This is our remote work trailer. It’s our home, office, and sometimes parts and equipment storage and transportation for remote jobs. And because we don’t always get to work In optimal weather, the trailer had to be outfitted with a robust power system to keep up with air conditioner power demands.
Mounted on the roof via tilt up rail mounts are 10 panels producing about 4kw of power.
The heart of the system, which is carefully crammed in the only cargo compartment on the trailer in a way that still allows cargo to be stored there too, is a Victron Multiplus2 inverter. Four separate Victron charge controllers manage the solar power the panels produce. A Victron DC-to-DC converter keeps the 12 volt house batteries charged. Victron buss bars handle the 48 volt power distribution for the system, while a Victron Lynx Distributor handles the high current power distribution duties for the three Pytes 48 volt Lithium batteries. All the Victron components are plugged into a Victron Cerbo GX to control them and connect them to the internet, while a Victron Cerbo GX Touch 50 installed inside the RV allows easy monitoring and control.
An automatic transfer switch allows shore power or generator power to automatically feed the inverter charger should the need arise.
And speaking of generators, an on-board Onan Microquiet 4000 has been modified to run autonomously and is controlled by the Victron system. If the batteries get too low because of heavy demand or no sun, the Victron system automatically starts the generator to charge the batteries, and stops it when they are sufficiently charged.
Additionally, the cargo compartment is fed air conditioned air from inside the RV to keep the equipment cool in the summer, and the batteries warm in the winter. This is accomplished with an ultra quiet grow-room grade vent fan with an independent temperature controller fed by discreet vent inlets that match the RV’s heater ducts.
A regular RV air conditioner just isn’t efficient enough for sustained off-grid use, so the trailer was extensively modified to house a Pioneer 12,000 BTU 22.7 SEER minisplit.
Because this is a work trailer, and we often need internet service to do our work, a dedicated Starlink is installed as well. A custom pole mount allows us to hoist the dish up to 25’ in the air to clear obstructions if needed.
With the dedicated Starlink and the sophistication of the Victron components, we can both monitor and program our trailers entire power system even if we are away from it. Additionally, the air conditioner is internet enabled, so we can control it remotely too if needed. And because we do have to sometimes leave the trailer in remote places, it’s also been equipped with a video surveillance and alarm system to remotely keep an eye on things.
