Solar Install: Part 4 - Finishing Up

[@wangfred]

Congrats! the most sophisticated RV solar panel system award! I am dreaming my bus conversion now :)

[@BeginningfromthisMorning]

Thank you Fred - this system has been working really great for 2 years now and we hope it will continue to serve us well as we finish this thing up and hit the road!

[@robragle]

Juan, I know this is an old video, but I had a friend who asked me about solar on his camper and I told him that you had the nicest setup I’ve ever seen. You do great work

[@robertdonnelly434]

From this wannabe's POV, you BOTH have done an amazing job; from idea, to plan, to mock-up, through fabrication and finally installation and testing. Incredibly impressive... cheers from here!

[@BeginningfromthisMorning]

Thank you Robert! It has been a fun project and we are very happy with the way it is performing. We will have updates as we start to use the system more.

[@normanboyes4983]

You have done an absolutely fantastic and impressive job and you could call stage 2 of the solar panel project now complete.👍 I am looking forward to Part 3 when you implement the tilting and tracking mechanism.😂

[@BeginningfromthisMorning]

LOL thank you Norman. We did originally plan to do a tilting mechanism on the upper level but decided to scratch that idea - maybe on the next one ;)

[@masterdebater8757]

By the time you get the interior built and the bus stocked with items and resources you will be well under the 11ft mark so your all good in most clearance situations. Only places around here with less clearance than that are wooden bridges where weight limits would keep you from crossing anyways.

[@BeginningfromthisMorning]

Thank you that is our hope. The bus is actually about 4 inches shorter than when it had the RV air conditioner on the roof.

[@gregorythomas333]

You guys are getting closer to launch day by leaps & bounds! One suggestion you might consider...separate the panel drive motors. Like "A" be the front latching..."B" the rear latching..."C" front momentary..."D" rear momentary. There may come a day when you need to be able to control them separately and since you have two of each on the remote controller you can do that.

[@BeginningfromthisMorning]

Thank you Gregory - good point I had not really considered that.

[@macelius]

With all this automated solar panel retraction, don't forget to add some switches to the vent fan lids to ensure they're down before the panels auto-retract.

[@drsolar]

I have not watched one of your videos in a while. Thank you for sharing

[@BeginningfromthisMorning]

Thank you I have been enjoying your videos as well.

[@drsolar]

@@BeginningfromthisMorning you made my day. Thank you.

[@CharlieBrown-pb9xn]

Doc from back to the future has been helping it looks. Impressive.

[@BeginningfromthisMorning]

LOL - thank you!

[@CharlieBrown-pb9xn]

Just make sure your strapped in tight when it hits 88mph

[@BeginningfromthisMorning]

@@CharlieBrown-pb9xn LOL - this poor old bus can't even reach 88mph! I think the fastest we have done is 75mph!

[@PentaxLife]

Very nice only think I Dan see happening is you take out a vent while bringing in the panels . Great work

[@BeginningfromthisMorning]

Thank you Jeff - we hope to add some interlocks on the vents as we get a little further along with the electronics inside the bus :)

[@mrad6533]

Dam they do nice work I hope to see it in person some day

[@dirtroadsailing6418]

Excellent job! You win KZbin for the best solar install on an RV. I was glad to see you make those covers for the actuator motors, that will make them last exponentially longer I'm sure. When is the Roomba solar panel cleaner install video coming out?

[@BeginningfromthisMorning]

Thank you Dirt Road Sailing - LOL a Roomba for the solar panels would be perfect!

[@westmountainadventures3606]

Beginning from this Morning Roomba with rotating cleaning/buffing pads all around...All Battlebots style. Lol. D.

[@brucefay5126]

You two have done a fabulous job with the solar design/fabrication/installation. It’s going to take some real vigilance to make sure you do not extend or retract the lower panels when the MaxxFan vents are open. Any chance of wiring up a safety/interlock so the panel actuators cannot be powered when the vents are open? A simple microswitch could be used that is only closed when the vent is closed with the power for the actuator running through the switch.

[@BeginningfromthisMorning]

Thank you Bruce - Yes - 100% - we have almost done it a few times already! I will be wiring in a safety switch which will know the state of the fans (open or closed) and will prevent power any of the fans are open (as you suggested probably with a small microswitch). This will very likely tie into to bus automation stuff. It will then be easy to program the logic that checks the state of things (is the engine running, are any vents open, is it dark outside, are the batteries 100% full, is it too windy etc).

[@dudleybaggerman9574]

Good job

[@BeginningfromthisMorning]

Thank you Dudley!

