So I came up with crazy idea over xmas.
I have a big kick arse 80's V8 van. I have a couple of clients now that I can work remotely for - shifting pixels for their websites.
The idea is I drive somewhere, somewhere really pleasant. Surf, walk around, explore and then hop in my van and do some pixel shifting for my clients for the rest of the day. When I'm tired, hungry/fed up, go to a pub get a meal, then drive to a caravan park get some sleep, probably do a little more work. The idea is I think I can turn my van into a mobile workspace over summer. Maybe work on a project this way for 2-4 days at a time.
My Macbook pro has about 5 hours life, and I can use my mobile as a wifi hotspot - which is easy to charge or park outside a maccas and get free wifi. The laptop I'm thinking will need a pure sinewave inverter. Which may draw too much power on my battery, making starting my van a problem.
I saw some Solar Panels for sale at Aldi today that look pretty cheap. www.aldi.com.au/en/special-buys/
Now, If I was to purchase a decent deep cycle battery the Aldi solar panels and a pure sine wave inverter for my laptop. What else would I need to keep my laptop running for longer and reduce the risk of my van catching fire? I already own a decent 5 stage battery charger, which will do the job when I'm at a power source.
Reluctant to do a dual battery system just yet, not until I understand a bit more. Prefer to do this DIY style, and see how it goes, and hopefully learn a bit more about charging batteries using solar and get more bits and pieces as I go along.
What do ya reckon - have I lost the plot?
Sounds as though you're on the right track to give it a try. The only suggestion I would make is that you go for an AGM battery - absorbed glass matting or something like that - with a battery box that has the appropriate plug sockets. They are spill proof (no acid) and don't give off explosive fumes....
Also I ran a fused cable through to the back of my van just to run the fridge when I'm driving or only parked up for a short while and when I'm stopped for the day I stick it on the battery.
My 105ah AGM battery can run my Engel fridge for up to 4 days before I really need to use the solar panels but it's best not to flatten them too much so I usually put the solar panels out a lot earlier than that.
I have an agm optima battery running in my van. Would be good to have a spare to run accessories from. So with the Aldi solar panels can you just hook them to the battery without anything else?
you will need a regulator to run the panels into the batt . or you will cook the batt
I'd assume that The Aldi panels do have regs built in and just plug straight into a battery, but have no idea on the quality of them. Someone here must have tried them or know.
Select to expand quoteadolf said...
What do ya reckon - have I lost the plot?
Of course not 
I can't offer any advise but encouragement, I've been bumming around with a caravan off the grid for over a year, wasn't till Mandurah WA I connected to power and only because no unpowered sites. I've got a flash set up but it's doable so give it a go 
Ok a little bit of advise, do go for a 2nd battery with a Redarc isolator. Portable solar should come with a regulator, remove it from the panel and fit next to the battery, also use heavier wiring and if you need to plug in use good quality Anderson plugs.
Cheers Uncle Bob
It's those that have "lost the plot and think outside the box that offer any real advancement of the-species. We already have plenty of sheep
I think I just got a message from god. I'm pretty sure this is the same battery in my Van, will have to check in the morning. Pick up is about 5km away and battery is listed at less than half price, but is used. Would be worth throwing in a really low ball offer - like $45 or $80 for two of them and see if he/she tells me to f'ck off. Relationship can only go upwards from there. http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/OPTIMA-YELLOW-TOP-BATTERY-12-VOLT-AGM-LOT-2-PICK-UP-HAMPTON-3188-/301830965791?hash=item4646870a1f:g:ukAAAOSw3KFWel0i
Select to expand quoteadolf said..
What do ya reckon - have I lost the plot?
Long time ago. Getting paid to shift pixels?? Con man.
The SCA 1200 Amp Heavy Duty Jumpstart battery pack is designed to be a quick easy solution for those with medium sized 4 cylinder and 6 cylinder cars who have been left stranded due to a flat battery. The jumpstart pack is simply pre-charged from a 240V wall socket and can be left ready in the car for those emergency situations. When the jumpstart pack requires charging, both an audible and visual warning is given to ensure it never goes unnoticed. Included with this jumpstart pack are two 12V accessory outlets which give an option to power 12V items without straining the actual car battery.
Biggest hole in that plan is depending on Macca's wi-fi. It's so slow that I find it tiresome to even check text based email. You're gonna need a 3G card at the very least.
