Some clients bring us rigs with very little work done in terms of making the van a viable place to live. An empty rig gives us plenty of options when it comes to strategizing the placement of our equipment, but we also want to make sure that our clients have some flexibility as they make changes. We completed this installation knowing that when the client ultimately builds out their rig they may need to move our equipment. This van was set up so that the client can relocate the components we installed (if needed) without much of a headache.
Foretravel, 40’
This client originally requested to have three SF180 Solar Power Kits installed, along with a 40A charge controller. After about a month he realized that he didn’t have enough solar power to meet his needs and he came back to upgrade his system. We added three more SF180 Solar Panel Kits, and replaced the 40A charge controller with an 85A Victron charge controller to accommodate the additional solar charging current. We always recommend that our clients have us install a system that is easily expandable to avoid duplicate costs. It is much more cost effective to install a larger system core that allows for expansion than it is to install a smaller system core that has to be completely replaced in order to add additional power.
8/25/17 – 2017 Surveyor Travel Trailer, 32’
This client wanted to install a small amount of solar power now with the potential for adding more in the future. We fully wired their trailer, installed a 40A Blue Sky charge controller, our AM Solar Roof Combiner Box, and 360 Watts of solar power. When ready to expand, all they will need to do is mount more solar panels to the roof, and wire them into the Combiner Box. That’s a job they should easily be able to do themselves as a DIY project now that the hard work is out of the way.
8/23/17 – Airstream Flying Cloud 25 FB
On Airstreams, due to their rounded roofs, we often use different sized feet to attach the solar panels to the roof. Some clients like to have the panels conform to the curvature of their roof, others prefer a more level appearance. We are happy to install them either way, or even come up with custom mount sets when necessary. This client asked us to use taller feet on the outside, and shorter feet on the inside, resulting in a flatter look. At the end of the day it’s only about personal preference as the performance difference is generally negligible.
8/31/17 – 2016 Winnebago View, 25.5’
The pictures in this post show the steps we had to take in order to upgrade this client’s battery bank from two 12V wet cell batteries connected in parallel (150Ah) to their new battery bank comprised of two 6V Lifeline AGM GPL 6CT batteries (300Ah) connected in series. The battery bay was too small to accommodate the new AGMs without modifying the bay lid. A plasma cutter was used to remove most of the metal top of the battery bay so that the battery terminals would not touch the metal lid. Now there is just enough room for the new the batteries to fit, thus doubling their battery capacity as a result.
8/29/17 – 2017 Phoenix Cruiser 2552, 28’
This client requested as much solar power as possible. We ended up installing 640W of solar power within the limited space available on their roof. We also installed a Trik-L-Start charger which takes power from their solar charged house batteries and transfers it to the starter battery. The Trik-L-Start charger is particularly useful when the vehicle is parked for extended periods of time. You won’t have to worry about your starter battery dying, and it helps maximize the life of the battery.
8/31/17 – 2016 Winnebago Era, 24’
This client requested to have a portable panel installed along with an additional 300W of solar power on their roof. We provided a 120W portable panel from @zampsolar, and we installed a portable panel plug on their bumper for easy access. All they have to do is plug the panel in, put it a sunny area, and it will produce solar power. In the event they are parked in a shaded area they still have a way to harness the power of the sun.
9/1/17 – 1999 Roadtrek Dodge 170
Space can be an issue for some of our clients who want as much solar power as possible, but don’t have much room. The available space on this roof was very limited, and we concluded that our standard solar panels would not provide the best fit for this client. Our friends @zampsolar provided these slim 80W solar panels that fit perfectly on the sides of this client’s air conditioner. Zamp Solar also offers some awesome portable solar panels that are designed and built right here in the United States.
9/15/17 – 2008 Pleasure-Way, 21’
This client wanted to be able to run his microwave, and he wanted all of his AC outlets to be functional when dry camping. The existing battery bank was not large enough to power the loads he was planning on running. It’s recommended that when running a heavy AC load (like a microwave) you want to have at least a 300Ah to 400Ah battery bank. We doubled the size of his battery bank (from 220Ah to 440Ah), installed a solar charging system and an inverter, which should give him the power he needs to be comfortable while dry camping.
9/19/17 – 2013 Hallmark Guanella Truck Camper
This weekend camper came to us to have a small solar system installed with the potential for future expansion. The SP100 solar panel we installed will help power his light DC loads while the camper is in use. When the camper is not in use the solar power will help keep his batteries charged and in good health. We also installed a Victron BMV-702 Battery Monitor to allow him to easily monitor the charge level of his battery bank.
