DIY solar suitcase

[lfhoward]

Oh, nice! How many watts for each array?

[Tom&Shelly]

Sounds like something a Star Wars villain would try to do!

We're trying to suck it dry behind the shop.





Tony

Tony's backyard used to look like this





Tom

[lfhoward]

[lfhoward]

Also doing my part on the roof of my Philly row house:





It is a 3.52 kWp system.

[bdosborn]

Hey guys,

Don't forget your warning labels:



Bruce

[lfhoward]

Hey guys,

Don't forget your warning labels:



Bruce

[tony.latham]

Don't forget your warning labels:

The state inspector had us add so many warning labels, I added a couple of, "Kids, Electricity Kills" stickers with Reddi-Killowat and a lighting-bolt knife.

He made us add a sticker to the front entry to the house. That one was gone before he left the driveway.

Nice job, LF, but I don't think I could live in that city. No wonder you like to camp.

Tony

[lfhoward]

I came to Philly almost 20 years ago for a job and it has grown on me. I don't see myself staying here forever, but in the meantime, I've tried to make my little corner of it as sustainable as possible. The solar installation is part of that (we have enough roof space to supply about 50% of our electrical needs), but we've also filled our tiny front yard with raised bed gardens that I built. Every summer we have more cherry tomatoes than we can eat! And we keep the squirrels out because they are a fan of cherry tomatoes too.





The hardware cloth keeps the squirrels out because they are a fan of cherry tomatoes too. Notice all the pieces of tomato skins on the ground around this character.



The soil and compost to fill these came from a nearby organic farm just outside of the city. I also made some raised beds for the neighbors. 24 in all, including mine. They paid for the materials and I supplied the labor.





We've also been involved with planting about 10 street trees in our neighborhood.

But YES! My wife and I love to get out of the city and go camping. It is literally a breath of fresh air. Any season of the year will do!

[tony.latham]

My wife and I love to get out of the city and go camping.

It does look like a nice niche for you guys.



Tony

[Tom&Shelly]

My Dad grew up in a row house in South Philly. Had stories about how he and his brother would ride their bikes, with rifles slung on their backs, down to the river (Delaware, I presume) to target shoot. Different times!

He and Mom settled in a rural area, but Dad never liked camping much.

Tom

[lfhoward]

Well, the solar panel kit I ordered came damaged, and the panels were not the right ones either. Not as advertised. Back to the drawing board, and hopefully I can get my money back.

It looks like the panels I am trying to match are out of stock and have been superseded by newer ones with different voltage and amperage ratings, but the same part number. It is important to me to get an exact match so that my two suitcases will be 100% efficient working together.

Here's what I need. If anyone sees a pair of these for sale, let me know!





Cheers,
Lauren

[featherliteCT1]

Bummer ... I ran into the same problem when I tried to buy more 100 watt panels to match my original Renogy panels. I finally found some Rich solar panels that came pretty close to matching both electrical specifications and physical dimensions. Not ideal but I had no other choice.

[lfhoward]

Bummer ... I ran into the same problem when I tried to buy more 100 watt panels to match my original Renogy panels. I finally found some Rich solar panels that came pretty close to matching both electrical specifications and physical dimensions. Not ideal but I had no other choice.

Thanks for the tip, Featherlite. I think I found the ones you're talking about:

https://richsolar.com/collections/solar-panels/products/100-watt-solar-panel

Specifications
Maximum Power(Pmax): 100W
Maximum Power Voltage(Vmp): 18.6V
Maximum Power Current(Imp): 5.38A
Open Circuit Voltage(Voc): 22.8V
Short Circuit Current(Isc): 5.78A
Maximum System Voltage(Vmax): 1000VDC
Weight: 15 lbs
Dimensions: 39.0 x 21.3 x 1.2 inches

Electrically they are the same, but they have a very different aesthetic. I really would want my ground arrays to look the same... but I will definitely keep this option in mind. From a practical standpoint it 100% solves the compatibility problem.

[featherliteCT1]

I really would want my ground arrays to look the same

Yeah, my OCD is still bugging me about the different look ... even though they are mounted flat on the roof of my trailer.

[tony.latham]

I've always been drawn to the idea of self-sufficiency, and solar power just seemed like the perfect fit. So when I stumbled upon those Renogy panels, I knew I had to give it a shot. Setting up my own little solar array felt like a big accomplishment, even if it was just for my trailer.

From a previous post of yours:

One important factor to consider when using solar panels is their environmental impact when it comes to disposal.

Me? I think you're a bot.

Tony