More Solar!

Solar has gotten so darn cheap that with some batteries and a robust inverter one can even consider building an affordable home back up power supply...

You are on your way! My panels with the 5er and TC were portable so I still had them when they were sold and we got the C.

The panels are all still portable. I make wood tray frames (mostly open at the bottom) for them on the roof. The trays go over lower height roof obstructions like tank vents and skylights. Can't go over Maxair covers though. See photo in profile showing end of tray for the three 100s, eg.

The trays are secured to things on the roof like the cargo rails at the back. The panels sit in the trays with their corners held down. Ugly but it all works, and you can keep your panels and trays for the next rig. Also can be ground-mounted in tilted, twirling contraptions.

Solar can be a set and forget deal, or a crazy hobby. If the latter, beware of these half- price sales! Lie down until the feeling goes away, or see your doctor. (Unless he is into solar too.)

deleted--duplicate

You guys are scaring me.

I just bought two 100 watt panels and a 40 amp MPPT controller (looking to the future). The panels hinged together to be a portable briefcase thing rather than mounted. Fortunately there’s not enough room on my 21 foot TT for as many panels as you guys have.

At least you guys did some planning. I have a collection of solar things left over from both the 5er and TC we had, so tried to jam it all into the C. Except have had a Tracer 20 amp MPPT with no job anymore.

Have been using one 255w and its Eco-Worthy MPPT 20 amper plus three 100s in parallel with the Solar 30, and now will have another 255w to use with the Tracer so it will no longer be wasted. :)

That means three controllers instead of the two, set to the same voltage in parallel on the 450AH AGM bank. It all works for using the collection of accumulated solar things, but not how anybody would do it starting from scratch.

Odd. I never thought my 675 was that big. Couple more years of drought and Hoover will be out of business anyway. :(

That takes some nerve on her part, since guess who uses most of the power! OTOH somebody has to tie you down when you turn into a solar fiend.

Youse guys is hard corps. 810 watts? Are you preparing for war?

BFL13 wrote:
Just got one of these 255w panels for $177 Can ( about $131 US). I am a hopeless solar addict now, no thanks to PT and the rest. :(

So that will bring my total solar to 810 watts flat on the roof. Ridiculous! Only good thing about it, is now I can take over time2roll's contract with the Hoover Dam as its back-up power supply, since I now outclass him for solar watts on the roof! :)

http://www.wegosolar.com/categories.php?category=BOXING-WEEK-SALE

Dam* you passed by me with 3x250W.

But maybe we can hook up and split the Hoover Dam's profit and lockout time2roll. :S

Nice BFL13!!!
I have more room but mama pulled the plug on more solar :-(