Building an off grid Solar Powered (EV charging) Campground

[outdoors]

So a couple days off, and back to tidying things up. Being very new to all of this. One can't just have a bunch of wires coming out of a shed, and then into the ground. Boxes, conduit. Unique tools.

We still have a few more panels to bring up.

 

[outdoors]

So this was the goal. Just stats for one of the cars for the last month. We also added the final 10 panels in groups of 5. So next month should be even better. We would leave a car to charge during the day, then swap for the next day. Enabled us to charge and explore NW Montana without range anxiety.

Dogs were plenty comfortable in air conditioning of the Airstream or 6m Bell tent. Not my definition of camping in the summer, but the temps were much different in this area when I grew up.

So I have been handed the keys so to speak. @nwdiver is off for a couple weeks. So I will see how I do. So far. Pulling down exactly what we wanted to at peak.


More than likely will add a second Solar Ark 12k, and add the other batteries when we build a small home. Nice thing is. I can still keep the campground.

Till then. Thanks all for following, and the support. Not always easy, and solving problems is the part of every job. Chris Dizon @nwdiver was the master mind behind this crazy idea I had. Am very grateful for his help. If you are ever thinking of a crazy idea around solar or a more sublime install. He is the one.

Outdoors

Add as promised. Take the shuttle in Glacier National Park. Park at the Lake McDonald Lodge. 2 chargers at the guard shack. Free. I watched 4 or 5 Tesla's circle Logan Pass parking lot for for like 30 min. Charge and enjoy stress free drive to ones destination within the park.

 

[outdoors]

Well it has been a while. Summer has come and gone. Fall was a blast. Winter is upon us. Or is it?
Some people speak of a calorie deficit. Well I speak of a sun deficit.
What does one do when it is like this:

Well making good decisions at the beginning helps. Heat pumps vs. resistance heaters. Thought I would cover a couple of those items. What does a novice like me do in situations like these? Remember its a campground not a home.

So without being so obvious maybe put on a layer of clothing, and add a layer to sleeping quarters at night. Being able to accept a little of discomfort leads to less stress overall, well at least for me it is not discomfort.

Inside the Airstream I have a heatpump. So far it has worked pretty well. I try not to push it hard at night. Lower it to 55 degrees. Has been as low as 15 when I have been there.

In my box trailer I have a resistance heater. Like the good old fashioned one that glows red, and sucks power at 4 times the rate on the previous mentioned heat pump, and doesn't provide any cooling. Long story short one can't survive on resistance heat at my needs. I can use it to heat up a work area, but saps my budget quick. So even though that heat pump looks cheap as something it works and it was a five minute setup vs. the traditional heat pump and running lines.

So snow is upon us, and I have installed a wood heater in the tent. Saves the power budget for the car and minimal heating the trailer for washing and showers.

So how does the slope work? Pretty good actually. I will take a pic in a couple days, but it slips pretty well.

What do I need? A bigger battery bank, and dogs that stay dry Not using a generator, and enjoying winter. Would like another 5k of vertical panels, but thats another day. Very thankful for local friends who have helped even post solar to keep the project running.

 

[zƬesla]

My panels are currently titled at 67°, so snow slides right off. Typically, come late winter I need to shovel some of the piled snow under the panels otherwise I have a ground--panel snow connector and the bottom panels remain partially covered even though they're a few feet off the ground.