Solar?????

[kirkman]

Looks like I hook the tear up to the TV when I get back to the camp sight at night an let it idle for a hour or so to charge my battery then or go get a generator. OH well. Thanks for all your help guys!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Shadow Catcher]

I am going to question the conventional of shade = no power. I have been running the refrigerator in the tear with only solar in the driveway while I work on CR, just seeing how things play together. I am monitoring the battery with a Victron battery monitor. More than half the day the 185W panel is in deep shade and yet it has managed to keep the battery at 100% SOC before the sun came out from behind the tree. I will admit there is open sky above CR so you get scattered light and typically the voltage is above 30V in direct shade.

[bdosborn]

There's a difference between not being in the sun and having a shadow on the panel. You should play with your panel more to determine its capabilities in low light situations. My panels put put out 40% on a cloudy day but nothing when there's a shadow on the panel in full sun.

Bruce

[Shadow Catcher]

I remember a presentation by a group who enter a solar racer in competition and the solar panels were removable from the vehicle. End of the day and all of the teams had their panels up and aimed at the setting sun, except for Michigan which had their panel aimed east, they were getting more reflected from clouds.
When I was in at Challenger Door and they were working on CR I noticed the voltage from the panel inside the building overhead lights was 33 V.
I am still learning to use the Vectron battery monitor and will buy eventfully the computer interface, in the mean time I can monitor the Morningstar MPPT which will tell me what is coming from the panel, once I get the lap top back from repair.

[kirkman]

Where is a good place to get a all in one panel or the stuff to build my own?

[Shadow Catcher]

Kirkman TLI too little information, some idea of the direction you wish to go in more detail, i.e. High voltage, how big a panel...
I got all but the Morningstar solar controller and remote meter on ebay, and some of it was the wrong thing that I got out of ignorance but then most of it has worked out. I just picked up the lap top from repair and now have the capability to monitor what the panel is putting via the Morningstar controller and software. I went the high voltage route out of the aforementioned ignorance but now like the results. BUT it is good bit more expensive. If you could ask this in a couple of months after out California trip I could give you a much more accurate experience related answer.
I am obsessive about information and Handy Bob's blog has helped to cure ignorance and a good bit has worked just out of shear dumb luck.
Backwoods Solar is one of the more reputable sellers. Morningstar is I believe the largest manufacture of solar products and makes equipment for third world installations that has to be very robust. Mine came through the accident with the 100# battery having fallen on it and it has a dent but is working fine. The other name, not well known in the US is Steca, made in Germany.

[kirkman]

I guess I should have said what is the best place price wist to get solar products?

[bdosborn]

Unfortunately, the market is in a little bit of flux right now as the government just enacted import tariffs on Chinese PV panels. But, I've bought from the following places with good luck:

NAWS

UL Solar

Solar Blvd

I would lean toward an 80 watt panel from UL solar and a Morningstar SunSaver 10 controller from NAWS.

Bruce

[kirkman]

Thanks guys would some thing like this be good?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/80-Watt-12-Volt-PLUG-PLAY-Solar-Panel-Kit-4-1-/120911660651?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c26e5866b

Or this?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/80-Watt-12-Volt-PLUG-PLAY-Solar-Panel-Kit-4-1-/120911660651?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c26e5866b
With this.
http://www.solar-electric.com/ss-10.html

[GuitarPhotog]

Thanks guys would some thing like this be good?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/80-Watt-12-Volt-PLUG-PLAY-Solar-Panel-Kit-4-1-/120911660651?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c26e5866b

Or this?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/80-Watt-12-Volt-PLUG-PLAY-Solar-Panel-Kit-4-1-/120911660651?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c26e5866b
With this.
http://www.solar-electric.com/ss-10.html

It looks like Bruce's recommendation will save you more than $100 over that ebay piece.

<Chas>

[Shadow Catcher]

It is tempting to buy a kit but most are short on quality and long on cost per watt.

[bdosborn]

It looks like Bruce's recommendation will save you more than $100 over that ebay piece.

<Chas>

That and the controller is a no namer of dubious quality. Morningstar is one of the best out there.

Bruce

[kirkman]

Thanks guys!!!!!!!!!

[SteveW]

A buddy of mine just sent me this photo...

Flexible rolling panel from PowerFilm Solar. <2 lbs, and produces 28 watts: 15vDC at 1.8A. He uses them mainly for running fans while tailgating, but says he's strung a couple together to run a portable coleman powered cooler (which requires almost 4A of current). Cool idea, and doesn't require permanent fixture to the teardrop.

[bdosborn]

Pretty spendy at $300 (~$10/watt) but a nice package that would role up for easy storage.

Amazon Clicky

For comparison, the 60 watt DIY folding solar panel I made was around $2.50/watt, but that was before the import tariffs.

Bruce