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007

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Lanlubber, that sounds like a good plan....just my 2 cents, don't go under 2500watt inverter. I have found some good deals at the truck stops. I bought one 15 years ago and still working without problems.
 

Lanlubber In Remembrance

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Mimbres, NM, USA
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Jim
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covey sr
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Lanlubber, that sounds like a good plan....just my 2 cents, don't go under 2500watt inverter. I have found some good deals at the truck stops. I bought one 15 years ago and still working without problems.
I already have a new 1100w-2200w max inverter. It is a modified sine which doesn't make me happy but the larger pure sine inverters are bigger bucks than I can handle. I'm thinking of buying a much smaller one to handle items that demand pure sine. The smaller size also carries a smaller price. I had not thought about checking at a truck stop for used inverters, probably because the nearest truck stop is 60 miles away since I don't live near an interstate hwy. I know the truckers are always hocking their equipment when low on cash for the road. The next time I go over to Deming NM, which may be this week end, I will check out the one truck stop they have. Another reason I wasnt too worried about a good inverter is because much of my shop equipment is now 12 or 18v powered equipment. The equipment I have that isn't 12v I believe will run off a modified sine inverter. Thanks for the tip.
P.S. where do you live in El Paso (the area) Looks like lower valley in the pics. I lived in Horizon city before I moved here in 1996.
Lanlubber
 

007

Rank II

Enthusiast III

473
El Paso, Texas
First Name
Z
Last Name
Varela
I already have a new 1100w-2200w max inverter. It is a modified sine which doesn't make me happy but the larger pure sine inverters are bigger bucks than I can handle. I'm thinking of buying a much smaller one to handle items that demand pure sine. The smaller size also carries a smaller price. I had not thought about checking at a truck stop for used inverters, probably because the nearest truck stop is 60 miles away since I don't live near an interstate hwy. I know the truckers are always hocking their equipment when low on cash for the road. The next time I go over to Deming NM, which may be this week end, I will check out the one truck stop they have. Another reason I wasnt too worried about a good inverter is because much of my shop equipment is now 12 or 18v powered equipment. The equipment I have that isn't 12v I believe will run off a modified sine inverter. Thanks for the tip.
P.S. where do you live in El Paso (the area) Looks like lower valley in the pics. I lived in Horizon city before I moved here in 1996.
Lanlubber
Live out east towards Red Sands...I like that area you currently live at. Don't like El Paso during the summer and it's ok during the winter.
 

Lanlubber In Remembrance

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Mimbres, NM, USA
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Jim
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covey sr
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Live out east towards Red Sands...I like that area you currently live at. Don't like El Paso during the summer and it's ok during the winter.
I know the area well. I own a half acre lot about a block off Montana very close to the old drag strip on the N. side of Montana. I've been all over the red sand hills with my old 67 Bronco and every dirt road clear out to Hueco Tanks and beyond to Sierra Blanca on all the old ranch roads between.
Yes, the heat can be pretty bad and I can remember in 1994 when the temp was over 100 degrees for 60 days straight.
I lived in Horizon city at that time and before that I lived just off Lee Trevino close to Edgemere.
 

Lanlubber In Remembrance

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Mimbres, NM, USA
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Jim
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covey sr
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I run 4 x 100 watt panels under my Roof Rack at one time and charge 2 x 100 amps deep cycle batteries in parallel all day long.

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Where did you get that plug in on your right rear bumper? What do they call it ? And the led lights for each side is neat too. That looks like a very clean set up. Rigs don't get any neater than yours and I really like the older Toyotas, what year is it ?
 

007

Rank II

Enthusiast III

473
El Paso, Texas
First Name
Z
Last Name
Varela
Where did you get that plug in on your right rear bumper? What do they call it ? And the led lights for each side is neat too. That looks like a very clean set up. Rigs don't get any neater than yours and I really like the older Toyotas, what year is it ?
Search under Marine usb ports.... The LED lights come in handy when I'm up in the CloudC
Where did you get that plug in on your right rear bumper? What do they call it ? And the led lights for each side is neat too. That looks like a very clean set up. Rigs don't get any neater than yours and I really like the older Toyotas, what year is it ?
Thanks.... 94...Search for Marine USB ports.... The LED light are great for maneuvering in the Forrest at night. Let's me see the trees to all around me when maneuvering.
 

