Just portables doable?

[Basecamp70]

We have a small Jackery that handles all phones, cameras etc. The only things we will need to power in our schoolie is the 12v fridge and a fan or two. Between self solared lights and gas stoves that's all the power we need so we are considering a jackery 1500 to run fridge and fan. Anyone do this? I can't really figure why with such small power need we would do an electrical system.

[Bert06840]

I’d go for minimum viable.

If you can run your fridge long enough off one charge, why not?

If you have an efficient 12V fridge, you’d get about two days.

[Danjo]

Someone else brought up those battery packs. They seem pretty impressive but really aren’t they just a battery with a charge controller, rectifier and an inverter?

Without any experience with them, I’d say they seem like a great occasional solution for weekend camping and emergencies.

By the numbers, the 400 watt solar kit costs about what I paid for nearly double the usable watt-hour capacity.

It sure simplifies things though, doesn’t it? I also like being able to unplug it and removing it.

[Bert06840]

You pay for convenience. I think they are not a bad solution at all if you don't have continuous need for a large, fixed installation.

[Photobug]

I built my own 600 AH portable battery pack. It fits in a tool box has a solar charger and an inverter. I use a portable charger that I can move back and forth to charge it. I also have it set up to be able to plug into a "coach" battery if needed to work in conjunction with a built-in battery bank.

You could have a lot of options if you build your own it all depends on how efficient your power needs are.

[peteg59]

Full timing, probably not.*

Weekend or short duration usage, probably so.

*You'd need to be able to charge one regularly, as they only provide useful power for relatively limited time.
You'll need at least one of the following to sustain continued usage: Solar, generator, vehicle cig lighter, or shore power to recharge

Hope that helps!

[Basecamp70]

Thx all, yes they charge off of portable solar panels, car or outlet.

[Photobug]

Originally Posted by Basecamp70

Thx all, yes they charge off of portable solar panels, car or outlet.

You would be hard pressed to get a good charge off the car cigarette lighter unless you drove a lot each day. If you are relying on solar, a few days of rain or clouds would make it hard to keep the battery topped off.

[LargeMargeInBaja]

Originally Posted by Basecamp70

We have a small Jackery that handles all phones, cameras etc. The only things we will need to power in our schoolie is the 12v fridge and a fan or two. Between self solared lights and gas stoves that's all the power we need so we are considering a jackery 1500 to run fridge and fan. Anyone do this? I can't really figure why with such small power need we would do an electrical system.

.
Basecamp70,
.
(I usually 'edit for brevity'.
I include your entire post because you realize the potential for simplicity... because you question 'the usual way'.
Our fridge is a SnoMaster 61qt, extremely efficient chest dual-zone.)
.
After fussing with fussy electric 'systems' for forever, we concluded we can get along just fine with hardly anything.
.
You mention fans.
We use a Craftsman 20v portable.
We can place it on the floor inside the doorway, on a rack at the foot of the bed, we can set it on a picnic table outside.
One two-amp battery goes a couple-three nights on 'low'.
.
We delivered RecreationVehicles manufacturer-to-dealer and dealer-to-shows.
I know I harp endlessly about the darn things, their unnecessary complexity of components cobbled into remarkably complex 'systems'.
And my favorite -- interiors designed by drunk Romans evicted from their former jobs designing casinos:
* Chandelier -- check.
* Marble counters -- check.
* side-by-side 14,657cf fridge-freezer with room for decades of left-overs -- check.
* Entertainment 'center' with electric fireplace and optional wine-chiller -- check check check.
.
Ultimately, I despise factory RecreationVehicles for their inefficiency and lack of robustness.
That, and holes in the roof.
Nobody in their right mind intentionally puts holes in a perfectly good roof.
Opinion.
.
(Nobody in their right mind needs a 2,000 square-foot residence for one person, yet I visit elderly shut-ins constantly harping about the utility bill, the neighbors, the repairs.
That is nuts.
If it bothers you yet you keep doing it, an astute person might conclude you like complaining...)
.
After living aboard full-time for nearly two decades -- and part-time since the 1970s -- we are confident smaller is better, modular and portable appliances are better.
.
A big plus:
* in case of rioters, we can drive over to watch
* in case of floods and volcanoes popping their tops, we can adjust our Permanent Vacation plans to head over to watch
See?
Advantage right there!
.
Woe!, the many hardships conjured by stand-still people:
* "aren't you afraid! of breaking-down! and and and never! finding a tire/mechanic/beverage-dispenser!"
* "what if dinosaurs! attack! and and and Martians! escape! your basement andandand TheEconomy©!!! does/doesn't!"
* "you can never!! find anybody for a relationship because you have no! permanent! location! andandand you will die! alone!"
.
Well, in that case, I better work in a cube-farm and rent a flat and save for the weekend.
Hilarious.
.
Basecamp70,
You might be on to something significant.
[ applause ]
From everything I see about portable all-in-one such as the Jackery 1500 with portable photovoltaic panels as a one-time purchase, engineered for compatibility, I think that type of electric makes great sense.
.
Some folks in Idaho are chatting-up their Titan all-in-one 'solar generator'.
According to the press-release, the battery packs are infinitely expandable.
The original pack is a 105ah (from memory), aux packs are 200ah, and connect automatically by stacking or cabling.
Give a looksie:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WPu6cd1Pn5w

