Get 20% off the Kodiak solar generator and/or any Inergy product with our 'exploringsolar' discount code here: inergytek.com/collections/solar-generators/products/kodiak

@TheGFeather

5 жыл бұрын

How long will that discount be available? This looks like an excellent option for my bus conversion, but I'm not looking to buy for a couple months yet. I'd also love to know how well it charges in the winter months. The design looks great.

@katz2912

5 жыл бұрын

Exploring Alternatives Thanks for the info! You're van's looking awesome....looking forward to the van tour! 😉👍🏼

@peterp5339

5 жыл бұрын

Are you doing a vid to show your new transit? Looks good from what I could see.

@ExploringAlternatives

5 жыл бұрын

Thanks so much! We're excited to film the van tour! Just a few little things we need to finish first :) :)

@aliecerfalcon9481

5 жыл бұрын

looks nice but i would recommend you give to give this silicone called 5200 in white for that cable going thru the roof. is a marine base and would look better than the black one :)

It's great how simple this system is, one thing that has turned me off about vanlife is everyone's solar setup always seems so complicated. Love that this one is basically plug and play. The new van is looking great btw!

@ExploringAlternatives

5 жыл бұрын

Thanks so much!! Yeah, we're super happy about the new conversion....just a bit more work left to get it done.. Thanks for watching :)

Thanks for sharing it sounds like it's an easy system can't wait to see a full tour of your van

Such a light and airy and cozy conversion this. Well done.

You would be a great spokesperson for this company. With so many people looking for this type of info, you are very easy to understand and knowledgable. Thank you.

Works great for the camper and no more power outages at the house

I use the kodiak Inergy solar generator in my van. I wired in a fuse box to the positive and negative terminals on the side of the kodiak. It gives us the ability to charge phones, run internet hotspot, fans, refrigerator and other things while the inverter is turned off. Then when we need to use 110 AC we turn it on (we typically only turn it on to charge our laptops) when we're we turn it off. It has been a good system i also have 2 solar panels on the top. When there is good sun it charges pretty good. But if your like me and you live in your van full time, I would recomend building your own system. You can get way more power and less the price. Its also good to understand how it all works. But we will continue to use the kodiak because we invested so much money into it. We plan to put 2 more solar panels on top to make a total of 400 watts. I'm thinking it be worth it.

I was just looking at this system And I absolutely love it..is expensive but you get what you pay for..what I like about it is that you could create a setup that best suits you..from simple to a huge System by adding parts to it...

I’m sorry to say that I have no need for the Kodiak but if I did it is a wonderful product. And in my walks of life and someone asked me about solar power I will tell them about the Kodiak. You did a great job, And I can’t wait for the Van tour .

Great work on the van guys! Keep up the good work and the best of luck from the UK :)

Thanks for doing this review.

Thank you for showing this! Solar made easy!

This is such perfect timing for me, solar power it the first thing I want to have for my van, and the most confusing to me. I admit it, I do not understand all the parts to a solar system. In my home, when I enter a dark room, I can flip a switch and there is light. I would like my solar system to work the same way. The ease of use, compact size and light weight along with the multiple ways to use it, I think this might be a great system for me. Reading the web site, Inergy seems interested in doing good for other people. That is always worth spending a little more!

@ExploringAlternatives

5 жыл бұрын

That's great to hear! For sure solar power can be confusing, I learned how to do everything a few years ago and I had to re-learn a lot of things I had forgotten.....that being said, once you know it's not that complicated. The Kodiak can also be a very good plug and play option, I would just figure out exactly what you want to power and make sure it suits your needs. Best of luck :) :)

This is great, just about to fit two 255 watt panels on my van and as they are so large I was stumped on the best way to mount them. Gonna copy your idea about building my own mounting system. Thanks, great video :-)

Yes ease of use. Thank you my good man

Thank you very much! I just purchased and received my Inergy ! perfect timing for me. I was wondering how I was going to Connect my Fan. Like you demonstrated the 12 V plug-in would be perfect! Very nice video! And I appreciate you doing this video very much! 👍

