Snowbird CTC appliances. Solar vs propane and mods to order.

[tony.latham]

Certainly no point in setting all that up just to heat water.

Rebar hasn't purchased a trailer yet.

T

[McDave]

I fashioned a crude solar water heater for my indoor pool many years ago. I was able to realize considerable gain using just coils if black ABS pipe laid out on the roof of the pool house and a small pump that was able to lift a small volume of water the 12 ft to the roof. There is also some convection action at play but not enough for me to really quantify. Once the weather changed I abandoned the project and life has put it so far on the back burner that I have forgotten most of what I learned. But someday I will get back to it.(I hope) Timers and valves and thermostats where next on the list and I just couldn't commit knowing we were shortly facing the 8 month winter cycle that all Montanians look forward to each year.

McDave

[flboy]

Well.. here you go then if you want solar hot water. Size it for your needs. I have done the same before with coiled black garden hoses... maybe not as efficient, but same results with just more hose.


https://youtu.be/nC_Ql5qVs4Q


Seriously though and to get more on original topic, unless you just want to live off grid fulltime, I'd keep it simple with an RV hot water heater capable of gas or electric heating. I was plugged into shore power all this weekend camping, so why use propane when I already paid for the power and it seems to work the same? Ditto for when you have excess solar electric power.


If I was to have just propane for the energy source, I'd probably get the " on demand" tankless type. Probably the best use of propane in this case.


20 years ago you pretty much used propane for refrigerators, hotwater, stove and heat with a small 12vdc system for fans and lights on most all RVs and had to run the generator to use the blender for a smoothie. Still a good approach.. but the cost to establish a photovoltaic energy source then offset by cheaper, more abundant in variety, and more efficient electric appliances (mainly fridge that must run 24/7) is changing the paradigm.

That is where the industry is going especially at the higher end where now all sorts of regular household appliances are demanded and desired (Smart TVs, Cell Boosters, PCs and laptops, microwaves, blenders.. etc.).

Given all that, I think a hybrid (gas/electric) system is ideal for cost effectiveness and redundancy of energy sources for an off grid CTC that also will be used on grid with shore power from time to time and still maintain modern functionality compatible for on grid folks. I am very happy with the way it works and is so adaptable.


Just food for thought.





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[rebar]

Certainly no point in setting all that up just to heat water.

Rebar hasn't purchased a trailer yet.

T

Yeah, I talked to pace headquarters last week who still make narrow track trailers just to verify.. The factory told me to call a dealer so I called two, and can you believe neither of them returned a quote? Apparently they sell enough regular trailers to not mess around with a my special order..

Anyway.. Like Don mentioned "I just like the whole solar thing and I am a person who likes to mess with technology" also, but.. I'm not willing to spend allot of money on solar unless I can break even or come close if solar is more convenient or self running. But you still need to set up the ground panels if you park the CTC in the shade, just like carrying the generator out. And then pack them up etc. But you don't need to fill up a panel with gas..


The only way to guess if solar would break even before hand would be to know how much propane and gas would cost per month boondocking in a climate where AC and heat were not needed like I plan, and then know how much money it would cost to buy the solar gear and electric appliances and divide that total with the monthly flue/propane costs.. I would be OK spending a little more than a break even cost on a solar setup that would power everything so the generator stays stored away or at home, but I don't see it. And if I decided to spend months in a cooler climate like alaska, I doubt even the most elaborate solar system could provide off grid heat AND hot water etc etc..

Its to bad propane fridge's are so inefficient running on electric unlike the propane/electric water heater. The expensive fridge sounds like the only appliance that you would have to swap for a compressor model if converting to solar when/if panel efficiency improved later and costs dropped.

This toyhauler caught my eye, but its to big and expensive.. 1280 watts of solar and 950 amp hours of lithium batteries..
https://expeditionportal.com/forum/thre ... st-2656421

[flboy]

Its to bad propane fridge's are so inefficient running on electric unlike the propane/electric water heater. The expensive fridge sounds like the only appliance that you would have to swap for a compressor model if converting to solar when/if panel efficiency improved later and costs dropped.

I think you are right. Propane fridges are obviously more expensive than the AC compressor driven ones, but you have to have some basic solar to drive it, so startup costs may be similar if you got minimal solar just to support fridge use. Then there is the issue of camping in shade. I think you found the best answer for your needs and goals for your CTC.


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