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Power your Full-Sized Pickup Truck from the Sun

Media_Truth said:
There is a National Electric Code that is used for electrical designs. Therefore it's your onus to prove that all states don't have the same design criteria. Looking forward to your input. With high probability I will state that an external outdoor disconnect has been part of the NEC since at least 2011, when I installed my system. It may be that there needs to be better training for firefighters.

All that said, electrical installations of any kind tend to be a tough nutshell for firefighters. That includes service entrances, outdoor electrical connection boxes, inside service panels, and even 120-Volt outlets. Check this out ---> This firefighter lived, but was severely injured.

Electric power safety for firefighters
Click to expand...

From 2017, and btw I don't have any "onus" at all.

[h=3]Solar panels present firefighters with new challenges - FireRescue1[/h]
[url]https://www.firerescue1.com/firefighter.../197008018-Solar-panels-present-firefighter...
[/URL]



Feb 20, 2017 - But how do you do that when the power isn't coming from the utility grid? How do firefighters ventilate a roof when it's covered in solar panels ...




[h=3]Rooftop Solar Panels Are Great for the Planet—But Terrible for ... - Wired[/h]
[url]https://www.wired.com/2017/05/rooftop-solar-panels-great-planet-terrible-firefighters/
[/URL]



May 30, 2017 - In the last two decades, solar power has exploded. In 2009, only 30,000 American homes had solar panels; by 2013, that number had jumped to 400,000. With that growth, firefightershave had to contend with new threats to their safety—and that of the buildings and people they're charged with protecting.


 
Jack Hays said:
From 2017, and btw I don't have any "onus" at all.

[h=3]Solar panels present firefighters with new challenges - FireRescue1[/h]
[url]https://www.firerescue1.com/firefighter.../197008018-Solar-panels-present-firefighter...
[/URL]



Feb 20, 2017 - But how do you do that when the power isn't coming from the utility grid? How do firefighters ventilate a roof when it's covered in solar panels ...


[h=3]Rooftop Solar Panels Are Great for the Planet—But Terrible for ... - Wired[/h]
[url]https://www.wired.com/2017/05/rooftop-solar-panels-great-planet-terrible-firefighters/
[/URL]



May 30, 2017 - In the last two decades, solar power has exploded. In 2009, only 30,000 American homes had solar panels; by 2013, that number had jumped to 400,000. With that growth, firefightershave had to contend with new threats to their safety—and that of the buildings and people they're charged with protecting.
Click to expand...

Ignorance is bliss. If there's an outdoor disconnect, as per NEC, it totally powers off any electrical current (to or from) the solar panels. Time for you to move onto a different topic. You continue to fail at this one.
 
Media_Truth said:
When people think of solar energy, they don't think of massive power. The Rivian is a full-sized electric pickup truck (available 2020), more powerful than the Toyota Tacoma.

View attachment 67253244

Here's a Motor Trend comparison to the Toyota Tacoma. Consider:

Access Denied

Helping make those numbers possible is a standard air suspension that gives the R1T 7.9 inches to 14.2 inches of ground clearance, significantly greater than the Tacoma's 9.4 inches.
...
Rivian claims the aluminum and steel R1T will hit 60 mph in just 3.0 seconds with the medium-sized battery.
...
Rivian also claims an 11,000-pound tow rating, though max towing will slow you down and cut your range in half. A four-door, four-wheel-drive Tacoma's tow rating tops out at 6,400 pounds.

Now the solar - SolarEdge has manufactured an inverter that will take power from solar panels and charge a vehicle with a 220-volt charge. The larger system is 7600 Watts. This will fully charge the Rivian in less than 14 hours. The Rivian (small-sized battery), fully-charged, has a 230-mile range.

SolarEdge | A World Leader in Smart Energy | A World Leader in Smart Energy

If designed properly, these Solar Edge systems can meet the total driving needs of most American households, without even being grid-tied. Similar to an off-grid home, the car batteries become the power storage for the solar energy. If one only achieves a 50 percent charge on some days, that still covers 115 miles for the Rivian pickup, and much more for Teslas, Chevy Bolts, and other EVs. And if it's rainy for 2 days - no big deal. Just plug it into a household outlet. You're not stranded.
Click to expand...