[@lw1945three]

Man, you guys are something else I am so impressed it's beyond wow what a solar rig I might even say you are and your wife th Thomas Edison of RV's wow what over a top rig. I could go on and on because I am just super impressed but to sum it all up I'm blown away by your solar rig . As a retired senior telecom engineer, I salute you, what innovation! I actually believe that you could start up a company manufacturing these systems and installing them on RV's. Man, they would be expensive but there are people that would be interested in it. I personally don't know if I could afford one, That said we are looking to buy our (used) third RV and we are pretty well set on a Winnebago adventurer and it has a basement air conditioner the heat pump similar to your bus and there 38 feet long lots of room for lots of solar probably a little bit crowded in the basement for all the stuff required to support that much solar but I think it's doable. If you were selling these units, it would at least be something I would do a cost versus benefit analysis to see whether or not it would pay me to have one. Best wishes

[@BeginningfromthisMorning]

Thank you Tapestry of God - we are very encouraged by your kind words. We have been approached a few times to build systems for people but right now we just want to start the traveling and spend more time together as a family! We put these videos together in hopes that it might inspire others to try a little something unconventional. We are very happy to report that the system has been working extremely well. Most days we can run the air conditioner and there is enough power left over the keep charging the battery!

[@johndii2194]

The top view was a beautiful thing to watch.

[@er1073]

Juan and Michelle another excellent and entertaining video the breaker thing. It worked as flawless as I expected it would. Those panels move very smoothly the remote for that is great. I liked the shelter you built out of one piece of aluminum great idea if you have a brake that makes it 10x easier. Before you know it you will be driving and exploring. I always look forward to your videos Ed

[@BeginningfromthisMorning]

Thank you Ed - we are SOOO looking forward to having some adventures!

[@Wayoutthere]

I have never, EVER seen such a professional (hell even above that) setup. Inspiring.

[@BeginningfromthisMorning]

Thank you so much Wouter d.B.

[@boun_viaggio_usa9989]

Excellent design, engineering, fabrication and installation.

[@BeginningfromthisMorning]

Thank you!

[@bigtexnick2188]

why hasnt this video gone viral?

[@kirkpeters7825]

Your craftsmanship is great. I like the way you explain the process to the viewers so it can be understood. Would laying up for the front end and rear end of the frame and fill in with removable panels along the sides and would be fixed to the side and the moveable slides. Great job well done.

[@LauwersFreddy]

Maximum score for coolest solar install ! You probably need microswitches to detect the position of the roof cooling vents? Otherwise automation will not care and collide with them when it decides to deploy the solar.... or even if you use it manually and forget to check and close the vents. Great job guys!

[@BeginningfromthisMorning]

Thank you Freddy! Yes - some kind of switch needs to be interlocked with the vents! When we move more into the automation stuff it will be more clear - for now we are just making a "keep the vents closed" rule

[@davidurban4730]

Cannot wait to see what you do with the insides. if it is as great as the electronics side it will be a great space

[@BeginningfromthisMorning]

Thank you David - I have been watching a few carpentry videos on KZbin!

[@harleyd500]

Fantastic Job!

[@BeginningfromthisMorning]

Thank you Greg - she is starting to take shape :)

[@ThrottleStopRacing]

Great Video. That was pretty clear sky, what you would expect traveling outside of Arizona. A thought. Jim from Life is a Joy used the metal from inside his bus (metal from above the windows on the inside of the bus). Turned it around and covered from the bottom of the solar panel to the roof. Stiff metal and it fit nicely in that spot (inside out).

[@BeginningfromthisMorning]

I saw that video - my friend Aaron did the same thing and it looks great.

[@ThrottleStopRacing]

@@BeginningfromthisMorning Another bus build?

[@BeginningfromthisMorning]

@@ThrottleStopRacing yes - you can see his bus at: www.broccolibus.com/

[@georgevelguth6439]

WooHoo! Way to go!

[@BeginningfromthisMorning]

Thank you George!

[@tdrager]

You have the best RV solar system on Earth! A wife who does sheet metal work. Where did you find her?

[@BeginningfromthisMorning]

We met when we were 15! She is awesome for sure.

[@oliverchumleyjohnson7070]

A thing of beauty.. by the way.. the color tones Omc the bus are awesome!

[@BeginningfromthisMorning]

Thank you Oliver!

[@doitlaynstyle]

Guys, I have been stalking your page since i first came across your video of the battery build. Amazing, amazing, amazing work you two have done. What a great project. I am super excited to see the interior electronics and I really enjoy your explaining of how things work. I understand exactly what isn't said but my wife can follow along and understand the function without getting bored to tears. I'm currently practicing on my 35+ year old RV as to the systems I'll be incorporating into my future home on wheels and if you care to take a gander it's all available on my channel. I am exploring many different sources for heating and generator fuels and installs as well as solar and batteries so I can get a feel for what will be permanent with our future home. We aren't as brave as you and are waiting for our kids to move out lol. Then we'll travel together. May your future be blessed with many adventures and lots of completed projects.

[@BeginningfromthisMorning]

Thank you! It has been a really fun build and it has been working extremely well. Interior will be a really fun ride. Thanks for joining us

[@AllAboutRVs]

Wow what a setup! Very impressive.

