelanTravels]

thanks mate!! fingers crossed we can help as many as possible

[@jasonhepburn2706]

Have entered my details. Thanks for running this. Fingers crossed

[@itechworld1]

Best of luck Jason!

[@jakedev9520]

This has made more sense to us than anything else we have looked at and have looked up your suggestions…hopefully we get a van already set up if not we will get your suggestion

[@pamelaorisek4822]

Very educational for our project to convert our 44ft sailing catamaran to solar electric. (Torqueedo) (We ARE retaining our diesel gen for backup) THANK YOU. And thanks to all comments below.

[@markdavies1021]

That was very informative and you explained it well for gumbies like myself. Keep up the good work guys. I look forward to your videos when they come out.

[@SarahandKeelanTravels]

thanks mark!! cheers for that support mate! cant do it without ya!

[@markelliott6370]

Bro you are a guru You smashed that out of the park! Good to see you helping and getting people to understand what solar and power storage is really about 🤙🏽

[@SarahandKeelanTravels]

thanks mate!! appreciate the kind comment!!

[@stuartturner5406]

As a fellow electrician... 100% Agree!!! Love this video :)

[@neontravler202]

I spent the last 4 years traveling with my Dad in his RV. We used a 500w homemade portable solar array. (Five 100w flat panels in series). on good days charged full from 60% by 1pm. 4000Wh battery I learned to cook the big meal for the day while we had good solar coming in. we could last 3 days of rainy weather before needing to use the generator to charge back up. We learned that charging to 80 - 90 percent was better. the last bit getting to 100% took too long & was not needed. Thank you for this video.

[@itechworld1]

Love ya work! Best of luck to all the entrants!

[@SarahandKeelanTravels]

Cheers legends! thanks for all the support!!!

[@tallambert]

Hi Keelan, great video and excellent advice for the whole battery to solar ratio. Your excellent advice of a 1:2 ratio of solar to battery is just as applicable to a fixed home system. (Of course lots of other considerations to work into that if you are grid connected but the basic principle of making sure that you maximise your generation to support the storage capacity) Have you also included a water (heat) storage capacity to your system? When you’re at maximum generation and nearing full (~80% charge), divert energy into a hot water storage system. I realise that this would need to be sized for your travel needs; however, by having a store of very hot water slows for the ability to use this when your not generating and this in turn make your stored energy go further. Awesome video and keep up the great work. (Ps wish we had as much useful sun over here in the UK 😊 )

[@maxwood192]

Good video. Most people have no idea of how to how to manage a 12v system. The more money you spend the better the system, how much should you spend, spend as much as you can afford to spend. I purchased my camper van with a system already installed, maybe not the best system but I make it work. In normal circumstances my truck alternator and solar will keep my battery charged. About 4 pm every day I check my battery storage level, if it is too low to last overnight I run my honda 2kw generator for 60 to 90 minutes, I normally charge to above 90% battery storage level, this system works well. Personally I think its important to know the health of your battery, I have a very good battery monitor which gives me a lot of information on battery charge and discharge. yes manage the system well and you will have less problems.

[@pen1910]

nice work. i have enough knowledge to get me through🙄however your video has made me research a bit more to get the best out of my system. so a BIG thankyou

[@joshyoung8773]

Awesome advice, Keelan. Something we will definitely use when we upgrade our van in a few years time and go for a full offgrid setup.

[@SarahandKeelanTravels]

thanks mate!!

[@jodyharbinson9018]

Thanks for keeping everyone real. We love watching you guys, you make so much sense. Get better soon

[@SarahandKeelanTravels]

thanks legend! will always keep it real.. even if it gets us in trouble haha cheers

[@mrmagoo2255]

@@SarahandKeelanTravels Your version of reality is closer to your rectum than your head. Try putting the latter in the former, instead of subsidising your yuppie lifestyle by vlogging tyre deflators at the expense of people trying to learn something. Have a nice day, show pony.

