Off-Grid in style with SunRay Kelly’s Gypsy Eco-Dolphin

By JLBane

There seems to be a growing desire amongst an increasing number of people to get off-grid. In principle off-grid living is simple; buy a camper, shack, tent, or some such domicile; find ways of becoming as self-sufficient as possible by pitching up near a river, fitting a few solar panels and rain water harvesters, and live the simple life away from hectic and invasive city life.

While a yurt or shack in the woods is a great idea, some of us still like the idea of being able to stay in a place for a short while before moving on to pastures new. With that in mind a decent camper van or RV conversion is the best idea. While RV’s are purpose built, they don’t have that ‘hippy-traveller’ chic and when landing at a new commune, image is everything.

SunRay Kelley's Gypsy Wagon is an eco and design wonder

One man has however managed to create a beautiful gypsy style home out of an old Toyota Dolphin and made it eco-friendly to boot. SunRay Kelley’s Dolphin is a 1984 camper which originally shipped with a 4ltr petrol engine. On a good run it managed around 12-15mpg so certainly not an economical or environmentally friendly beast.

SunRay is an amazing builder; almost a modern equivalent of Gaudi, and his creations are as functional as they are eye-catching. His move into camper territory is nothing short of spectacular and the vehicle has gone from being a boring white mobile home to a solar powered, solarium toting stained-glass adorned wonder on wheels.

SunRay has ditched the 4ltr lump and put in an array of batteries which can be powered three ways. It has a staggering 3000 watts of solar panels which feed two 156 volt banks of lithium iron phosphate batteries and a 12 inch GE electric motor. In place of the old Toyota lump there’s now a four-cylinder 1500 cc diesel generator which runs on bio-diesel.

SunRay can plug straight into a 110-volt electrical outlet; rely on the Photo Voltaic array to provide power or crank up the 26-kw Perkins diesel powered generator. His thinking was inspired by a well used and classic mode of transport as he explains: “Trains have for years been run with an electric motor powered by a diesel generator.”

For off-grid living it doesn’t get much better than SunRay Kelley’s Dolphin. Please share your thoughts on his wonderful and green minded creation by leaving a comment.

Read about the double-edged sword of carbon tax;  the pointless blame game over climate change and saving water now will benefit the future.

images: windingsticks.blogspot.com; lloydkahn-ongoing.blogspot.com

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