How much solar + batteries do I need?

[Snikwahjm]

stupid question...
How much solar and batteries do I need to run my vitamix? 120 volts 11.5 amps 
So far that and charging cells and iPads - maybe some light is the extent of my electric. 
Another stupid question....
Would flexible panels work on an old (1988) fiberglass high top?

[Gunny]

Getsmart will be the one to have accurate answers. Maybe others too but him for sure.

[Optimistic Paranoid]

Well, 120 volts × 11.5 amps = 1380 watts.

Now the question becomes, how long will you run the Vitamix?

That will give us watt-hours.  And we can proceed from there.

[Cammalu]

Gotsmart had another mini stroke last night and should be resting and playing on line. Instead he is out wiring a cargo trailer so he won't be online for awhile.


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I'm such a NARC but that goes along with being a moderator doesn't it?


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[Snikwahjm]

Vitamix runs for about 5 or 10 minutes in one or two minute minutes bursts in a morning.
Oh dear. I know about mini strokes. Mom has them all the time. She won't take it easy either. She is 91. I don't think anything prevents them. One a month and a half ago was somewhere between mini and big. She had to be rehabbed. Before rehab showed up I made her do the usual exercises. Maybe he is doing the right thing by getting out and doing. Move all body parts as much as possible. Water aerobics? LOL...

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In necessary I could use a lower powered blender

[Optimistic Paranoid]

Rule of Thumb:  Because there is a 10 to 1 ratio between 120 volts and 12 volts, there will be an equal 10 to 1 ratio in amps. 11.5 amps at 120 volts becomes 115 amps at 12 volts.

We can double check by actually doing the math:  Watts/Volts = Amps.  So 1380/12=115.

So if you draw 115 amps for 1 hour, it's 115 amp hours.  If you draw 115 amps for 10 minutes, 10 minutes is 1/6 of 60, so 115/6 = 19.1 amp hours.

Which is only 1/5 of a 100 amp hour battery.

BUT, as a practical matter, if you want to pull 115 amps out of a battery bank, it probably needs to be 200 to 300 amp hours in capacity.  Anything smaller than that, and I would guess the battery voltage would drop precipitously, and the low voltage cut-off built in to the inverter would kick in and shut the inverter down.

As for your solar panels, at a minimum, you need to replace 110% of whatever power you pull out of the battery every day.  We still haven't allowed for chargers and lights.  And frankly, you'd better allow for a 12 volt fan or a powered rooftop vent, or you're going to be miserable in hot weather.  IMNPHO.  That fan or vent will need to run all night off the battery bank, or you may not be able to sleep.

Ideally, you'd like your solar panels to provide TWICE as much power as your daily needs, to allow for rainy days when you get no charging.

Some of that is going to depend on whether you're boondocking near Tuscon or Seattle.

[Snikwahjm]

We probably do need a more powerful fan. Ours is run off batteries. So far we haven't been sweltering. We use the van battery to charge cell phones over night or during driving without draining the battery. I can charge a charger off the van battery when it is driving and plug the iPad in it overnight. But we haven't been anywhere for more than a couple days. I'm experimenting with things at home and preparing mentally. I've found a lot of great information here and there on the internet. I'm glad you are ok with me asking stupid questions.

We have a super nice cooler home built but it needs some rethinking to work in a van. At some point a refrigerator might be something to consider rather than a cooler. Someone has offered a 3 way refrigerator out of a wrecked RV but it is huge for our van and needs. I'll think more about what all we might run on 12 volts as we get more prepared for a long term van dwell and I'll keep asking dumb questions.

[Optimistic Paranoid]

As far as an RV fridge goes, see my post in the thread Cammalu has going in the Propane section.

[GotSmart]

There are no dumb questions. ~~ Just people too dumb to ask the question.  

The specialist dose not tihnk I am having mini strokes.  Just seizures  (JUST)     Easy for him to say,  

[bLEEp]

Hey we are seizure buddies. I know something to keep them away... yummy brownies, one a day keeps the doctor away.
Watching this thread as I need to purchase new batteries.
I grossly underestimated our power use. So I will have some lightly used batteries for sale soon.
bLEEp