Currently I'm working on running some wire connecting the cab to the bed for my portable solar solution. What I wanted to avoid was permanently adding extra batteries, charge controller and inverter on the truck. Instead I wanted something that could easily be removed for use at home, or in other current or future vehicles and would charge phones, cameras, power camp lights, and most importantly run a fridge for a long trip.
I first looked into building my own portable system, but by the time you get everything you need, you end up cost wise just shy of what you can buy an all-in-one system. I finally decided on the MAXOAK Bluetti 2400wh unit. With the $100 coupon and some other discount at checkout I got with a YouTube link, I was able to get it for $1732 from Amazon. I've had it for a while now and I've run it through many tests.
I have a Dometic CFX3 75 to power that I will strap down to one side under the canopy (it fits perfectly and even with the Decked system, the lids open and you can access everything in it from the side window.) I just wrapped up a test plugging in the Dometic to the fully charged Bluetti and setting one side of the CFX3 75 to -4 degrees and the other side to 37 degrees. It ran it for 54 hours and 13 minutes before shutting off. The fridge was empty, in a 75 degree room with no insulated cover. If it had a cover and was packed full, I'm sure it would go for quite a bit longer as the compressor would not run as often. And, if you are just cooling at 37 degrees on both sides, that would make a difference as well. Anyhow, not counting for inefficiencies, that means the fridge was drawing an average of around 44 watts.
44 watts of draw is not that bad considering... and it's great because, while driving, I can plug the fridge into the Bluetti and also simultaneously charge the Bluetti plugged into a 12v inverter and that will cover the fridge plus have a net positive of 120 watt hours going back into the battery for every hour of driving. On sunny days while parked, I can deploy solar panels and charge about the same rate on average if I run two 100 watt panels in series. Long story short, with a simple removable system, one could probably stay off-grid indefinitely just charging phones, cameras, and powering the fridge, plus maybe run some camp lights for a bit.
The Bluetti fits perfectly under the rear seats so I am going to fashion a strap to strap it in place and plug it into a key switched 300w pure sine wave inverter (I don't trust the factory inverter). I am in the process right now of running an Anderson connecter from the under seat storage panel to the left tailgate "ammo can" of the Decked box.
I've put an additional marine switch, voltage meter, two 12v sockets and two usb sockets there using the "ammo can" as a junction box.
So, all I'll have to do is strap the bluetti down, plug it into the Anderson connector, and plug the charge port into the inverter and I'm ready to roll with on the go charging and be able to power devices from the bed of the truck. The fridge will be plugged in back there all the time of course. Anyhow, if anyone is considering battery power and solar, I can highly recommend the Bluetti.
