Basic Solar Decisions

Tabaz

The microwave and A/C will need 110 volt from shore power, an inverter or a portable generator. Everything else in the TAB is 12 volts and will run off the TAB battery or shore power. If running on battery alone, you'll need to recharge the battery at some point with solar, a portable generator or shore power. I hope I got that right.

Nomad

GrandmasKid... For anything that's not 12v dc - that is, any item you can plug in to a socket in your house - you'll need to either be plugged into shore power or a generator and use the 110v outlets in the T@B. To run any of that off the T@B battery, you need an inverter. How big of an inverter depends on the draw of those gizmos and how big a battery (or battery bank) you have. Nothing actually runs off of solar panels. All they are doing is recharging the T@B battery.

Ratkity

I used to use a cpap before surgery. It had a 110v plug and a 12v plug. I used the 12v plug/cpap (Remstar brand, I think) in the RT Teardrop when I had no power. My solar did well (85w panel and group 24 85ah battery) for 3 nights using it. I also used the fantastic fan at night on low. While I had no problems for 3 nights of camping, but didn't have any other power usages (and no phantom draws in that little teardrop). This was in 2010 and cpaps have come a long long way. My BIL has one with a battery backup in case the power goes out at night. They are so much more sophisticated and way smaller! 

I know from another tent camper that his cpap used almost 30% of his group 24 battery in one night (small amp hr one). I offered to run the generator and charge him up during the day for a couple of hours during allowed times. He was a happy camper for the weekend and my generator got some needed run time for a couple nights. 

Regarding both microwave and AC, you probably won't be able to run both at the same time on a 2000w generator - especially if the AC compressor kicks in the same time you turn on the microwave. 2000w is peak run wattage on the Honda - it runs at 1600w sustained (non-Eco mode).

Just in my little house, I cannot run the hairdryer (1500w) and microwave at the same time (they are on the same 20A 110v circuit). This is normally not an issue because I live alone and use one appliance at a time, but I have to be careful when I have company. lol. The Honda 2000w generator output is 20A just like the circuit breaker in my house. I think the Honda 3000w has 30A service. You can also link 2x 2000w generators to get 30A service and run both microwave and AC. Might even run a coffee pot too! Not sure if you can add a hairdryer to that load, but you can experiment with that lol.

Tabaz

GrandmasKid said:

So, I need to contact my dealer, but it looks like even though my new Outback will come with a microwave, and a battery, and Zamp connections, the only way I'll be able to run the microwave will be to have shore power or install an inverter, i.e., the Outback won't have an inverter unless it's added on. Is that right? Will all the electrical things that run on shore power, except the refrigerator which is three way, need an inverter to work when we are without shore power? Even though I don't like the noise or having to haul and mess with gasoline, I think we would just buy a small generator if we weren't wanting to camp so high up. I'm sure we'll buy a generator for when we camp in the humid south. Maybe I should try to get my dealer to install an inverter before we take delivery on our Outback. Thank all of you for your thoughts and advice on this.

Do you have any pictures of the factory-installed microwave?  Curious as to where they put it.

GrandmasKid

LG hasn't gotten my Outback to the dealer yet, but I'm pretty sure it's just inside the door, on the left as one enters, across from the refrigerator. That's where on was in the MaxS the dealer showed me.

GrandmasKid

I'm just letting y'all know what I've settled on, and I'd like any feedback on whether you think It's a good choice. My dealer originally told me 4-6 weeks to receive our Outback and now I'm told it'll be nine weeks from when we ordered, which doesn't give us much time before we head out for a five week trip out west. I hope to do a little long weekend close to home to work out any bugs. For solar I've told the dealer I'll buy from them the Zamp 160amp suitcase system and a 24 group AGM battery that has 75 amp hours. The dealer had a better price on the solar panels than Amazon did. We'll have full hookups for AC in Death Valley and use the solar in high country of the Sierras where we won't need AC. Thanks for all your help.

Nomad

GrandmasKid - If you're going from Death Valley to the Sierras via the route west from Stovepipe Wells and you've never been on that route with a camper, make sure your brakes are working well - A very long 9% grade up and down. Personally I'd never do it again :-)

Tabaz

Any way you can reschedule your "five week trip out west" until you get some local time in your TAB? The Donner Party comes to mind. At a minimum, please bring food that does not require the microwave.  Assume for the days without shore power, the microwave is inoperable. Matter of fact, leave it at home. You do NOT want to drain your battery at the end of the day when you need battery power for the fridge, heat and food for the night. Also, your propane Alde and fridge act "funny" at higher altitudes. A PLB (personal locator beacon) might be a good investment.  It's called "death" valley for a reason.

GrandmasKid

Rescheduling would be costly in reservation cancelation fees and emotionally unsatisfying as it is our 40th wedding anniversary.

