How to Build a Battery Box for a Solar Van
To power a van by solar energy you will need a battery bank, or battery box, to collect the energy that will power the electric motor. Build a battery bank out of deep cycle batteries to collect the energy from the solar panels on your vehicle or from your vehicle's charge station. The batteries will perform the best at a steady, comfortable temperature, so you should house the battery box inside the van rather than the engine compartment.
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Things You'll Need
- 2-by-4 planks
- Plywood, 1 inch thick
- Measuring tape
- Wood screws
- Screwdriver or power driver
- Power drill
- Table saw, jigsaw or handsaw
- Deep cycle batteries
- Solar panels
- Wiring
- Soldering iron
- Nuts and bolts of assorted sizes
- Charge controller
- DC plug system
- AC inverter (optional)
Instructions
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Determine the number of deep cycle batteries you will need for your vehicle. It is most likely that an electric forklift engine will be substituted for the gas combustion engine in the vehicle. Forklift engines come in different sizes and horsepower outputs. The most important consideration is that the main motor axle is compatible with the transmission of your vehicle. Generally, 48 volts of input will produce 10 horsepower of output, so for an engine large enough to push a van at 50 horsepower you will need approximately 20 deep cycle 12-volt batteries.
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Measure your deep cycle batteries and cut the plywood and 2 by 4 planks to the appropriate height and width for the batteries you have obtained. Deep cycle batteries come in different models and sizes, so don't build your wooden shelving until you have your batteries. Leave yourself enough room to wire the batteries together in a series. The wiring you will use for the battery bank should be of a thin enough gauge to solder. Drill holes and bolt the shelving securely to the inside of the van so the battery bank will not shift while the vehicle is in motion.
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3
Wire a charge controller to your battery bank using solder or bolts, depending on the wire gauge. This is where the electricity from the solar panels will enter the battery bank. Set the charge controller to allow electricity to the battery bank when the charge drops below 11.7 volts and to shut off when the charge exceeds 14.3 volts. It is highly unlikely that your vehicle will have enough surface area to carry enough solar cells to charge your battery bank; realistically, you will need to plug in at a home base station. Wire a DC plug to your charge controller so that it can be plugged into your bank of solar panels at home. DC plug systems are available at automotive parts dealers.
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Connect the battery bank to the electric motor of the vehicle. Some forklift and electric vehicle motors run on DC power and some on AC. If you have a DC motor it can be wired directly to the battery bank by soldering iron or bolting. If you have an AC motor, you will need to wire an AC inverter between the battery bank and the motor by bolting or soldering the wire appropriately for the gauge of wire. When your battery bank is charged you are ready to try your first trip.
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Tips & Warnings
Leave yourself enough empty space in your battery box to add several more batteries. The number of batteries you need is affected by wiring loads and resistance throughout the electrical system, so you may need to add batteries and make more than one attempt before success is achieved.
Until you get a feel for how far you can drive on a single charge of your battery bank, don't put yourself in a position to become stranded with a dead vehicle.
You can still use solar panels on the vehicle to add to the length the vehicle can travel, but it will most likely need to be fully charged at a larger home base setup.
Batteries can be hazardous and explode if mishandled. Work in a well-ventilated area. If you are ever unsure of your system or an individual battery, consult a professional.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit solar powered car image by Yali Shi from Fotolia.com