@ExploringAlternatives

5 жыл бұрын

That's awesome! I hope you like it. We got something like this to connect the fan to the 12 volt socket: www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B078KP8WFT/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1 For some reason it didn't work at first so I switched the little glass fuse in it for a 10Amp fuse and it's been working great ever since! Best of luck :)

This is exactly what I need, thank you so much for this review. Not an electrician, was terrified until now, 💗

@ExploringAlternatives

5 жыл бұрын

That's great, happy you enjoyed the video! Thanks for watching :) :)

2x110 amp wet cells for a total of 220 Amp hours ($150) 2 100 watt panels $200 1500 watt pure sine wave inverter $120 30 amp PWM charge controller $20 Misc wire and fuses connectors $100 Total cost about $600 I plan to replace the batteries every 5 years. into my 2nd year and it's great I run coffee pot (650 watt) and a microwave 900 watt. but not at the same time.

Ah, I am happy that your channel is giving me new ideas and info about this kind of modern options too! Just planning my future vanlife and studying a lot now.

@moneyshotscott

4 жыл бұрын

What website do I purchase this from to get the discount?

🌸Fantastic demonstration guys. Much appreciated🌸

Excellent review, thank you.

@ExploringAlternatives

5 жыл бұрын

Thank you for watching :)

The RV Plug!!! THATS what I've been looking for! Thank you!

Very interesting option for solar energy. Can't wait to see your van tour. Your new home looks gorgeous. I believe the Transit is the van I will choose to be my future home. I test drove one and enjoyed the way it handles, turns, good visibility for driving, etc. I liked the size of the space for me and my dog. I am 5'2" and I am sure the medium height roof will b perfect for me. I will look into the Kodiak System and study it a bit more. Thanks so much for the information.

@ExploringAlternatives

5 жыл бұрын

Thanks so much for watching! There are a lot of things we love about the Ford Transit, especially the high roof (it seems to have the tallest roof, which allows Mat to stand up comfortably). There are a couple of things we've had trouble with that may be fixed in newer models (ours is a used 2015). Notably the fact that water leaks into the van from a few different places (the rear upper brake light, the plastic cladding along the sides of the van, and the pre-drilled roof rack holes). Other than that we love it!

@heatherrenton2086

5 жыл бұрын

Thanks again for the information. The test drive I did was on a 2015, good to have this info. I think 2015 is about as new as I could go. Not a deal breaker but something to consider and resolve before a purchase.

looks like a good bit of kit.

This seems such a simple all in 1 system - we defiantly want to go with lithium as apposed to lead acid due to the amount you can discharge it, this will be an option we’re going to research more 😊

@ExploringAlternatives

5 жыл бұрын

Awesome! We'd love to hear what system you end up choosing when you're ready :) Thanks for watching!

@remyllebeau77

5 жыл бұрын

I *definitely* think you should be positively sure about going with lithium as *opposed* to being *defiantly* obstinate. :D

@enriquelaroche5370

5 жыл бұрын

You can purchase 2x the amp hours in wet cells and have he same amount of usable energy for 10% of the price.

Super interested in this product. Seems it needs just a little more development, but the strides they have made are amazing.

Nice system, I know you probably wanted to stick with the complete "plug-and-play" system, but you could also connect the high current 12v output to the input of your own breaker/fuse box system, I know you would have one extra connection which would potentially have a very small amount of resistance and as a result a voltage drop across it, but done properly this would be so minimal that it wouldn't be an issue. One big down side for me is the cost compared to the SLA/AGM options, but you did very clearly state why you opted for this one and makes sense for your use. Thanks for another great well presented video. Good luck with the new van etc.

Side entry for wiring has less chance of leakage if it can be accommodated just a thought. Nice job.

I been looking for a very simple easy set up for solar thank you for the video will be looking for a update to see how it worked out for you

I was going to say, you can add other batteries to the power box, but he said it in the video. That way don't need the car charging it much. The solar will be good enough most of the time. Can even add a wind turbine.

A thousand thank you's for post this video and sharing the 20% discount. Your video's are a breath of fresh air for so many of us. Best Wishes from Niagara Falls, -Dan-0

@ExploringAlternatives

5 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the positive vibes Dan!! :) :)

This is a good video with solar generators comparison and the Kodiak is the winner. Thanks for sharing IMO they is the best prion in a small van like a VW Transporter because the weight.

Thank you! I’ve been so intimidated by the set up of other systems! This one seems the best for me. Oh for godsake ! Just saw the price! $1875! Inergy don’t be greedy!

Nice system. The thing about the self contained systems is they will continue to get better and hopefully cheaper. Not a bad price since lithium batteries cost around $1000 per 100ah

@cuteone1702

2 жыл бұрын

I agree.

This is pretty neat. I made a somewhat modular system very similar to this that can be taken apart easily instead of being hard-built into the van. Considered making some to sell.

That's where I am now. Everything is worked out but how to get that huge connector through the roof nicely and well sealed. Thanks for the suggestion.

Looks AMAZING!!! Thanks!

@ExploringAlternatives

5 жыл бұрын

Thanks Phil :)

it's simply awesome

A really good deal. It would be nice if it did have more 12V. It wouldn't surprise me if Inergy started coming out with more customizable kits soon.

Thank you so much for this video and review. I was going to go the Renogy way, but this is so much simpler to do. Now, to see how much it costs! HOLY CRAP! $2000?????

@biomoger_nature

4 жыл бұрын

😂😂

@stevejeffrey11

3 жыл бұрын

lol almost as much as my last older camper van xD

I really think that box is enough, how many items does anyone run at one time , sometimes I think people get carried away with to many gadgets , the basics fridge and lights , chargers for phones or computers , a solar system and the box would be more than enough for myself and wife , it’s all about balance low powered lights etc conserves energy . I quite like the box system you got there very nice addition.

@ExploringAlternatives

5 жыл бұрын

Thanks, yeah the box is fine for our needs. We do have to be a bit careful sometimes on grey days not to use too much power but that works for us. Like I mentioned in the video, I think our system would work a bit better with a third 100w solar panel on the roof, we might eventually reconfigure the set up to try and add one up there. Thanks for watching :)

@fishmut

5 жыл бұрын

Exploring Alternatives thanks for sharing your video mate, yes definitely if you add another solar panel that should get you guys through just depends on useage of your appliances etc like the rest of us. Those pesky cloudy days with no sun doesn’t help much. Im Also thinking of a wind turbine , you can get them for caravans . Something to think about , eBay isn’t to badly priced , I’m thinking a 400w. Could be a good addition also if you want to lug it around but definitely on the cards for me. Cheers.

@ExploringAlternatives

5 жыл бұрын

That's great, a wind turbine could be really neat!! We've had a week of super grey days here so not much power is coming in.....I think I'm gonna add an extra panel very soon.... :) :)

great vid and cool unit. you can get cigarette lighter plugs that have usb ports on them so you can charge usb without turning on the unit.

Nice product, shame about the price

Hi guys, thanks for this awesome video. Really informative. Would yoube able to tell us how you connected the maxair fan to the solar generator? And what gauge wiring would it be adequate? Thanks!

Awesome!

Great video guys what kind of lights and special connector did you have to purchase? thanks

cool video.

Nice video..some more info on how you waterproof the entry would be 👌

You also need to make sure lithium batteries don't get too hot or that can shorten the lifespan as well.

I like this

Great video, thank you! In one of Eamon and Bec's videos I saw the mini tour of your van, where you also said that you insulated with cork and hemp. Are you planning on sharing a video on that topic as well? Would love to hear about your experiences! :)

@ExploringAlternatives

5 жыл бұрын

Hi, yes for sure we plan to make a video about all those materials. We're just testing them out right now by living in the van and once we're confident that they work well we're going to make a video. It should be coming out in the next couple months :) :)

@tofuladchen3883

5 жыл бұрын

That sounds great! Enjoy the journey and I hope everything works out as planned :) Looking forward to those videos :)

Thank you for the video question is have you got the kodiak tucked away and conveniently access ?

Can you tie in to where your auxiliary batteries would connect and and run a wire from that to a fuse panel and feed other 12 V circuits?

Have you done a test using the Yeti Goal Zero Lithium's? To power your van's 12v system?

