It was a joke that went over everyone's head- the soap was to act as a replacement fluid...

I've been doing massive searches all over the web for solar panels- two 80v should do the trick, right?

Okay, so the first purchase on this, so I can start putting my printers in- should be the extra batteries. How do I wire them up to the van to recharge prior to the time I get the solar panels- I fully intend to go solar, but building this up as the money trickles in. My next paycheck is dedicated to the autotap beyond a doubt, but the next one is gonna be the batteries. Just don't know what to do with them. Do I snake some wires through the the van to the main battery? I thought there would be some kind of divider so one wouldn't drain or mess with the other- I would hate it if I was printing, ran out of juice in my backup batteries from overworking them, went to start the van to recharge them, and the main battery was drained too.

This tech is new to me.

 

I assume you mean 2 80 watt panels, not 2 80 Volt panels. 160 watts is a good amount.

My 130 watt panel is rated at 7.39 amps. The MPPT charge controller is able to convert this up to 8.2 amps, depending on panel temperatures.

But you really need to determine how much electricity you are going to consume. They sell a Device called a Kill a watt that you plug a device into, and it will tell you how much current it is consuming over a time span.

I don't know how much your desktop powering some printers will consume.

I theoretically see room on my roof for 3 130 watt panels and that would be at the limit of the charge controller.

Do not buy batteries before you need them. They have a shelf life and will lose 14% of more of their charge a month at 75 degrees(AGMs lose only 2 to 3%), and will start sulfating when sitting below 80%. But You will need at some point, a good 120 volt wall smart charger.

Read the 12 volt side of life about the ways to wire thing up. Basically you put all your devices/ appliances and solar inputs to the deep cycle(house battery, and you either have a manual switch to put the 2 batteries in parallel for engine charging, or you wire in a Solenoid, which is basically a large relay. When the contacts of the relay see 12 volts
(from ignition key on, or other source), it bridges the contacts and connects the Chassis and house batteries for alternator based charging.

There is also a Diode, which is like a check valve, meaning the alternator can charge the house batteries, but your printers cannot take any amps from the chassis starting battery. These Diodes reduce the charging voltage to the house battery, so they rarely get a full charge, and are the least prefered method.

The thickness and distance of the wires from the Solar Panels to the charge controller, and from the charge controller to the house battery is very important to performance of the solar system. The shorter the run, the fatter the cable, the better.

 

The good thing about Dodge vans is that the transmissions are easy to replace. You don't even have to jack up the vehicle and you can easily get at all the bolts to the engine from the top. My auto transmission now has 145k on it and still running strong. If it poops out I'll pull it myself and have it rebuilt. I still love my Dodge van. How are you going to get that 4x8 sheet of plywood in a Mitsubishi?

 

You don't put it in, you put it on.

 

Car Inverter, RV battery (van alternator) or solar?

I looked at the prices you posted and cant afford solar.
I have limited knowledge of the RV battery world.
Done some research on Car Inverters, but the van needs to run while you run stuff.

I plan to convert the van to 4wd in the future. I know its a load of work, but if I go divorced 205 transfer case. 3 drive shafts, and dana 60/corp14ff/d44 should be a good combo for a wheeler just starting out.