|
Post by BoxGods on Nov 4, 2022 18:28:51 GMT
Roof Rack with 12 gal solar water heater, solar panel, and light barDesigned specifically for the Rivian R1T (there will be a version for the R1S), the Roof Rack has all aluminum construction with 3 custom extrusions. Nominal water capacity is 12 gallons, (45 L) with the water being heated by the sun's infrared wavelengths--not the optional solar panel. The optional solar panel is full sized with 400w-500w of peak power output depending on the panel selected.
The 20" light bar is LED and 3000 lumen.
The water tank can be filled and used from either side. Showers can be via gravity feed, or for those wanting a bit more water pressure, there is an air fitting that allows use of the truck's built in air compressor.
The tops of all four rails have number 10 T-slots for easily installing and repositioning tie-down hooks, ski/snowboard/surfboard/bike racks, and many other accessories. The entire Roof Rack is powder coated and all hardware is 300 series stainless.
This project is still in development but I'm aiming for a price point under $1,000. Preferably closer to $800.
|
|
|
Post by BoxGods on Nov 4, 2022 19:12:13 GMT
Roof Rack T-Slot attachment Ideas List
- I was thinking about a shower stall attachment. It would attach to the Roof Rack and stick out 3 or 4 feet next to the truck. There would be a shower curtain for privacy. It would be designed to fold up / disassemble into as compact a package as reasonably possible. Essentially a portable shower stall to use with the hot water from the 12 gallon Roof Rack tank.
- How about mounts for a bar that you can attach to a tarp to form a lean-to or canopy beside the truck? It would also roll up / disassemble for compact stowage.
|
|
|
Post by BoxGods on Nov 8, 2022 2:42:19 GMT
A few more changes. I switched to square slide out tubes--they are actually machined aluminum square bars. I streamlined the face plate bar and it is now also machined aluminum. I added magnetic attachments for the curtain to make hanging it faster and easier. The "tent pole" supports on the corners are threaded at the top where they connect to the square slide tubes which allows you to easily adjust the height by turning them clockwise or counter-clockwise as needed, They also have rubber feet.
Overall cleaner, easier to use, more streamlined.
|
|
jcreviston
General
El Cap R1T Feb. 1, 2023
Posts: 26
|
Post by jcreviston on Nov 8, 2022 4:57:00 GMT
This is really creative and impressive. Can you show us a pic of rough mock up on an R1T? I'm assuming the $800-$1000 price point does not include the solar panel. Are you designing with a specific PV panel brand in mind? Do you have a price point for the full rack with panel? Excited to watch this and your other products evolve. Thanks
|
|
|
Post by Rylee44 on Nov 8, 2022 16:09:14 GMT
I love this idea! Any consideration for a bifacial panel so it would still let some light through the top glass?
|
|
|
Post by Dgephri on Nov 8, 2022 17:17:53 GMT
I suppose any panel with those dimensions could be placed in the storage tracks.
|
|
|
Post by BoxGods on Nov 8, 2022 17:57:10 GMT
I love this idea! Any consideration for a bifacial panel so it would still let some light through the top glass?
Oh what an interesting idea! Will certainly look into that. Will depend on how big the hit is on energy production though.
|
|
|
Post by BoxGods on Nov 8, 2022 17:58:36 GMT
This is really creative and impressive. Can you show us a pic of rough mock up on an R1T? I'm assuming the $800-$1000 price point does not include the solar panel. Are you designing with a specific PV panel brand in mind? Do you have a price point for the full rack with panel? Excited to watch this and your other products evolve. Thanks
Yes I will have some sort of images showing the Roof Rack installed on the R1T once we are a bit farther into the design--to be candid it's a lot of work and fairly time consuming to add the truck so I want to wait until the design is much closer to being locked in.
It will be designed with a specific panel size in mind based on the best possible fit for the R1T roof, panel quality and availability, and best price per watt. That being said, the Roof Rack is quite versatile because of the number 10 T-track so panels of slightly differing sizes should still work.
Also, the solar panel is not required by any means--IOW it does not heat the water. It is a nice place to store a full sized panel and 400w - 500w is a worthwhile amount of energy, so I think a lot of people will opt to have the panel. Either way it is about a 5 minute job to slide the panel out so you can mount it for the times you will need it, and leave it off for the times you don't.
As for including the panel. No. However if there are enough people that want to add it we can always do a full pallet group buy and lower the price per panel a fair bit. Certainly something worth considering. The Roof Rack doesn't require the panel to be modified or altered in any way--no holes drilled in it or anything like that, so no risk of voiding the warranty. You can figure another $300 or so for the panel, depending on where you live.
The $800 - $1000 price range will depend on how the group wants to configure the Roof Rack--IOW what options people want. For example the 20" LED light bar, the slide out shower stall, hose bib, sprayer, and fill hose included or not, etc. Obviously the more goodies we add, the higher the price will be.
One other thing I will be looking at adding is provisions for Star Link Satellite Broadband. Both the residential version and their new mobile flat dish. Again the T-slot rails will be great for this sort of thing and it will essentially be a mounting kit that uses the T-slots.
