The panel with the solar controller can keep charged 4 or more Deep Cycle sealed gel cell batteries run in parallel. I also have three more deep cycle Marine Grade batteries in reserve, all recycled from various equipment I service on my job. All the batteries are tied together with large anderson type connectors and cabling, also salvaged and recycled from equipment I service. Once the camper is fitted into the bed of the pick up, access panels inside allow for reaching the forward area of the wheel wells to store more batteries and water. Including the aluminum stock and solar controller, various small bits of hardware I have a total investment of under $90.
The system will run everything in the camper comfortably except the AC, which is a nice size window unit I cobbled in to a vacant space where the original (non functional) fridge used to go. I just need a big and powerful enough converter to run it. I modified the floor space to fit my nice portable fridge, make a bigger battery compartment, and new water tank. Now I can comfortably tow the Tracker long distances and have a decent place to rest and stay sheltered without the hassles of a tent.
When traveling the panel lays flat and secures to the framework to keep it from moving around, and still provides power even when it's in stowed position. A simple system of marine sailing type ropes and quick locks secure it all and allow for changing the direction of the panel. An old ski pole with several lock points acts as a prop rod and allows for changing the angle of the panel for different seasons and lattitudes.

nice job, Mike.

What's do you reckon it weighs w/all those batteries? Did you put the bags in?


How long do you think you will be able to pull 500watts  (small A/C) from your reserve ampere hours? (w/o going below 50% charge to maximize battery life)?



I picked up the 90 buck HF genny and a 95 dollar LG air con for mine...runs it no prob. and 5,000 btu is more than I need in a TC.
Sticthing up a sound-proof housing/case for it.

Mine is a Sun Lite as well, 'cept I used the heat gun and 3m eraser wheel to tale the stripes off


 (ps- we just got back from camping!)

That is recycling at it's finest, just keep that solar panel tied down
good when you are on the road, so someone else doesn't find a
free roadkill solar panel 

Wild

Ecoast, thanks bud.  each battery weighs about 50lbs, so x 4 about 200 added to the weight of the camper, listed on the tag inside as 1250 dry, add 15 gals of water, another 40 or so for the solar panel and mounts and I figure about 1600 total. The truck is a F250 chassis so the bed weight and all else isnt an issue. Still haven't mounted the bags but there next on the list, along with my solar outside shower.
What kind of HF generator did you get for $90 that will run an AC unit ? I gotta get me one of those!
Wild, appreciate it buddy.  I made a real effort in making sure that thing is SECURE when moving. I can just imagine it flying off and totaling someones car!   

I looked for a long time to find a small generator, but in a 4 stroke
instead of the 2 stroke one that HF has, I finally found one at Big Lots
out here in California, $150, used it regularly and was super quiet for
an air cooled engine, but it also couldn't power my 1200w microwave
so I don't know if the generator really was rated correctly at 1200w

I don't have to worry about it any more, someone helped themselves
to it a few days after I set it out on the driveway    My fault, I should
of had it put up but I was "too busy" and though it would be fine there.

Wild

Very cool! I have been toying with the idea of getting the HF panels to do the same thing.

one of these :

http://www.harborfreight.com/800-rated-watts-900-max-watts-portable-generator-66619.html

will run one of dese:

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-202518455/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

The window unit I put in my camper would take a much bigger gen unit than that to run I think. Already had several AC units from my old place that didn't have central air, so I really didn't want to buy another. I still cant see how that little genny would run an ac unit, but if it does that is a hellova find.

Very cool! I have been toying with the idea of getting the HF panels to do the same thing.

Stopped at a HF today to look at one of those generators and also took a look at HF's solar charging system, puts 45 watts, I'd need about 10 of those panels to get the amount of power I'm getting out of mine. I think they would be fine for keeping a single battery charged, but that's about it. That HF setup is about $150.

How long do you think you will be able to pull 500watts  (small A/C) from your reserve ampere hours? (w/o going below 50% charge to maximize battery life)?

About 8 batteries in parallel should do it, I'll have all the amperage I'll need to run a SMALLer ac at nights for a few hours at least, enough to take the damp and heat down to a tolerable sleeping level. Each battery is at least an 88 amp hr or greater, and are designed to be deep discharged and recharged regularly. If I can rig up a powerful enough inverter I theoretically could run without a generator, providing I get a good recharge the next day. If there's sun. For at least 6 hrs. Of course the cost of that big of an inverter is about twice the price of that generator 
I know the trade off in carrying the extra weight will probably offset any savings I'd realize in not burning fossil fuel for power but the idea was to try and be as green, quiet and self sufficient as possible. Maybe a pipe dream.

I was just wanting something to keep my battery charged. I have a small Honda generator for the high power demands.

Check out some truck stops for lower wattage draw stuff, BTW I have seen
a 5000W DC/AC inverter draws huge amps and had cables about 0 or 1 gauge

I have been on the lookout for a real compressor type fridge that could run on
either 12V or low draw 110V from an inverter, found some little ones but they
still draw too much power

propane fridge will run all week on a 20lb bottle  

so you can find an old 3-way from a camper/trailer

110vac/12vdc/propane

Ya, I kind of forgot I just scored a Classic '76 Lance 10' camper
with a fridge in it for free.

2 way but it works, the camper just needs some minor work
and I have a new rolling castle LOL

Wild

Ya, there are plenty of thermo electric coolers, and they work OK
but they only cool to 40* below ambient temp, which is why I was
on the lookout for a real compressor type fridge.
 
I killed the battery in my brothers truck in only one day, I didn't think
it would draw that much power, but it's a good load.

Now if you could use the heat from the exhaust and make it work an
ammonia type refrigerator, that would be something.

I wondered why auto makers never used that method to increase fuel
economy in small cars, no moving parts and uses waste heat, seems
like a win win to me

Wild