I've recently bought a shuttle bus and I've got 14 100W 12V solar panels ready to go. I want to use this setup not only to power the bus and its interior like a camper but also mainly to back feed energy into my house to reduce my electric bill. Additionally, I'd love to have the ability to provide power to friends or neighbors who might lose power during storms. Any suggestions or advice on how to make this work?
1 Answer
To make your solar bus setup effective, you'll need to install a full system including the mounted solar panels wired to a charge controller, battery, and an inverter. An Anderson connector would be really useful; once you park at home, you can connect to a grid-tie inverter. Make sure it's set up to run off battery power, and keep an eye on the battery levels so you don’t drain them completely. Alternatively, instead of switching the PV lines to this connector, you could tap into the battery directly, which is generally a safer option! Just be careful when connecting batteries in parallel—high current can lead to major sparks, so it’s best avoided unless you're experienced.
How would I go about helping someone else's house if they don’t have an Anderson connector? Thanks for your help!