[@mitchmills8967]

Amazing system Scary about so many components to potentially act up. But the bus looks fabulous

[@BeginningfromthisMorning]

Thank you Mitch - no parts have acted up thus far - I am keeping my fingers crossed.

[@TheKandyGuy]

Another wonderful educational video of my favorite man and his family project.. I catch another word on your video "This one is going to help" you were referring to your pretty sweet daughter.. haha!! outside of the bus work i say 90% completed , now the inside that maybe challenging , however I'm sure you will get it done with your fantastic team. Looking forward to inside the bus videos now..

[@BeginningfromthisMorning]

Thank you Anura - it has been a really fun project and we are very excited to finish up the outside and start tackling some of the inside projects.

[@karenstandefer1]

Amazing job!

[@BeginningfromthisMorning]

Thank you Karen

[@Mikesroadtrip-ec5kp]

Another great video. What about just a wind break in the front for driving down the road. Because you will need air under the panels to help cool them. If you block the sides you will stop air flow.

[@BeginningfromthisMorning]

Thank you MIke - We are still trying to figure out what to do about the windbreaks - we'll do a few projects other projects to give us some time to think about it. Thanks for commenting and thanks for joining us.

[@westmountainadventures3606]

Beginning from this Morning I was thinking the same thing. Maybe a curved wind break on the front that mimics the top/front of the bus. Add some LEDs and your golden. D.

[@lifestyleatm]

Be sure that when you do the logic that there are sensors on the vent fans that will make sure to lock out extend/retract on those panels. That linear actuator is strong enough to rip those vent things right off of there if they happen to be up when you extend/retract. Just a thought!

[@BeginningfromthisMorning]

thank you lifestyleatm - yes we are always very careful to check everything when we put them out now but when we have some logic in there it will make things a lot easier :)

[@Bward216]

Saw a few videos and just placed it. You look just like Carlos mencia

[@BeginningfromthisMorning]

LOL - I can see that.

[@JerrysThisandThat]

That works slick, kinda like you did some thought and design on it Lol. 2 words for you guys... Well Done.

[@BeginningfromthisMorning]

Thank you Jerry! It has been a really fun project and we are happy to report that it is working very well.

[@karlbartelt3939]

When the panels are out, hang a sign on your drivers rear vision mirror so you never take off with them out. (Even when you do automate, just a a safe guard). it's been a pleasure watching you get to this point.

[@BeginningfromthisMorning]

Great suggestion Karl - sometimes it is the low tech solutions that actually work best.

[@karlbartelt3939]

@@BeginningfromthisMorning I am a a event cyclist and I know friends who have spent $1000's at Fast Food Drive thru's because they forgot about the bikes on the roof (after a long day in the saddle). So now when the bike in on the roof they always hang something on the mirror. Setting your GPS to truck routes can help when going long distance also, because it 'should' have clearances built into the route. www.pinterest.com.au/pin/849561917185014085/

[@TOTALLYRELAXED]

Juan, you and Michele never cease to amaze me on the projects y'all take on!! I think above your bus windshield [where the city destination used to be] you need to paint the words "hevos-de concreto" !! (I think I said that right!). It was exciting to see the solar panels go in and out as they were designed to do! Congrats! NOW you're going to do a 48 to 24 watt step-down...is there any limit ya'll won't tackle? Lol! I'm not easily impressed, but, you kids have absolutely changed THAT ordeal since I've been watching your videos! Hopefully within [at least ] the next 4 months I'll be living on the road full time. My first stop will be to see my brother in Arizona City, and, then hopefully, meet up with y'all after that! ( 3/2/2019 Saturday 2:40pmCST ~Jim in Houston, Texas~ )

[@BeginningfromthisMorning]

LOL thank you Jim! Wow living on the road full time is our dream! Congrats on making it happen! We are only about an hour away from Arizona city! Drop by and say hello when you are in town!

[@westmountainadventures3606]

Beginning from this Morning I agree with Jim’s World. You two have set a new bar for bus builds and RV upgrades. D.

[@calpyro27]

Your work is inspirational for sure. I think that your idea of wind skirting would look great. Perhaps a natural finish aluminum skirt that has a semi-round profile and riveted to match the rivets on the bus. Most sheet metal shops can shape sheet metal up to 48". Great Job!

[@BeginningfromthisMorning]

Thank you calpyro27 - I like the way you think! That would look amazing!

[@Panzergrennie]

Man. This is gonna be the coolest bus in the world. 😍😎👍

[@BeginningfromthisMorning]

Thank you Panzergrennie!

[@fillg]

Awesome setup! The only weak point I saw with anything you did is the zip ties you attached the wires with. Even the UV resistant ones fail pretty quickly outdoors for me. Not a huge deal as long as you have spares on hand but I'd recommend replacing them with some of those stainless clamp things with the rubber insert similar to the ones you attached your actuators with only smaller.

