movable solar panels/built in system?
Anyone have their charging/control system built in, like it would be from the factory, but instead of having your panels roof mounted with cables running through the camper and through holes in the ro...
Forum Discussion
for the last 6 years we've had solar. A combo of Three 160W panels on the roof and three 160W portable panels. For our camping much of the time the ideal camping spot puts the trailer in shade much of the day, but there is usually a place with sun much of the day for portable panels. There is also the issue of trailer orientation vs optimal orientation for minimal shading of the panels. Usually site location dictates, and it seems that the majority of the time site orientation isn't the best for minimal panel shading from AC or roof vents.
Advantage of the roof panels is:
1) they don't grow legs
2) trailer charges as we drive down the road
3) no extra time for hookup
The disadvantage is if I have a choice do I park in the sun for solar or shade for comfort and site orientation not optimal for minimal solar panel shading when in the sun.
Portable panel advantage:
1) park where I want and string solar. Now I use sections of 30A RV cord with anderson plugs for connection to solar. parallel the ground wire with one of the other wires and reduce resistive loss. And on long runs of 100ft or so I hook the panels in series to a MPPT controller to limit resistive loss. In series current is about 8A.
2) easier to tilt to get max output. In spring fall camping at northern latitudes that can double the panel output vs. roof flat panels.
Disadvantage:
1) higher cost/panel than roof
2) setup time
3) they can grow legs, although mine have not
4) finding a place to store them when not in use.
In my case I have two 30A MPPT controllers in parallel one for the roof panels, one for the portable panels. Controllers are configured so roof is the master and portable is the slave.
Advantage of the roof panels is:
1) they don't grow legs
2) trailer charges as we drive down the road
3) no extra time for hookup
The disadvantage is if I have a choice do I park in the sun for solar or shade for comfort and site orientation not optimal for minimal solar panel shading when in the sun.
Portable panel advantage:
1) park where I want and string solar. Now I use sections of 30A RV cord with anderson plugs for connection to solar. parallel the ground wire with one of the other wires and reduce resistive loss. And on long runs of 100ft or so I hook the panels in series to a MPPT controller to limit resistive loss. In series current is about 8A.
2) easier to tilt to get max output. In spring fall camping at northern latitudes that can double the panel output vs. roof flat panels.
Disadvantage:
1) higher cost/panel than roof
2) setup time
3) they can grow legs, although mine have not
4) finding a place to store them when not in use.
In my case I have two 30A MPPT controllers in parallel one for the roof panels, one for the portable panels. Controllers are configured so roof is the master and portable is the slave.