I like the idea of solar power. It makes its own energy out of something that is abundantly available. I think such a thing is a little too far out to say 2020. But should solar panels become better it wouldn't matter the cost increase of this over a regular pickup truck because you eliminate fuel cost. And because it's electric you eliminate a lot of maintenance. This is one we should watch it might be kind of cool
 
Media_Truth said:
When people think of solar energy, they don't think of massive power. The Rivian is a full-sized electric pickup truck (available 2020), more powerful than the Toyota Tacoma.

View attachment 67253244

Here's a Motor Trend comparison to the Toyota Tacoma. Consider:

Access Denied

Helping make those numbers possible is a standard air suspension that gives the R1T 7.9 inches to 14.2 inches of ground clearance, significantly greater than the Tacoma's 9.4 inches.
...
Rivian claims the aluminum and steel R1T will hit 60 mph in just 3.0 seconds with the medium-sized battery.
...
Rivian also claims an 11,000-pound tow rating, though max towing will slow you down and cut your range in half. A four-door, four-wheel-drive Tacoma's tow rating tops out at 6,400 pounds.

Now the solar - SolarEdge has manufactured an inverter that will take power from solar panels and charge a vehicle with a 220-volt charge. The larger system is 7600 Watts. This will fully charge the Rivian in less than 14 hours. The Rivian (small-sized battery), fully-charged, has a 230-mile range.

SolarEdge | A World Leader in Smart Energy | A World Leader in Smart Energy

If designed properly, these Solar Edge systems can meet the total driving needs of most American households, without even being grid-tied. Similar to an off-grid home, the car batteries become the power storage for the solar energy. If one only achieves a 50 percent charge on some days, that still covers 115 miles for the Rivian pickup, and much more for Teslas, Chevy Bolts, and other EVs. And if it's rainy for 2 days - no big deal. Just plug it into a household outlet. You're not stranded.
Click to expand...

Not very practical in a State like Alaska. Sure, Summers would be a blast. The solar powered vehicle would be continually charging under 20+ hours of daylight. However, during the Winter you will be walking everywhere. Electric vehicles in general do not do well in extreme cold. The cold tends to drain the batteries far quicker than under room-temperature conditions.
 
CLAX1911 said:
I like the idea of solar power. It makes its own energy out of something that is abundantly available. I think such a thing is a little too far out to say 2020. But should solar panels become better it wouldn't matter the cost increase of this over a regular pickup truck because you eliminate fuel cost. And because it's electric you eliminate a lot of maintenance. This is one we should watch it might be kind of cool
Click to expand...

They now have transparent solar cells. See MIT Energy Initiative: Transparent solar cells

So now every window in a home can also generate power, as well as the windows on a vehicle.
 
Media_Truth said:
Ignorance is bliss. If there's an outdoor disconnect, as per NEC, it totally powers off any electrical current (to or from) the solar panels. Time for you to move onto a different topic. You continue to fail at this one.
Click to expand...

[FONT=&quot]. . . But not every state and county in the country is operating on the newest version of the codes—or any at all. New Hampshire, where the January fire occurred, is still using the 2009 version of the NFPA codes, which don’t include safety requirements for photovoltaic panels.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]The NFPA and ICC publish their codes as model documents. It’s up to individual counties to decide which edition to implement, and if they want to make adjustments on a local level. “You can go across the country and some are on the 2015 [codes] already, some are on the 2012, some on 2009,” says fire code consultant Bob Davidson, who helps write the codes. Florida uses the 2012 NFPA code. Alabama, right next door, still uses the 2009 version of the International Fire Code. . . . [/FONT]
 
Media_Truth said:
When people think of solar energy, they don't think of massive power. The Rivian is a full-sized electric pickup truck (available 2020), more powerful than the Toyota Tacoma.

View attachment 67253244

Here's a Motor Trend comparison to the Toyota Tacoma. Consider:

Access Denied

Helping make those numbers possible is a standard air suspension that gives the R1T 7.9 inches to 14.2 inches of ground clearance, significantly greater than the Tacoma's 9.4 inches.
...
Rivian claims the aluminum and steel R1T will hit 60 mph in just 3.0 seconds with the medium-sized battery.
...
Rivian also claims an 11,000-pound tow rating, though max towing will slow you down and cut your range in half. A four-door, four-wheel-drive Tacoma's tow rating tops out at 6,400 pounds.