I love your channel. But wow all my favorite van and RV KZreadrs are talking about this one product..... I feel like I'm being bombarded with something I couldn't dream of affording..... Lol .

This is awesome. I was just gifted a huge solar panel to put on my van. I have a similar solar generator to your Kodiak, but I cannot, for the life of me, find connecting cables between the panel and the generator, with the corresponding male charging connector. Mine came with a shore power charger but not the connector for a solar panel! Can you give me an idea where to look to buy one and what is it called actually? Even Kodiak site doesn't have it.

all in one convenience

I know you said you had to do a lot of research to get the built in ceiling LED lights. Would you mind sharing what products you ended up going with (lights, dimmer, extension, adapter)? I’m trying to figure that out right now. Awesome video!

2:35 Would have thought Kodiak would have a solution for sealing the power cable from the elements considering the base unit itself isn't weather resistant.

Nice Van! Which cable and adapter did you use for the lights?

@exploringalternatives I've been looking into setting up my own travel van for a while, and honestly, this seems perfect. The fact that everything comes packaged together is great, though I will definitely be going for 3x 100 watt panels. I would assume that the service warranty covers everything? How long is it good for? Have you had to interact with them in any capacity regarding that?

@ExploringAlternatives

5 жыл бұрын

Thanks for checking out the video :) Yes I would definitely suggest that you add a 3rd 100 watt solar panel if you have the space. I think the whole thing would work better with a total of 300 watts. It is a pretty cool plug and play system, I would just make sure to calculate all your power needs and make sure it'll work for you. As far as warranty, I haven't checked but I'm guessing it's a year....you could ask them, they usually reply super fast. Thanks for your comment and best of luck with whatever you end up doing!!

Hey did you all ever do a van tour of the new van?

Neat!!!

great video. how long it can work during rainy/snowy days? when you stop your engine for camping, and you have rainy days, with only your fridge as user, how long this battery can last? i expect 2 hours. appreciate if you can answer this which could help me on my decision.

woww 🔥

This is awesome! I'm looking for a camper van now, & I definitely want solar panels, but the thought of putting it together myself was daunting!! This looks like the perfect solution for me! What brand of solar panels did you get, & what was that cost? Thx!

@ExploringAlternatives

5 жыл бұрын

Happy you enjoyed the video. The Kodiak can definitely be a very good plug and play option. I would just suggest that you figure out all your power needs and make sure it'll work for you. We got the Inergy panels but you can plug in any solar panel under 30 volts and just get a Neutrik to MC4 adapter. Hope that helps :)

When will we see a tour of your new Van 2.0 ? :D

when are you guys going to have a van tour?

Probably nice to know if they have different sized systems. But good review.

What brand solar panels are you using? They look a lot smaller than most 100 watt panels.

Super easy and super Spency

Thought about one 350 kWh panel instead of 2 -100 watt panels? Less space, more power!

I can't find the video of your walk through tour of your Tiny House Office, only the first one.

You mention not being able to expand the system you uae the RV plug to run to a curcuit breaker box and add more 12v plugs and other plugs. Expandung the system further for larger camper conversions.

inergy should make a unit with NO inverter. i don't need an inverter and if they could make a slightly cheaper model (and possibly a LITTLE less bulky), i would be all over that and throw out my alternator charged agm. i love that you can charge it off 12v outlet. does it charge as fast as a regular agm on an alternator hookup when plugged into 12v outlet?

@ExploringAlternatives

5 жыл бұрын

Hmm interesting suggestion! We hadn't thought of that, but it would be a good product for someone who only needs power for 12 volt items :) On their promo video it says the Kodiak charges in 8 hours from a wall outlet, 5 hours from the 12 volt car socket, and 2-24 hours with solar panels (depending on how many panels, etc.).

@SteveHazel

5 жыл бұрын

5 hours eh? that is pretty good! that's definitely gonna beat the 5.whatever amps of a single 100w panel. I'd probably just use the alternator to charge it and occasionally hook up a solar panel for when the van is stationary for a couple days like on a weekend camping trip. We usually go driving every day in the van so charging is no big deal. (Just summer camping). I think ya said is was 80 amp hours? And a lithium 80ah is better than an agm 160ah battery so my fridge would run for a couple days i bet. That thing looks promising. When this agm fails in another year or 2 i probably will get that thing. Unless they come out with something better by then. I'd think these usbc fast charging devices could handle my fridge with a couple doubling of existing amp hours the current phone battery packs seem to have.