Do you know how many watts your computer set-up draws?
The Aldi ad says that it includes a "controller". If it's suitable for connection to lead acid battery, then it's a bargain.
www.aldi.com.au/en/special-buys/
Adolf. Lots of people are thinking the same as you, even going off the grid from their own homes. We are looking at solar and batteries, plus recyclable toilet systems and water. It can be done, so I salute you for trying it as well. Life is meant to be lived and freedom comes from what you're doing.
Here's an idea: if you can afford it, buy a couple of old shipping containers and place them in the bush (plenty of places if you look around and see if there is a road into some places). Drop one here and another there. Over time, deck them out, build yourself a home, and completely off the grid. The only risk are vagrants that want to steal your homes, but you can set up hidden solar CTV systems with 3G messaging to send you updates and alerts. Also, park rangers, etc, but they can be hushed in many ways. ;)
Select to expand quoteHarrow said..
Biggest hole in that plan is depending on Macca's wi-fi. It's so slow that I find it tiresome to even check text based email. You're gonna need a 3G card at the very least.
Do you know how many watts your computer set-up draws?
I've got a 4G Mobile that I'll probably use as a hotspot.
My computer power is listed as:
Up to 7 hours wireless webBuilt-in 63.5-watt-hour lithium-polymer battery 60W MagSafe Power Adapter with cable management system; MagSafe power port
Select to expand quoteloftywinds2 said..
We are looking at solar and batteries, plus recyclable toilet systems and water.
your in luck then , with the amount of sh!t and hot air you produce on these forums , you'll be able to power your house for eternity
From what I've been reading. Macs have quite particular and precise power requirements. Apple don't sell a 12V charger for this reason. I understand that there could be other options that "may" work. I guess I just don't want to risk frying it.
Select to expand quoteadolf said..Harrow said..
Biggest hole in that plan is depending on Macca's wi-fi. It's so slow that I find it tiresome to even check text based email. You're gonna need a 3G card at the very least.
Do you know how many watts your computer set-up draws?
I've got a 4G Mobile that I'll probably use as a hotspot.
My computer power is listed as:
Up to 7 hours wireless webBuilt-in 63.5-watt-hour lithium-polymer battery 60W MagSafe Power Adapter with cable management system; MagSafe power port
I am using an Optus 4G modem at the moment. 40Mbps download speed and 20Mbps upload! I suspect its an unusually good location for 4G, but that is pretty impressive.
Select to expand quoteadolf said..
From what I've been reading. Macs have quite particular and precise power requirements. Apple don't sell a 12V charger for this reason. I understand that there could be other options that "may" work. I guess I just don't want to risk frying it.
Really? Or is that part of the myth of Apple?
I guess it is your choice, so an inverter might be an easier way to achieve what you want with less risk, as you are using a genuine Apple power supply.
Select to expand quoteadolf said..FormulaNova said..adolf said..
From what I've been reading. Macs have quite particular and precise power requirements. Apple don't sell a 12V charger for this reason. I understand that there could be other options that "may" work. I guess I just don't want to risk frying it.
Really? Or is that part of the myth of Apple?
I guess it is your choice, so an inverter might be an easier way to achieve what you want with less risk, as you are using a genuine Apple power supply.
If you want to pay 3K for a machine and try your theory - go ahead and let me know how you go.
I got my info from a couple of forums such as this - it's not really advised.
Yeah, agreed, which is why I added the bit about using an inverter and the Apple supply to reduce the risks.
I am a bit of an electronics buff, and I don't understand why a sine wave inverter would be better, but again, its not my risk, so the point is moot.
I do get worried though when you see comments like this:
"That thing is supplying DC straight to your Mac, which is very harmful to it, you'd be mad to use that, which is why Apple don't produce anything like it. It's also drawing a huge amount of amps from your cigarette lighter socket, likely more than the wiring in your car was designed to take, which means you're going to blow fuses or melt electronics in your car. Last but not least, they don't even charge your Mac, they just slow down the rate at which it loses power."
