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Old 06-09-2019, 09:13 PM   #29
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I've been warned that the 120* summer heat will kill batteries, so leaving them is out of the question. The RV has 4 six volt golf cart batteries that should serve all our needs. We are only running 272 watts of solar now and the batteries stay above 90% full overnight.

The other 400 watts of solar is remoted for use 25’ away. In the summer my only option for parking is under 150’ tall pine and spruce trees. Getting the panels 25’ out gets them into the sunshine. In AZ those remote panels will go on the roof at a 45* angle, which is optimal during the winter months.

I'll park the RV within 3’ of the container and place the 12V fuse panel inside the container as close as possible to where the cord will have the shortest run from the batteries.
There is a bit of exageration. AGM batteries and flooded lead acid batteries are mounted underhood on 90% of vehicles. I can assure you underhood temps easily attain 200F +. While heat does (very slowly) do a number on batteries it's not like instant death. If your container hits 120 F that easily will it even be livable?
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Old 06-09-2019, 09:33 PM   #30
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There is a bit of exageration. AGM batteries and flooded lead acid batteries are mounted underhood on 90% of vehicles. I can assure you underhood temps easily attain 200F +. While heat does (very slowly) do a number on batteries it's not like instant death. If your container hits 120 F that easily will it even be livable?
She will not be living in the Connie during the summer months when the ambient temperatures can easily reach 120ºF during the day. Inside the Connie I have no doubts the temp could easily exceed 150ºF.

She plans to live in and around the Connie for the fall and winter into early spring months.
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Old 06-09-2019, 09:40 PM   #31
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I'll only be in AZ from October thru March. My comfort zone maximum is mid 80s. I let the weather dictate my arrival and departure dates. Once I shut up the tiny house and leave, the interior temps could get even higher. I plan to save the metal that I cut out for windows and doors to make shutters that lock from the inside. The cargo doors will be the only locks on the outside and I bought hidden shackle locks for there. There will be some small screened vents but I don’t plan to leave anything that might be damaged by heat in excess of 100*.

There are some that refer to me as their fair weather friend. Should I be insulted?
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Old 06-10-2019, 05:49 AM   #32
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I've been warned that the 120* summer heat will kill batteries, ...
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There is a bit of exageration. AGM batteries and flooded lead acid batteries are mounted underhood on 90% of vehicles. I can assure you underhood temps easily attain 200F +. While heat does (very slowly) do a number on batteries it's not like instant death.
I would NOT leave/store my batteries in 120° sustained heat, especially for 6+ months ! It will lead to a very short battery life ! Almost all modern vehicles have a heat shield/sleeve around the battery to help mitigate the heat.
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Old 06-10-2019, 07:05 AM   #33
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You should have no problems connecting you RV to supply power for you. For the 120v loads , just use an extension cord plugged into your RV outlet .
For the 12v DC power you could make a cord using Anderson connectors with #6 awg wire. If you want to use your small inverter inside the container , then you should go with at least #2 awg or larger wire.

For remotely starting your generator , simply install a remote switch in your container and use 4 wire trailer cable and connectors to connect to your RV. There will be a terminal strip in your generator where you can simply add your wires to.
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Old 06-10-2019, 09:53 AM   #34
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If you are ever near Taos, NM, look up the Earthship compound. They have taken the living off the grid to a whole new level. The homes are built into an earthen embankment with a south facing glassed in wall to capture winter sunshine.

Using a container instead of the building materials they use would simplify construction but they have addressed low power usage and simplified living.



https://taos.org/what-to-do/landmark...ip-biotecture/
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Old 06-10-2019, 04:42 PM   #35
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If you are ever near Taos, NM, look up the Earthship compound. They have taken the living off the grid to a whole new level. The homes are built into an earthen embankment with a south facing glassed in wall to capture winter sunshine.

Using a container instead of the building materials they use would simplify construction but they have addressed low power usage and simplified living.



https://taos.org/what-to-do/landmark...ip-biotecture/
Thanks for the link! I've read some info on earthships but am always looking for new ideas.

I positioned the container facing NNE in order to extend the cool. We stay until the house (now our RV) becomes too warm. I don’t like to run the A/C, but plan to buy or build a swamp cooler. I'm planning to put a temporary greenhouse on the south side to grow veggies in the winter, but take down the plastic when the veggies no longer need protection from the cold. That's so it doesn’t heat the container or precook the veggies.
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Old 06-10-2019, 06:32 PM   #36
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I sure look forward to hearing and seeing how your project plays out....we have land in Moses Lake, WA. If we can we are talking about something like this for ourselves in the long run....thank you for all the candor on your building ideas.