[@BeginningfromthisMorning]

Thank you fillg - yes! Zipties die in about 6 months out here (extremely dry and the UV kills them). Someone in our last video had recommended some stainless ties similar to what you are describing and we have ordered some! We hope to have them this week and they should last a good long time.

[@raaah]

Looks like both panels fit on the roof permanently. Sticking out only a little bit and getting full sun on all panels all the time

[@FirstSuiGeneris]

*_I have really enjoyed your videos, and the hard work, both of you, put into your bus. You two have done an excellent job!_*

[@BeginningfromthisMorning]

Thank you!

[@joseortiz5965]

Awesome

[@ursodermatt8809]

i think i would have that combiner box inside the bus.

[@BeginningfromthisMorning]

Thank you Urs - That would have worked nicely also. The combiner box we bought is rated to be in harsh environments (IP67 rated) and should be OK outside. We have an additional breaker in the electronics bay that we can use to turn the output of the panels off so we did not feel it was necessary to bring the box inside.

[@drsolar]

The James Bond bus. Now you see the panels now you don't.

[@westmountainadventures3606]

AWPS Renewable Energy, LTD Coming soon: pool cleaning bot in the black tank. Water holding tank that slides out and can be filled directly from whatever water fall they are visiting (filtered and cleaned of course). And... the whole rig is submersible. Just because. ;) If they did all of this and more, I would not be surprised in the least. Amazing! D.

[@vdullius]

Excellent work, you should be proud! Congratulations.

[@BeginningfromthisMorning]

Thanks you Vinicius - it has been working great

[@richardriehle4159]

sweetness.

[@BeginningfromthisMorning]

Thank you Richard - one step closer :)

[@8cylinderstolife737]

You’re doing some Awesome stuff you guys! Very cool

[@BeginningfromthisMorning]

Thank you very much!

[@xavierpendrag0n]

Looks like your power requirements will be met if not exceeded. Not sure if you have done the wind break yet or not, but the trucking industry already has solutions developed for what you are wanting to do. Adopting that same tech and modifying it to suit your build might be an approach toward that end.

[@BeginningfromthisMorning]

Thank you Travis - I was hoping to find something to use for the wind break from a big rig (rather than trying to fabricate something myself)

[@pocksm]

Very impressive

[@BeginningfromthisMorning]

Thank you Jeff

[@royrobbins2214]

Juan, It's coming together. My panels are flat on the roof and make plenty of power. I saw the dust on your panels but is going to be the norm in your area. It doesn't seem to reduce the power much. Great job. Can't wait to see it in person. I have thought of using my gray water to wash my panels, using a pump and hose and a water boom. Gets the panels clean and gets rid of the gray water.

[@BeginningfromthisMorning]

Thank you Roy - It is coming together indeed. We only have one tank so we will have to find a different way to clean off the panels :). There has been so much rain that the panels in a few of the shots were especially dirty (especially when we measured the height). We try to be good about cleaning them off - maybe I can rig something like you describe up :)

[@jorgiesjog9904]

You guys are amazing. Make sure the automation checks to see if your vents are closed before retracting

[@BeginningfromthisMorning]

Thank you Jorgie - yes! We have almost opened the panels on those poor vents!

[@RVingwiththeMoracas]

Great job. We enjoyed seeing this project progress.

[@BeginningfromthisMorning]

Thank you Joe and Rhonda! We are hoping to be living in the bus full time when we are finished building out the bus - hopefully we can catch up with you guys out there!

[@DrBradSimonM2820]

Great job. Four years later, how is it holding up? Would you change anything? What would you do differently?

[@kj7vj]

Just started watching your videos and I must say great job, you guys are very creative. Keep up the good work guys. K7MMA Mike

[@jimo199966]

The "new" mic in this video is a big improvement 👍. Can definitely hear you even with the mic aimed away.

[@Orbis92]

I am really happy that the panels are finally working (guess you too :) ) and will enjoy to watch some amazing interior build and cool home automation stuff in the future. My first thought, when I saw the working panels: Let's automate them :D

[@BeginningfromthisMorning]

Awesome! We are on the same page! We are so excited to get to the inside!

[@expeditionvehicleadventure2141]

Super great solar build. Love the actuators and all the time you guys have spent on this project.

[@BeginningfromthisMorning]

Thank you! It has been a really fun project and it is performing very well!

[@johnmorgan1629]

Great job guys, by the way where I am in the UK, they would be considered quite good days, even with the cloud. One thing did you think of putting thread locker on the bolts securing the solar panels? There will be a lot of vibration going through the panels and frame, thread locker would help reduce the chance of them working loose.

[@BeginningfromthisMorning]

Thank you John - I will be the first to admit we are spoiled rotten with the sun out here. Thread locker is an excellent suggestion - we have lock washers and nylon locking nuts on them but no thread locker.

