this post was submitted on 06 Oct 2023
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Living in vans, cars, RVs, etc
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We're not homeless, we're houseless! By choice or by circumstance we are living in our vehicles. Don't worry about us -- it can be a very good life.
Anything that affects us as vehicle-dwellers is probably on topic.
external resources
- emergency guide to suddenly living in a vehicle <-- start here if you don't have a choice in the matter
- vanlife FAQ
- introduction to power in the vehicle
- gentle introduction to solar power
- overview of charging by alternator
- guides to hygiene and toilet
fedi resources
rules of engagement
- be civil
- use descriptive thread titles. Pro tip: "Help" or "Question" are not descriptive titles.
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- tire-kickers: yes, we've heard that "in a van down by the river" joke. It was hi-larious in 1993.
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I typically only relocate every few days but when I do I'm usually driving for at least 3-4 hours. My 30 amp Orion plus my solar panels is usually enough to get my 272aH battery to full. I do wish I had gone with a larger DC-DC charger because I occasionally have to idle the engine to charge the battery when the weather is cloudy even if I'm not driving anywhere. A 60 amp charger would reduce the time I'd need to idle in order to get a decent charge.
One minor annoyance is that the Orion doesn't charge my lifepo4 to 100% on its own. I don't think the voltage knob goes high enough to hit the top voltage that my BMS considers 100%. It's probably only a few amp hours of capacity missing, but it bugs me to drive all night and end up with only 95% charge.
I've seen Orions paralleled for 60A. Is that an option?
Yes, I would need to run a larger gauge wire but the connection point on the vehicle is capable of 60 amps. I just don't want to run more wires though because I'm lazy.