[john61ct]

A fridge is not a small load, especially in hot weather.

200Ah really will get you past low input days more often than only 100Ah.

And neither are really that portable in lead chemistry.

Go with 4S LFP cells, save a lot not buying pre-made powerpaks like that.

[Bert06840]

John is right, a fridge is not a small load. I bought a reasonably efficient “dorm fridge” last year. It burns through 1 kWh a day if you don’t open it too much.

This year I bought a “mini full size” fridge/freezer, but I went for the most efficient one on the market. I’m using it just like I would at home. It needs about 2 kWh a day, maybe a little less.

[Photobug]

Originally Posted by Bert06840

John is right, a fridge is not a small load. I bought a reasonably efficient “dorm fridge” last year. It burns through 1 kWh a day if you don’t open it too much.

This year I bought a “mini full size” fridge/freezer, but I went for the most efficient one on the market. I’m using it just like I would at home. It needs about 2 kWh a day, maybe a little less.

Wouldn't a 12v camping style fridge or freezer combo save a ton on energy needs?

[Danjo]

Originally Posted by Photobug

Wouldn't a 12v camping style fridge or freezer combo save a ton on energy needs?

I got one because I think it does. I just don’t have any real numbers to prove it. It’s a 4.3 cu ft chest style fridge/freezer. Manufacturer says 540Wh/day. I’m sure that’s under ideal conditions. Maybe 800Wh-1kWh per day?

[musigenesis]

My 4 cu. ft. chest freezer with thermostat gadget to keep it at 37°F uses about 400 watt-hours a day (running on AC, sitting in my garage which gets over 100°F during the day lately).

[Bert06840]

Hacked chest freezers are the way to go if you want to have several cubic feet and you are going for maximal power efficiency.

I’d you want something smaller, an efficient 12v compressor fridge us the way to go.

[john61ct]

No matter how efficient, anything usable will require either a large capacity battery or ready power inputs guaranteed every day.

Talking extended times off grid not overnights

[Basecamp70]

All great points and advice. With some of the "solar generators" I have looked at they have between 1500 to over 2000 watt hours. From what I have been reading if this is only for a chest style (rv) fridge it should run for two to three days no problem and with 200-400 watts of panels out as long as it's partly sunny to sunny every two to three days it will run the fridge no problem.
We will be out a lot longer than weekends however we're chasing weather or avoiding winter climates. In our state (Fl) you'd be hard pressed to see 3 cloudy days in a row. We cook with gas and fires, have solar lights and oil lanterns that we sailed with for years. As for small electronics like phones etc, I plan on using a much smaller solar unit.

[cadillackid]

I set up actual batteries in my bussimply because of reserve.. I have a portable solar panel and it doesnt work bad when the wind doesnt blow it over and it isnt cloudy ( I live in ohio.. im thinking we are the seattle of the midwest....).



if I use the batteries up i find its hard to create enough power to continue using and also recharge.. I wanted to be able to have extra.. since I do charge my battery packs with my alternator when driving, having more batteries means I can put more Amp-hours into the batteries per hour of driving than I can with small units like the couple "bag batteries" I have. I do like portables.. esp really small ones for outings.. I want to be away from power for awhile carrying my laptop and know ill be out longer than its battery allows.. a portable with its solar panel on the flap of my backpack gives me surprising amount of charge when out walking around or hanging out.

[Danjo]

Along the same vein, although out of scope of the OPs original question, a guy I know runs the lights on his tiny house on cordless tool batteries. He rigged a shoe from a battery tool to his wiring. With LED lights they last a surprisingly long time. Although a small thing, it’s given him opportunity to enjoy his tiny home while he gets the funds together to pay for the solar

[cadillackid]

tool batteries charge up really fast.. ive never tried to gauge capacity and number of charge cycles.. although they must last a while since im guessing pros that use tools probably put at least 1 or 2 charge cycles on a battery per day and people dont seem to complain about their batteries going bad often.