You finished your van? When do we get a tour?

How did you add a 12v plug to your roof vent fan?

Can you please tell me about the lights, and how you wired them?

Hi! Was thinking the same approach for my build! Which LED light set did you go with and what adapter did you need?

We need daily vloges

Would you have to toss the whole system if the battery becomes weak from the constant usage or can you just replace the battery?

What ceoling lights did you buy that allowed use of the adapter?? Thank you

Could you please provide info about the extension cord and adapter that will connect the overhead lights to the 5.5 x 2.5 input ? Thank you

@ExploringAlternatives

5 жыл бұрын

Hi Erick :) Like I mentioned in the video Inergy didn't recommend that we do this but we did it anyway...so you'd be kind of be doing this at your own risk. We got this adapter to go from 5.5x2.1mm to 5.5x2.5: www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00MJU7NFO/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 And we got this extension cable: www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B074135BT6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 And these lights: www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B06VV4CRPV/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Note that when you wiggle the connection at the point where it plugs into the Kodiak sometimes the lights turn on and off, it's not a perfect connection. A better way would be to cut the extension and solder 5.5x2.5 a male plug, that way you would have a much better connection (I'm going to do that soon) Hope that helps and thanks for watching :)

@Evelyn34984

5 жыл бұрын

@@ExploringAlternatives Do you have a link for the lighting system you are running with the Kodiak and this plug adapter? Is it still working good for you?

Where did you get the plug in adapter to plug in the lights?? Thank you!!

can you add the link to the adapter you used for the lights?

@MaIigs41

3 жыл бұрын

did you ever figure out what lights he used?

What do you do about the 12 v refrigerators auto cut off using lithium . The frig cuts off at just around 60% of battery usage (lithium).

Are you getting the Apex? Do you have a fix to use our own solar panels? They are now using EC8 input plug.

@ExploringAlternatives

5 жыл бұрын

Hi Samaria :) Yes I think we will be getting the Apex. The Kodiak is still really great but there's a few updates on the Apex that might come in handy for us. We're just going to get some adapters that go from Neutrik to EC8. I wouldn't want to re-instal new solar panels that's for sure!!

I think this is brilliant guys 👍

@ExploringAlternatives

5 жыл бұрын

Thank you :)

I like the simplicity of your new solar power system. Can you use a microwave with this?

@ExploringAlternatives

5 жыл бұрын

Yep! Their website says you can use a microwave for an hour. I'm guessing that's all you could do with it for the day until it recharges though...here's a link to see what it can power :) inergytek.com/collections/solar-generators/products/kodiak

@peterp5339

5 жыл бұрын

@@ExploringAlternatives thanks! I like your videos.

Noob question: Would you require more than solar power if you were going to run an AC or heating unit for 8 hours? Thank you!!

Like it

Sorry, I may have 'misheard'. . . . The battery in the unit is Lithium, but extra batteries would be AGM ? I'd like extra batteries to also be lithium.

@David-rx2to

5 жыл бұрын

Yes..I heard that too...why can't you daisy chain extra lithium batteries to this unit? Why do additional batteries have to be AGM?

@JeffErdmann

5 жыл бұрын

I agree and asked the same question above.

@David-rx2to

5 жыл бұрын

Jeff Erdmann, I sent an email to the company and here is their reply: Dear David, Thank you for contacting Inergy Solar Customer Support. The reason that we advise to only use 12V deep Cycle batteries is because the internal lithium battery voltage range is 9.5V- 12.6V. There is no protection for the external batteries as would be needed for external lithium batteries. Thank you,Inergy Solar Customer SupportLevi I don't fully understand what Levi from Inergy said but, if he is talking about "protection for the external batteries", could that be resolved with a fuse of some sort?