I just finished the preliminary design for the magnetic shower curtain--it's pretty slick =)
|
|
|
Post by BoxGods on Nov 11, 2022 2:45:41 GMT
Had time to work a bit on the "plumbing end" Have sourced a few very clean / minimal 90 degree valves to work as hose bibbs. I have also sourced the 60 PSI pressure relief valve and air hose nipple for those wanting to pressurize the water tank via the Rivian's onboard air compressor.
|
|
|
Post by jgreen on Nov 11, 2022 15:07:54 GMT
This is great design and hope it can make it to production. I would strongly encourage thinking about a similar design for the R1T bed. Given it's an EV, there is a strong preference to keep things over the bed vs. over the roof for range purposes. The dimensions you'd be working with there would be something in the realm of 54" W x 55" L.
Also, not sure if it's called out, but how do you envision attaching to the vehicle? From the pictures, it LOOKS like you have feet that would mount to the OEM mounting points, through some sort of J hook clamp. Is that accurate? Hopefully so, as I'm not sure there is any other option for the roof specifically. If it is, keep in mind that the mounting points over the bed have different dimensions than the roof ones (for one, I know they are roughly 3" farther apart front to back than on the roof).
|
|
|
Post by BoxGods on Nov 11, 2022 22:23:20 GMT
This is great design and hope it can make it to production. I would strongly encourage thinking about a similar design for the R1T bed. Given it's an EV, there is a strong preference to keep things over the bed vs. over the roof for range purposes. The dimensions you'd be working with there would be something in the realm of 54" W x 55" L. Also, not sure if it's called out, but how do you envision attaching to the vehicle? From the pictures, it LOOKS like you have feet that would mount to the OEM mounting points, through some sort of J hook clamp. Is that accurate? Hopefully so, as I'm not sure there is any other option for the roof specifically. If it is, keep in mind that the mounting points over the bed have different dimensions than the roof ones (for one, I know they are roughly 3" farther apart front to back than on the roof). I think it is possible to make a version that would fit the bed but less likely to have a single design that would fit both locations--primarily because of the solar panel dimensions. It would be less of an issue for those not wanting to mount a solar panel.
There are also practical considerations to bed mounting the rack that are potentially less than ideal. The rack itself is a 12 gallon water tank that collects infrared solar energy to heat the water--something it can't do as efficiently if the cab is blocking the sun. The same is true for the solar panel. The lower mounting position also reduces how much gravity assist you get for water pressure which means you would need more air pressure from the trucks compressor--which uses more battery capacity. Blocking the bed with a rack would also not be practical for anyone wanting to use the bed--for tents as just one example. The point of a Roof Rack is generally to gain space in an otherwise unused location.
It has also been my experience that "range sensitivity" tends to go away pretty quickly once people start actually driving EV's. Will a roof rack cost a little range? Sure, but it costs range on ICE vehicles too. If you need the functionality a Roof Rack provides then you accept a little bit of lost range--just like people that need to tow things with their trucks. If an Electric truck can't do most of the things an ice truck can, and use most of the same types of accessories, then we will forever be apologists to the gas truck crowd.
All of the above being said, that doesn't mean I haven't tried to make the design as aerodynamically clean as I can so any range loss is minimized. The R1T is an adventure truck and adventure trucks very often have roof racks. You could also argue that over 4 or 5 days at your campsites the solar panel would generate enough power to run your 12VDC cooler AND your kitchen which means you don't have to draw off of the trucks battery, potentially offsetting any range loss.
As for mounting, yes the mounting points are designed to work with the R1T's existing hard points.
|
|
|
Post by largos on Nov 12, 2022 4:51:48 GMT
I'm mightily impressed by all of these projects and plan on signing up for the cooler, water tank, and roof rack shortly.
That said, for the layman, can you explain how we would access the power generated by the solar panel? Is there a 12V or 120V socket on there somewhere that I missed? You mentioned running the camp kitchen off of it, I believe - how would one go about that?
Thanks!
|
|
|
Post by BoxGods on Nov 12, 2022 20:14:19 GMT
I'm mightily impressed by all of these projects and plan on signing up for the cooler, water tank, and roof rack shortly. That said, for the layman, can you explain how we would access the power generated by the solar panel? Is there a 12V or 120V socket on there somewhere that I missed? You mentioned running the camp kitchen off of it, I believe - how would one go about that? Thanks! That is a bit of a loaded question in that there are going to be a lot of different ways to use / connect the panel depending on what each user wants to do with it. I think most will want to connect it to a portable battery--Think Battle Born or similar--via a solar charge controller and then run 12V items off that battery. You could technically carry four panels on the rack and deploy them at your campsite if you wanted / needed more power.
The short answer is that people much smarter than me are going to figure out the best way/s to use one or more panels so stay tuned =)
|
|
|
Post by arghis on Nov 15, 2022 16:10:09 GMT
This looks great. Are you taking sign ups yet to gauge interest?
|
|
|
Post by BoxGods on Nov 15, 2022 20:44:23 GMT
This looks great. Are you taking sign ups yet to gauge interest? We are not quite far enough along in the design process to move the Roof Rack to our current projects section yet. Probably mid December "ish" so stay tuned =)
|
|