Solar Panel Mount

[GPW]

A small portable setup is sounding better and better .... 35 Watts huh ???
I have soldered a few cells together in my day ... it's very difficult unless everything is perfectly clean , you have a good flux, the cells are new , and you have the touch ... for all that PIA , I'd rather spend the bucks and if there's a problem , it's theirs ... besides all my DC needs would be small, viz. lighting /TV/radio /small fan ....
A small cheap desktop/table artists easel would be perfect as a panel holder ... under 10 bucks , folds flat ...
"My window faces the South " ...

[roger-c]

I use 2 panels I bought from Harbor Freight for about 30.00 each. They are mounted flat on the roof, if they get damaged they are cheap enough to replace easily. Don’t forget a voltage regulator or you will fry your battery because the panel can put out more than 12 volts on a sunny day.

Roger C.

[mikeschn]

Roger,

Is this the one you got?

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/d ... mber=41144

5 watts, or even 10 isn't much. You use it to keep your battery topped off, right???

I kinda like this one...
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/d ... mber=40086

At 2.8 amps per hour of charging, I figure I can replace all the amps I burn at night. Lets see...

I could run the lights all night long...
I could run the TV all night long...
I could run the furnace all night long...
I could run the roof vent all night long...

And the next day, the battery will be topped off again! I could camp out in the wild indefinitely!

Mike...

[Arne]

Do those 5 watt panels need a regulator, or are they designed by size to only put out enough to keep the battery charged? A lot of battery powered tools seem to come with chargers that can not overcharge the battery. I'm assuming they do this by limiting how much the charger can put out, not by a built in regulator..

[GPW]

From all my solar experiments , a regulator was a "good thing " that way you wouldn't have to constantly monitor your charge (overcharge), and we also put a diode in line so the trons wouldn't sneak back out at night ....

[GPW]

So What kind of set up do we need for an extended time in the TD... That would be powering a fan (almost continuously here in the summer ) a small TV , radio , and some simple lighting perhaps LED ...maybe a thermocouple cooler for some cold drinks ...one big battery , or two big batteries ??? obviously a regulator ...panel (s) with portable frames (easels ) to set up for max energy production ... all built into the TD ,preferably in the galley where the solar panels could be stored in the hatch
Is it a matter of finding out the # of watts for an appliance , and then adding these up for an hours use , then multiplying for 24 hours ... ???

[bdosborn]

Find out what the amperage is for all your devices, multiply that by the number of hours you'll use them and add that all together. That's your amp-hr usage. The solar panel and battery should be sized around that. Your battery should be twice as big as your amp-hr usage.

Here's a link to a worksheet to help you size a panel

http://www.rvsolarelectric.com/sizing.htm

Bruce

[dakotamouse]

On our 19 ft. pull behind we installed a solar panel for our battery. We can be gone a full week without running into any problems. The battery runs our lights, pump and stereo. Granted we are careful with our enery use but we haven't run out of power yet.

http://www.campingworld.com/browse/skus/index.cfm?skunum=31283&src=SRQB


OH! Almost forgot. We have been through 3 major hailstorms with it and no damage was done to the panel. Wish I could say the same for the camper skin!

[GPW]

OS, Mouse... Thanks for the info ... I think I have a handle on the power thing now , just wanted to make sure .... now confirmed ...
This seems like the only sensible way to go , especially with all the generator stories , I've heard lately ... No Thanks , and when the fuel is gone....That's All Folks !!! Solar is so logical ... I assume for an "emergengy " vehicle like this one , a redundant solar power system might be appropriate....just in case...???

[bdosborn]

That's All Folks !!! Solar is so logical ... I assume for an "emergengy " vehicle like this one , a redundant solar power system might be appropriate....just in case...???

I would add a small generator to back up the solar if it is an "emergency " vehicle. Solar doesn't work at night or when its overcast.

http://www.kipor-generator.net/kipor-10 ... erator.htm

This one is popular with the TT crowd for battery charging.
Bruce

[dakotamouse]

True the solar panel doesn't work at night and our demands aren't very high. We tend to be gone from the camper all day, hiking, fishing whatever. During that time the unit is powering up our battery. So in evening when we are back we have plenty of power.

[bdosborn]

GPW,

Check this out
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/d ... mber=90599

The price is pretty good and it looks like just what you're looking for...

and here's a coupon if there's a Harbor Freight store near you.
http://ww2.harborfreightusa.com/showpag ... pageid=214

Bruce

[GPW]

OS Thanks , that looks just about perfect watt /Amp wise... and it's affordable too .... COOL !!!
Mouse Knowing "her worship" ,she spent the last hurricane evacuation shopping ....
I however ,cooked and played handyman for a variety of people... and it was always sunny , cept' at night of course...and we always had access to electricity .... Solar is real BUGOUT conscience stuff for me ...last resort stuff ... or I'll have to leave the Urban Aquisition Representative at home and go fishing ....

[ARKPAT]

http://www.geoduck.com/epicenter/order. ... l&cart_id=
Here is something you might find interesting for D.C. power or charging a battery(s). I have a vertical shaft generator made from their plate they sell. I use incase I do not get enough sun or have had a larger than normal draw from the batteries.


P.S. I know it is heavy; but the price is right.


Pat

[GPW]

The truth is , we have so many friends that actually want us to come stay with them , the plan is to use shore power ALL of the time, The Td ,is for our privacy (wife and I ), and a place to keep our pets (away from their pets ) ... the solar IS the backup ... this is strictly , "your basic" get outta' Dodge/live in somebodys' driveway for awhile type vehicle ... Part of our hurricane evacuation plan ...The next Trailer will have all the goodies(built in solar panels/primary source ) , and be used for travelling and camping Fun .... for now , I'm Basic solar ...panels standing on modified table easels /regulator /deep cycle batt in a pastic battery (boat) Bo...,basic, eh ??? ...