Adding Solar Panel(s) & a Second Battery to Your Van
When I first saw a solar-powered radio a few years ago, I then searched for solar powered appliances of all kinds. Problem was, the few that were available were low-grade "toys" you might find in the junk bin at an AutoZone. Then I thought I'd go the Radio Shack route & get their "project" solar cells & attach them to appliances as I needed them. But to get sufficient amperage, the cost would've gone up into several hundred bills, and it still wouldn't handle heavier loads like 12-volt power tools.
Eventually I found out about full-size Photo Voltaics (aka solar panels) & realized that if I could rig them up to an extra deep-cycle (marine type) battery in the van, then I could power just about anything & skip having to look for individual solar-powered appliances. Using a DC adapter for different voltages and an inverter for AC power, you're pretty much covered.
The hardest part was finding space for the second battery. Can't put it inside the van - they emit hydrogen gas during charging which can cause an explosion. Some people do an interior installation by using a "battery box" with ventilation ducts/tubes for outside air to flow through, which can be complicated depending on how much you enjoy cutting-up the side of your van.
The engine compartment was packed -- barely room for a penlight battery. There was no way around it: something had to go. I hated to do it. The van had great AC, & the thought of destroying good machinery kinda makes my flesh crawl. But either you follow-through on these things or you don't.
With the air conditioner parts removed, I had clearance for the second battery, but I needed a structure strong enough to support the 70-odd pounds from the marine battery I was going to cram in there. I welded 3 "square tube" (not sure what they're called) metal beams (2-inch wide) to a battery tray; the beams were positioned to rest on a frame rail just below that space I had cleared out. Once all the fine-tuning was done, it kept the battery from falling out of the van -- good enough.
That left the wiring. Usually dual-battery systems incorporate an "isolator" diode, or else a solenoid switch which keeps the batteries separated except for charging by the alternator. A third option is a manual knife-switch, which I opted for so I could more directly control the process. By opening the switch, I could run anything I wanted off of the auxiliary battery all night long, without draining the starter battery even if the other one went dead.
(NOTE: Newer vehicles are much more sensitive to extra amperage: sensors and computers can get fried by voltage spikes when the two batteries are connected while turning over the starter. It's best to use an isolator diode with late model vehicles. I'd even go so far as to use narrow-gauge wiring between the second battery & the main battery and the car's circuits. You just need a "trickle" charge from the alternator to your auxiliary battery anyway. Use regular-size wiring only from the second battery & the dedicated outlets you've connected ONLY to this second battery. [This is a $1200 note -- that's what I spent on parts on a second minivan when making this mistake - another story.])
SOLAR POWER: I wired the solar panels so they could be plugged-in as needed to the Dedicated Auxiliary Power Center, or DAPC as I like to call it: a piece of wood with a meter, the POS (+) terminal lead from the aux. battery (and of course a ground (-) terminal), and the necessary plugs & jacks for connecting the panels & appliances to it. When camping out, I could leave the solar panels plugged in during sunlight hours. A regulator prevented overcharging (a $50 item) but I believe overcharging would be next to impossible even without the regulator. It saved me from having to run the engine only to charge up the batteries.
Apart from installing the second battery, it's a simple job, & it dovetails nicely with survival preparation as it allows the use of tools & appliances you already have.
P.S.: A year & a half after finishing this project, the engine seized & unwisely decided to sell it for parts (if you can call losing $1800 "selling." [Of course I kept the solar equipment.]). It would have been easier to replace the motor than to look for another good used van & repeat all that customized work. (I'm still looking.)
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© Hank McIntyre