Our business has grown steadily the last few years, including the number of installations that occur outside of our shop. Stationary solar is the fastest growing part of our business. This includes commercial rooftop installations, off-grid properties, and even grid-tied residential installations. Off-Grid Power Systems (OGPS) needed a mobile shop of sorts to deliver solar panels, batteries, inverters, etc. to job sites around the Midwest. We could have simply purchased a cargo trailer to transport supplies and tools to work sites, but we decided to build something special that showcases the solutions we offer, support public events, and of course, work out of. Different people call it different things, but I like to refer to it simply as our solar trailer.
As we do with any client project, we first started by gathering requirements. The trailer's first duty is to transport supplies and carry the tools necessary to perform on-site installation work. We wanted power on site to run tools and machinery for installations and didn't want to deal with the noise and hassle of running a generator. Since the majority of our work involves off-grid power, there is usually no available power at the farms, houses, cabins, and businesses that are off-grid. So we definitely needed inverters, batteries, and solar to power to the worksite as needed. In fact, we have so much power and energy in the trailer that we can run an entire construction project from the trailer alone. There is more on the technical details below.
The second use for the trailer was to demonstrate the amazing Victron Energy ecosystem of products for off-grid installations wherever we go. Sometimes it's a worksite, other times it's a trade show, and still other times it's going to our commercial clients' businesses to offer training to their technicians or customers. Whatever the occasion, people are very curious to understand the trailer's capabilities and what we use it for. Our commercial customers find training on a live Victron system at their facility to be very convenient. It's one reason they choose to purchase Victron products and engineering services from us. At trade shows, potential customers (and more than a few competitors) appreciate live demonstrations vs just posters and slide presentations.
The third use for the trailer is to support public events or to rent to the public for short-term power needs where power isn't available. Want to host a family reunion at a local park and power a bounce house and keep Grandma's beans hot in a crock pot? We've got you covered. Want to power the entire infield at a mountain bike race? We sponsor the Ohio Mountain Bike League to do exactly that. Read the story here: https://www.victronenergy.com/blog/2024/11/06/the-mountain-bike-events-getting-children-into-the-great-outdoors/
The solar trailer includes the following technologies:
- 2x MultiPlus-II 48/5000 120V – 10kVA, 8kW continuous rating
- 1x Autotransformer 100A in a 120V/240V split-phase configuration
- Cerbo GX MK2 + GX Touch 70 communication centre device and touch-screen user interface. There’s a GPS receiver to allow for Victron Remote Management VRM solar forecast updates and geofencing – so the trailer can be tracked if it’s ever stolen.
- 8x Lithium Battery Smart 200Ah 25.6V battery modules (40kWh total)
- Lynx Smart BMS 500A takes care of the battery management for Victron Lithium batteries; there’s a Lynx Power In for connecting the DC power distribution and two Lynx Distributors with monitored fuses.
- Smart BatteryProtect 48/100 disconnects the batteries from non essential loads before they become excessively depleted. The system includes a 48V air conditioner via ATD on the BMS
- 2x Orion-Tr Smart 48/12-30A DC to DC power supply provides 12V power for ham radios, vent fan, and electric jack
- 1x SmartSolar MPPT 150/45 Solar Charge Controller maximises the power harvest from solar panels.
- 6x Merlin Solar TBS240L (240W) flexible adhesive panels on the roof
- 8x Merlin Solar Panther 200 (200W) portable panels connected to a Hoymiles HMS-2000-4T-NA four port microinverter (two panels per MPPT) for a total of 1600W of AC-coupled solar on the ground when needed. These back-feed the AC output of the inverters
- A VM-3P75CT Energy Meter to measure the output of the Hoymiles inverter so VRM accurately accounts for the AC-coupled PV production
- 1x Starlink Gen3 Standard antenna mounted flat on the roof to provide Internet access in remote locations
- This network is used as a WLAN at the race infield to network the computers, timing system, and a large-screen TV for live results to the spectators, SA’s, coaches, etc.
- It also provides Internet access for live race updates online for people not at the race to keep up-to-date on race results
- It also provides public WiFi access when cellular service isn’t available.
You can see more of the solar trailer in use here: