Earlier Projects
Completed projects & experiments.
- Installing Solar Panels
- In February 2006 I installed 2 panels for a friend of ours. This is a brief overview of that process.
- Installing a 2000 Watt Inverter
- In January of 2006 we purchased and installed a 2000 Watt Inverter so that we could power our new (and small) microwave oven.
- Skirting the Trailer
- Our first winter here in the trailer was cold... very cold at times. Installing plywood skirting around the base of the trailer has made our 2005/2006 winter experience far more enjoyable and energy efficient.
- Rewiring the Trailer's Furnace
- The travel trailer we lived in during the winter of 2005/2006 is equipped with a 12 volt DC furnace. Originally we were not able to operate the forced air furnace off our 12 volt solar electric system. I was able to rewire the feed to the furnace with larger gauge wire and we are now able to use the furnace with our solar electric system.
- Upgrading Our Solar Power System
- In the fall of 2005 I redesigned our solar power system to be more efficient and capable of powering our trailer's 12 volt DC furnace. We added 3 new AGM batteries, a fused power distribution panel and greatly reduced the length of wire in our entire system.
- Running a Water Feed to the Trailer
- For over 6 months we filled our trailer's 40 gallon water tank with a garden hose every other day. Running a water feed directly to the trailer was a major upgrade.
- Our First Solar Hot Water Experiment
- In April 2005 we constructed a primative solar hot water system that functioned quite well up until a sudden and deep freeze in early November 2005.