[@davea7250]

That video was Awesome , Thankyou for sharing your professional opinion on loads and systems , i realised the 1500 watt inverter i bought 3 days ago is not enough and will return it for a 3000 watt unit and i need more solar , Cheers Mate.

[@bradtuckerman388]

G,day guys, I'm new to your channel and I'm really enjoying your work, this video has been a big help as I'm just about to start gathering equipment for a system in my car. Great work guys.

[@mattthwaites3924]

To quote Keelan “as the sun revolves around the earth…” 😂😂😂 they did teach me about that in school, but you re right not the 12v stuff! Seriously, a very helpful video. Enjoy watching your videos each week with my 5 year old son, he gets a massive stoke from watching and just wants to go camping all the time - love it!!! THANKYOU ❤❤❤

[@SarahandKeelanTravels]

that one was a mouth typo, we don't do retakes normally so I was like stuff it, its going up hahah cheers for watching!! what a little legend! thanks for the support

[@mattthwaites3924]

Yeah I know… but that’s why you guys are doing so well. Authenticity. We all make mistakes. Nothing wrong with it!

[@GonzoTheWicked]

great vid, i do enjoy the electrical vids and did buy an itech system after watching your channel. please tell me have you ever had anything to do with wind turbine power generation for long term off grid ? pos and neg?

[@SarahandKeelanTravels]

Thanks mate!! Hope ya got a good SKT discount!! Save some coin! No I havnt aye and I will look into it

[@GonzoTheWicked]

@@SarahandKeelanTravels um lol I actually did,, last year around the black friday sales I added your discount code as well and got a complete twin battery, dcdc,inverter,ac,etc kit for $2772.10,, so very much a massive win,( current price $3119.00),big thanks. It is for a camper Im building but did a test run at easter with a temp fit to our prado,, love the kit,, great gear. great buy. Great advice,,,Thanks

[@Annon89]

I am under the impression that most KZbin posters are not qualified electricians so it’s good to hear you start with that

[@LimestoneCoastCustoms]

Some great advice there mate! I honestly don't watch much caravan based stuff (we have no interest in towing as we go to really out of the way places & are happy to ruff it a bit) but I'm so glad I clicked on this one! Anyway, we've been running an AGM system for many years & agree we really need to step up to Lithium when we can aford it. itech certainly seems to produce some good quality stuff! 👍

[@SarahandKeelanTravels]

thanks rod!! I guess it all applies to cars and boats too! even house offgrid systems! cheers for watching mate!!!

[@wayneanderson123]

Hello Keelan, Great video, I learned a few good points. For our small 14ft van our calculated needs are approx 190ah per day, we have 300 ah of lithium battery, 340 watt of solar and 3000w inverter. With the small roof area of the van already full an extra solar blanket and set up for simultaneous charging is a great idea, we will look at setting that up. Also it was good to meet you in person at the shopping centre in Hervey Bay just before you were heading to Fraser Island. Keep up the good work, Regards, Wayne

[@stevensandcarver4617]

hi mate , your 340 watts of solar will only deliver max 28 ish amps depending on sun and reg type , 340 watts divided by 12 volts equals max current to battery ,,,so you would need 7 hours of full sun with an mppt reg just to break even i think , get yourself a gennie and a good 7 stage charger and you will never run out ..cheers mitch

[@Davi.b]

Heads up. I am puzzled as to why people do not use the rear of the van to mount an extra solar pannel with its own regulator. Could even put it on a hinge so it sits flat like a the roof panels. Good vid bro. 👌

[@SarahandKeelanTravels]

Great idea mate I actually really rate that!!

[@Davi.b]

@@SarahandKeelanTravels ta daaaaaa

[@WesternAustraliaNowAndThen]

Holey moley that is a BIG system compared to what we have used. Great information for people on this video. I am no electrician but I have been living with and building my own solar/wind systems since the 1990s and that 2:1 ratio is very important. This is probably the best video I have ever seen on building a solar system the right way. I was very interested to hear about the changes that allow litium to charge off and AGM systems because that has been the one thing that has stopped us going to lithium batteries. We have 3 different systems on 3 different vehicles and the cost of changing the AGM gear out was just prohibitive. Now we can start planning to make the change next time the batteries need replacing. It is amazing how quickly solar systems are changing. I remember the first panel I bought was huge, it cost $1200 and was only 120w!

[@joshuakerr2411]

Great video keelan. Watt hours is a far better way of tracking storage and consumers but i can understand that would only further confuse the everyday people. It Would have been good if you talked about the difference between solar winter performance and summer performance. Unless you’ve pulled big drive days regularly theres no way your solar could keep up with your guesstimated usage through the low sun angle months where theres only 2/3 reasonable hours albeit at 50% efficiency if your lucky. For this reason I think a 3 to 1 ratio much more effective for full time travel and will allow you to survive a weeks rain, air fryer might need to take a back but you could still enjoy a few coffees. Theres also plenty of room across the front of your van nose for another 300w. Could have utilised the dcdc input for that array and still paralleled your blanket in 😉 100% quality is everything. We see 70a from our 1080w of solar come summer. Winter we are lucky to see 45a peak.

[@dominic-ryan]

Top content, really solid overview. I'm actually running on a 3 to 1 ratio, but that is crappy Vic weather for you. Awesome that the 120X is under bonnet rated. Easy capacity upgrade and weight saving over AGM.

[@SarahandKeelanTravels]

I love a good 3:1! I always say 2:1 atleast any more is bonus!! That’s it mate!! I wish I had 3:1!

[@jamesprendergast4174]

Hey SK Team! Love your work and this vid is why. You make this complex topic simple enough for us mortals to understand. Entered the comp and would love to install that battery in the back of the cruiser! See you on the lap!

[@SarahandKeelanTravels]

thanks for watching James!! glad you got something out of it mate! good luck in the Comp!!

[@fookooseeya7094]

So glad to see someone tell the true of how in inefficient solar is!

[@N-9471]

Hi Keegan, I’m new to 12v systems and your channel (I just subscribed). I was thinking before watching your video “here we go, another sales pitch”. How wrong was I. Thanks for sharing your knowledge and breaking it down for someone like me who’s new to 12v, to understand. Have a great day and Thanks again.

[@traceycrawford9938]

Thank you soooooooo much for this video!! Planning to start Vanlife in Australia soon (through necessity) and I’m so confused about the electrical setup. Your video is very clear and it’s finally starting to make sense! 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼

[@SarahandKeelanTravels]

how exciting!! thanks for watching and safe travels!!

[@richarddeutsch9984]

He forgot about the current beeing drawn all day long by the 12v/230v inverter. And the battery loosing power because of the bluetooth working and the bms calculating and so on. And those appliances draw more power than they advertise. So a Rice cooker for instance will say 450w but will draw up to 750w as long as it runs. A coffie machine will say 1550w but will draw 2000w until the water boils. So coffie + Rice and you will fry your 2000w inverter. Think bigger (but bigger also means more daily consumption) Also, depending where you live, there can be 1 or 2 or even 3 days, without sun. Think of 2 or 3 days of fridge, water pump and so on. Whatever you end up buying, just account for that little bit extra.

[@AlanMTrikeMan]

Thanks for all this info…… We are in the process of purchasing a van, so have watched all your set up videos as well as your travels through OZ. Apart from laughing at your humour, your research, knowledge and experiences have helped my own research into the big confusing world of the best van to buy. Keep up the good work, you’re making this old bloke’s knowledge much much better……. ( you probably should make better beer choices though……)

[@kaz4164]

Thank you! Best explanation in plain English.. even I can understand with a few replays 👍👍

[@noelinegranger5671]

Thanks for that very simple explanation I find a lot of this information is so confusing but you made that simple and clear understanding

[@SarahandKeelanTravels]

thanks legend!! thats the hardest thing about electrical!! trying to make it not only boring but its easy to comprehend!!