Carries the camp
The enclosed trailer still transports shade, tools, bikes, kitchen equipment, an accessibility vehicle, and other camp infrastructure. Keeping useful cargo space is a core design requirement.
An open-source Regional prototype
The trailer that carries the camp can also help power it.
An open-source 7×16 cargo trailer that transports camp gear and an electric accessibility vehicle, then becomes a solar power system at the event.
Concept visualization · specifications are design targets, pending testing
- ~3.6 kW
- solar
- ~10 kWh
- storage
- 120 V
- camp power
- $6,000
- personally committed
01 / A REAL NEED
Why I’m building it.
I have multiple sclerosis and need an electric mobility vehicle for longer distances at large events. Bringing that vehicle creates two additional problems: transporting it and keeping it charged without also hauling a large generator and fuel.
At the same time, camps already bring trailers full of shade, tools, bikes, kitchen equipment and other infrastructure.
This project asks a simple question:
Can the trailer we already need also become part of the camp’s renewable-energy system?
Powers the camp
At the event, fixed roof solar and deployable side wings charge the battery system and supply suitable 120 V loads. The aim is less fuel to transport and store, and less generator runtime.
02 / THE SYSTEM
One trailer. Three operating modes.
A cargo trailer with solar built in.
A 7×16 enclosed tandem-axle trailer with four fixed roof panels and two panels on each side. The folding wings extend about 44 inches and use triangular support braces. Structure, clearances, and wind behavior still need review and testing.
Current prototype targets
- Trailer
- 7 ft × 16 ftEnclosed, tandem axle
- Solar array
- ~3.6 kW8 panels total
- Battery storage
- ~10 kWhLiFePO4
- Camp output
- 120 VSuitable loads and vehicle charging
- Roof
- 4 fixed panelsSeparate roof MPPT
- Side wings
- 2 panels per sideIndependent wing branches
- Wing extension
- ~44 inchesFrom each side when deployed
- Wing supports
- Triangular bracesFolding panels; retained cargo space
One MPPT for the roof. One for the wings.
Each side has two panels wired in series. The two side strings combine in parallel into a single wing MPPT charge controller. The roof array uses a separate MPPT.
Independent wing branches: either side can operate while the other remains stowed or disconnected. The roof array remains usable with both wings folded.
MODE 01 · BOTH SIDES DEPLOYED
Both wings open
Roof panels and both side wings collect solar when space and weather permit. Triangular support braces hold the folding wings in their deployed position.
- Four roof panels and four side panels
- Independent wing branches: either side can operate while the other remains stowed or disconnected
- Both side strings share the wing MPPT
01Solar arraysroof + independent wing branches
→
02Charge controlroof MPPT + shared wing MPPT
→
03Battery bank~10 kWh LiFePO4 target
→
04120 V outputsuitable camp loads and charging
03 / DESERT REALITY
Conditions we need to test
The prototype has to work outside the brochure.
Dust and wind
Test dust intrusion, cleaning needs, and the effort needed to stow the wings. The high-wind plan is to fold both side wings down and continue from roof solar. Operating limits still need to be established.
Cloudy stretches
Measure how poor solar conditions affect generation, battery use, and the loads we can serve. Record backup charging when it is needed, along with its energy source.
Partial deployment
Test roof-only operation and each complete side separately. Measure the energy available with one side stowed, and check whether camp access and cargo loading remain practical.
Desert heat
Log equipment-bay temperatures, charging behavior, and any reduced output or shutdowns. Test whether the ventilation works in practice and document changes it needs.
04 / FIELD TEST
A proposal, with results still to come
Proposed field test: BEquinox 2027
BEquinox 2027 is the proposed first Regional demonstration, subject to organizer approval and confirmation of event dates. Participation and a host partnership are not confirmed.
What we’ll test
- Roof-only operation, one-side deployment, and both sides deployed
- Solar production, including poor solar conditions
- Accessibility vehicle charging and selected camp loads
- Dust, heat, and the wing-stowing procedure
- Setup effort and cargo capacity
- Participant feedback and accessibility in everyday use
What we’ll record
- Solar kWh generated and energy delivered to loads
- Battery use and accessibility charging energy
- Backup charging, its source, and the loads served
- Setup and teardown time, including help required
- Cargo space retained with the power system installed
- Practical failures, limitations, and changes needed
The aim is to test where solar can realistically replace fuel-powered generation. We’ll record generator runtime and fuel use where they can be measured. Any estimated fuel or emissions savings will state the baseline and assumptions, including backup charging.
05 / OPEN DESIGN
A build other camps can adapt
Build one. Document everything. Make the next one easier.
I’ll document the build and release the plans, actual costs, and test results as an open-source package. Other camps should be able to see what was built, what it took to operate, and what they would need to change.
Publishing what does not work is as important as publishing what does.
- 01Itemized bill of materialsActual component prices, sources, substitutions, and weightsPLANNED
- 02Wiring diagramsRoof and wing circuits, charge controllers, storage, protection, and 120 V distributionPLANNED
- 03Mechanical drawingsTrailer layout, folding-wing drawings, triangular support braces, latches, and cargo clearancesPLANNED
- 04Operating and maintenance guideSetup and teardown procedure, stowing, inspections, cleaning, and maintenance informationPLANNED
- 05Field data and accessibility observationsEnergy, loads, weather, cargo use, setup effort, charging, and participant feedbackPLANNED
- 06Build log and revisionsFailures, modifications, limitations, and lessons learnedPLANNED
06 / ROADMAP
From planning to measured results
The next steps are practical ones.
-
01
DESIGN + FUNDING
Confirm the scope and costs
I’m contributing $6,000 of personal savings, separate from labor and tools. The working prototype budget is still being refined. Grants, donations, and sponsorships are not secured. -
02
REVIEW + BUILD
Keep the cargo space useful
Review wiring, wing supports, payload, restraints, and vehicle access before construction. Install and commission the power system, then record the layout, parts, costs, and changes. -
03
SHAKEDOWN
Measure what actually happens
Check roof-only and partial deployment, accessibility charging, selected loads, setup effort, heat, and poor solar conditions. Record backup charging and failures as well as successful operation. -
04
PROPOSED DEMO
BEquinox 2027
Seek organizer approval and confirm dates before planning attendance. If approved, run the field-test plan and collect feedback on camp utility and accessibility. -
05
RELEASE
Share the build and its limits
Publish the open-source plans, real prices, operating instructions, test data, failures, and revisions so another camp can copy or adapt the design.
What the prototype needs to prove
Success looks like
Success is not just making electricity. It means the trailer:
- Still works as useful cargo space
- Safely charges the accessibility vehicle
- Meaningfully reduces generator use for suitable loads
- Works with roof-only and partial deployment
- Handles real dust, heat, and wind within documented operating limits
- Produces documentation detailed enough for another camp to copy or adapt