Lanlubber In Remembrance

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Member III

2,827
Mimbres, NM, USA
First Name
Jim
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covey sr
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Ham/GMRS Callsign
none - BREAKER BREAKER HAND HELD CB AND WALKIE TALKIE
Search under Marine usb ports.... The LED lights come in handy when I'm up in the CloudC

Thanks.... 94...Search for Marine USB ports.... The LED light are great for maneuvering in the Forrest at night. Let's me see the trees to all around me when maneuvering.
Where did you get the led lights and do you have a number or make for them.
 

Lanlubber In Remembrance

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Mimbres, NM, USA
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covey sr
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I found a video that in my opinion is very neat. It is meant to be for a small solar emergency type set up, except that the methods shown can be for a much larger set up. This just simplifies it somewhat, at least for me it did.

 

007

Rank II

Enthusiast III

473
El Paso, Texas
First Name
Z
Last Name
Varela
I found a video that in my opinion is very neat. It is meant to be for a small solar emergency type set up, except that the methods shown can be for a much larger set up. This just simplifies it somewhat, at least for me it did.

That is a great little setup for on the road camping.
 

Lanlubber In Remembrance

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Mimbres, NM, USA
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Jim
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covey sr
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That is a great little setup for on the road camping.
Yup, just replace the battery with a 100ah deep cell marine battery and change the solar panel to 100w, and you have a camping rig that will give you all the power you will need for your frig, computer, phones, and other electrical needs.
 

RoarinRow

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I picked up a 100W Renogy Solar Power Kit. Came with monocrystalline rigid panel, 30AMP PWN Charge Controller, the cables and hardware, which is mounted to my Yakima roof rack, then into my camper shell connected to fuse box, connected to 1000W Wagan Sine Wave inverter and 100AMP Renogy AMG Battery.
 

Lanlubber In Remembrance

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Member III

2,827
Mimbres, NM, USA
First Name
Jim
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covey sr
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I picked up a 100W Renogy Solar Power Kit. Came with monocrystalline rigid panel, 30AMP PWN Charge Controller, the cables and hardware, which is mounted to my Yakima roof rack, then into my camper shell connected to fuse box, connected to 1000W Wagan Sine Wave inverter and 100AMP Renogy AMG Battery.
Show us your set up when you get it in place. Did you use the two pin power connector to penetrate the roof of side of your shell ?
 

RoarinRow

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Show us your set up when you get it in place. Did you use the two pin power connector to penetrate the roof of side of your shell ?
I am unable to send a picture to myself at work right now, but basically ran the solar cables from roof, then dropped it down in-between cab rear window and shell gap. Cause I don't know any better, I just drilled two holes from the inside of bed of truck, below the camper shell, and led the two solar cables through there. Then after I got everything connected, I cleaned up the holes, painted them, then silicone them to make them water proof.
 

Lanlubber In Remembrance

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Member III

2,827
Mimbres, NM, USA
First Name
Jim
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covey sr
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16986

Ham/GMRS Callsign
none - BREAKER BREAKER HAND HELD CB AND WALKIE TALKIE
I am unable to send a picture to myself at work right now, but basically ran the solar cables from roof, then dropped it down in-between cab rear window and shell gap. Cause I don't know any better, I just drilled two holes from the inside of bed of truck, below the camper shell, and led the two solar cables through there. Then after I got everything connected, I cleaned up the holes, painted them, then silicone them to make them water proof.
You might want to run a piece of rubber hose through the holes to keep from chafing and shorting your lines. Rough roads tend to make things move that shouldn't.
 
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RoarinRow

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You might want to run a piece of rubber hose through the holes to keep from chafing and shorting your lines. Rough roads tend to make things move that shouldn't.
Thanks I will need to revisit that. Good thought.
 

Lanlubber In Remembrance

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Member III

2,827
Mimbres, NM, USA
First Name
Jim
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covey sr
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Thanks I will need to revisit that. Good thought.
Check out the video I posted above. There you will see what is called banana jack. That is what I was referring to
in my earlier post. With a banana jack installed you can run the wires from the solar panel to the jack on the exterior. Then inside run wires from the banana jack to the solar charger. That is what will eliminate the possibility of chafing wires going through a drilled hole in your camper or truck bed.
 
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RoarinRow

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Check out the video I posted above. There you will see what is called banana jack. That is what I was referring to
in my earlier post. With a banana jack installed you can run the wires from the solar panel to the jack on the exterior. Then inside run wires from the banana jack to the solar charger. That is what will eliminate the possibility of chafing wires going through a drilled hole in your camper or truck bed.
Awesome tip, thank you. I will look into this.