Off Grid Solar Power - How to Calculate Your Needs

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1. videos are great. simple and direct with good info. i'm building my conversion van now and your vids are helping a lot in the fuzzy areas.
2. one of the best explanation on ytube great job
3. wow awesome info and great vid. tyvm
4. Demystifying!
5. What company would you recommend to buy from for the solar panels
6. exploring alternatives very nice and clear video thank you. Still struggling with personal questions though!
   
   Can anyone give some insight:
   
   I am working on a very similar project and i have a window of 50 more days before my schedule tightens back up. I need to get a solar system on my van quick style. I have a couple questions maybe you'd be kind enough to throw some ideas my way...
   
   I want 1000 watts of panels as well. It seems extremely tough to get help on the subject though.
   
   I don't want to get a kit because like making your own computer i'm sure there's better products available. This is what i need your guys' experience in.
   
   Pretty standard:
   
   If i had a 960-1000 watt panel system:
   
   -What would be the best controller.
   -What would be the best/Safest Inverter.
   -How many batteries (I like the Vmax 155ah deep cycle ones)
   -What should i use for fuses/fuse box
   -and what kind of wire is safe to put it all together with. I really need to know what wire i will be connecting the controller to the panels because i need to run that wire and start closing up the walls.
   
   Anything will help guys.. and if you happen to know a good source for more info
   
   I just want to make sure i put this together with the correct components. My budget is the exact cost. which means i'll be over guaranteed.) no room to fudge up
7. you are the best! just mentioning the capacity of inverter need was all I needed to know.
   
   *Hugs
8. and you could of saved money by buying a battery isolator and battery. so you have one battery to start your van, one to run what you want with your inverter. no need to spend $300 on a solar panel. your alternator would charge it.
9. How about setting up satellite internet with your solar power equipment in a camp van. Could you make a video about that?
10. Very Well Video i recommend it to everyone who needs or is asking this information
11. Your method is technically inaccurate, but oddly, it still kind of works. What you need is the total INPUT power of all your loads, then add them up to size your solar system. But you're using the "maximum output power" of your power converters which is inaccurate.
    
    This error is kind of like saying since your car can go 120 MPH (maximum), you can use this maximum speed when you need to calculate a distance travelled. Drive two hours, that must mean you're 240 miles away. You'll always overestimate the distance travelled by using a maximum value.
    
    It's very unlikely any device consumes the maximum output power available. By using the maximum power of each device's power supply, you're overestimating the power need.
    
    Also, you're not factoring in any conversion losses of the converters, which increases the each power supply's input power.
    
    But two wrongs, or three in this case, can sometimes make a right. The extra margin you inadvertently calculated helps keep you from overloading the solar inverter. But it may also push you into a more expensive system you don't need.
    
    A better method would be to get a Kill-A-Watt power meter and measure all your loads. Then size your solar with a reasonable margin beyond that.
12. this is the best video I've seen on YouTube so far explaining solar power. expescially for a newbie like me. THANK YOU
13. My battery is show up cold cranking Amp at 0 f 650 cranking Amps at 32 f 813 reserve capacity 130. So my question, how Amp- hour, How many Ah of that battery?
14. What happens if I want to run some for longer than others how will I add that up
15. Oven
    Fridge
    Stove
    Microwave
    Charge laptop and phones
    Small Washing machine
    What would I need to run that everyday
16. Thanks so much
17. Thank u so much for such a clear explanation. You got my problem solved.
18. Thank u so much for such a clear explanation. You got my problem solved.
19. absolutely useful