Waterproof electrical housing for charge controller and inverter question.

GoldpanTam
GoldpanTam Registered Users, Users Awaiting Email Confirmation Posts: 2 ✭
in Solar Beginners Corner #1
Hi All,

I'm a newbie. Please don't laugh at my system LOL.  I started with the Harbor Freight 45 w solar panel kit. I have just upgraded to the Renogy wanderer charge controller. I have the harbor freight 700/1000 inverter and a 100 amp hour battery. I was using the system to power a tv, roku and charge cell phones in a tiny house I built out of a 20 ft refrigerated shipping container. Now I want to move the system and hook the battery up to a small camper and run the inverter to the tiny house. This is just for a mountain getaway I use about one weekend a month. So here is the rub. This needs to be portable. I was thinking of mounting it to a metal wheeled cart that I have and I want to use a waterproof electrical housing. Has anyone ever done this or is there any down side to something like this? I was looking at outdoor wifi housing boxes.  My first thought is always fire. I would love any suggestions as to what you would do if on a budget. Thanks in advanced. Also, would a system this small need a fuse? The inverter does shut off at high voltage as a precaution. 

Thanks!
Gold Pan Tam. 
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Comments

  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited December 2020 #2
    I built something like that, for power (recharge tools) at burning man in 2000
      I made the cart/dolly separate, so the power station would not "walk away" easily


    Batteries in the bottom provide ballast, wind never blew it over in 10 years
     ( yes - thats a Unisolar 60w panel )
    Powerfab top of pole PV mount | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
    || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
    || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

    solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
    gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister ,

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  • Photowhit
    Photowhit Solar Expert Posts: 6,006 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #3
    It's no problem leaving the batteries(other than lithium in sub freezing), charge controller and inverter outside. I always have. 18+ years. Even in my fixed locations.

    You can just use a heavy extension cord to run the AC power to your house. I used the same Ship-to-shore cord from my sailboat for the 8 years I lived in my cabin, though I did wire it into my breaker box and hard wire it to the inverter. With light loads you could just plug it in!


    Picture of my battery box/power center.

    Home system 4000 watt (Evergreen) array standing, with 2 Midnite Classic Lites,  Midnite E-panel, Magnum MS4024, Prosine 1800(now backup) and Exeltech 1100(former backup...lol), 660 ah 24v Forklift battery(now 10 years old). Off grid for 20 years (if I include 8 months on a bicycle).
    - Assorted other systems, pieces and to many panels in the closet to not do more projects.
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  • New_Mexico_Will
    New_Mexico_Will Registered Users Posts: 107 ✭✭
    #4
    You might google "solar generator" for some more ideas like Mike's, which is pretty darn slick!  Keeping batteries warm is always a good idea, as temperature can affect capacity quite a bit.
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  • littleharbor2
    littleharbor2 Solar Expert Posts: 2,113 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #5
    The 45 watt kit from Harbor Freight uses thin film panels which are much less efficient than crystalline panels. You can replace those panels with a 100 watt monocrystalline panel which is smaller and has more than twice the output power.  A win-win in the portability dept.

    2.1 Kw Suntech 175 mono, Classic 200, Trace SW 4024 ( 15 years old  but brand new out of sealed factory box Jan. 2015), Bogart Tri-metric,  460 Ah. 24 volt LiFePo4 battery bank. Plenty of Baja Sea of Cortez sunshine.

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  • Dave Angelini
    Dave Angelini Solar Expert Posts: 6,916 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    #6
    Can't find the pix I wanted but along with all the others here a trailer is great. The one I did had the trailer level on on some bricks. The array tilted up to get to the batteries and electronics. It was for part time house building for a client. We got 1kw on the trailer and some golf batts. When they left the site the trailer just went into a locked steel shed and on a brick mount, stayed level.


    "we go where power lines don't" Sierra Nevada mountain area
       htps://offgridsolar1.com/
    E-mail offgridsolar@sti.net

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  • GoldpanTam
    GoldpanTam Registered Users, Users Awaiting Email Confirmation Posts: 2 ✭
    #7
    OMG These ROCK you guys. It's giving me a ton of ideas. Thanks for your time and comments. 
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