Solar panels and battery to get unlimited range ...

HaulingAss

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Solar charging solutions?
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.

I didn't buy it for charging EVs, but you can bet I tested it on my Model 3. Without any solar input it requires that I turn down the charge power (using the center screen) to 10 amps to prevent the Mobile Connector from detecting too much voltage drop and turning off. If I turn the charge rate down to 6 or 8 amps, it can discharge the battery generator more deeply before shutting down due to low voltage. I can add 2 miles of range to my Model 3 Performance on a full charge of the battery generator (without any solar input). I've never tested it with the 200W panel plugged in and in full sun, but it would undoubtedly perform a little better. Simple physics.

It's a Goal Zero unit I bought years ago because my ski cabin loses power with some regularity - the powerlines to my cabin go through miles of mature forests. All it takes is for one tree to fall over, or one large limb to drop. The powerlines should really be underground, unfortunately that is only the case the last 1/4 mile or so.
 

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I've been toying with the idea of how to get unlimited range, albeit slowly, in my CT.

Thoughts?
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?
 

Woodrick

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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?
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!
 


Neo

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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!
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!
 
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Zantosh76

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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!
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.
 

Neo

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BTW, I do have a design to add 10 more panels, but I have these considerations to weigh through:
  1. Will the width of the trailer exceed the Width limit for roadways?
  2. How often could I deploy both awnings? That’s 16’ on both sides!
  3. If I could only deploy 1/2 of the panels per side (), they would be the underside of the bi-facial panel, how much would my production be then?
  4. Do I want to add another 800lbs to Taj-Ma-Haul?
  5. I would gain 5.4kWatt/hours in Solar generation
 

Neo

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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.
That’s a good point, in the summer I consume around 7kWatt/hours/day
 

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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?

Wow, nice size system.
Can you tell us more details?
model of inverter?
model solar panels?
model battery (is 48V rack type system )?
 


firsttruck

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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?
.....
Will you be traveling mostly in flatlands and lower elevations or will you travel over hilly and mountain areas?
 

Neo

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Will you be traveling mostly in flatlands and lower elevations or will you travel over hilly and mountain areas?
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!
 

HaulingAss

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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?
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.

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.
 

firsttruck

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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!
So is that mostly level flatland?

You total weight for additional 7Kw panels might be 300lbs but isn't a 20-foot long standard non-solar awning going to weigh around 100-120 lbs? If so with solar panels as awning you are really only adding another 180lbs (not 300lbs).
 

Neo

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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.
How the Sam Hill do I do that? 🤔
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.
🤔 I guess to the electrical panel through a 240v 60amp breaker wired up to the 48amp Tesla Wall Charger.

I guess I had to say that out loud 🤦

So just charge it 24x7 and cut the charge off if the battery hits 10kWatts!
Sponsored

 
 





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