Now the solar - SolarEdge has manufactured an inverter that will take power from solar panels and charge a vehicle with a 220-volt charge. The larger system is 7600 Watts. This will fully charge the Rivian in less than 14 hours. The Rivian (small-sized battery), fully-charged, has a 230-mile range.

SolarEdge | A World Leader in Smart Energy | A World Leader in Smart Energy

If designed properly, these Solar Edge systems can meet the total driving needs of most American households, without even being grid-tied. Similar to an off-grid home, the car batteries become the power storage for the solar energy. If one only achieves a 50 percent charge on some days, that still covers 115 miles for the Rivian pickup, and much more for Teslas, Chevy Bolts, and other EVs. And if it's rainy for 2 days - no big deal. Just plug it into a household outlet. You're not stranded.
Click to expand...

No thanks, I’ll keep my American company Ford F-150.
 
Media_Truth said:
Check out that gas mileage when you're towing!
Click to expand...

Well if I'm towing in a conventional vehicle and I ran out of fuel it takes a few minutes to fill it up. I think what would make this truck a competitor is if on top of a solar panel it also has a gasoline generator to recharge the battery. That would eliminate the recharge time completely. The gasoline engine would only drive the generator so there wouldn't be a strain on it. And the amount of energy you need to run a generator is much less than the amount of energy you need to drive wheels.

I know it isn't completely emissions free but I think we have a way to go before a vehicle can be and can also compete with traditional vehicles. Fuel electric work solar boost will help develope the tech. Maybe one day to the point we don't need the generator.
 
FreedomFromAll said:
A better term then for you would probably be supplemental. Total power output is supplemented by a multitude of power sources.

To address you concerns about your SC coming on when you want; Solar and wind are only two power sources. It is dishonest to argue that those only two power sources would be utilized in any power grid. And at that it is most likely that you are assuming that the level of technology that we are at now is a constant. As more technology is available over time the Natural gas gambit will become a thing of the past. Because of the price of natural gas currently, all other power sources pretty much are alternatives to it. When Natural gas prices rise then other sources will become much more viable. At at top of that list will be solar and wind. But I suspect that other renewable sources will be even better.

Here is one example that has massive potential. NASA Wants to Know Cost of Space Solar Power - Lovesick Cyborg : Lovesick Cyborg
Click to expand...
Supplemental is actually a more descriptive term, but I was not the one who choose alternative energy as the name.
The problem with them is that they still lack density and duty cycle.
To get from there to a reliable grid, will require massive energy storage (likely not batteries).
Man made natural gas is a good choice for energy storage, but the natural stuff is so inexpensive,
that the economics are many decades in the future.
Long term I think solar has a better chance than wind, pending some major technology advance in wind power.
Solar with viable seasonal storage, has the capability of moving Humanity forward at 1st world standards.
Wind and other alternatives could be part of the mix, but I think long term they will have higher costs.
 
longview said:
Supplemental is actually a more descriptive term, but I was not the one who choose alternative energy as the name.
The problem with them is that they still lack density and duty cycle.
To get from there to a reliable grid, will require massive energy storage (likely not batteries).
Man made natural gas is a good choice for energy storage, but the natural stuff is so inexpensive,
that the economics are many decades in the future.
Long term I think solar has a better chance than wind, pending some major technology advance in wind power.
Solar with viable seasonal storage, has the capability of moving Humanity forward at 1st world standards.
Wind and other alternatives could be part of the mix, but I think long term they will have higher costs.
Click to expand...

I really have not heard anyone propose to switch entirely to just wind and solar. Well except people arguing against so called "alternative energy". Meanwhile despite political opinions, power production will move towards energy sources that are viable and cost effective.

ANd also I do not think that our current power grids are all that reliable. Hell all of the power grids in the US are barely working. And our large power grids make us very vulnerable to attacks (cyber and conventional). It is very inefficient to transmit power over long distances, and a grid failure could mean millions in losses. Power grids as they stand now cover huge regions. Micro grids would be much better. Attacks on them would only disturb power in small limited areas.
 