[@minutemark]

Excellent job! That thing looks amazing! Quite professional looking.

[@BeginningfromthisMorning]

Thank you Mark - it has been a really fun project and we are happy to report that it is working very well!

[@thedestroyer3262]

In a way having to test it in overcast weather was probably better than perfect weather since it will give you a more accurate representation of how it will actually perform in normal conditions for the rest of the US.

[@BeginningfromthisMorning]

That's a great way to think about it. We are kind of spoiled in AZ - most days are pretty clear

[@joshlavallee8139]

Incredible job!!! Your detailed planning, design work and careful execution has created a masterpiece. Looking forward to the inside build out!

[@BeginningfromthisMorning]

Thank you Josh - we have a couple projects to finish up on the outside but we are chomping at the bit to head inside and start the "home" part! Thank you for joining us

[@truckie117]

love the airshot and music!

[@BearfootAdventures]

When you come to Florida I have to see this bus in person

[@BeginningfromthisMorning]

We hope to start traveling this summer :)

[@petecorrea8321]

Wow, transformer 🚌

[@brucebugbee6604]

Very impressive system.

[@Scrambler85]

One word, impressive

[@BeginningfromthisMorning]

Thank you J.G. Conundrum!

[@strayhound61]

SUCCESS! That is impressive!! Makes me feel like a dinosaur. When I built my bus the only solar powered things you could buy were pocket calculators. (I still have one) Sadly, when I need extra power, I just get a bigger cord. Well done! What's next...replacing your 8V-71 Detroit with 8 Tesla Motors?

[@BeginningfromthisMorning]

Thank you John - LOL pocket calculators :) . We still have a few solar powered calculators around the house that we use for home schooling our kids :). The solar is working great - we haven't plugged into shore power in about 3 weeks and we run the air conditioners non-stop during the day - we even use the outlets on the bus instead of the house now for power tools! How cool is that - all powered by the sun! Don't tempt me with the Telsa Motors ... they have a big rig that will do 500 miles on a charge fully loaded with 40 tons! Think of how easily that would push a little bus like ours ;)

[@KLHobbies99]

I'm way too excited to watch this. :D

[@BeginningfromthisMorning]

Thank you Luke - it has been a really fun project!

[@randyrainwater983]

Keeping the solar panels will also increase your power generation apparently. I’ve just seen that on other KZbin vlogs. Very nice to see it all together and working. Did your heart skip a beat or two when the actuitators didn’t work the first time?

[@BeginningfromthisMorning]

LOL thank you Randy - my heart did indeed skip a beat! This is why I normally test things before we go live - but I was so excited to see them go I never tested it out LOL.

[@catchbay]

nice! (and also cool)...

[@briandavis9975]

Well done you guys, well done! Loved it works great yes I want one Juan sign me up please I'm so happy for you both its been a long time coming thanks for sharing a great project as this you are the only one's with this and my hat is off to you from design to the finished product it couldn't have turned out so sweet. Now for the fun stuff the interior it turning out beautiful, thanks for the ride.

[@BeginningfromthisMorning]

Thank you Brian! This has been such a fun project and to see it charging our batteries or running our air conditioner is so gratifying. We are SOOO excited to finish up the outside so we can take on the inside!

[@oddvarso]

Fantastic 👍🏻

[@BeginningfromthisMorning]

Thank you oddvar!

[@richardbewza7798]

Absolutely love your bus build. However, I think you made a mistake on the solar panel deployment. You should have gone sideways with the panels as you originally thought for the following reasons. 1. More solar available while driving or on windy days to support AC. 2. Your 8 panels would act as your own carport at all times keeping your bus in the shade. 3. All 8 panels could be tilted when parked with your fancy remote control extender devices. 4. When panels are tilted you can hose the dirt off them from the ground (or just let the rain keep them clean when it is available). The exiting framing mounted through the roof can likely be the base of the new design. I think increased power and the elimination of potential wind damage make this redesign worthy of strong consideration. I remember your concern about the large gap on the sides of the roof. You could create some kind of a skirt making sure to still allow for air movement to keep fans working well and the underside of the panels well ventilated. This is shaping up to be one of the best off-grid RVs on the planet. :) Rick

[@BeginningfromthisMorning]

Thank you Rick - When we first started we really wanted it to work as you described. The panels are so large and we just felt the gap was just too large ... This was our compromise - luckily the system has been working great.

[@treborheminway1196]

What a great job. Man do I feel lazy watching you all get so much done. Do you have plans to install an aero nose shield to reduce drag and help reduce buffeting of electronics when driving? Can you su[pply power to your house with the solar setup when parked?