Thanks Mike and Dede
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Old 06-11-2019, 05:15 AM   #37
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I would NOT leave/store my batteries in 120° sustained heat, especially for 6+ months ! It will lead to a very short battery life ! Almost all modern vehicles have a heat shield/sleeve around the battery to help mitigate the heat.
Although there are many more models today that sport a battery shield than 20 years ago, there's probably a good 50% of underhood batteries without. Many of these automoitve battery shields are of debatable quality and use,IMO. A 2mm thick piece of plastic or 3mm thick rag sandwiched in vinyl does not have a whole lot of insulating quality.

120 F is a very common temp for automotive batteries. Most vehicles will exceed that underhood in a parked vehicle under the sun, same conditions as the container install.

I really wouldn't like living like a hermit in a container with little to no amenities. I'd be making a permanent installation and the batteries would be mounted in an enclosed box with proper ventilation. They would be AGM or Li-po for low maintenance. We mounted ours in a Coleman cooler so they are well-insulated for winter or hot summer camping.

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Old 06-11-2019, 01:34 PM   #38
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I really wouldn't like living like a hermit in a container with little to no amenities. I'd be making a permanent installation and the batteries would be mounted in an enclosed box with proper ventilation. They would be AGM or Li-po for low maintenance. We mounted ours in a Coleman cooler so they are well-insulated for winter or hot summer camping.

34 years professional mechanic and garage owner.
To each their own. The container home will have more amenities than the RV we have lived in for the last 8 years. I'm planning a real kitchen and a real bathroom plus a small bedroom with a real closet.

I'm on a budget so I’m taking shortcuts where I can save serious expenses. I'm hoping to find some of the materials at the Habitat for Humanity Restore, especially windows and doors.

It just doesn’t make sense to invest another $500-600 for another set of batteries that will likely be damaged during the 6-7 months we aren’t there each year and let the RV batteries sit unused nearby.
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Old 06-11-2019, 02:23 PM   #39
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Barb
Your project your rules. You Irene and I rip parked near one another in the Arizona desert have shared many a boon docking experience and made a great time of it. Looking for input is far from a bad thing and I do not remembering you asking for their opinions on it being feasible.


I will finish some drawings I am preparing and will send to you when I get them done. Parking the RV at the end opposite the big doors I think would be the best location. All your interior lights could be LEDs using 16 gauge wiring and one large cable could (12-3) could bring 120V from the generator. A variation of an extend-a-stay propane unit could supply you with cooking propane and the LPG bottle left outside for safety.

The people at RV Pit Stop in Quartzsite could whip you up one for around $20.00
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Old 06-11-2019, 04:36 PM   #40
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To each their own. The container home will have more amenities than the RV we have lived in for the last 8 years. I'm planning a real kitchen and a real bathroom plus a small bedroom with a real closet.

I'm on a budget so I’m taking shortcuts where I can save serious expenses. I'm hoping to find some of the materials at the Habitat for Humanity Restore, especially windows and doors.

It just doesn’t make sense to invest another $500-600 for another set of batteries that will likely be damaged during the 6-7 months we aren’t there each year and let the RV batteries sit unused nearby.
I'm sorry, I may have come off as boorish but it wasn't my intent. What I meant was a container can be a pretty dark place. Not having any onboard power means all is coming from the RV. You will be limited by cable size and length as to what you can run and operate.If you're trying to live like "normal" with a lot of amenities, TV, lots of lights and accessories you'll need a BIG set of cables.

Of course you can mitigate a lot of this by using efficient LEDs and fewer electrical devices.

I hope your project works well for you. I have seen multi level container units built for a small budget before.
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Old 06-11-2019, 10:10 PM   #41
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I will finish some drawings I am preparing and will send to you when I get them done. Parking the RV at the end opposite the big doors I think would be the best location. All your interior lights could be LEDs using 16 gauge wiring and one large cable could (12-3) could bring 120V from the generator. A variation of an extend-a-stay propane unit could supply you with cooking propane and the LPG bottle left outside for safety.

The people at RV Pit Stop in Quartzsite could whip you up one for around $20.00
I'm 90% sure I already have the correct hose for the heater stored in Connie. It's the one I used before you helped me connect to the onboard tank. It is about 4’ long. There are also 2 BBQ bottles that I left there. One belongs to you.
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Old 06-11-2019, 10:25 PM   #42
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kdauto -

There will be several windows on the north side of the container for natural lighting. Most likely I'll only put a small window on the south side in the bathroom.

I may opt for battery operated wall sconce type lighting rather than having to run 12V in the ceiling insulation

This is the insulation I'll be using. It is glued to the walls and has plastic studs that are rated strong enough to hang upper cabinets on it.

https://www.insofast.com/insulation-...ontainers.html
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