solar panel

[Z Man]

I'm interested in adding a solar panel to my ATC Ocelot. I had the camper pre-wired for a solar panel, but didn't get the panel installed at the time of manufacture. I've looked on-line at panels. There are a lot of choices, especially in terms of wattage. I do have an auxillary battery and isolator. I'm thinking of getting one 80 watt panel. I found one Amazon: Sunforce 80 watt solar panel (model # 39810). Any advise on wattage, manufacturer, things to avoid would be appreciated.

 

[ScottBailey]

My recommendation:
- Kyocera 135 watt panel (link)
- Blue Sky controller (link)
- mounting feet (link)
- heater hose for gasket between feet and camper
- screws
- caulk (for the screws/feet)
- roof lift helpers!

If blue sky is too expensive, you can go with morningstar, but I found there tech guys not up to snuff. I am ordering a more advanced (read $$$) Blue Sky for my 5er, with 2 or 3 of those panels.

The Amazon panel (sunforce) is OK, but doesn't come with a charger and is pricier per watt than the Kyocera.

You'll need to ground to the frame at the panel as well as the charger. I did an install like this, mostly step by step, do a search and you should find it...

 

[Z Man]

Scott,

Thanks for the information. This is exactly what I needed. One more question for you: have you found any limitations in solar panel output with the stationary flat-mount? I was thinking of mounting the panel on a frame that I could tilt if needed. However, this is a more complex mounting and I'm thinking that this may be over-kill.

 

[Phil]

My recommendation:
- Kyocera 135 watt panel (link)
- Blue Sky controller (link)
- mounting feet (link)
- heater hose for gasket between feet and camper
- screws
- caulk (for the screws/feet)
- roof lift helpers!

If blue sky is too expensive, you can go with morningstar, but I found there tech guys not up to snuff. I am ordering a more advanced (read $$$) Blue Sky for my 5er, with 2 or 3 of those panels.

The Amazon panel (sunforce) is OK, but doesn't come with a charger and is pricier per watt than the Kyocera.

You'll need to ground to the frame at the panel as well as the charger. I did an install like this, mostly step by step, do a search and you should find it...



Hi Scott
what size of battery do you have and do you have more than one?
Thanks for the help.I have been putting it off for a while now. I am going to order it when I get back from Germany

 

[HERR42]

whats up here? why does no one mention the ASC unit FWC installs? its made by specialty concepts....very low priced.
http://www.specialty...oduct_info.html
it seems to do the job for a low price, handles the AGM batteries well, is potted, encapsulated for vibration resistance.
i wonder what kind of failure rates FWC has seen. my guess is little or none.

$40


how much for that blue sea unit?

these things can be paralleled into a battery(s), so how many would it take? 3? $120

 

[ScottBailey]

Scott,

Thanks for the information. This is exactly what I needed. One more question for you: have you found any limitations in solar panel output with the stationary flat-mount? I was thinking of mounting the panel on a frame that I could tilt if needed. However, this is a more complex mounting and I'm thinking that this may be over-kill.


Probably more PITA than it's worth. I don't think it's that easy to climb up and adjust. I had a 65 watt panel that seemed to keep up well enough. The 135 watt panel is itself overkill. (Unless you install a DC refer, which I was planning.) But if I were doing it again, that's what I'd do.

what size of battery do you have and do you have more than one?


I had a 90 amp intersate battery DCM-090, I think. They gave me "dealer pricing" so it wasn't too painful. I was going to add another 90 amp battery and switch my 3 way refer for a DC unit. My gas-absorption seemed to manage about a 40 degree differential where the DC unit can pull closer to 60 degrees. My driveway is often in excess of 110 in the summer, so the DC refer could have been a better starting point....

Going forward I was going to add another 90 amp battery,

whats up here? why does no one mention the ASC unit FWC installs? its made by specialty concepts....very low priced.
http://www.specialty...oduct_info.html
it seems to do the job for a low price, handles the AGM batteries well, is potted, encapsulated for vibration resistance.
i wonder what kind of failure rates FWC has seen. my guess is little or none.

$40


how much for that blue sea unit?

these things can be paralleled into a battery(s), so how many would it take? 3? $120


I am not an EE! And certainly not a solar specialist, The ASC unit seems comparable to Morningstar. Maybe better? (A guy could completely skip a charge controller and just wire in a two dollar diode, if he wanted to save money.)

The Blue Sky unit is $200, and the tech support guys understood their product and answered my questions. More than I can say for Morningstar. The Blue sky unit is an MPPT charger. I think - someone correct me if I'm wrong! - this essentially means it takes the incoming volt/amps and optimize outbound (i.e. charging) volt/amps. This is supposed to increase the usefull amount of power available for battery charging.

Plus, Blue Sky has a way cooler monitor panel.

Probably the ASC regulator (how different is this from the morningstar charge controller?) is plenty for this application.

 

[Kodachrome]

My recommendation:
- Kyocera 135 watt panel (link)

That panel is nearly 29 pounds, my 85 watt is 17, so with two fantastic fans now, the only way I will add watts is either one of those spendy 65 watt roll up panels or one on sliding rails underneath the cabover.

The 85 watt I have does a great job, I never see my aux battery drop below 1/2, ever.

 

[ScottBailey]

That panel is nearly 29 pounds, my 85 watt is 17,


The 13 pound 65 watt I had was almost more than I wanted to lift. I would not go above 15 pounds without the roof lift helper mod.

 

[Kodachrome]

I think between the panel, two vent fans and my rack / wood shooting platform, I am around 30?
It's not a breeze to lift but I get it done....

 

[Z Man]

Can you tell me the manufacturer of your 85 watt solar panel? Did it cost you more than $400?

 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

OK so i have been bitten buy the solar bug. I have them on my home so why not the camper. I have checked most of the threads and found a lot of good info. Here is my idea.Since my electric use isn't as much as others i think i want to go with a Kyocera 40w panel and the ASC controller. What else do i need for the solar main components ? i had the wire already installed when the camper was made,it's just one wire,is there another wire to be connected like a ground? It seems pretty straight forward to install these,but any info would be great.

Thanks Frank

 

[Argonaut20]

Look up the Panther solar install
http://www.wanderthewest.com/forum/index.php?/topic/2063
by ScottBailey. It is pretty complete. Ground the solar side of the controller to the battery according to an email I got from Marty. Then you would have both the PV ground and the battery charge ground on the battery. You might double check with Marty to be sure I've got this right.

I bought 2 Kyocera 40 W panels and just haven't had the chance to hook it all together. Tell how it works out for you.

 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

Look up the Panther solar install
http://www.wanderthewest.com/forum/index.php?/topic/2063
by ScottBailey. It is pretty complete. Ground the solar side of the controller to the battery according to an email I got from Marty. Then you would have both the PV ground and the battery charge ground on the battery. You might double check with Marty to be sure I've got this right.

I bought 2 Kyocera 40 W panels and just haven't had the chance to hook it all together. Tell how it works out for you.


Thanks for the infne thing i will need to do is run the wire through the roof. When i ordered the camper my thought was to place a panel under the overhang so i had marty run the wire there. But after some thought on that i decided to use the area at the rear of the rack the panel will fit there nicely. I don't think routing through the roof at a point near the rack should be a problem. Any thoughts will be of help.

Thanks Frank

 

[MakersTeleMark]

I got the 90w kit from here and thought it was a good deal. Quality parts, was an easy install, and it works really well in charging by Blue Top Optima.

http://cgi.ebay.com/UL-SOLAR-90-WATT-12V-RV-Solar-Power-Kit-90W-5-17Am-h-/310243945137?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item483bfaeab1