[@BeginningfromthisMorning]

Thank you Terbor - we do indeed plan on installing some kind of fairing or wind-break at the nose and down the sides (to try to help prevent cross winds from trying to "lift" the panels). We don't supply the house with power but we do power a lot of our power tools off the bus (as well as air conditioning now that we are working on the inside)

[@thomasgeriak4322]

I have been waiting to see the finished product for months and it was worth the wait. Your family has done a great job. So much engineering has been placed into the solar/shore power system. I think you will be camping for years without the need to hook up to shore power. I have a 25 foot class C with the Victron Multiplus 24/3000 and 2 tesla modules. I did not want to go 48 volts. Have you specified out your refer you intend to use? Are you just going with a house type fridge or will you purchase a more efficient danfoss compressor like in the Novacool 12-24 volts refers for boats and rvs? I hope you do a video on that. Tom

[@BeginningfromthisMorning]

Hi Tom - Thank you for the kind words - it has been a really fun project. We did a video a while ago on why we are not doing an RV type refrigerator - the power consumption on 120V A/C was REALLY high - about 10X worse than even the cheapest compressor based (residential) refrigerator. To my surprise, the 12V native refrigerators were not that much more efficient than a cheap apartment style refrigerator (according to my research it was like .8 kWh per day for the 12V and .85 kWh per day for the 120V residential refrigerator). Our bus is pretty short inside so we had to find a shortish refrigerator. What we ended up with was a Magic Chef 10.1 Cubic Foot refrigerator. If it breaks - we can replace it at any home depot (we bought ours on sale for just over $320 with taxes and everything). The downside is that we have to run our inverter - but honestly, we were just planning on leaving that on anyway. We have also heard that since they are designed to be stationary they can be damaged from all the knocking around so we may investigate adding a little bit of "reinforcement" to the cooling bits. For the difference in price (easily 4x to 6x what we paid for our magic chef) and efficiency we just couldn't justify spending that much more money for not much more refrigerator. Just our opinion of course - like most things we do it's an experiment.

[@MrBlueDevil93]

Great job! Question: How much did the racking weigh?

[@BeginningfromthisMorning]

Thank you. We actually weighed the bus before and after putting it all on the roof so we would know exactly the weight of it all. We have 8 solar panels that weigh 54 lbs each (432lbs) and the total weight added to the roof was approximately 900 lbs. So the rack, bolts, actuators, sliders, wiring, etc. weighed about 450lbs.

[@MrBlueDevil93]

@@BeginningfromthisMorning TY guys! Have fun! I think y'all should be the poster family for American RV'ers, or, just in general!

[@23desdfe345r2fd23f23]

have you taken it on the highway? it seems like suspension loads or wind gusts could turn them into a wing

[@BeginningfromthisMorning]

Yes - 65mph (which is about the top speed)

[@diydan6045]

I watched a few of your last videos and their so inspiring and thanks for sharing your project. Can you explain where you're using 48 volt system instead of 24v.

[@BeginningfromthisMorning]

Thank you DIY Dan. If you saw some of my earlier stuff I had originally started to do 24V. As I got further on in the design it was pretty apparent that 48V components were just as abundant as 24V ones and they are less expensive. Even the 48V to 12V converters - Golf carts have been using these for so long that the price is extremely low and they are VERY efficient. My thinking was that 48V offers all the same benefits that 24V offers over 12V except even more. Drawing fewer amps means that everything runs cooler and things are generally more efficient. We run our air conditioners in the RV with no issues and the temperature of the batteries does not increase by a single degree. Fewer amps means we can safely run smaller gauge cable. We also catch a huge break on the solar charge controller (at $850 each this is a pretty big deal). 1 solar charge controller can handle up to 4900 Watts at 48V - this number drops to 1200 Watts for 12V system and 24 V can handle 2400 Watts. Funny enough even the Victron Quattro is substantially cheaper in the 48V flavor than the 12V or 25V current price list puts the 48/5000 at € 2.590 the 24/5000 at € 2.878 and the 12/5000 at € 3.442. So running 48V is cheaper all the way around and it is more efficient. Once you go away from 12V you are going to have to do converters to drop the voltage to 12V for RV stuff anyway - might as well drop it from 48V. What are your thoughts?

[@Nirvanas-garden]

Awesome!! Did you build that rack for the solar panels yourself? Does anyone know how to get a rack like that? Space is my issue. 2 ac, 2 vents, and other stuff. Not much room.

[@BeginningfromthisMorning]

Thanks Jeff - that was exactly our situation - we knew we wanted A LOT of solar but we didn't want to just hang panels in the wind. After a little thinking on it - we came up with what you see here. If you look back through our previous videos we describe in pretty good detail how we designed, built and tested the rack. kzbin.info/aero/PLq1-J1YKxmjoVol7zRL89DvemKUnbjdAR

[@DennisWintjes2]

For your automation, I think it will it rip your maxx air's off if they are up.

[@BeginningfromthisMorning]

Thank you Dennis - Yes it would - it needs to have an interlock that would only close or open if the fans are down ...

[@markwilson8118]

Love how this is done .. Are you gonna sell kits of this set up ?