9/7/17 – 1998 Lazy Daze w/ Chevy Chassis, 26’
This client is a collector of Lazy Daze RV's. This is the 3rd solar and mobile power system we have installed for him. He told us his next Lazy Daze will be for his retirement, and he’ll bring it in to us for one final AM Solar system installation. We hope he’s enjoying a few “lazy days” while dry camping, and using a little solar power to run some of his light DC loads.
9/8/17 – 2013 Newmar Dutchstar, 43’
We like to install our systems as cleanly, and as easy to manage as possible. These clients came to us with an existing battery bank wired by the manufacturer that worked well enough, but wasn’t quite as clean or as orderly as we would prefer. During the process of installing their new battery monitor we cleaned up the battery bank and decluttered some of the wiring to create a more efficient battery bank. We also installed 1440 Watts of solar power which will go a long way towards offsetting the power used by their residential fridge.
9/13/17 – 5th Wheel Tahoe, 23’
These clients came to us wanting to have a small amount of solar power installed with the potential to install more at a later date. We installed one SF180 solar panel with a 50A charge controller and wired the rig with 4-gauge cable from the battery bank to the roof. The 50A charge controller is powerful enough for them to install three more SF180 panels. By installing the oversized charge controller now, we eliminated the need for them to install a new charge controller (saving them some money) when they expand in the future. The roof C-Box was also installed with expansion in mind.
8/4/17 – 2018 Airstream Classic, 33’
This is the most solar power we have ever installed on an Airstream. Our client will be able to run their residential refrigerator and even an air conditioner for a few hours at a time. This is the gold standard for an Airstream power system upgrade and the artistry and technical know-how demonstrated on this job are why AM Solar is typically booked out four months in advance.
7/31/17 – 2017 Airstream Grand Tour, 24’
Smaller RVs, like this Airstream Grand Tour, can provide some challenges when it comes to finding enough room to install all the necessary components without taking up too much of our client’s storage space. For this client, we were able to install the vast majority of their system underneath their couch (not the solar panels though), minimizing the footprint of the system. The Battery Management System we installed is removable, which can make upgrading much easier.
7/28/2017 – 2016 Winnebago Solei, 38’
Our combiner box (C-Box) is custom made by AM Solar for efficiently combining solar panel output cables and sealing off a roof penetration. It’s rugged and spacious design make installation and troubleshooting very easy. It is the most efficient way to install a lot of solar with only a single penetrating hole through the roof. It has eight possible ports and can use up to 2-gauge cable, which allows for installation of larger solar arrays. We have installed as many as 16 solar panels (1600W) onto one roof using just one C-box (in 8 series pairs). It has a very small footprint for its available capacity, and it is sealed to ensure that it is completely waterproof.
6/23/2017 – 2006 Lazy Daze, 27’
These clients came to us with an existing solar system that they wanted to expand. We were able to utilize a lot of their existing system by doing series/parallel connections on their roof, saving them some money on parts and labor. They also requested a larger battery bank. Their existing battery bay wasn’t large enough to accommodate the four additional AGM batteries we installed, so we put half of them inside the existing bay, and the other half in their coach underneath their dining room bench. The additional 300W of solar power, and the added battery capacity will allow them to dry camp for a longer period of time.
6/26/2017 – 2017 Arctic Fox 295T, 40’
This client just text messaged me and said he has been dry camping for the last 18 days without turning on his generator. We installed 640W of solar power along with a 600Ah AGM battery bank. We set up the system with future expansion in mind, which could include another 480W of solar panels on the existing charge controller. We also incorporated a portable solar panel, which uses a separate Bluetooth capable charge controller.
6/20/2017 – 2017 Wildwood ToyBox, 28’
These clients were already very familiar with off-grid living before they came to us. They own property that is completely off-grid, and they live there self-sufficiently. In order to take their off-grid lifestyle mobile, they came to us to have a small mobile power system installed on their Wildwood trailer. We installed 320W of solar power, a 220Ah battery bank and a 250W inverter, which is just enough DC and AC power to provide energy to meet their minimalistic needs.
6/8/2017 – 2015 Redwood 38RL, 42’
This client asked us to install as much solar power as we could fit onto their roof. We installed ten 160W solar panels providing a total of 1600 Watts of solar power. This amount of solar power is an excellent match for their 800Ah lithium battery bank and will allow them to run their outlets, residential refrigerator, microwave, washer and dryer, dishwasher, fireplace, and their air conditioner without running their generator.