Help me with different electrical options

[SubaruDave]

I have been looking into batteries and I'm a fan of Optima Batteries, I've had one in every car I've owned.

(Here's a link to the Boat and RV ones)

http://www.optimabatteries.com/optima_p ... /index.php

I'm just wondering what kind everyone else has and what I should and shouldn't be looking at.

[SubaruDave]

I've done some searching and cant really find a definite answer. Can I use speaker wire to run power to my DC accessories? (LED Lights, phone chargers, fans etc) Its fairly cheap compared to other forms of wire, and it'll be much easier to know which wires go to which thing because they're in pairs and come in quite a few different colors.

[Treeview]

Wire is wire...make sure that it is large enough to handle the load.

Speaker wire coating may not be a good choice for a trailer. The temps inside during travel and storage my degrade the coating.

Find stranded wire with small enough strands to survive bending. think of a paper clip...easy to bend/break because it is one strand. Take wire the the same diameter but many strands...try to break it.

May...I dunno...

There are combinations of wire that are made for this sort of use. You can get them in round or flat. Using extension cord wire could work. Just be consistent with which wire is ground...one of them will have a rib molded into the coating. Color coded sure is easier though.

[SubaruDave]

Speaker wire I have is for performance car audio. Very flexible and strong, 14 and 12 gauge I believe. And it's different colors clear and blue, red and black, or white and purple. Just figured I should be able to use it because it's good for high wattage speakers and subwoofers, not to mention I have over 500ft of it. (or well over 1000ft if separated.

[SubaruDave]

Really starting to get everything ready to be purchased so this build can go as smooth a possible and while looking at solar I seen a 240W Sharp panel. It seems like it would be all I need for electrical (of course other than a good controller) I think running 2 deep cycle batteries in parallel should be enough for my electrical storage needs even on the rainy days where there isn't much to keep the kids happy.

http://www.affordable-solar.com/store/s ... olar-Panel

[Bogo]

Speaker wire I have is for performance car audio. Very flexible and strong, 14 and 12 gauge I believe. And it's different colors clear and blue, red and black, or white and purple. Just figured I should be able to use it because it's good for high wattage speakers and subwoofers, not to mention I have over 500ft of it. (or well over 1000ft if separated.

Fuse at the power source, and don't run it in the engine compartment or close to anything hot like the muffler, etc.. Most automotive wire doesn't have good enough insulation for use in an engine compartment. They have a special high temperature grade for engine compartment use. My expectation is your speaker wire is all of the lower temperature grade. See if it has any writing on the side of the wire. Look for a standards id.

[eamarquardt]

A bit more money but a "name brand" and you can hinge them together so they fold up and take up less room if you don't want to permanently mount them.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-Kyocera-KC50T ... 3ccc4cb73d

Here is a source for individual sockets:

http://www.minute-man.com/acatalog/Onli ... s_272.html

Cheers,

Gus

[bdosborn]

Really starting to get everything ready to be purchased so this build can go as smooth a possible and while looking at solar I seen a 240W Sharp panel. It seems like it would be all I need for electrical (of course other than a good controller) I think running 2 deep cycle batteries in parallel should be enough for my electrical storage needs even on the rainy days where there isn't much to keep the kids happy.

http://www.affordable-solar.com/store/s ... olar-Panel

Sharp makes a good panel, I've seen some numbers posted over at RV.net where Sharp panels were putting out more than rated output. The 240 watt would probably keep up with your usage without a problem. We could look at your projected energy use to size the panel if you'd like. BUT, be aware there are a couple of things to keep in mind for the panel you posted a link to:

-Panels larger than 135 watts or so usually cannot be shipped UPS and have to be sent by truck. Make sure and check the shipping charges to your house.

-The panel is a grid tie type and not a 12V battery charging panel (Vmp is 29.3 volts instead of the 16-18V a 12V panel would have). That means you'll need to use an MPPT controller instead of a cheaper PWM type, and that's a couple hundred bucks for one that works. There are cheaper MPPT controllers on the market but caveat emptor.

Finally, two 6V golf cart batteries in series usually gives the most amp-hrs per $. I have GC batteries and I'm on my 3rd season of use without any noticeable drop in performance so far.

Bruce

[SubaruDave]

For right now, as far as electrical things inside the trailer, I am planning on being able to keep my iphone, girlfriends phone, ipad, and cameras charged. I have a few 200mm PC fans that are rated for 134CFM laying around that I would like to use for ventilation, they use .3A each. I also have an indash DVD Player/stereo and monitor I was planning to put in for those rainy and cold days. And I recently purchased a 12v wet dry vac that also is able to inflate various things. Figured that would be good to have considering the kids like to make messes every chance they get.

And for interior lighting I'm planning on 12" and 4" CCFLs (5.0mAV) which will be connected to dimmers. And LEDs for the exterior.

Is there any other things I'm forgetting?

[bdosborn]

60 watts would keep up just fine and 85 watts would be a good bet to compensate for a cloud or two. Better hurry up though, congress is enacting stiff tariffs on panels.

Bruce

[SubaruDave]

Almost forgot that I would also have a couple battery chargers that run off of 12v, to charge RC battery packs. I think I'll look toward the 85w. It would be great to have to take to places that dont have power because they are affected by bad weather. And allow people to charge their phones or radios or whatever too.

Seems like more often than not, we get hit with bad storms that knock out power for weeks here in the north east, and it'll be nice to be able to go to the trailer to get away when things like that happen.

[Shadow Catcher]

With what has happened, Sandy and natural weather disasters, it has started the gears grinding. I am following a couple of threads on other forums including http://www.wind-sun.com/ForumVB/index.php and folks long term with out power. Solar does not work real well with out sun and while we have two generators if gas were limited, and according to one of the individuals on the Subaru email group it is fairly easy to drill a hole in gas tank (I would siphon) and if both cars were full that is 32 gallons plus the 20 gallons on hand. Assuming you run out and are reduced to solar and Compass Rose the refrigerator contents could be transferred from the house (eat the ice cream first) and the diesel heater (7.5 gallons on hand) would last a good number of days.
The teardrop adds a lot of options.

[SubaruDave]

With what has happened, Sandy and natural weather disasters, it has started the gears grinding. I am following a couple of threads on other forums including http://www.wind-sun.com/ForumVB/index.php and folks long term with out power. Solar does not work real well with out sun and while we have two generators if gas were limited, and according to one of the individuals on the Subaru email group it is fairly easy to drill a hole in gas tank (I would siphon) and if both cars were full that is 32 gallons plus the 20 gallons on hand. Assuming you run out and are reduced to solar and Compass Rose the refrigerator contents could be transferred from the house (eat the ice cream first) and the diesel heater (7.5 gallons on hand) would last a good number of days.
The teardrop adds a lot of options.

Talking about drilling gas tanks to get gas out. That won't happen with my car, it's lowered, and I have a rear skid plate, but if I needed to remove gas from a destroyed vehicle I have a fuel pump and small diameter hose that easily fits into the filler neck of most cars. Also about removing gas by putting a hole in a gas tank, most of the emergency tools that shatter window glass can put holes in gas tanks as well. And you're right about solar not working well without sun, but I have multiple 12v outlets with 2.1A USB chargers in my car that allow things to be charged easily, and rapidly.

I'm also planning on putting in a new alternator with higher output, as well as another battery wired in parallel, and that should also allow me to charge the battery(s) in the trailer while towing.