VW Bus and Solar: Comprehensive Guide (Updated 4-17-09)

[Air_Cooled_Nut]

[Desertbusman]

Where's Nigel?
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71 Superbug
71 Westy

[TheTominator]

It looks to me like this thing could go the way of the tire sticky. That is, tons of never ending data and opinions. A lot of stuff to wade through, and you end up confused. Maybe motor oil is a better example. You can read till you drop about it, and still not be certain you are using the best product for your Bay.

This isn't a sticky yet, might not ever be. Personally, I think it could be two good stickies. One for the low budget campers, another for those interested in the latest and greatest greenery.

Here's a proposal for you Emmitt2222. Constantly edit your first post as you learn. Make it the ONE post people can go to and get a definitive answer on YOUR subject. Then they can read the other following 1000 posts, if they are so inclined. I kinda like the way I volunteered you Bud. If you don't feel like doing it, maybe someone else will.
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"A foolish faith in authority is the worst enemy of truth" Albert Einstein - 1901

If I can't curse, I can't fix it.
71 Bus
78 HD FXS Lowrider 1200cc
An Oldsmobile for crying out loud.

[Air_Cooled_Nut]

[barrysmith]

[Traveling Writer]

Sorry to bump, but this is exactly what I suggested! To sink the cell into the luggage rack to keep it out of view for safety as well as wind resistance.... add a metal scissor frame to lift it out of the luggage rack and tilt it and you're set!

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Cheers,
Davi

1977 2.0 FI Westy
2011 1200cc Yamaha Super Tenere
1976 Feet (they work surprisingly well)

[TheTominator]

That's gonna turn out good TW. A suggestion though, what if you always try to park with one side facing south, (here in the U.S. at least). That way you could attach the south end of the panel with hinges to the rooftop. You could fabricate a rod for the north end that would allow you to prop the panel at different angles. Much simpler, I think.
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"A foolish faith in authority is the worst enemy of truth" Albert Einstein - 1901

If I can't curse, I can't fix it.
71 Bus
78 HD FXS Lowrider 1200cc
An Oldsmobile for crying out loud.

[TheTominator]

Hey Emmitt, "The Idiotic Guide" may already exist. Or, it might be what it purports to be.......

http://www.efficientplanetreview.net/
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"A foolish faith in authority is the worst enemy of truth" Albert Einstein - 1901

If I can't curse, I can't fix it.
71 Bus
78 HD FXS Lowrider 1200cc
An Oldsmobile for crying out loud.

[Emmitt2222]

[Emmitt2222]

Just spent my Sunday hooking up the car battery to the controller.

I drilled a hole into the bottom of the closet and brought the wire out there and then right down through metal engine cover. Then, I just ran the wire along the back of the firewall and through the side directly to the battery.

With the car battery wired, the controller and monitor are now operating, showing the stats for the battery.

I also used VHB tape to secure the two panels together today and will wait a few days for the tape to completely settle. Securing the panels to the roof is still going to give me the most trouble. I want to use the VHB tape exclusively if possible to avoid drilling so many holes into the top, but I have to make sure that it will hold them VERY secure.

Hopefully more pictures to come once I have the Deep Cycle installed under the Z-Bed and the panels on top.

[Air_Cooled_Nut]

Curious as to why people put a battery under the Z-bed when there's the other side of the engine bay that's wiiiiiiiide open? That's where I put mine.
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Toby http://www.aircoolednut.com/
Did I mention that I'm an original Darksider?
'72 VW Squareback, 2007cc, GB 5-speed, rag top; '76 VW Riviera Penthouse Sundowner 2.0L; 2015 Audi S5 Cabby w/Stage II APR; '06 Ducati Sport Classic 1000; '14 Ducati Diavel Strada
The First Invasion

[rockfish]

If you choose to mount on your top/pop-top, you may want to consider a pin/hinge system so that you can remove your panel to:
A) Storage / Theft-Prevention
B) Park in the shade, position/place panel in the sun (use a tripod stand).

I'm sure there are some RV/Solar sites that sell the tripod set up --- some vendors like GW have created a mounting kit and tripod set up.
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89 Westy
GW 2.5 5-speed trans

"It's what you learn after you know it all that counts."
- John Wooden

[Emmitt2222]

[rockfish]

You may want to consider a series of smaller deep cycle batteries instead - easier to lift/handle, easier to distribute/fit into available space. Plus this gives you greater flexibility for building as much back up power as you need.

You referenced WestyVentures in your original post. Note that Karl used a series of four (4) wheel chair batteries (22a/h x 4 = 88a/h) to outfit his latest project. Although he did this in a Vanagon Westy, the same principle of connecting a series of deep cycle batteries will work in your Bay Westy as well. The batteries don't have to be right next to each other, just need to connect them in a series for this to work.

Of course you can use any size of deep cycle you'd like - for example, you could use 3 x 44a/h instead.

See this link:

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=312129&highlight=wheelchair+battery

As you set up your system - consider setting up a shore power option for your charging system. You never know when that might come in handy (especially if it's free or if you're at a campground where hook ups are provided...don't forget to check the campground amperage before connecting - if you only have 15amp capacity for AC power, you'll want to make sure you have a converter plug (30a to 15a) - many campsites are now 30amps).