[@BeginningfromthisMorning]

Thank you Mark - we REALLY want to travel - maybe when we are done traveling if someone hasn't beat me to it ;)

[@ryanchristie5349]

What kind of production numbers are you getting now that it’s summer? Can the array keep up with the AC?

[@BeginningfromthisMorning]

We live in AZ and it is HOT - we are running 3 or 4 air conditioners on the solar trying to keep the bus cool while we work on it (also the insulation is not fully finished so the air conditioners are working HARD). Anyway we are usually getting about 19-20 kWh generated per day when we are pushing the system hard (4 air conditioners + power tools run off the system). The system does an amazing job of keeping up with the demand. At the end of the day when the sun is too low to produce any real power (usually around 5:30pm or 6:00pm our battery will be down in the mid to high 80%. In this heat, we have started to plug the bus in at night and we just keep the air conditioner (2 of them) running so that when we get up to work the bus is nice inside. When the temperature is lower than about 102 we can run all 4 air conditioners and still keep the battery at 100% all day. In fact, until mid-July, we did not plug the bus in at all! When the bus gets a little further along we will do a video that shows how our system does in the extreme heat.

[@RXRStudiosx3]

I am a complete newbie and I would love to set up our bus like yours. Is there any way to get schematics or the plan for such an amazing project?

[@BeginningfromthisMorning]

Thanks Randolph - A lot of what we do is somewhat experimental - We try to describe in detail what we did and how we did it ... That being said - it is not the same as having plans or a blueprint. Right now we are very focused on just trying to finish the bus and start traveling before our kids get any older - but maybe in the future we will look into something like this. Thank you for asking

[@TheRealSasquatch]

Out of interest, did you consider using more linear actuators to tilt the panels towards the sun and help maximise your solar power? You seem to have a fairly robust frame so it wouldn't be technically difficult to do so.

[@BeginningfromthisMorning]

Thank you sasquatch - I did consider using more actuators to tilt the upper section of panels and that was the plan for a long time. I couldn't come up with a design that I felt was robust enough to be fully automatic while being sturdy enough to withstand extreme wind forces.

[@MrBugsier5]

Beginning from this Morning iff y look at your figures whit overcast, y think its not nessesairy. Nice set up! Regards Richard, (Victron dealer)

[@JerryDLTN]

Do you think you could have or still could alter the rack to build a third layer of panels?

[@BeginningfromthisMorning]

Yes absolutely - one of the main reasons we built the rack on superstrut was for future-proofing it. We just weld up some new brackets and we could make it work.

[@DinoPasic]

Great job, what i dont understand is are you using electricity for driving or just for living? Regards

[@BeginningfromthisMorning]

Thank you Dino - only for the living area only - driving is all Detroit Diesel.

[@cmdrwilkens]

This looks real awesome fully complete. One question is have you looked at getting some form of wind deflector up front? Not really so much for structural reasons but aerodynamics and mileage concerns (plus aesthetics since I think wind deflectors tend to be pretty cool)

[@BeginningfromthisMorning]

Thank you cmdrwilkens - Aerodynamics are not really amoung the bus's strong points - it's kind of like a brick flying through the air and has the MPG to match. I do agree with you that the aesthetics could be improved a fair amount with a really nice deflector and side skirts.

[@Avaloniac]

Nice Content! Im looking forward for the Home Automation Stuff...hopefully its a selfmade solution based on aduino or Raspberry Pi instead of a "ready to go" House System.

[@BeginningfromthisMorning]

Thank you Michael - you are in luck - none of those "out of the box" systems will work for us and what we need. We have a few videos on the "Bus Automation" stuff to whet your appetite - this will start getting much more attention as we move to work on the inside of the bus!

[@samanthapowell5882]

Should have used bifacel solar panels!

[@vxnova1]

This is a great project, have been following you through this install, that is the most solar I have seen anyone put on top of a bus, have you considered the negative of putting so much weight that high up on the bus,

[@BeginningfromthisMorning]

Thank you vxnova1. There is plenty of solar up there for sure. We did consider the weight before this whole thing started. Buses are built to take the entire weight of the vehicle on the top. Meaning if a bus flips over it is supposed to remain structurally sound. I had a hard time believing this of course so I went looking for photo proof and to my surprise, I did find some. photos.hamariweb.com/photos/Funny-It-is-possible-in-Pakistan-Only-10928.jpg and www.pak101.com/funnypictures/Cars/2012/7/11/Cars_on_Bus_Roof_ohkkw_Pak101(dot)com.jpg show old buses (in other countries) with a significant amount of weight on the roof. The solar panels themselves weigh about 450 lbs - we also estimate that we added another 450 or so pounds of steel and fasteners. That puts the total weight up there at about 900 lbs. About the weight of 5 large men. Considering a fully loaded greyhound bus would weigh somewhere in the neighborhood of 35,000 lbs we didn't feel that adding less than 1000lbs to the roof would be too much. I am happy to report that we have driven quite a bit with the rack on it and there is not a significant difference in the way it performs.

