conversion w/onboard recharge

[chad.mccuen]

Is it possible to converert a small truck or van that you could store a small solar voltaic power plant that could be brought out during periods that pluging in would not be possible. Sort of a solar farmer if you will. I'm interested in creating a vehicle that I could live out of but is also electric.

[rich.rezny]

I'm sure anything is possible. The big problem with solar panels is that they don't put out hugh amounts of power without a lot of them. I have 4 Photowatt panels that have a rated output of 105 watts each. Each one measures about 2' X 4.5'. They are not that light either.  Thin film panels like Uni-Solar makes don't weight too much but also don't put out as much power per square foot as a mono or poly crystaline panel.  The idea of a roll up thin film panel sounds good but how many times could it be rolled up without damage. Check out www.homepower.com for loads of info about solar and wind power as well as electric vehicles. Also check out some of the bio-diesel sites on the web.  Maybe a bio-diesel and SVO powered RV with racks of PV on the roof and a fold out awning made of PV panels to power up the RV electrical system. Maybe towing a light weight pontoon boat with a solar panel roof that folds down for transport that also powers the Rv electrics as well as the pontoon boat motor. There are articles like this in Homepower magazine. Sounds like you are determined and that is great!!!...Rich R