Sizing your solar system for your motorhome

Learn how to build your own LiFePO4 battery here: geni.us/DIY-LiFePO4
Sign up to our email list for exclusive tips & discounts: geni.us/offgrid-email
Buy us a coffee (or beer): geni.us/Buy-Coffee
In this video, we're going through sizing your solar system for your motorhome. We get asked often about sizing a solar system for motorhomes, so hopefully, this video is helpful! If you have any questions, please get in touch.
If you’re building an electrical system and need help, get in touch: geni.us/offgrid-contact
If you're not sure where to start with your Offgrid Power set-up, book a consult call with us: geni.us/offgrid-consult
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
►▷ SUBSCRIBE TO OUR OFFGRID POWER KZbin CHANNEL: geni.us/offgrid
►▷ SUBSCRIBE TO OUR OFFGRID WORKSHOP KZbin CHANNEL: geni.us/offgridworkshop
►▷WATCH OUR LATEST OFFGRID POWER VIDEO: geni.us/offgrid-latest
►▷WATCH OUR LATEST OFFGRID WORKSHOP VIDEO: geni.us/OffgridWorkshop-Latest
►▷ SUBSCRIBE TO OUR EMAIL LIST: geni.us/offgrid-email
- FOLLOW US ON SOCIALS -
Instagram: / offgrid_power
TikTok: vm.tiktok.com/ZMejrWUS8/
Facebook: geni.us/offgrid-fb
- CONNECT WITH NIGEL -
Instagram: / nigelivy
Twitter: / nigelivy
Facebook: / nigelivyphoto
TikTok: vm.tiktok.com/JRBJWry/
Snapchat: / nigelivy
- CONNECT WITH ROGER -
Instagram: / roger_ivy
- GEAR -
Main Camera: geni.us/NigelsFavCam
Most Used Lens: geni.us/NigelsGenLens
Favourite Portrait Lens: geni.us/NigelsFavLens
Other Favourite Lens: geni.us/NigelsOtherLens
Favourite BIG Lens: geni.us/NigelsLongLens
Widest Lens: geni.us/NigelsWideLens
Drone: geni.us/NigelsFavDrone
Gimbal: geni.us/NigelsFavGimbal
Mic: geni.us/NigelsFavMic
Lav Mic: geni.us/NigelsFavLav
Favourite Little Camera: geni.us/NigelsVlogCam
Tripod Thing: geni.us/NigelsTripodThing
SSD Lifesaver: geni.us/NigelsFavSSD
Favourite Mini Audio Recorder: geni.us/NigelsFavAudio
BIG Audio Recorder: geni.us/NigelsMainAudio
Favourite Camera Bag: geni.us/NigelsIOtherCamBag
Second Favourite Camera Bag: geni.us/NigelsFavCamBag
Favourite Camera Strap: geni.us/NigelsFavCamStrap
Favourite Tripod: geni.us/NigelsFavTripod
ND Filter: geni.us/NigelsFavND
360 Camera: geni.us/NigelsFav360
SD Cards: geni.us/NigelsFavSD
** Some of the links on this page contain affiliate links that generate a small commission for us if you click them.
- MUSIC -
Musicbed SyncID: MB01VLWEN5DI0S4
All music used in this video is licensed by Musicbed.com.
If you’d like to get a free month of Musicbed, use this link to sign up: www.musicbed.com/invite/vF4lN
#offgridpower #vanlife #solarpower

[@SuperSushidog]

Five years ago, we took an early retirement, sold everything, bought an older MH and hit the road FT. It was the best decision we ever made. We discovered that we enjoy boondocking and it helps stretch our budget too. We quickly learned the advantages of solar and decided to build our solar/battery system in 2 phases, a 12v system for our basic 12v DC needs and a 48v system for our 110v A/C needs. We started with a pair of lead acid golf cart batteries and custom built a 620-watt liftable solar array mounted on the side of our motorhome. We lift the array to the optimal angle to improve their output by 20-30% vs flat mounted panels - even more in the winter, when the sun is lower in the sky. It serves as a nice bedroom window awning too, practically lifting itself to the desired angle with a couple gas struts, and it's easy to clean with a windshield squeegee, standing safely on the ground. This set-up, while far from optimal, allowed us to boondock till we could afford to do better. We finished the 12v part of our build last January, with the addition of a 560ah LiFePo-4 battery that we built with 8, 280ah "A" grade prismatic cells. We use a Heltec 330amp BMS, and a 5a active balancer to keep the cells synched up. We typically use less than 20% of their capacity daily giving us enough reserve capacity for about a week of bad weather before we have to run our generator for charging. It cost us less than $1,500 to build this 560ah 12v (7.1Kwh) battery, including the high amp BMS and balancer. We chose these cells rather than a pre-built battery because they fit perfectly under the steps of our MH where our old pair of GC-2 golf cart batteries used to reside, saving 35lbs too. We insulated the battery compartment, cut a 1" hole in our step risers and installed a tiny computer CPU fan to keep this space at close to room temperature, so we don't have to worry about the BMS shutting down charging if they get too cold - or their life reduced from getting too hot. We use an 80A Progressive Dynamics LFP converter/charger, a 1,000w Renogy PSW inverter, an Epever 50a MPPT charge controller and a Lnex battery monitor. This entire 12v system cost us under $3,500 to build and takes care of all of our basic off-grid needs except for air conditioning and microwave use. By mounting our solar array on the side of our MH, we left the roof free to rack 8, 550W Sungold Power solar panels (4,400 watts) down the length of our 35ft Class A about 15" off our roof, above our AC, fan shrouds, etc. They will cover the entire roof, providing some nice shade with plenty of cooling air underneath, further increasing solar output and reducing the heat load on the air conditioners too. We bought them for not much more than used ones - only 51 cents/watt shipped to our door. We're in the middle of this build now. We bought our aluminum racking material in Yuma, where we're wintering over this year, for under $400. Our solar panels, wiring, breakers, Sungold Power all-in-one 48V, 5,000W Inverter/100A charge controller/battery charger, etc. arrived a couple week ago, but we're taking our time to get everything in and installed over the winter. At 67 yrs old, we're moving much slower these days. Our 48v battery bank will use 16, 320ah grade A prismatic cells which only cost us $1,726 from EEL batteries. So together with our 560ah (7.1 Kwh)12v bank, we will have a total of 23.5 Kwh of batteries onboard - kept charged with over 5,000 watts of solar. We removed our rear 13.5k btu rooftop Dometic AC and filled the hole it left with a powered roof vent. We will be installing an EG4 28.5 seer-2 plug and play 12k btu mini-split heat pump near the roof on the rear which will only draw about 1/3rd the power of our current 14.5k btu soft-start equipped Furrion AC unit. This second phase will provide 24/7 off-grid air conditioning, supplemental heat from the heat pump and allow occasional usage of our front rooftop AC during peak afternoon hours, as well as give us whole house 120v ac power. We'll soon have total off-grid electrical independence on a budget we can afford. I don't think a person can have enough solar for 100% of their electrical needs, but our system will provide 98-99% with the balance supplemented with rare, back-up generator use.

[@sheisthelostgirl]

This is extremely useful! Wish I had seen this before we did our electrics, it was the most complicated part of the build! If we ever do a second build we’ll have to binge your KZbin videos before we start! 🎉