I recently fitted my Ford E250 Cargo van with a roof full of Solar Panels to provide 110Volt power while camping and thought this would be something great to have in a M35A2 that you didn’t drive often to keep the batteries topped off. It’s also a great tool to have if you find yourself in the wilderness with a dead battery as I did in a trip to Moab Utah where my alternator died 30 miles down a fire road 50 miles from civilization.
Solar panels on the roof of my van
Not only did the solar panels allow me to return to civilization without having to call a tow truck it was great for running appliances such as my 22″ tv, dvd player, charging electronic devices and even running an electric grinder when I had to open up my wheel wells for more clearance. A M35A2 runs on 24 volt which only requires a few changes from the system I used on my van. Rather than run two 6 volt batteries as I did in series you could use two 12 volt batteries or even 4 six volt batteries. I used a 12 volt inverter for the van but there are a number of 24 volt power inverters on the market.
What will a system like this set you back?
* One 130 Watt 24 Volt Solar Panel Approximately $400 on Ebay.
* Four Crown 230AH 6 Volt Batteries Approximately $120 each. Most Golf Cart supply companies will have them in stock. Trojan T105’s are another similar more expensive alternative.
* An inexpensive charge controller like the Tristar TS-45 $140
* Your choice of 24 Volt power inverters. They range in price from $25.00 to over $1000 and you get what you pay for. Most of the chargers priced under $100 are junk.
Your other option? A $400 portable generator and a $20 gas tank can do the same thing but is nowhere near as cool.
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