Nomad

Where in the Sierras you headed if you don't mind my asking?

lapowers57

GrandmasKid - I have the Zamp 160 after ordering it I was thinking that I should have got the 200.  Now I am glad I did not, the 160 is plenty big and has plenty of power.  Zamp says it is excellent for two series 24 or one series 27 battery and adequate for a pair of series 27 batteries or a pair of 6 volt batteries.  Here is a link to their recommendation page:  http://www.zampsolar.com/faqs/what-size-zamp-solar-portable-solar-system-do-i-need/.  The first thing I would do is see what size battery your dealer gave you.  Yes it will be a series 24 but series 24 batteries can run from 55 amp hours to a 100 or more.   My dealer gave me a very small 55 ah battery and I swapped it out for a 100 ah battery.  I stuck with the biggest series 24 I could get because it dropped right into the battery box and I really don't want to put the time into modifications if I don't have to.  I am hoping his combined with the panels will get us through the night with my wife using a c-pap.  If not I will buy a second series 24 like the one I am using.

With a DC system the battery is the heart of the system.  The Zamp solar panels provide a 12 volt charge that goes directly into the battery.  The battery supplies 12 volt current to all the devices in the trailer.  An inverter is a device that can take the 12 volt current and convert it to 120 volt current same as your house.  This can then power standard home appliances.  

Nomad

From an out in the real world perspective... I have the Zamp 120 and the normal 24 battery. Over 21 months full time and living off solar 85-90% of the time, it does just fine. During the height of the day I use an inverter to charge my computer, iDevices, shavers, camera batteries, etc. Only thing I'd change is a larger ah battery but it's not a pressing need. Will do it though at some point.
Now, that said, I'm not running a c-pap, I'm just running a couple lights and keeping my iDevices charged at night.

jkjenn

OutbackAZ said:

Any way you can reschedule your "five week trip out west" until you get some local time in your TAB? The Donner Party comes to mind. At a minimum, please bring food that does not require the microwave.  Assume for the days without shore power, the microwave is inoperable. Matter of fact, leave it at home. You do NOT want to drain your battery at the end of the day when you need battery power for the fridge, heat and food for the night. Also, your propane Alde and fridge act "funny" at higher altitudes. A PLB (personal locator beacon) might be a good investment.  It's called "death" valley for a reason.

I went west shortly after getting my T@b. You will be fine. Just make sure you monitor your battery. A locator is only really a big deal if hiking into the backcountry or driving to remote locations. Use common sense, always have ample water, and don't depend on your cell phone.

Tabaz

Jenn - I always take my PLB when traveling to any location with the word "death" in the title! Seriously, my 700W advertised microwave actually draws 900W when running.  Also, my battery will go from 100% capacity to 84% after using the microwave on high for only four minutes (varies on environmental conditions).  I have the 200W Zamp, 2000W inverter, Group 27 dual-purpose battery and BVM battery monitor.  Even with all that, I use my microwave cautiously. I just wanted to alert the poster to get a feel for the microwave/Zamp usage before heading out on a five week trip with a bunch of microwavable food in the frig. 

jkjenn

Yeah, these small battery banks are really not built to be running that kind of wattage. I am not surprised  at the burn rate. I don't miss the microwave, at all. The stove still repeats food and most microwave foods can be cooked on the stove top.

Ratkity

Stovetop popcorn tastes better than microwave ANY day YUM!

Nomad

I want a stove that "repeats" food so I don't have to cook ;-)

ericnliz

PXL, REALLY? wouldn't you get tired of repeat food? Or would it be.. CAN I HAVE SOME MORE SIR?

Photomom

Next T@B feature: food replicator from Star Trek: "Earl Grey, hot."

Mr_Mrs_Gnome

Photomom said:

Next T@B feature: food replicator from Star Trek: "Earl Grey, hot."

Make it so!

Nomad

She didn't say it repeats the same thing every time :-)

Ratkity

Ok, if we get replicators on T@Bs, I want a transporter too. A phaser might be illegal in some states, though. A tricorder is  must - one of the deluxe models that can fix boo-boos when accidentally tripping over a tent rope into a thorny cactus.

Photomom

I'm just glad I'm not the only nerd here.

Ratkity

Photomom said:

I'm just glad I'm not the only nerd here.

*mad scientist giggle - sorta scary sounding* There are spreadsheet nerds and labelmaker hoarders here too!!! (not that I would know much about the labelmakers).

GrandmasKid

Thanks for all the comments. I'm not going to use the microwave unless I have an electrical hookup. I will in Death Valley, but I won't in Sequoia and the high country above Yosemite Valley where I hope to have enough solar to keep the heat on and take a shower. We'll be at 6,000-8000 feet where gasoline generators don't run well but solar should be good with any luck. Will the water pump run on the battery? I hope so. Looks like I'm getting a group 24, 75 ampHour AGM battery. We'll be sure to bring both hot and cold weather clothing, and drink lots of water.

Nomad

Yep - Water pump runs on battery - It a juice hog.
Lovely area - Spent three weeks in the 395 valley corridor this winter.