FreedomFromAll said:
I really have not heard anyone propose to switch entirely to just wind and solar. Well except people arguing against so called "alternative energy". Meanwhile despite political opinions, power production will move towards energy sources that are viable and cost effective.

ANd also I do not think that our current power grids are all that reliable. Hell all of the power grids in the US are barely working. And our large power grids make us very vulnerable to attacks (cyber and conventional). It is very inefficient to transmit power over long distances, and a grid failure could mean millions in losses. Power grids as they stand now cover huge regions. Micro grids would be much better. Attacks on them would only disturb power in small limited areas.
Click to expand...
There is a thread on this forum about it,
Most of The World Could Be 100% Powered With Renewables by 2050
I agree that distributing the sources of energy could greatly improve the reliability of the grid, while decreasing the risk of attack.
It would actually have to be planned that way, and I am not sure we are seeing that now.
I think without massive storage, wind and solar are only medium useful.
There may yet be a technical solution!
 
longview said:
There is a thread on this forum about it,
Most of The World Could Be 100% Powered With Renewables by 2050
I agree that distributing the sources of energy could greatly improve the reliability of the grid, while decreasing the risk of attack.
It would actually have to be planned that way, and I am not sure we are seeing that now.
I think without massive storage, wind and solar are only medium useful.
There may yet be a technical solution!
Click to expand...

You only need that "massive storage" if you are trying to make an argument against solar and wind being used exclusively. But it says specifically in that link (in that thread that you linked): "100 percent wind, water, and solar power". A type of hydropower called pumped storage will do the trick.

Pumped-Storage Hydropower | Department of Energy
 
I am a big solar fan with certain applications, so I say buy whatever you like. It's nobody's business but your own.

For me, I can't afford to wait for a battery to charge if I get a emergency call for tarping a damaged roof, or a blown out water line at some property..
 
RetiredUSN said:
I am a big solar fan with certain applications, so I say buy whatever you like. It's nobody's business but your own.

For me, I can't afford to wait for a battery to charge if I get a emergency call for tarping a damaged roof, or a blown out water line at some property..
Click to expand...

I completely agree. Use whatever source of power that suits your needs the best for your conditions. Not everyone has the same needs or lives in the same environment where these vehicles were designed. I'm certain a solar-powered truck would be perfectly acceptable under the perpetual sunny skies of southern California. When you get beyond the deep south, I'm not so certain.

One thing is certain, they will not be purchased north of the Arctic Circle, unless the owner only drives during the Summer. Not a very big demographic, granted, but it emphasizes how everyone's energy needs are different.
 
RetiredUSN said:
I am a big solar fan with certain applications, so I say buy whatever you like. It's nobody's business but your own.

For me, I can't afford to wait for a battery to charge if I get a emergency call for tarping a damaged roof, or a blown out water line at some property..
Click to expand...

I completely agree. Use whatever source of power that suits your needs the best for your conditions. Not everyone has the same needs or lives in the same environment where these vehicles were designed. I'm certain a solar-powered truck would be perfectly acceptable under the perpetual sunny skies of southern California. When you get beyond the deep south, I'm not so certain.

One thing is certain, they will not be purchased north of the Arctic Circle, unless the owner only drives during the Summer. Not a very big demographic, granted, but it emphasizes how everyone's energy needs are different.
 
Glitch said:
I completely agree. Use whatever source of power that suits your needs the best for your conditions. Not everyone has the same needs or lives in the same environment where these vehicles were designed. I'm certain a solar-powered truck would be perfectly acceptable under the perpetual sunny skies of southern California. When you get beyond the deep south, I'm not so certain.

One thing is certain, they will not be purchased north of the Arctic Circle, unless the owner only drives during the Summer. Not a very big demographic, granted, but it emphasizes how everyone's energy needs are different.
Click to expand...

"Deep South" only - not quite. I live in Colorado. My EV runs extremely well. You do understand that the batteries are constantly conditioned (heated in winter and cooled in summer) while the vehicle is plugged in, don't you?