This guy obviously doesn't understand electronics with this sort of talk, so it is worrying when someone might take this sort of comment as authoritative. I 'try' to not talk when I don't know what I am talking about
I would agree with someone that using a cigarette lighter plug for an inverter or a 12v charger is not great when you go over 10 amps, as the plugs are just not that reliable, and the wiring in the car is probably sized for 10amps. Wiring up a socket for your own power supply is different though and you would naturally use larger gauge cable and better quality sockets.
If your choice is either running an inverter from the cigarette socket and then a genuine AC power supply, or running a '12v' charger direct from the same socket, normally the 12v charger would use less current, and hence be better.
Send me the Mac, and I will try it out for you 
Stop dreaming Oliver. You're not going anywhere this Summer until the pool is fixed.
just interested on how you will cope sitting in the drivers seat using a laptop for days, or are you setting up a deck chair and table outside under a tree to work?
the back of a panel van doesnt sound like a easy place to work. It would be ok working in the back of a caravan or a transit van.
Also i saw the 240 AC converters in supercheap that look like they put our enough power for a coffee machine. Would these be ok to plug into a cigarette lighter socket or would they cook the socket? Supercheap also have a range of solar panels. So i was thinking a similar idea for camping.
Living in vans here in the west has become quite popular, or so I am led to believe by the TV. I've seen a few doco's on it, and while it may appear to provide a solution of sorts, long term it would be sh1t.
And to be frank, if you think powering your laptop is the biggest challenge then good luck to you.
You'd be better off moving to a small country town where you can rent a place for less than $200 a week and work from there.
I find it interesting that for one who claims to do computer work for clients, you don't know if your Mac can run off 12V, inverter or otherwise, or what connectivity may be required, how much power is required or even if the cheapo solar panels have a controller (they are cheap as chips on eBay or from Jaycar BTW)
I am no expert but obviously a couple of deep cycle batteries charged by solar, wind or any bloody thing will be sufficient to run it.
Any 4WD place can set u up with that. The new intelligent dual battery systems are idiot proof.
Maybe slightly off the topic of the power situation...but I have been stunned by the cost of a patch of grass and power at a caravan park. Maybe it is just the west but to stay a night the cost at a Big 4 is $75 per night. Gone are the days of a cheap camping holiday with the family.
To to keep costs down you might want to do more than just off grid with the power situation as the caravan parks will slaughter you in fees for a bit of their turf.
Select to expand quoteMark _australia said..
I find it interesting that for one who claims to do computer work for clients, you don't know if your Mac can run off 12V, inverter or otherwise, or what connectivity may be required, how much power is required or even if the cheapo solar panels have a controller (they are cheap as chips on eBay or from Jaycar BTW)
Maybe it's because I work with computers that I am skeptical about these things, especially cheap stuff coming from China. Apple don't make and have never made a car charger for any of their laptops. Seems to be a limitation and I might abandon this idea or go for a different laptop next time.
I'd reckon Apple know that they are finely tuned computers, and they don't want the problems that third party power sources introduce. People have reported that they have fried their laptops using anything but a pure sine wave inverter - maybe because a clean power source is needed to render a billion pixels on a computer monitor or run it's processor. It's a little different to powering a dildo Mark.
What I do know about computers is that people have continual problems with them - that's how I've made a living.
The caravan parks generally in Vicco are less than half that price. Although, Wilsons Prom charge up to $70 for a non powered site.
I do a lot of remote-ish camping, and like my tech as well.I haven't got solar yet, But what I do is take a 100 amp hour AGM deep cycle fully charged. That will run the waeco for about 3 days. I have a cheap MSI laptop, but works fast does what I need etc etc. I just typed the model number in and searched for 12v charger on ebay. One listed straight away about $30. Been using it almost 2 years now, no dramas at all and very little draw. Charge the phone from the usb ports. Hotspot phone to laptop. Now, I'm on a cliff in the middle of no where, playing online poker, while waiting for my shark line to go off ;)
From my experience, using an inverter from 12v to 240 is a bad idea if your not running an engine/generator at time of use. Before I had the 12v lappy cord, I tried the exact setup, but instead just a small invertor to charge the laptop. Battery was flat in under an hour. Turns out, the actual invertor draws a lot of power itself to convert the power. Ever felt how hot those things get? To make things hot, generally requires a lot of power. The laptop actually draws bugger all, but the invertor - quite substantial. Some one told me most laptops are actually designed for a small voltage, and the box in your power cord generally does the converting...cant confirm though.