[@vxnova1]

Beginning from this Morning thank you, woo when you see that picture with a car on the roof it puts it in perspective. I look forward to see the rest of the project, you guys have some great ideas, the most interesting build by far.

[@BeginningfromthisMorning]

@@vxnova1 Pretty crazy isn't it? Thank you so much for your kind words and encouragement.

[@BearfootAdventures]

Thanks for subscribing and any tips for a person with a new channel would be great 👍

[@BeginningfromthisMorning]

I am still learning myself - one thing that I have learned is just keep making videos and let your personality come through ... also people will sometimes be jerks you will have to grow a thick skin ... Making videos is like anything else ... consistency is the key ... make each one a little better than the last one

[@BearfootAdventures]

Thanks a lot I appreciate it please stay in touch and keep sending me your feedback Your awesome I’m still amazed at what you come up with

[@123psper]

Hi, Is it possible to use batteries during they are charging, without problems? Do We need some device to do it? Thanks

[@BeginningfromthisMorning]

Hi Paulo - The short answer is yes. The more complicated answer is that the system adjusts the power the solar is bringing in based on the state of charge of the battery and the current load on the system. I will give an example: when we pick up the bus from storage (every week) the batteries are always at 100%. As a result, the solar will be bringing in maybe 100 Watts or so just to keep the batteries floating and power some of the devices we have running all the time. Then we turn on a couple of air conditioners (we are in Arizona and it is very hot here). The load on the system will show we need something like 1500 Watts. The system recognizes this and adjusts the solar input to something like 1600 Watts. When we look at our battery monitor it will show the battery taking a slow charge (since it is still at 100%). I will make a video soon of this and that will explain it better.

[@sleim754]

Do you plan to have any sort of cut off that will not allow the bus to start or move if by chance you forget to retract the panels?

[@vw52berg]

McKay Sleight he mentioned it in the video that they will have a sensor for the Diesel engine.

[@sleim754]

@@vw52berg Thanks. I could see myself forgetting and pulling away. It would make a nice crash video:)

[@BeginningfromthisMorning]

Thank you - when we get a little further along in the build, that will get addressed for sure. The "Bus Automation" stuff will start to make a lot more sense when we move inside and we have space to build that in.

[@Max_Marz]

Which video do you talk about the charge controller specifically?

[@BeginningfromthisMorning]

Thank you Max - I have not made that video yet

[@Max_Marz]

Really interested In the communication between your bms and the victron charge controller. Where did you buy that bms? Manufacturer direct? Can't find a price anywhere.

[@BeginningfromthisMorning]

@@Max_Marz Hi Max - if you go to the blog post we did about the REC-BMS it gives all the details about how we hooked it up and how it works. The basic gist is that the BMS speaks Victron VE.Can and knows how to interact with the Color Control GX. The cost of the BMS is about $350.00, I bought everything REC basically offers including the precharge controller, remote display, VE.Can cable, PC Cable, 3 temperature probes, the contactor, the shunt, it all totaled to just over $1000. You can find the details here: beginningfromthismorning.com/bms/

[@badsamaritan8223]

You have SO MUCH extra space on the sides up there. How come you chose to orient the panels along the bus instead of across the bus? You could have fit probably at least another two panels if you'd mounted them the other way.

[@BeginningfromthisMorning]

We initially thought we would do that, however the curve on the bus is so steep that when we positioned them side to side, it created a huge "wing" sticking out over the curve. Side to side, we would have been able to fit 8 of these panels. The way we have them, we have them stacked 4 on top 4 on bottom. So, still 8 panels.

[@mmanut]

Why 80 degrees. I live in the NE, I set my thermostat to 68 degrees. Your killing your batteries for nothing. I would use propane for my fridge, never have issues with lack of solar. PS, maybe put a wind scoop on the roof to force the wind over the panels. Just a thought. VERY SLICK JOB. REALLY LIKE YOUR WORK ‼️👍👍. GREAT TEAM👍👍 Vinny 🇺🇸

[@BeginningfromthisMorning]

Hi Vinny - sorry I was not clear - the only reason I was cranking up the temperature was to put a load on the battery so we could get some reliable solar numbers - once the battery is fully charged the solar charge controller turns off and we do no longer make power. We are still researching how to put some kind of wind-break on the front of the structure - we haven't really found anything we like yet.

[@YodaAz58]

How is on road aerodynamics? Vibrations/want to "liftoff" fly like an airfoil?

[@BeginningfromthisMorning]

Thank you YodaAz58 - honestly, it feels almost exactly the same - we drive it twice a week to the lot and back and it really doesn't feel any different at all. It doesn't make any noise or whistle or anything like that. We do plan on putting some kind of side skirts and an airfoil of some type up front to ensure that the wind stays off of it but it doesn't drive any different.