Off Grid Package
The “Off Grid” package was designed for the customer who wants to use their camper Off grid and minimize the need for outside power sources (being plugged in, running the truck or running the generator).
The primary components in the off grid packages are.
- (Qty 3) High quality “Expion360” 120 amp hour rebuildable lithium Ion Batteries with individual internal (BMS) control boards.
- (Qty 4) 190 watt flexible solar panels (760 watts total) with a 50 Amp MPPT controller
- A High Quality 2000 watt inverter, charger, with programmable digital control panel
- Real time battery monitoring system that combines input and output of power consumption to let you know battery conditions and available power, charge times or discharge times at current rate of draw or charge.
- 18 Amp DC to DC charger for charging the lithium batteries from the truck
- Heavy duty 4 OT cabling designed for safe operating of the system and to minimize heat
The advantages of an Off Grid Package
- An Off Grid package is really about power storage and how you can use that power reserve. On an off grid package we invert 12DC volt to 110 V AC so you have the ability to run appliances like your microwave, toaster, coffee pot, hair dryer etc….without having to run a generator or be plugged into shore power. You can even run the Air conditioner for varying lengths of time.
- With a lithium battery you get much more usable power than you do with a wet or AGM battery. Wet batteries and AGMs when charging ..they rapid charge to approximately 80% and then trickle charge the last 20%…..so they may be totally charged when you first leave your home but by the end of the first day, you are most likely below 80 % and really never get above that because you are most likely using the power faster than it will trickle charge in. On the other end.. when wet or AGM batteries get to approximately 50% you have so much voltage drop, items like the refrigerator start shutting down because they are looking for a minimum of 10.5 volts to operate. So you are really only running on approximately 30% of your batteries capacity … Lithium batteries on the other hand, you can rapid charge them to 100% and can deplete them down to 10% before you have any significant voltage drop….. and at that point…. the battery’s internal control board shuts itself down to protect itself. So you really are running on 90% of the battery’s capacity. See attached sheet for more advantages of the lithium Batteries.
- The inverter/charger/ we use also has some great features. It is programmed to maximize charging capacity and minimize charge time This inverter will also subsidize power if it senses the generator does not have enough power to handle the power demand.
- Solar panels….. People often ask “what can I run with my solar panels?” and the answer is “nothing”. You run things off your batteries and the solar panels are simply a way to charge your batteries. And the more solar you have… the more charging capacity/capability you have.
- Generator….. a lot of customers who purchase the “Off Grid systems also choose to purchase and along carry along a portable generator (like a Honda 2200 W) for back up. The Honda’s are very quiet and run approximately 5 hours on ¾ of a gallon of gas.
- Air conditioning…..Your “off grid system will do a really good of keeping up with power demands on most items in your camper as most items you only run for short periods of time. The AC unit is different because people tend to turn them on and leave them on for extended periods of time. So how long you have the AC on will be somewhat restricted , unless you are plugged in to external power (Shore power or a generator) as the solar systems charging capacity will usually not be able to keep up with the constant power demand of the AC unit.
(QTY3) 120 AH Expion 360 Lithium Batteries
2000 watt pure sign wave inverter/charger with control panel
(QTY 4) 190W Flexible Solar Panels (760W Total) with a 50 Amp MPPT Controller
Battery Monitor system (Bluetooth compatible)
18 amp DC to DC chargrer (Bluetooth compatible)