How Many Electric Cars Are There in the USA? - Nanalyze

Electric-Vehicles-by-State.jpg
 
Media_Truth said:
Rivian is an American Company (Irvine, CA).

Rivian
Click to expand...
Is Irvine California still in America? Most of California is lost.....not sure where Irving stands. Ballot harvesting pretty much pushed the state over the cliff.

Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk
 
Media_Truth said:
"Deep South" only - not quite. I live in Colorado. My EV runs extremely well. You do understand that the batteries are constantly conditioned (heated in winter and cooled in summer) while the vehicle is plugged in, don't you?

How Many Electric Cars Are There in the USA? - Nanalyze
Click to expand...
Obviously you are not aware that the sun does not shine for a minimum of 90 days every Winter if you are above the Arctic Circle. You do understand that a solar-powered truck requires sunlight, don't you?
 
Glitch said:
Obviously you are not aware that the sun does not shine for a minimum of 90 days every Winter if you are above the Arctic Circle. You do understand that a solar-powered truck requires sunlight, don't you?
Click to expand...

"Above the Arctic Circle" is a far cry from "Deep South only". Which is it?
 
Glitch said:
Obviously you have a very serious reading comprehension problem since I mentioned both in my post, which you clearly failed to grasp.
Click to expand...

And I'm calling this statement out - "I'm certain a solar-powered truck would be perfectly acceptable under the perpetual sunny skies of southern California. When you get beyond the deep south, I'm not so certain."


It's hogwash, and I proved it with my link on Electrical Car ownership. The entire Western US, other than the Pacific Northwest, has very sunny climates. That alone blows your statement away. Somebody on my Chevy Volt group, from Vancouver posted this electric usage summary, after he installed a Solar-Edge system. The Pacific Northwest is one of the cloudiest areas of the US, and he is enjoying tremendous savings with his solar system.

Vancouver_Solar_Edge_Production.jpg

Put that in perspective - in his cloudy climate, he is often achieving 50 KWH in a single day. A Tesla battery pack is 100 KWH, and is good for about 300 miles.
 
Last edited:
Media_Truth said:
And I'm calling this statement out - "I'm certain a solar-powered truck would be perfectly acceptable under the perpetual sunny skies of southern California. When you get beyond the deep south, I'm not so certain."


It's hogwash, and I proved it with my link on Electrical Car ownership. The entire Western US, other than the Pacific Northwest, has very sunny climates. That alone blows your statement away. Somebody on my Chevy Volt group, from Vancouver posted this electric usage summary, after he installed a Solar-Edge system. The Pacific Northwest is one of the cloudiest areas of the US, and he is enjoying tremendous savings with his solar system.

View attachment 67258779

Put that in perspective - in his cloudy climate, he is often achieving 50 KWH in a single day. A Tesla battery pack is 100 KWH, and is good for about 300 miles.
Click to expand...

Clouds have very little effect on solar cells. However, the lack of sunlight (a.k.a. "darkness"), does have an adverse effect. From November until January the sun does not shine at all above the Arctic Circle. I don't mean that it is cloudy or overcast, I mean the sun never rises above the horizon. It stays dark for ~90 days. Anything solar-powered above 66° 30' north is completely, and utterly useless between the months of November and January. In fact, it makes very little sense to use solar power for anything above 45°N or below 45°S, unless it is for Summer use only or they're an idiot.
 
Glitch said:
Clouds have very little effect on solar cells. However, the lack of sunlight (a.k.a. "darkness"), does have an adverse effect. From November until January the sun does not shine at all above the Arctic Circle. I don't mean that it is cloudy or overcast, I mean the sun never rises above the horizon. It stays dark for ~90 days. Anything solar-powered above 66° 30' north is completely, and utterly useless between the months of November and January. In fact, it makes very little sense to use solar power for anything above 45°N or below 45°S, unless it is for Summer use only or they're an idiot.
Click to expand...

45 degrees latitude is "the deep south"? I just posted a March report for Vancouver, which is north of 45 degree latitude. I would agree that November thru January will not produce much output. But other months will be fine. Also, clouds do effect the performance of solar panels. Again - look at the Vancouver performance report, and one can readily see the cloudy days, which often show less than 50% of normal production.
 
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