The next experiment for Wiki World Order!..
While I want to spend many months of future years on an organic community farm, I also hope to travel more while still becoming more self-sustainable. I plan to build a trailer I can tow with a bicycle, can give me all the electricity I need, and that I can sleep in if I choose…aka portable living off the grid.
Below, I have listed out my documented plans of some general features, details on solar setup, and some illustrated mock-ups. ANY constructive feedback and advice on any aspect of these plans would be greatly appreciated (especially electrical/solar experience), as I of course haven’t built something quite like this before. Thank you so much!
Overall loaded trailer weight will likely be 300-400 pounds, and would like to occasionally tow a hop-on or two. So I will definitely need to connect brakes to the trailer tires. I will probably end up adding an optional electric motor to the front tire of the bicycle (likely recumbent) for visits to Colorado, and hopefully further around the Americas later if I master the lifestyle before growing crazy strong legs.
The solar power setup needs to be able to run a two laptops, and two mobile phones almost 24/7 if needed it. I’ll need a small collection of LED lights for any night biking, and likely daytime use of a hot plate. Would occasionally (~a night or two a week) like to watch movies or VJ sets with a projector and some reasonably powered sound. Might add a web cam or two for live stream documentation and ‘security’ while on the slow solo road.
With free workshop space and help from a friend, I hope to be able to build my whole neo-hippie travel home for less than three or four grand. It will need to be painted fun too.
Current Solar Power Plans
Below are the ~ideal components and price points I have found online that I think would both meet my power needs and actually function properly together. These components weigh about 115 lbs, and cost at least about $1,400. I am having trouble finding a local place to buy two solar panels…at all in the San Francisco area, so advice on this front would also be greatly appreciated. Thanks so much!
| 2x HELIOS 300W, 72 Cell, 24V MODULES, $328 each at Backwoods 2x 300W ~= 600W at ~24V with ~25amp |
| MorningStar C-TriStar 60 Amp Volt 12/24/48 PWM Charge Controller, $191 or $230 at Backwoods |
| 2-4x “UPG” SLA AGM BATTERY, 12 volt, 100 amp, $156.50 each (more specs) Two-four of these wired for 24V at 100-200amp |
| Power Bright ML900-24 900 Watt 24 Volt DC To 110 Volt AC Power Inverter, $86 |
Illustrated Mock-Ups
