Simple, portable solar setup?
- Thread starter lugueto
- Start date
Can you give some links to these MiLSpec foldable ones please!!!!!!
Can anyone say what the longevity of these units are?
www.lensunsolar.com
From what I can gather they are flexible panels with fibreglass backing, I have the 300W monster and its a little flex to it when handeling.
But the real concern is will these drop in output after just a few years? If so I think I will stay with glass rigid.
Lensun Innovative 12V 150W 200W 300W Super Lightweight Thin Portable F
Product Description The all NEW Super Thin Solar Panel Range is revolutionising the 12V Rigid portable solar panel market. Constructed from A-Grade Monocrystalline Solar Cells, The Latest ETFE lamination textured film and a 17mm lightweight and thin frame. Click the following link to shop 100W...
www.lensunsolar.com
From what I can gather they are flexible panels with fibreglass backing, I have the 300W monster and its a little flex to it when handeling.
But the real concern is will these drop in output after just a few years? If so I think I will stay with glass rigid.
SBSYNCRO
Well-known member
I’ve been running a setup for almost a year now that I’m pretty happy with. It does require a roof rack, but I always run roof racks so that wasn’t an issue for me.
I just finished a two week road trip that took me from the mountains of CA to the deserts of AZ and it kept my food and beer at a chilly 37°-40° the entire time without ever having to worry about running my starting batter down. Probably the best stress test I’ve had.
It’s not perfect but it is easily transportable, durable, and flexible in terms of usability. It requires me to remember a few idiosyncrasies but most of us deal with that sort of thing already, right?
Total investment: ~$1,000 (I got the fridge used and the Suaoki on sale).
I run with the panel on the roof most of the time. The fridge runs off the 12v outlet of the Suaoki. The panel connects to a flush-mount SAE connector on my roof, which then runs to the charge port on the Suaoki.
During spring/summer/early fall, I rarely ever need to remove the panel from the roof. It gets plenty of light and is more than enough to maintain the battery at 100% by nightfall. In the event I am camped in trees for multiple days, I have a 30’ cable to connect the panel and place it somewhere in full sun.
Even operating in 100°+ heat in the AZ desert, the only time I ran into trouble was when I forgot to plug in the solar panel to the Suaoki for a night, an entire day, and a night. By the time I noticed, it was down to 1+ out of 5 bars (second bar blinking first bar solid). When we packed up and hit the road for the next destination, I just switched to AC charging and charged it off the Jeep’s inverter at about 80w and it was 100% charged by the time we reached our next destination.
The system allows me the flexibility to operate in the following configurations:
Even in winter/low light I’ve never had to stress about operating the fridge as long as I do my part, even when camped for several days. I have to remember to manually cycle the charging at the start of each day (the charge controller seems to “go to sleep” sometimes, so I just unplug/replay each day). And in December/January/February I usually have to pull the panel off the roof and angle it to capture a full 70-90w of charging input.
After having this setup, I would never want to hassle with a foldable/flexible mat that is much lower efficiency.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I just finished a two week road trip that took me from the mountains of CA to the deserts of AZ and it kept my food and beer at a chilly 37°-40° the entire time without ever having to worry about running my starting batter down. Probably the best stress test I’ve had.
It’s not perfect but it is easily transportable, durable, and flexible in terms of usability. It requires me to remember a few idiosyncrasies but most of us deal with that sort of thing already, right?
- Fridge: Dometic CFX50w w/insulated cover on DFG Offroad slide. Consumes 45-60w when cycling. Cycles roughly 3 minutes every 30 minutes in ambient temp around 75° and loaded with groceries.
- Solar panel: HQST 100w rigid panel (mounted to roof rack with fabricated aluminum L brackets and thumb screws). This provided a charging input of 80-90 watts in good sun. Even mounted flat to the roof it provides 50-60w in mid morning/mid afternoon. Fastest way to charge the Suaoki in good sun.
