Folding Solar Recommendation

[craig333]

Its a 100 watt unit and I rarely carry it anymore as I have 250watts worth on the roof. The big drain is the compressor fridge.

 

[sunvalleylaw]

Sunvalleylaw,

Have you determined how much power you will be using everyday (measured or estimated)? I think that is the best place to start.

After that figure out the camping conditions and season you will mostly likely be camping in (sunny, partly cloudy, park in shade, typically have shore power, move frequently, stay in one place, etc). That will help you sort out how much battery capacity and solar power you need.

For example if you move around a lot and your camper battery is recharged from the truck and/or you tend to camp in places with plug in power then you don't need as much battery or solar charging capacity as if you typically camp in partly cloudy or mostly cloudy conditions and stay for several days at a time with no plug in power or generator available.

The type of battery you use matters. There have been some good threads on WTW relative to batteries as well as measuring or calculating power needs and how much you can reasonably expect to get from your batteries (how deep the discharge) without prematurely killing them.. Here are links to a few threads:

http://www.wanderthewest.com/forum/...e-power-scotty/?hl=+scotty++need++more++power

http://www.wanderthewest.com/forum/...se/?hl=+scotty++need++more++power#entry167301

http://www.wanderthewest.com/forum/...-last-in-this-list-of-steps/?hl=+solar++power

Here are a couple of links to battery info on the web:

Deep Cycle Battery FAQ

http://jgdarden.com/batteryfaq/carfaq7.htm

Battery University Homepage


I hope this is of some help.

Regards,

Craig

Thank you! I was digging through some of those threads in the sticky threads regarding solar, but was getting a bit lost and confused. This vid seemed to give me a good overview so hopefully I can understand some of the information you are linking better. A good starting place. I will link it here in case it helps someone else. I would like to stick with a portable unit if I can, so will do some reading and calculating before I clog up this thread any more. She gives an outline of how to approach that in this vid. Her presentation is a little goofy and overdone, but the info is presented in a way I can understand.

Though the vid mentions 100w panel, the information is more about the approach of how to figure it out.

 

[Vic Harder]

Craig lists some awesome resources there. Best bet is to start small, add monitoring, and go from there.

 

[PaulT]

Renogy flexible 100 watt panels are back. https://www.renogy.com/sunpower-flexible-100-watt-monocrystalline-solar-panel/

Got an emai from them today. Don't know anything about these yet, but they treated early adopters well when the earlier product failed when glued to a roof.

Paul

 

[bike4mee]

hey
I need a portable solar power source. I have an 80W panel on the roof and it works pretty good except, we have paddle boards on the roof a lot and like to park in the shade. My Kestral is packed and has very little room for more stuff. I like the idea of the foldable power panel that I can stash somewhere and bring out when needed. any opinion on this guy?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076K55CMB/ref=psdc_2236628011_t5_B01DXYNGA0

I then would need 20' of weather proof wire and the most important is the PLUG. What plug does the group rec? that I can mount on the outside near battery box and wire to the controller
thanks

 

[XJINTX]

Try one of these
https://www.solarblvd.com/product-category/solar-panels-systems/12-volt-solar-kits/

You seem handy, so making legs for them to be angled to the sun should be easy. How may AH is your battery? Hold old is it? Do you have room for two?

Best bet is to start with instrumentation to see what you are using and what the battery health is. Both Victron and Trimetric are loved by the folks here. Once you know that you can see how much solar/battery you need.

Anyone actually make legs for their setups? I'm guessing just some aluminum with maybe hinges? Anything I should be weary of? Pictures would be WELCOME

 

[PaulT]

I have seen some simple supports made from PVC pipe that disassemble for storage. Search for "pvc portable solar panel supports" and several videos and web pages appear that may be useful for ideas.

Paul

 

[sunvalleylaw]

Just adding things up (very loosely) and allowing for a little extra, I think I want to get a couple AMG golf cart batteries in there one way or another, and get or build something like the foldable suitcase style Renogy 200W model. Or building something similar out of two 100-120W panels. I am thinking I will try to replace the gas powered but electric fan heater that is in the camper with something like an Olympic Catalytic. Something that will draw less juice. But that I guess would be in a different thread. I like the idea of the convenience of just ordering the Renogy suitcase, as time is money. But we shall see. Getting some panels or kits from the link Vic posted could work too.

I definitely want it suitcase style so I can put it where I want and not worry about where I parked. In fact, I have an idea using two of the flexible 120W panels from solar blvd. https://www.solarblvd.com/products/solar-cynergy-flexible-bendable-120-watt-12-volt-solar-panel-3/ where I could make a 240w set up, and be able to store it under my bed if I do a very slight modification to the supports (move the support 3 inches over). I think with the weight spread over the mattress, that might be ok, and a real nice way to store it.