Solar DIY YouTube Videos

[Kiwi3]

I just wanted to share some YouTube resources for people looking at solar installs.

- "We're Not Lost, We're RVing":
They have an entire series on solar installation. Currently they have 9 of the 15 planned videos out.
RV Solar Playlist
Blog with the links to the videos in order

- "All about RVs":
Not specifically only solar, but some on boondocking and saving power. 9 videos.
RV Electrical Playlist

- "DIY Solar Power with Will Prowse":
Guy looks 18, but is pretty smart. He did fulltime up to last month, but bought a house as it was less expensive than lot rental in San Diego. LOL. Many videos, and has some pre-designed system plans for free on his website. His book is also free to read for Amazon Prime members.
DIY Solar Power with Will Prowse

These are a few of the channels I follow. Please add the ones that you have found useful to learning, planning, executing your solar plan.

[ChrisRasman]

Originally Posted by Kiwi3

I just wanted to share some YouTube resources for people looking at solar installs.

- "We're Not Lost, We're RVing":
They have an entire series on solar installation. Currently they have 9 of the 15 planned videos out.
RV Solar Playlist

- "All about RVs":
Not specifically only solar, but some on boondocking and saving power. 9 videos.
RV Electrical Playlist

- "DIY Solar Power with Will Prowse":
Guy looks 18, but is pretty smart. He did fulltime up to last month, but bought a house as it was less expensive than lot rental in San Diego. LOL. Many videos, and has some pre-designed system plans for free on his website. His book is also free to read for Amazon Prime members.
DIY Solar Power with Will Prowse

These are a few of the channels I follow. Please add the ones that you have found useful to learning, planning, executing your solar plan.

Prowse is a smart kid. He has had quite a life. His videos going back talk all about it. He made his own name, wrote some books and is dong well for the first time.


https://youtu.be/K47NLwHyZng That is the one I am making. The guy is an engineer, but this is first foray into Solar. I think he has a few KWs of solar on his roof and it's motorized. He has a web site to show what he has done in detail on line. I have the Leaf battery pack sitting out back right now. That along with a bunch of gear to replace all the house battries, the inverter and more in the bus come this winter. I have a few more and will dig them up.

Funny, I jutst got a PM from Prowse about a question I had aske him. I told him his name came up here and it was like 'wow'. He is good about answering questions. He has his own ideas and lots of them are good. He is always moving forward so he don't seem to stay on one topic. He just bought a his first house from the profits from his books. He is talking robotics soon. He older vids are all about RV solar as he lived on the streets in an RV for a long time. Necessity is a mother.

[ChrisRasman]

https://www.mortonsonthemove.com/toms-tech-blog

Another guy on YT with lots of RV solar vids. He lives in his so he is always looking to tinker. He has an update on how charging through backward through a Victron battery protect was starting fires. He worked out a way to use a relay to do it safe. He is using Tesla battery packs. They are something.

[badandy]

Will is a BS artist trying to make money from affiliate links to products and his book on Amazon. He's not dumb, but he fabricates data and "facts" when he doesn't really know what he's talking about instead of learning first and then doing his videos. He is the guy who will explain to you that a manual screwdriver is the best way to install screws because he doesn't have an electric drill yet. He has like 10 videos comparing the cheapest junk solar panels to each other when he could spend less $/watt and get twice or sometimes 3x the power in the same sq inches. I could go on, but I can't stand watching his videos any more.

All about RV's is good. Saving power == making power.

If I see another Youtuber that has Battleb0rns and a V!ctron inverter I'm going to puke.

[Randy Dupree]

I am finally becoming interested in solar for my bus,but all i know about solar is it does not work at night.
Andy,can you give me some ideas on what to buy,i'm looking to order very soon.
And,anybody else that has thoughts,please share.

[ChrisRasman]

Originally Posted by badandy

Will is a BS artist trying to make money from affiliate links to products and his book on Amazon. He's not dumb, but he fabricates data and "facts" when he doesn't really know what he's talking about instead of learning first and then doing his videos. He is the guy who will explain to you that a manual screwdriver is the best way to install screws because he doesn't have an electric drill yet. He has like 10 videos comparing the cheapest junk solar panels to each other when he could spend less $/watt and get twice or sometimes 3x the power in the same sq inches. I could go on, but I can't stand watching his videos any more.

