Portable vs Fixed Roof mount Solar panels

[java]

Why not semi permanent mount? as in have it where you can affix solid for travel and ways to tilt fore, aft or port, starboard for when parked. Could see a tiny liner actuator underneath with a ball head that sits in a ball socket beneath panel. On panel at each corner also have ball and socket set up. for travel you lock onto all balls so it is fixed at all corners. At camp site. unhook all but two sockets from the ball so when you power up the actuator it will tilt/pivot the panel up on the two balls still attached. Just choose the right balls causing actuator raise the side of the panel you want for aiming toward the sun. hmmmm.... that sounds phalic.... no pun intended lol. Course maybe a scisor jack in place of actuator might be less complex and tons cheaper for the same effect

confused??? check out how a 3 way tilt Unimog Bed works. Some Agricultural trailers use this system too. here is one https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtHlq84gbxs

Totally understand what your saying, but way too complicated..... I'll live with losses from being flat lol

 

[Chris Boyd]

Most vehicles have water drainage holes in the floor. If you pull up the carpet you should be able to find rubber grommets covering these drainage holes. Easy enough to feed a few solar wires through one of these grommets and seal it to prevent moisture from getting in.

Yes, but about water crossings... you'd have to seal them and then what about drainage? They make proper glands for vehicle/RV roof entry. I rarely make water crossings to the roofline

 

[Rando]

Solar is cheap - do both. For us it is a matter of our movement style - we travel more than we camp, so we don't want to have to set something up and break it down every day. Secondly, during peak solar hours our vehicle is usually at a trail head which is even more reason not to want to set something up. This is why we have a 160W fixed panel on the roof. If we were to base camp, I do have an extra 120W panel I could bring along as a portable, but so far I haven't needed to. The fixed panel also keeps everything topped up when the adventure mobile is parked in the driveway.

 

[java]

Most vehicles have water drainage holes in the floor. If you pull up the carpet you should be able to find rubber grommets covering these drainage holes. Easy enough to feed a few solar wires through one of these grommets and seal it to prevent moisture from getting in.

Yeah I get that, but getting to the roof floor the floor ears is the difficult part for me.

Truck in question:
00v0v_6xxQZ87mlJ7_600x450 by Gabe Engler, on Flickr

Solar is cheap - do both. For us it is a matter of our movement style - we travel more than we camp, so we don't want to have to set something up and break it down every day. Secondly, during peak solar hours our vehicle is usually at a trail head which is even more reason not to want to set something up. This is why we have a 160W fixed panel on the roof. If we were to base camp, I do have an extra 120W panel I could bring along as a portable, but so far I haven't needed to. The fixed panel also keeps everything topped up when the adventure mobile is parked in the driveway.

Budget build.... Not real cheap to me, but I do see what your saying. It seems prudent to run a pair of wires for external hookups later on.

 

[Joe917]

My advice would be flat mounted rigid panels on the roof, special care to minimize shading. Then forget about it. A battery monitor will indicate any issues such as dirt or snow. In over two years dirt has never made a noticeable difference to us. Sliding racks might sound good but they add complexity and provide no power when stored. Sure the alternator charges the batteries but you have to burn extra fuel for that. Forget tilting, if you don't watch it they end up pointing the wrong way half the time.

 

[java]

You might consider slight sloped to one way or another.
My trailer normal parking is quite flat, build up of dirt on the modules is fairly quick, The truck is also parked flat, its modules were somewhat slope mounted. They stay cleaner. Maybe cleaned them twice in 10 years, the trailer needs it every few months.

Roof has a light arch to it, but thats not much. Good thinking though. I will likely do the stick on ones, I want to add as little height as possible...

 

[dwh]

Roof has a light arch to it, but thats not much. Good thinking though. I will likely do the stick on ones, I want to add as little height as possible...

Stick on? Which stick on?

 

[java]

Stick on? Which stick on?

Looking for something like this, just less than 18' long....

https://www.amazon.com/Uni-Solar-PV...2269957&sr=8-3&keywords=flexible+solar+panels

 

[dwh]

Looking for something like this, just less than 18' long....

https://www.amazon.com/Uni-Solar-PV...2269957&sr=8-3&keywords=flexible+solar+panels

"Ships from and sold by RecycledGoods."


I thought Unisolar went out of business years ago...

 

[LeishaShannon]

Those UniSolar panels are terribly inefficient... around 6% !

I'd go with rigid glass panels which are ~3 times more efficient mounted off the roof to allow airflow for cooling.
Wire up an external anderson plug or similar to the solar controller so you can add portable panels later if you decide you want to park in the shade.

 

[java]

"Ships from and sold by RecycledGoods."


I thought Unisolar went out of business years ago...

Something along these lines is what I am looking for. Those would likely work as well.

https://www.amazon.com/SunPower-Fle...90&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=flexible+solar&psc=1

Those UniSolar panels are terribly inefficient... around 6% !

I'd go with rigid glass panels which are ~3 times more efficient mounted off the roof to allow airflow for cooling.
Wire up an external anderson plug or similar to the solar controller so you can add portable panels later if you decide you want to park in the shade.

Good to know! I just dont want to add any more height.

 

[Joe917]

Solar panels are limited by their weakest cell, that is why shade on one cell can kill output. When you install a panel on a curve you limit it to the cell that is worst oriented to the sun and bu curving the panel you almost guarantee part of the panel to be badly oriented. Flexible panels should be installed flat, but their inefficiency is awful compared to rigid panels.
Your only 11' high, 3" won't make a difference.

 

[dwh]

Something along these lines is what I am looking for. Those would likely work as well.

https://www.amazon.com/SunPower-Fle...90&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=flexible+solar&psc=1

From what I understand, that style uses glass cells stuck to a flexible backing.

Because glass solar cells are actually a very thin glass sandwich, they need to be reinforced by being included in a thicker sandwich. They are normally sandwiched between a tempered glass sheet, and a few layers of rubber, which works well.

But...

http://www.gonewiththewynns.com/flexible-rv-solar-issues-review

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f448/flexible-solar-panels-opinions-102239-2.html

 

[java]

@dwh

Man the reviews are very mixed.... I guess I have some more reading to do...

Edit, I'll add that I won't be installing for a year most likely. Just roughing in the electrical at the moment.

 

[Herbie]

Herbie: so the same panel on the roof you made removable, am I reading that right? Very cool, but won't work for me, roof ain't accessible.

I couldn't walk up there, but I can just about reach to the rack if I stand on the driver's entry step, which is just enough to pull it out of the rack. Previously, I had the same sliding rack mounted under the rear roof basket, so I could stand on the rear bumper and slide it out. It's all overhead work, but the panel is pretty light.