Does Solar Power have to be installed perm?

Lwiddis wrote:
Portable solar panels can gather more power when camping in shady areas but I don't want to put them out, watch them and put them away at least once per day. More if you want to go somewhere. Additional panels on the roof can make up most of the difference.

This is what I do. Added an extra panel on the roof. I have enough stuff to setup and take down, don't want to have to deal with portable panels as well. Plus they are fragile (glass). Might get blown over in the wind, might be stolen, etc.

i have one panel that i use when i need it. i have about a 25 foot cord that connects directly to the battery. works well for me, move it as needed to keep int he sun. on top of the truck, next to the trailer, truck or whatever. we only use it when out in the desert or at the lake as it keeps my two group 31 agms happening. good Luck & Be Safe

My set up. It has a 50 foot lead so I can park in the shade.

Two or more "12" volt panels (19-20v) and wire in series up to as much as an MPPT controller allows. This way you maximize your amps and actually charge if overcast and less voltage drop from the panels to the controller if you are 20-50 feet of cable with the higher voltage.

Not a good idea, could possibly walk away or as we seen it a few yrs ago in Yuma, guy buys a panel one day and the next day brings it back to dealer for warranty, had blown over in the night and shattered on a small rock, costs was $675. and no warranty, bolt it down.

April 25, 2017. My panels were busy powering the fridge on 12 volt DC while I was driving down the road. I did notice I got 16.9 amps @ 13.9 volts at one point during the day. That's 234 watts from a flat install of 256 watts of panels. Location was 51.509190, -105.009485

The panels are from 2005.

Have 2 portable, they slide behind the couch when not using

harveysmoms wrote:
I have seen some people set up solar panels next to their camper at a site where there is no power hook up at all. But now that I'm researching solar power for my RV, it seems like all need to be wired permanently. Is it possible to just pop them up and hook them to the battery when I want it and then store them away when I don't want them?

yup. that's what we do. disadvantage is finding a place to store them and they can grow legs. and you don't get any charging while driving down the road.
Advantage, you can park in the shade and still have solar.

you do need a charge controller just like permanent mount units, but that should be mounted near the batteries.

Portable solar panels can gather more power when camping in shady areas but I don't want to put them out, watch them and put them away at least once per day. More if you want to go somewhere. Additional panels on the roof can make up most of the difference.