- Battery: Suaoki 500wh lithium “generator” (misnomer but some how that’s what people call them)
- Solar charge controller: built-in MPPT controller in the Suaoki
Total investment: ~$1,000 (I got the fridge used and the Suaoki on sale).
I run with the panel on the roof most of the time. The fridge runs off the 12v outlet of the Suaoki. The panel connects to a flush-mount SAE connector on my roof, which then runs to the charge port on the Suaoki.
During spring/summer/early fall, I rarely ever need to remove the panel from the roof. It gets plenty of light and is more than enough to maintain the battery at 100% by nightfall. In the event I am camped in trees for multiple days, I have a 30’ cable to connect the panel and place it somewhere in full sun.
Even operating in 100°+ heat in the AZ desert, the only time I ran into trouble was when I forgot to plug in the solar panel to the Suaoki for a night, an entire day, and a night. By the time I noticed, it was down to 1+ out of 5 bars (second bar blinking first bar solid). When we packed up and hit the road for the next destination, I just switched to AC charging and charged it off the Jeep’s inverter at about 80w and it was 100% charged by the time we reached our next destination.
The system allows me the flexibility to operate in the following configurations:
- Default: panel on roof, connected to Suaoki, connected to fridge 12v
- Base camped in trees/shade: remove panel from roof of Jeep, 30’ cable connected to Suaoki in Jeep.
- Visiting friend/family: run fridge off 110v extension cord, which also tops off Suaoki with AC charger
- Alt1: charge Soaoki from Jeep inverter (used in “emergencies)
- Alt2 (cloudy/rainy while driving): run fridge off 110v inverter in Jeep or 12v outlet and charge Suaoki off the other. Switch to battery when camped.
Even in winter/low light I’ve never had to stress about operating the fridge as long as I do my part, even when camped for several days. I have to remember to manually cycle the charging at the start of each day (the charge controller seems to “go to sleep” sometimes, so I just unplug/replay each day). And in December/January/February I usually have to pull the panel off the roof and angle it to capture a full 70-90w of charging input.
After having this setup, I would never want to hassle with a foldable/flexible mat that is much lower efficiency.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Last edited:
WVI
Adventurer
SBSYNCRO,
That's almost the rout I am planning to use for the new small RV we picked up.
We will be wintering in the AZ at a place that only has power during the daytime.
I can run the the fridge alternating btw propano and 110.
We have an ICECO freezer on the way, to allow us to load up on frozen foods and back up the RV fridge and will run it off a solar gen as opposed to getting more batteries.
At night, the solar gen will run the ICECO, TV, water pump and a couple lights.
When we are done for the season, we may leave the RV and then put the ICECO in the van along with the solar gen. That way we can still use it on the road as well as back-up at home.
This also eliminates maintenance to the RV batts when not there.
That's almost the rout I am planning to use for the new small RV we picked up.
We will be wintering in the AZ at a place that only has power during the daytime.
I can run the the fridge alternating btw propano and 110.
We have an ICECO freezer on the way, to allow us to load up on frozen foods and back up the RV fridge and will run it off a solar gen as opposed to getting more batteries.
At night, the solar gen will run the ICECO, TV, water pump and a couple lights.
When we are done for the season, we may leave the RV and then put the ICECO in the van along with the solar gen. That way we can still use it on the road as well as back-up at home.
This also eliminates maintenance to the RV batts when not there.
Is that 3years of sitting in sun mostly or just calender life?
bouncing around in a mobile use case.
Generating power does increase heat as opposed to sitting in the shade.
Getting that heat buildup out by ventilating the underside gap is one of the major installation challenges, grossly reduces output
along with ensuring 100% rigidity, no flexing.
Without both of those, average lifespan is likely to be lowered, by a lot
Generating power does increase heat as opposed to sitting in the shade.
Getting that heat buildup out by ventilating the underside gap is one of the major installation challenges, grossly reduces output
along with ensuring 100% rigidity, no flexing.
Without both of those, average lifespan is likely to be lowered, by a lot