More Solar for "Us"

I asked about the 2000e on here last winter and was told it is still considered a "modern" controller with a good rep.

Mr Wizard you didn't get burned. You'll end up with 5 to 6 amps of usable charge rate while the sun shines.

Maybe 75W was all the previous owner could muster most of the time...

Let us know how it works laying flat. I guess you are going to mount these on top of the trailer ???

I want to do the same thing sometime soon. I just want to trickle charge my battery bank during the daylight hours...

Im thinking you did good...

Yes they will be mounted on the MH roof
The blue sky controller looks like it's built to be bullet proof and at 25amps plenty large capacity so I can add more panels in the future,
These are extremely light maybe 10# or so apiece, NO glass sheild, there is some kind of thin plastic? Covering that has a few scratches, Ive got to be careful about tree branches

The model-type # is US-37T

For tree branch protection, perhaps you can use something like chicken wire fencing over them supported by a light wooden frame of some sort? Or a better version of that. Not much shading would happen with that anyway.

Our Dometic air conditioner shroud has no back wire grate covering, so the fins of the a/c were getting bent with tree branches. (you need a "fin comb" to fix them I am told) I saw some trailers with the same shroud but with an extra wire grating to protect the fins so I got some of that at Home Depot and snipped to size and added that to the back of the shroud.

So I am wondering if the same idea could be applied to your solar panels.

Hi Mr Wiz,

Uni-Solar panels are deposited directly onto the metal--that is why there is no glass. They also work with more than one frequency of light, so they will put some power out even when it is raining. (I was getting 2.9 amps today in moderate rain).

Although they are shade tolerant I would NOT put anything over them and especially not chicken wire that would cause minor shading to the entire panel.

Uni-solar never made a 75 watt panel. The did make 64 and 62 watt as well as 42 and 21 watt (rare to see 21 watters). I suspect you have the 42 watt units.

Their current production is 144 watt and 68 watt units, but not on a metal panel. They also sell a "solar shingle".

I paid $5.50 per watt for mine, so you got a *deal* imho. (Well done).

Got them mounted on the roof, still using the old controller and charge wiring, was working under a big shade tree , Will try to get an amps reading today
Connected them to each other and to the pre-existing 90w of panels, using 12ga red & black power cord
I did take some pix, will get them posted later today
Theoretically we now have about 210 watts of solar, in reality it will be maybe half of that until I renovate the wiring

looking forward for your posts... I can never find time for fun projects - always fixing up old projects..

OK... jealous... but stoked for you!

Yeah, like pianotuna said, those Uni-solars appear to be quite the ticket! I've even heard of them putting out like 11V in moonlight!

And I think they might have individual diodes which ensures they will still put out much of their rated power even if a portion of the panel is shaded.

Those ain't no 2 bucks a watt types! Looks like you stole that system! Way to go!!!

Hi KendallP,

The old style panels don't "put out" in moonlight--but they do have diodes between each cell.