Newbie electrical design HELP! LOL

[76Kroh]

Hi, I have spent the last few months planing my teardrop build and now I have my basic design for it and plan to start soon. The one thing I know nothing about though is electical and I need to get my plan down for it. So any help would be greatly appreciated

What it has to have:
#1 wall mounted mini window A/C. (I Live in AZ)
#2. A few plug ins as my wife has sleep apnea and has to wear a machine to sleep, I would like to have tv/dvd player, and be able to plug in a heater.
#3 interior lights, porch light.

What I hope to do:
#1 be able to run everything off of battery power and recharge it by solar panel.
#2 plug in at RV parks if I want to and also charge Battery at the same time.

So the question is.... how would you best accomplish this? Gold stars will be awarded for money saving and simplicity

Thx in advance! Stace

[KennethW]

To start off you will only be able to run the AC or the heater when on shore power(plugged in). There is simply not enough power in battery's to power them for any amount of time. A led tv and led lights wouldn't take a lot to power them. A bigger battery will power a CPAP for around 4 day but i am talking a dead battery after that(hard on the battery). I have to run two cpaps to run so last week I put a 150 watt panel of my TD that I hope will work.

click to enlarge

http://www.ebay.com/itm/351354135857
That is my two cents. I just have a power strip for AC, a battery charger to charge the battery and a inverter to run the cpap's, so I will let others answer the AC part.

[MtnDon]

A/C is almost impossible to do running off batteries. Campground shore power or generators come to mind.

There is a member here with a cargo trailer conversion who runs solar powered a/C. He runs lots of panels, a good sized set of lithium batteries ($$) and a mini split A/C (more $$ than a window shaker). So yes anything can be done but.....

An electric space heater is another item that is tough to run off batteries for any length of time. Electric, resistance heating, and solar with batteries don't do this well. The basic problem is in storing enough energy in batteries. Enough batteries = more than enough weight to cart around in a hopefully relatively light weight TD. Insulate the floor, walls, roof as well as you can. Buy long underwear and warm sleeping bags for cold weather.

[noseoil]

Agree with the above statements. Shore power or generator for A/C & resistance heating is the way to go.

I use a PD4045 for power distribution (for both shore power & 12 volt stuff) & run the TV & entertainment off of a small designated inverter in the cabin with the battery. The galley uses a separate 1000 watt inverter (coffee!). Shore power inlet feeds from outside on the driver's side.

Battery charging is with a fixed 100 watt solar panel on the roof, group 27 AGM battery in the galley.

Welcome from Tucson! Where in the state are you?

[76Kroh]

To start off you will only be able to run the AC or the heater when on shore power(plugged in). There is simply not enough power in battery's to power them for any amount of time. A led tv and led lights wouldn't take a lot to power them. A bigger battery will power a CPAP for around 4 day but i am talking a dead battery after that(hard on the battery). I have to run two cpaps to run so last week I put a 150 watt panel of my TD that I hope will work.

Thx that helps answer some of my questions!

click to enlarge

http://www.ebay.com/itm/351354135857
That is my two cents. I just have a power strip for AC, a battery charger to charge the battery and a inverter to run the cpap's, so I will let others answer the AC part.

[76Kroh]

A/C is almost impossible to do running off batteries. Campground shore power or generators come to mind.

There is a member here with a cargo trailer conversion who runs solar powered a/C. He runs lots of panels, a good sized set of lithium batteries ($$) and a mini split A/C (more $$ than a window shaker). So yes anything can be done but.....

An electric space heater is another item that is tough to run off batteries for any length of time. Electric, resistance heating, and solar with batteries don't do this well. The basic problem is in storing enough energy in batteries. Enough batteries = more than enough weight to cart around in a hopefully relatively light weight TD. Insulate the floor, walls, roof as well as you can. Buy long underwear and warm sleeping bags for cold weather.

Thanks this helps me a lot. I probably will do the Super Simple Electrical set up I saw on this forum for A/C and heat when plugged in. Generator when not. My floor, walls and roof will be well insulated. I plan to frame mine out and build it as a mini gypsy style trailer.

[76Kroh]

Agree with the above statements. Shore power or generator for A/C & resistance heating is the way to go.

I use a PD4045 for power distribution (for both shore power & 12 volt stuff) & run the TV & entertainment off of a small designated inverter in the cabin with the battery. The galley uses a separate 1000 watt inverter (coffee!). Shore power inlet feeds from outside on the driver's side.

Battery charging is with a fixed 100 watt solar panel on the roof, group 27 AGM battery in the galley.

Welcome from Tucson! Where in the state are you?

Thanks for the info. I am here in Tucson as well. Soon to be on the east side. So your Solar power runs thru your PD4045 panel and charges the battery that way? I am going to look into it. I think I will just run a generator off grid for heating and cooling.

[noseoil]

NO! The solar feeds through a charge controller directly to the battery, not the PD4045 (sorry if it was a misleading post on my part). Let's get together sometime & we can talk about some of this stuff. Easier to do a show & tell that way... tim

[KennethW]

Just to clarify. When I said 4 day on a battery using a cpap, it is without the humidifier.
As for a Television there is some on the internet that is 12 volt and the 19" tv only at walmart is a 12 volt with a wall wort (transformer). There is no need to go thru a inverter .Most of the time I found is if you are at some altitude. The roof fan (fantastic fan) is good enough to keep you cool. If is it dry maybe a wet rag it the window with the roof fan blowing out would help cool you too.
Just my thoughts

[76Kroh]

NO! The solar feeds through a charge controller directly to the battery, not the PD4045 (sorry if it was a misleading post on my part). Let's get together sometime & we can talk about some of this stuff. Easier to do a show & tell that way... tim

Sounds good I would like to see your set up. Moving in the next few weeks but maybe after that I am sure the wife will allow me some time lol, if your available then. Stacy

[76Kroh]

Just to clarify. When I said 4 day on a battery using a cpap, it is without the humidifier.
As for a Television there is some on the internet that is 12 volt and the 19" tv only at walmart is a 12 volt with a wall wort (transformer). There is no need to go thru a inverter .Most of the time I found is if you are at some altitude. The roof fan (fantastic fan) is good enough to keep you cool. If is it dry maybe a wet rag it the window with the roof fan blowing out would help cool you too.
Just my thoughts

Good ideas thanks!

[OverTheTopCargoTrailer]

But if you really want everything 100% on solar and batteries it's possible it never hurts to dream big. For under 5 grand I can get you in the game, world's only 100% solar AC teardrop ......with a 30% tax credit and saving $35 a night on camping fees it's paid for in no time.

http://overthetopcargotrailer.blogspot.com/?m=1

Cheers OTTCT