The Moonshine Motel
- Thread starter GLTHFJ60
- Start date
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Probably because the end result will be very similar
Fort Knox
SILVER Star
I'm more built for ground-based partying these days. Just gotta make sure I don't set up my chair in the drop zone.
- Joined
- Jul 22, 2012
- Threads
- 584
- Messages
- 16,434
- Location
- Winter Park, Florida
- Website
- www.cruisermatts.com
Fort Knox
SILVER Star
if man can step foot on the moon, we can get you on the roof of a trailer Alan
My concern isn't the "getting on the roof" part. It's the falling off part. I gots a bunch more gravity than you.
- Thread starter
- #386
Pressure washing the roof so I can lay out and properly seal the panels after they're mounted. Turns out I can only fit 4 of these panels in front of the ac unit, and only after I remove these two vents.
Onwards and upwards.
Onwards and upwards.
- Thread starter
- #387
Neglected to order mounting feet for the last panel, but got a good amount done today. Removed both roof vents and filled the holes with some aluminum siding sheet left over, then mounted three panels and the cable entry gland. Good day.
Last panel will hopefully go up tomorrow, then onto the inside component mounting and wiring.
Last panel will hopefully go up tomorrow, then onto the inside component mounting and wiring.
Squirrel proof the wires. Mesh heavy gauge for the win!
- Thread starter
- #389
Got the last panel up this morning, things sealed up, all panels wired in series, and connected to the entry gland. 127ish volts measured from the leads inside, means success. Next up, inside work, getting the controller mounted and wired.
- Thread starter
- #390
Got to the interior wiring this afternoon. Built a panel to mount components to, and skinned it with aluminum, since the component spec is to mount to a non-flammable surface.
Once that was done, I got to work. Pretty happy with how it neat it is coming out. Once I get the data cable connected to the solar controller, I'll put the anl fuse in, and we'll have solar in the motel.
Very happy that I was able to move the battery anl fuse holder up to the panel off the floor. Love having power cables farther away from my feet.
Once that was done, I got to work. Pretty happy with how it neat it is coming out. Once I get the data cable connected to the solar controller, I'll put the anl fuse in, and we'll have solar in the motel.
Very happy that I was able to move the battery anl fuse holder up to the panel off the floor. Love having power cables farther away from my feet.
Nice work Johnny, does tempering 127 volts put off a lot of heat? Or does the charge controller cut off for most of the time? Or does it give you the capacity to run 120V AC directly off the panels? ( in theory)
FYI as an alternative to a metal / fireproof mount, you could use cement board type
FYI as an alternative to a metal / fireproof mount, you could use cement board type
- Thread starter
- #392
I'm not sure how much heat it'll put off to be honest, or if it turns off, solid questions! I know it has charging profiles set up within it, meaning it stops charging the battery when it hits a certain voltage, but I'm not sure it ever turns off. The solar charge controller has a really big heatsink at the back, so I assume it'll shed a good amount of heat.
the 127v is DC, not AC, so no you can't run AC loads directly off the panels. My inverter and battery can both soak up power from the solar array and be used in tandem to invert DC to AC for loads though.
- Thread starter
- #393
Solar install complete. Monitoring is a little odd, seems I can't connect both my Epoch battery and the SmartSolar MPPT to my Color Control GX via VE.can, since the battery needs a different baud rate than the MPPT. Even though there are two VE.can ports on the GX, they have to be set to the same baud rate, so I can either have the battery or the MPPT connected, but not both. Going to try VE.direct for the MPPT and VE.can for the battery, cable en route.
Regardless of the convenient monitoring, the solar is fully connected and functional. Tomorrow or this weekend, the amp will be wired up.
Regardless of the convenient monitoring, the solar is fully connected and functional. Tomorrow or this weekend, the amp will be wired up.
Fort Knox
SILVER Star
Good thing you know what all those words and acronyms mean, cuz I sure don't. I guess you aren't as highly regarded as we thought!
- Thread starter
- #395
Sunny day example of power generation, at about 10am. A little over 400w. Don't need to keep the motel plugged in anymore! Note the negative DC power rating in the bottom square.
Have a plan to fix solar generation monitoring, will have it in place tomorrow.
Have a plan to fix solar generation monitoring, will have it in place tomorrow.
I’m glad I’m not the only one who felt regarded trying to read what he did, but it’s awesome that he’s done it. The motel just keeps getting better and better.
I also want to note that this years GSMTR prep is on the motel not moonshine… such a dialed in rig
I’m bummed I won’t be there to see it on its new stickies
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I suggest you grab a 1 farad capacitor for the sub - helpful in lowering the overall load when the "bump" happens. Less likely to dim the lights.
- Thread starter
- #399
Worth putting in even if I don't have any dimming or anything now?
I like them, I look at it like a reserve tank for the sub. When it's smaller like that it's not really that necessary, but running on a battery with no alternator to smooth out the current, it may dim slightly at the end of a night of playing music.
I've got one on all my systems, except for the one that has actual gel batteries inline with the capacitors since the cap wasn't cutting it. That said, you probably won't "need" it and honestly at the end of the night you might like the light show...
If I was buying one, this one would be it. Biggest juice, lowest cost.....
I've got one on all my systems, except for the one that has actual gel batteries inline with the capacitors since the cap wasn't cutting it. That said, you probably won't "need" it and honestly at the end of the night you might like the light show...
If I was buying one, this one would be it. Biggest juice, lowest cost.....
