Toolbox Solar Generator

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Introduction: Toolbox Solar Generator

Okay, This project is being built for me to be able have power wherever I am at Should it be Camping or working on our hunting property.

Step 1: Gather Your Materials

I will be using

1x4, about 8 feet

1 pallet or some spare plywood

1 Charge controller

Speaker wire, or copper wire(large enough to handle the power for the battery and inverter)

1 Inverter

1 Deep Cycle Marine Battery

1 Solar panel

Small Piece of Memory Foam

Assorted Screws and tools

Some Ingenuity

Step 2: Cut the Frame for the Charge Controller and Inverter

I did a little bit of assembly and mounted the charge controller below the inverter

I left the gap in the bottom of the brace to run wires under without them being pinched

Be sure to leave enough room for everything to breathe

Make sure your inverter mounts up high enough that it will not arc

Step 3: Attach Your Wires

For any loops, I am kinda cheap so I rolled them over and soldered loops instead of adding connectors

You will need to run wire back from your panel to the charge controller

Then from the Charge controller to the battery

This keeps your Battery topped off where it is supposed to be

Then you will have to have wires running from the Battery to the inverter

Step 4: Mount It All in the Toolbox

I set this one up to fit into the toolbox on my truck, to provide backup power while camping or working in the woods.

When putting it all in make sure the back of your inverter will not short out against the toolbox. I also set a small piece of memory foam below the battery, to keep it from getting too jostled

Step 5: Mount the Panel

I Mounted the panel in the most basic way I could find. I used clip on fender nuts on the inside lip of the panel a,d drilled four holes through the lid to mount them. On the backside I used a large flat washer on the inside with a rubber washer and on top I used 2 rubber washers to keep the panel slightly tilted and on the front I only used 1 rubber washer on the topside. I ran the wire through a hole in the back of the toolbox and siliconed it in.

Step 6: Ready for Some Constructive Criticism

I am building this mostly as a smaller scale prototype to the one I plan on adding into my camper.

Let me know what you think

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    3 Comments

    0
    mechrisme
    mechrisme

    Tip 3 years ago

    Did you think about wiring it into the trailer charging circuit so it will charge when driving vs just relying on the solar panel?

    0
    jaychoate
    jaychoate

    Reply 7 years ago

    Thank you, hopefully i will have it updated by next friday