Lets See Your Solar Setups

[rayra]

Finally have my Mk1 roof mount completed. It's a folding ground panel kit, legs are still attached. Stand on the rear bumper and undo two hood locks on the hinged rear of the frame and the frame releases the panel. The panel can be angled on the roof or placed on the ground on a 25' lead.

Details are in my build thread in my sig

 

[DorB]

Question to all those who install a solar panel horizontal on the truck/trailer roof:

Usually, during the day, when the sun is directly above you, in a good angle for horizontal panels, you (at least I do..) are on the move, Hanse, you charge with your alternator., and the panel’s charge in negligible compared to the alternator.

When you get into camp in the afternoon, (and from sunrise until you leave camp) the panel needs to be in the right angle towards the sun for best panel output=not horizontal.

It seams that a fixed horizontal panel is the least effective way for getting the most of your solar system.

What am I missing here?



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[john61ct]

Anything but flat will be suboptimal for travel, wind resistance will rip the panels right off.

Get your angle up after parking.

 

[DorB]

Anything but flat will be suboptimal for travel, wind resistance will rip the panels right off.

Get your angle up after parking.

That’s not the issue..
If you install the panel in a fixed flat position, you lose significant amount of the panel performance.
I don’t understand why people install it in a fixed flat position rather then in a movable option.
Say, when you camp, you adjust the angle.



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[DorB]

You got it all wrong..

Not enough solar=no electricity for the fridge to cool the beer=hot beer and spoiled meat for food=you need to put down the current beer you hold , take **************** of the chair and start the engine to idle for hours to charge the battery to get the next cold beer..
And then you get treads like “has global warming impacted your travel”..

Now we know the reason:
People who travel with fixed horizontal solar panels!

As I see it, it’s a total wasted energy cycle..

By having a portable solar panel, I save the planet..



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[john61ct]

If you install the panel in a fixed flat position, you lose significant amount of the panel performance.
I don’t understand why people install it in a fixed flat position rather then in a movable option.
Say, when you camp, you adjust the angle.

Takes more cost and effort.

Some already have more power than they need.

I agree for those who doubling their output will be helpful they "should" make the effort.

 

[rayra]

What am I missing here?

Lots of folks make those flat panels pinned and adjustable. My own started life as a foldign ground panel kit and retains that setup ability and I crafted my rack so I can easily do so and lef tthe legs on so I can elevate it on the roof when necessary.

 

[alexplb]

Angled it just a bit to help the "global warming" issue someone brought up earlier with a flat mounted panels. Also acts as wind deflector I think.

 

[dreadlocks]

325W Panasonic HIT w/Victron SmartSolar 100/30 & 100AH BattleBorn LFP

 

[AlumniCU]

My 100W flat mounted panel in the Colorado sunshine keeps my 100Ah battery topped off during the day when parked, and the fridge and beer stay cold. I can also attach an additional 200W angled on the ground if needed, but I’m liking the “set and forget” flat roof panel, which is working well for my relatively small consumption. If the car is running, a 20A DC/DC converter gets to work.

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[Oka 374]

1100 watts, all mounted flat feeding a 400ah Winston Lithium battery. On a normal sunny day with no cloud the solar has replaced our dusk to dawn usage by around 11am.
Our overnight usage is typically 20% of the battery capacity, around 80ah as we use a 240v jug, toaster, charge the laptop, run the electric blankets for a couple of hours before bed in cold weather and run a CPAP machine with humidifier all night. The battery is only charged from the solar and there is no input from the vehicle engine, we can survive indefinately with good solar and around a week in poor conditions.

 

[frans]

Can anyone tell me if the solar panels mounted 'open' to the elements get fogged up/ scratched by road grit while driving?

 

[luthj]

Glass faced panels will not. They survive desert dust storms, etc. Flexible panels may get damaged, but with their short lives, it may not matter.

 

[Alloy]

Can anyone tell me if the solar panels mounted 'open' to the elements get fogged up/ scratched by road grit while driving?

From the Panasonic install manual.

- Water stains might be caused when rain water remains on the glass surface for a long time. To avoid water stains, Panasonic recommends to install modules at a slope steeper than the water gradient.

- Never use abrasive detergent, strong alkaline detergent, strong acid detergent or a detergent which forms a protective layer on the surface of the glass to clean any part of the module. The performance of a solar modules may be reduced. Please be very careful since the warranty will not cover the damages caused by detergents

 

[TwinStick]

Anyone using the Zamp 180 or 230 watt folding panels ?

Do you think it could keep a good 12v deep cycle battery charged with a 50 qt ARB ?

How about an 82 qt ARB ?

Thanks for the input.