All about RV's is good. Saving power == making power.

If I see another Youtuber that has Battleb0rns and a V!ctron inverter I'm going to puke.

I agree. The BattleB0rns are the rich mans easy way to solar. I was going to go that way, then I found the idea for a bigger, better battery (hopefully). I did buy 6 battelB0rns before I got to this point. I do have a fire protection system with a kill circuit for the power system. My intention is to replace the house batteries with a 48 volt pile of leaf batteries running a 5Kva Victron inverter with a few 48 volt to 12 volt converters. They will weigh a bit less and make for a bigger punch. Victrons are going into a lot of new high end Class As as as original equipment. I may use the BB batteries on their own little inverter, solar setup for the fridge and DC lighting and back up start. Things go right, I may be able to run one AC boon-docking on solar.

[ChrisRasman]

https://www.santansolar.com/ the guy is in the US, easy to deal with and reachable. I bought 4 big panels not long after I bought 4 new smaller ones for more money. They came freight, well packed and in good shape. Like a year old. Saves $$$.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1


The solar controller. This is a big one, you can get smaller, cheaper. It has Bluetooth so you don't have to have one of their master panels. I got one anyway because I am using more of their gear. You can set it up from your phone or a laptop. Panels make more than 12 volts. That's why you can set up the out voltage in the controller to charge your house battries.

Then you need a way to get this 'free' voltage to your house batteries. You can feed this right to to the batteries from the solar controller. You might have to add a big diode to the line to protect it from the Trace charger. Not sure. Leaving the original system alone, this should be all you need with some extra circuit breakers and or fuses.

I'm still figuring it out the exact way to work my planned setup. I intend to go much farther as I have described above, Only thing left from the original system will be the generator. In my case, it can feed the inverter solar to the inverter and that will step up the voltage to charge the 48 volt battery. I am sure their will be others to confirm or deny my plan. That's fine, I may learn something. I saw something a new about LiPo batteries. This one big battery is as big as a foot locker and takes the place of all the house battries. Its like 10 grand. Its no heaver and stores like twice the power.

[ChrisRasman]

http://midnitesolar.com/

This company has been making solar gear since the 1970s. Some really like them. I admit to being a Victron fanboy as its is the newest today. I do not mind leaning new things and I am wrong at times. willing to learn.

[badandy]

Originally Posted by Randy Dupree

I am finally becoming interested in solar for my bus,but all i know about solar is it does not work at night.
Andy,can you give me some ideas on what to buy,i'm looking to order very soon.
And,anybody else that has thoughts,please share.

Gotta start with real estate here - can you fit large residential 60 or 72 cell panels or do you need to stick to 36-cell 'RV' sized panels?

Originally Posted by ChrisRasman

I agree. The BattleB0rns are the rich mans easy way to solar. I was going to go that way, then I found the idea for a bigger, better battery (hopefully).

They are way overpriced, but seem to be quality. The issue I have is that they "sponsored" all of these Youtubers. Go see campervankevin's youtube for a good laugh. He installed the BB/Vic setup with like 1000w solar and ended up with a 6k btu window a/c unit hanging out the side. Heaping praise for that guy, he's got it figured out.

Originally Posted by ChrisRasman

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Then you need a way to get this 'free' voltage to your house batteries. You can feed this right to to the batteries from the solar controller. You might have to add a big diode to the line to protect it from the Trace charger. Not sure. Leaving the original system alone, this should be all you need with some extra circuit breakers and or fuses.

That MPPT is literally 10x oversized. That thing will handle 17,500 watts of solar panels. The 150/35 is more appropriate for a 3rd the price, but it's your money!

[badandy]

Originally Posted by ChrisRasman

http://midnitesolar.com/

This company has been making solar gear since the 1970s. Some really like them. I admit to being a Victron fanboy as its is the newest today. I do not mind leaning new things and I am wrong at times. willing to learn.

I went with Midnite Kid for my MPPT. 48v has advantages!