You'll also want to think about an automatic battery isolator/switch...if your leisure batteries are fully charged, why not have your solar panel charge your starter battery as well?
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89 Westy
GW 2.5 5-speed trans

"It's what you learn after you know it all that counts."
- John Wooden

[kennypg79]

In the Real world my job is a sustainable energy Consultant, ans i spend alot of time doing sums on energy efficiency and renewable supply..... so when i got to my bus, i couldn't help doing all the maths. I was also doing a night course in domestic sustainable energy, and i asked the kind lecturer could i swap a house for the bus for my main assignment. It was "design a renewable energy system" I was in the process of doing all the wiring, so wiring sizing, load analysis, energy requirements, wind and solar, paybacks etc. I can send it on if anyone is interested in reading, it's only food for thought if you are going to install leisure electrics.

I have a Waeco 35l fridge and it has run for 6 days on my 110ah battery in 25 celcius ~ 80 F. It might have lasted longer, but that was all that was needed.... which brngs me to the point.

<4 days out and about, the LB does most of the work on one charge.
4-10 days, either a good spin or a plug in and recharge would keep me topped up, and in most cases if i head off in the van, i will not be stationary for more than 3 days, so it's a moot point. I mean that your trip length and type determines your need for solar.

If you are moving around a bit, short stays etc. then solar is not for you. If you are stationary, then perhaps you don't need to put it on the bus at all.... it could be "deployed" where you are staying.

My initial ideal goal was to stick flexible solar panels on the roof, but the poor efficiency and high cost detered me. In 3-5 years they will be available for half the price and maybe 50% better efficiency (at current trends).... so the wise man will wait.

[Traveling Writer]

Increasingly, I've been thinking about a removable solar panel option... I am stationary for long periods in the bus, and this particular panel seems pretty interesting. Charges laptops (my main draw) directly, but also charges car batteries. 50 inch roll, park in the shade, unroll it in the sun, waterproof, lock it up at night, featherweight, fairly cheap (500 bucks for the most expensive unit), no bus mods needed..... maybe a good choice?

http://www.inhabitat.com/2007/11/19/the-go-anywhere-solar-gadget-charger/
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Cheers,
Davi

1977 2.0 FI Westy
2011 1200cc Yamaha Super Tenere
1976 Feet (they work surprisingly well)

[Emmitt2222]

TW,

That portable solar looks like a good idea because it is so convenient, but you will always sacrifice money and charging power when you go with something flexible like that. But my laptop is also going to be one of my biggest energy hogs, so if you could get something like that to do the same job my setup does for way less work and $1,000 less, might as well!

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I have been making more progress with my solar, but it is slow going because I am trying to make sure everything is done correctly.

I finally picked out my deep cycle battery. I explored the option of having many smaller golf cart batteries hooked up in parallel, but decided to just go with one battery to keep things as simple as possible. I have enough to worry about with wiring that I didn't want to be doing any more than necessary.

I chose the Concorde AGM PVX-1080T Sealed Deep Cycle Battery, 108 Amp Hour 12 Volt

http://store.solar-electric.com/pvx-12105.html

This battery seemed to be a good choice because the company is considered the gold standard for deep cycle. As previously outlined, I determined that around 110AH battery would be best. There is a 104AH and 108AH battery available from Concord, but I decided to get the 108 for $20 more and 13 extra pounds.

The reason I decided to spend extra (and take on more weight) was because of the rate of discharge. The 108AH battery can actually last up to several hours more when used on a daily basis. A chart on the battery webpage shows the rating of the batteries when discharged over different periods of time and the 108AH conserves AH's better even when discharged quickly.


At this point, I have the SunSaver Duo installed, the car battery hooked up and the deep cycle installed under the z-bed. I went with taking up space under the z-bed instead of using the space in the engine compartment because, once again, I wanted to go for ease of use. With the battery in an easy to reach location, it will be simpler for me to hook up my electronics to it and I also plan on installing several DC sockets into the wood under z-bed right next to the AC plugs.

Now, all I need is the solar panels on my roof and I am completely set up! Unfortunately, I am still struggling to figure this last piece out. I have VHB tape, I have cheap brackets and screws from Mr. Solar and I also have more heavy duty brackets from Home Depot. I am not really happy with any of these choices at the moment, though, so I am still looking for any input on this area if possible.

So, anyone have ideas? If I did some sort of hinged bracket that I could remove the panels from, how would that work? I want to put as few holes as possible while still making absolutely sure that those panels aren't going anywhere.

[dubluvv]

[naynay]

Well, heres my 2 cents- I am an electronics student, and while doing research for a project, I found a website that explained how to build your own solar panels from "common hardware store" materials. and as I recall, it was a Lot cheaper.....
just a thought, and something I was planning on getting around to researching further in my "spare" time- which looks a lot like my "spare" change these days...
I looked for that link, and couldn't find it- but this one had a lot of interesting info- and More Links!
http://ezinearticles.com/?Do-it-Yourself-Solar-Pan...id=1648349
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74 Rivi

"Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you Can do." - John Wooden

[Air_Cooled_Nut]