@ExploringAlternatives

5 жыл бұрын

Hi, I'm sorry, I don't really know the answer to that question but I'm thinking there must be a good reason. If you want you can contact Inergy, they usually answer super fast. Thanks for your comment :)

@enriquelaroche5370

5 жыл бұрын

When you decide to add another lithium battery for another $1000 LOL Wet cell batteries could be replaced every 3 years for the next 20 years for that much money.

I thought this might be cool so i looked it up. The price is insane; must be nice getting it for free.

@AaronGeller

5 жыл бұрын

You can get the new Kodiak 2 for $1,300 for a discount coupon. Good deal in my opinion. Not all nomads are broke. Many spend significantly more.

So I can plug my rv cord directly in and it will run everything that shore power can do (minus a/c) within its amp capacity?

@ExploringAlternatives

4 жыл бұрын

Hi, thanks for your comment. We never use the RV plug but I'm pretty sure you can plug your RV directly into it. I would recommend giving Inergy a call if you have any specific questions like that, they're always super helpful. Thanks for wathing :)

I have a question : Can you plug other solar panels on their generator with an adaptator ? Inergy customer service says it will not work... :/

Did you do a video about wiring your van for the Kodiak?

@Louie12673

4 жыл бұрын

It's in the beginning of this video. He just installed the panels to the top of the van, drilled a hole to pass the dual cable, then plugs in to the Kodiac unit. It's that easy. I love it. Very Very Simple. I'd love to get one!!!!!

With the RV port how much you could use in your RV? Can you run an AC?

The 'small' premium in price?! Jeez, have you seen how much these cost?! It NEEDS to be something special when it costs so much more than a standard system.

@ExploringAlternatives

5 жыл бұрын

True, it does seem pricey at first. But if you build a similar system with a lithium battery, it's not that much more expensive from what we've seen. If there are different options out there that are more cost effective, please feel free to share them here :) :) We're open to considering all kinds of different systems. This is just one option that appealed to us. Thanks for watching!

@SH3player

5 жыл бұрын

$1900!!! lol. Yeah, they wouldn't buy it themselves...

@zantas-handle

5 жыл бұрын

Of course, to be fair it really is a great system if you can afford it. I think though that most of us who are living off-grid or camping a lot are doing it on a budget, so my whole van actually only cost £1900! My battery system is two small leisure batteries (charged by the vehicle main charging system). Each battery cost £120 because they are the cellular type that is constantly rechargeable. I can pick up each battery with one hand as they are about the size of six milk cartons glued together. My solar panel (which is admittedly v small in comparison to yours) was £40. To be fair, I can't run all the things that you can run off the Kodiak - at least, not simultaneously. I have to be clever and 'choose my moments' but that's part of the reality (or fun as we campers like to call it?!). If I was looking at spending nearly two thousand dollars, I'd be tempted to just park the van up and book into hotels for a month or more!

@101perspective

5 жыл бұрын

This might actually be a great price if the parts are high end. A high quality 80 to 100 ah lithium battery can cost you $900. A high end 1500 watt pure sine inverter will cost you at least $250 to $300. Then figure at least $100 for the additional electronics in it. Heck, I don't even know for sure what would be needed to allow you to hook AGMs to that without messing up the lithium or agm batteries... maybe an isolator? That would be $60 right there for a good one. Toss in maybe $100 for the knowledge that it was made by a professional (hopefully) and looks good. You are easily up in the $1,400 to $1,500 range. With the 20% discount this thing is right at $1,500. THAT SAID, if it has low quality components then it isn't worth anything near that price. Personally, I would never buy one of these unless I had money to burn. If you are on a budget then you could get an ENTIRE solar setup with nice size AGM battery bank for probably half this price. It isn't going to be something you can easily carry around outside the van though...lol.

@AaronGeller

5 жыл бұрын

@Jan Nowak Not all who are nomads are broke. It's possible to buy the new Kodiak for $1,300 currently.

When you gonna have a tour of you new van?

@ExploringAlternatives

5 жыл бұрын

Hi Zoltan, thanks for watching! We're planning on doing a new van tour really soon....we just need to finish a few more things on it to get it ready :)

What type of fridge are you using?