DIY solar suitcase

[lfhoward]

Hi all,

I picked up a pair of Renogy 100 watt panels yesterday that I am hoping to use outdoors as a ground array for my trailer.



I am wondering if anyone has made “legs” for rigid glass panels like these that will allow them to stand up and be angled towards the sun. Also, has anyone hinged two of them together and made folding legs to turn them into a portable solar suitcase?

Ideas welcome! Pics encouraged!

Thanks in advance.

[tony.latham]

I made a folding set years ago. I whacked up a couple of cheap camera tripod legs for the supports. I wish I had a photo of the backside, but the legs collapsed to fit inside the panels.





Tony

[RJ Howell]

I'll look around for a picture, but it's as simple as just using angle iron (I have some aluminum 'round here) and drill a hole and bolt it on the panel frame. Ran with that for 4 yrs before I switch to a true suitcase.. they just stow better for me. My ridgid panels now live on the garage..

Lean them against about anything you have handy! Honestly, my 'suitcase' setup usually gets leaned on something to get the angle the best I can..
Oh ya, landscape,, not portrait (like you show).. less wind resistance..

Safe travels

[lfhoward]

What do you all think of something like this?



https://www.adventurousway.com/blog/diy-portable-solar-panel

Needlessly complicated? Definitely looks sturdy, and the portrait orientation could work if the two panels were connected with a piano hinge.

[tony.latham]

What do you all think of something like this?

Looks good to me. Something tells me that you'll make some adjustments after a trip or two.

Tony

[RJ Howell]

Found a picture. You went a bit more elaborate then I did. With a notch in the angle iron it limits the angle. Like I mentioned, I like landscape better, less of a wind catch.. Folded nice and flat.

[cdnred]

Given the size of the panels, have you given thoughts to modifying and using a standup mirror frame..? I know it might not be the easiest solution and perhaps hard to find..

Helmuth

[lfhoward]

We are having a snow storm here and schools are cancelled, so besides shoveling, I think I may have some time to putter on my solar suitcase project. I picked up window casement hinges, aluminum angle, and some stainless nuts and bolts. Tony, RJ Howell, and cdnred, thanks for your input! I’ll post pictures when I get it put together. One thing is for sure, this will be HEAVY with two 100 watt panels. But hopefully not unmanageable. I have the original Renogy box the two solar panels came in, and it has a handle.

Update: measured and marked out all of the aluminum brackets without cutting or drilling anything yet.

[lfhoward]

I got the solar suitcase finished this morning and deployed before 11 am at the trailer. The trailer’s battery was down to 37% due to the snow storms obstructing the roof panel and the fact that it has been so cold out (the battery heats itself). With a week of cloudy and rainy weather ahead, I wanted to make the most of today’s sunny day.

Here are some photos from the build process and of the panels deployed next to the trailer.

I used window casement hinges and aluminum angle to make the stands.




Here is the first half of my suitcase panels finished.


The iPhone’s clinometer says the panel is exactly at a 40° angle. This is what I was shooting for as I live at 40°N latitude and it should be an efficient angle most of the year.


Here they are next to the trailer.




Close up of the supports and the wiring. I have them in series to make a 24 volt array.


Really good results today! The new external array is “Aux” in the VRM readout below.


I am really happy with 175 watts from a 200 watt array in January. I bet they will do better when the sun angle is higher in the sky.

Overall I was able to hit a combined 300 watts today with both solar systems together (roof+aux). Between 11 am and 3 pm the charge status of the battery rose from 37% to 75%, gaining about 60 amp hours during that time. The battery is no longer in danger of being too low to heat itself and charge itself up.

[Tom&Shelly]

Nice!

Fiddle-farted with ours last week trying to catch some bright spots under trees. I may try and come up with something more sophisticated than balancing it on rocks.

Tom

[tony.latham]

I may try and come up with something more sophisticated than balancing it on rocks.

Tom:

I don't recall if you ever got a 3d filament printer but I noticed this file on Thingiverse the other day:

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4032374

Tony

[Tom&Shelly]

Thank you Tony!

We do have a filiment printer. I need to get with the times and learn how to use it! (It's Shelly's.) My first thought was aluminum angle.

Tom

[tony.latham]

I need to get with the times and learn how to use it!

I find it handy to design something functional and have the machine crank it out. I just added a post about these hooks:



Tony

[featherliteCT1]

Lfhoward,

I am glad to see that you posted data showing that your Rpi operates in 28.8F temperatures.

My Rpi connects to a Netgear router where the router serves as a LAN (with no www Internet available). Both devices are located inside my trailer.

When temperatures get below 35F, my Victron Connect app has a hard time connecting to the devices. Below 30F, the connectivity is erratic. Below 20F, the devices are not reliable at all and will not stay connected.

Both devices have published operating specs with a lower temperature range of 30F.

Until you posted your data, I could not tell which device was causing the problem or if both devices were causing the problem.

I now think that the Netgear router has been the limiting device.

Regardless, I solved the problem by putting both devices in my insulated battery box wherein my batteries reside. When ambient temperatures are around 30F, the heat generated internally by the devices in the box keeps the devices at 50F. So far, the devices have been running fine, with temperatures consistently about 20F higher than ambient temperatures.

Last week the ambient lows were about 0F, before I located the devices in the box. This week, since I located the devices in the box, the ambient lows have only been about 30F. So far so good. I am curious what the temperature differential will be in extremely cold ambient temperatures.

Normally, I do not look forward to colder temperatures. But, the science must continue!

[bdosborn]

Just an FYI - I'm pretty sure a Cerbo GX is based on a Rpi and mine has connected reliably to WiFi in -10F weather. I have an all SSD PC in the van and it freaked out in subfreezing weather and wouldn't boot. I brought it inside, warmed it up and it was fine.
Bruce
P.S. I know I should have made a portable panel too but I just bought one of these on sale for the van. 1$/watt is a good price for a portable and it folds up fairly small for 200W.