So I have big plans and I need help

[Grimreaper86]

First off. I have 2 buses.

One is a 99 International DT466E and the other is an 01' International T444E.

I'm looking at making these RV's of sorts. However they can fulfill somewhat different niche needs. Specifically it would be cool if one of them was strong enough to run a welder off of. Outside of all that, I want to be able to use a microwave, and maybe a computer or 2. Full size desktop. I'm thinking of getting an inverter that can do at least 8000 watts with 16000 watt peaks. I don't know entirely what I'm doing. I'm not MADE of money but I'm not broke either and I have a pretty damn good paying job. Looking something I can use shore power, solar power, generator power....really any power generation and ideally something that is more or less self sufficient ideally with solar or generator.

 

[AlphaHare]

No disrespect, but I'd suggest coming up with a more defined use plan before defining wattage and therefore costs.

Welders could be mild (Hobart Handler 140 MIG 115VAC) self-contained stick with genset (Hobart Champion 145) and the sky is the limit. Off-road folks use small alternator-driven welders. Used welder/gensets are on ebay and you see them all the time on the back of trucks. Microwave might only be 1000W but only 30 mins a day or less. Laptops are easy but a gaming tower is more like 1000W and 100% duty cycle while using.

Full bore looks like this:

 

[Grimreaper86]

I would like to be able to use a regular size MIG rig like the Hobart ones you mentioned. The bigger power concern is running desktop computer ideally. I have 3 kids too. All of them tend to want to use a screen at least some of the time. Especially in any long trip.

 

[Rucker]

Easiest would be 50A shore power, assuming you have places you can hook up to. But why do you need the welder? Is it for work?

Next easiest would be to buy a used Onan Generator, providing you can stand the noise. I picked up a 6.5KW unit for a few hundred bucks. Big and noisy, I don't use it, but it's just in case...

Solar will never provide enough power for heavy electric loads. Others can argue the point but they and you will be wasting your time.

Here's the formula for system costs: $1 per watt squared. I'm making it up, but you probably get the idea: the bigger your system, the even more bigger and badder the cost. Like Alphahare says, and I'll paraphrase with elaboration, you really need to understand what you're trying to do, specifically, so that as you research options and ask the questions you can start to understand how the puzzlepieces fit together.

One more thought: a 2000 watt inverter goes a long way for power. Couple it with a couple of 100 amp LiFePo batteries and you have juice for a good while. Add 400 watts of solar and you extend your range; get a slightly more powerful solar charge controller and you have room to expand panels (and add batteries). There's no harm just putting a small system together and trying it out.

That's the way I learned...

 

[Grimreaper86]

Easiest would be 50A shore power, assuming you have places you can hook up to. But why do you need the welder? Is it for work?

Next easiest would be to buy a used Onan Generator, providing you can stand the noise. I picked up a 6.5KW unit for a few hundred bucks. Big and noisy, I don't use it, but it's just in case...

Solar will never provide enough power for heavy electric loads. Others can argue the point but they and you will be wasting your time.

Here's the formula for system costs: $1 per watt squared. I'm making it up, but you probably get the idea: the bigger your system, the even more bigger and badder the cost. Like Alphahare says, and I'll paraphrase with elaboration, you really need to understand what you're trying to do, specifically, so that as you research options and ask the questions you can start to understand how the puzzlepieces fit together.

One more thought: a 2000 watt inverter goes a long way for power. Couple it with a couple of 100 amp LiFePo batteries and you have juice for a good while. Add 400 watts of solar and you extend your range; get a slightly more powerful solar charge controller and you have room to expand panels (and add batteries). There's no harm just putting a small system together and trying it out.

That's the way I learned...

I am a union sheet metal worker by trade. I also do lots of personal projects that usually benefit from welding. Right now, my long term goals with my buses are essentially a to make them places to live that I can use to help myself and my family move from Indiana to Washington state. Why two? For a couple reasons...I intend to make them tow trailers on the way there to help transport things...and the biggest reason is really because once we get there as someone moving to as different local I don't get first dibs on where I can work...which means the only available work immediately on arrival would likely be travel pay work. While they do pay for **** like motels...one it would save me money to have my own place I can take with me and two I could have my family with me if they so desired until I had a more local position to where we intend to have a home. After that I would definitely want to make one of the buses less of a living situation...whichever one I commit to stronger power set up for a welder...and make it into a sort of mobile work shop. Maybe make a business of being a badass sheet metal worker on my own...not sure on that...I just want to start with making them both sort of livable with a bigger emphasis to one on accomidating larger work loads...the one my family will primarily be in...accomidating 3 children, my wife, and myself...would idealy be able to use a big ass tv or several monitors and desktops...shore power is something I want on both...I like the suggestion of generator...I'll look into that. I've got a 9500 watt generator I think will probably be sufficient for at least one of them....I do like the idea of solar...I want that to be sustainable....but you make it sound like that's not really viable...perhaps you are right...that sucks if so but I don't know from experience

 

[ewo1]

Why two? For a couple reasons...I intend to make them tow trailers on the way there to help transport things...

I also hae two busses and did the same thing your mentioning. I used btoth busses to move from South Florida to Central Tx. One bus I used as a moving truck. The other bus I only loaded up the back half as I had a temporary bed on the floor in the front half. You can fit a whole lot inside a roof raised RE bus!!!

My only suggestion would be to build in some sort of Cargo netting so that if your did have to slam on the brakes all that stuff doesn't come flying forward!

You could simply add E-tracks on the bus walls in order to support any kind of cargo netting.

 

[Grimreaper86]

I never though of implementing E-tracks in a bus for some reason...that makes so much sense though.

 

[hmoore]

I was thinking about a similar project and also looking for options to power VR, so you can use both a microwave and a computer, and sometimes plug in something powerful like a welder. I was looking at an inverter of at least 8,000 watts, but found that for the stable operation of powerful devices, you need to think about the battery system and overload protection. Solar panels are a good idea, but one generator for such peaks may not be enough, especially if you turn everything on at once.

 

[AlphaHare]

Make sure you're realistic in your actual use case. It's easy to think 'TEOTWAWKI' but for most people your projects are probably going to be a lot more like this. This video a shameless plug for Anker (and that's not how I'll be doing it), but it does show how far you can go with a simple setup.

https://www.ankersolix.com/products/f2000?variant=49702419202378&ref=memorial-day-sale_img