HaulingAss
Well-known member
- Joined
- Oct 3, 2020
- Threads
- 21
- Messages
- 7,813
- Reaction score
- 15,826
- Location
- Western Washington, USA
- Vehicles
- Cybertruck DM, 2010 F-150, 2018 Performance Model 3, 2024 Performance Model 3

Sponsored
Solar charging solutions?Milk?
Yes, I got milk.
Huh?
I have a 1.4 kWh solar generator and 200W solar panel I've used for years at my ski cabin for power outages to keep critical data flowing (I'm an investor). I bought it to run my DSL wireless router, charge my laptop and the lithium-ion batteries I use in flashlights, run some emergency LED lighting, my espresso machine and milk frother. It can run those functions for at least 5 or 6 days without any solar input (in part because I run the wireless router directly off 12V and don't need to run the AC inverter much). I have a woodstove for cooking and heating and do just fine without hot water. My tap water is not dependent upon electricity. I kind of like power outages, ever since I bought the battery generator years ago.Solar charging solutions?
I built Taj-Ma-Haul (20’ Luxury Toy Hauler) to do just this!I've been toying with the idea of how to get unlimited range, albeit slowly, in my CT.
Thoughts?
That starts to sound feasible, around 5 days of charging.I built Taj-Ma-Haul (20’ Luxury Toy Hauler) to do just this!
7kWatt Solar array paired to 112kWatt/hrs of battery storage and 24 or 36 kWatt inverter!
I’m guessing 20ish hours to put 112kWatt/hrs into the battery and then depending on how many amps I can push into the CT?
I’m guessing I’ll charge batts all day and charge the CT all night?
240v system.That starts to sound feasible, around 5 days of charging.
Is your inverter 240V or just 120V?
If 240V, you should be able to get full (80%) in one overnight charge session.
If you do it nightly, it will just mean you have empty batteries every morning.
If 120V, it's miserably long, maybe over a week at this point.
So indeed, about 500 miles per week, that's about right with your setup. Bu that's not really in this thread's concept "Solar panels and battery to get unlimited range ..."
It's very limited range. 6 weeks to cross the country is far from unlimited!
Yeah so one thing I left out accidentally is that I'm interested in solar to replenish the battery after using it for the fridge and the WiFi and other non driving expenses.240v system.
As far as I understand it, I will be limited to Tesla’s charging system, not mine. I can push 400amps at 240v with 2 inverters.
I’ve made my assumptions base on their 11.5 kW / 48 amp Wall Connector
also, here in AZ, I’ve produced 112kWatts in as little as 4 days, but usually in 5.
When I’m vacationing, this pace is just fine, if I had to get there I’d be super charging for sure!
That’s a good point, in the summer I consume around 7kWatt/hours/dayYeah so one thing I left out accidentally is that I'm interested in solar to replenish the battery after using it for the fridge and the WiFi and other non driving expenses.
I built Taj-Ma-Haul (20’ Luxury Toy Hauler) to do just this!
7kWatt Solar array paired to 112kWatt/hrs of battery storage and 24 or 36 kWatt inverter!
I’m guessing 20ish hours to put 112kWatt/hrs into the battery and then depending on how many amps I can push into the CT?
I’m guessing I’ll charge batts all day and charge the CT all night?
Will you be traveling mostly in flatlands and lower elevations or will you travel over hilly and mountain areas?BTW, I do have a design to add 10 more panels, but I have these considerations to weigh through:
4. Do I want to add another 800lbs to Taj-Ma-Haul?
.....
Continental US, atmWill you be traveling mostly in flatlands and lower elevations or will you travel over hilly and mountain areas?
If the Cybertruck is parked during the day, you will see efficiency gains by charging while the panels are producing. If the system is designed optimally, that will prevent the round trip losses into the battery and out again. Effectively using the systems inverter to produce 240V AC directly from the solar panels and sending any excess into the battery storage.I built Taj-Ma-Haul (20’ Luxury Toy Hauler) to do just this!
7kWatt Solar array paired to 112kWatt/hrs of battery storage and 24 or 36 kWatt inverter!
I’m guessing 20ish hours to put 112kWatt/hrs into the battery and then depending on how many amps I can push into the CT?
I’m guessing I’ll charge batts all day and charge the CT all night?
So is that mostly level flatland?Continental US, atm
AZ to MT to MI and back, National Monuments, Forests and family!
the company I work for is closing all offices and we’ll be 100% remote! So I’m taking advantage of this!
How the Sam Hill do I do that?If the Cybertruck is parked during the day,
It's always best to use the current when it's available to charge the EV, rather than make it go through the storage battery and out again. If the sun is blocked by clouds, then the inverter should draw down the storage battery and continue charging until there is excess production again.
It's always best to use the current when it's available to charge the EV, rather than make it go through the storage battery and out again. If the sun is blocked by clouds, then the inverter should draw down the storage battery and continue charging until there is excess production again.