Gave my Anker solar setup a test for charging… works pretty well! Figured I could use it in a pinch or for camping trips. Anyone else doing this?
I’ve done solar charging too, but it’s hit or miss. If the voltage isn’t stable, it’ll stop charging. Also, it helps to have a ground-neutral plug, as some trucks need a bonded ground. During long outages, I keep my house running off the truck for about 4 days, then recharge it with my generator. It’s way more fuel-efficient than just running the generator alone!
@Jamie
Good reminder! I have friends who avoid electric setups, but this is definitely a smart way to stretch gas during an outage.
@Jamie
And it’s so much quieter at night! More EVs should be able to do bidirectional charging.
Wyatt said:
@Jamie
And it’s so much quieter at night! More EVs should be able to do bidirectional charging.
California might even make it a requirement soon.
Wyatt said:
@Jamie
And it’s so much quieter at night! More EVs should be able to do bidirectional charging.
California might even make it a requirement soon.
Only if they can get battery replacement costs down.
@Gerald
SB59 was passed but no dates yet for that.
Wyatt said:
@Jamie
And it’s so much quieter at night! More EVs should be able to do bidirectional charging.
Downside with bidirectional charging: every charge cycle adds wear to your battery.
@Gerald
How often do you really lose power? Plus, car software could probably track usage. My Dodge actually tracks idle time separately.
Lane said:
Did you check how fast it charges with solar?
Got about 1 kWh in an hour.
That’s about what a wall outlet gives, so not bad.
@Jamie
You must have a big generator to make that work!
Sydney said:
@Jamie
You must have a big generator to make that work!
I’ve got a 30-amp 240v output, similar to my truck’s outlet. Either one powers most of my house.
Sydney said:
@Jamie
You must have a big generator to make that work!
I’ve got a 30-amp 240v output, similar to my truck’s outlet. Either one powers most of my house.
Generators like to run steady. If they rev up and down, it wastes fuel. A battery for the house to run on and a generator for recharge is more efficient for non-EV homes.
Did you check how fast it charges with solar?
Lane said:
Did you check how fast it charges with solar?
Got about 1 kWh in an hour.
Lane said:
Did you check how fast it charges with solar?
Got about 1 kWh in an hour.
Surprised it got that much. Thought it’d be less.
Lucy said:
Lane said:
Did you check how fast it charges with solar?
Got about 1 kWh in an hour.
Surprised it got that much. Thought it’d be less.
Doesn’t add up though. You’d only get about 100-200 watts max with a basic solar setup.
@Davis
Probably ran it for an hour then used it. These setups barely add much with this size solar panel.
Amory said:
@Davis
Probably ran it for an hour then used it. These setups barely add much with this size solar panel.
I sell used panels, and lots of folks think it’s just plug-and-play to power their house. There’s so much more to it: batteries, inverters, controllers, and even temperature considerations.