We're not doing much off-the-grid camping, but occasionally we venture off the beaten path and promptly run out of juice with our Interstate class 27 deep cycle :)We're considering making some upgrades to the trailer (including solar panels, a better converter, AGM etc.), but aren't quite ready to commit (wife might want new trailer instead).So in the meantime I am looking for a portable panel that will keep the battery charged up enough to run the fridge 24/7, water pump and a few halogen bulbs at night. We're mostly out here in the West so plenty of sunshine during summer months.

Renogy 100watt solar suitcase....

wbwood wrote:Renogy 100watt solar suitcase....X2

boulderado wrote:So in the meantime I am looking for a portable panel that will keep the battery charged up enough to run the fridge 24/7, water pump and a few halogen bulbs at night.Since conservation is the name of the game when dry camping could you not run LED bulbs instead of halogen? :hAlso, if your fridge has a climate control circuit turning it off when dry camping will further conserve your limited battery reserve.

SoundGuy wrote:boulderado wrote:So in the meantime I am looking for a portable panel that will keep the battery charged up enough to run the fridge 24/7, water pump and a few halogen bulbs at night.Since conservation is the name of the game when dry camping could you not run LED bulbs instead of halogen? :hAlso, if your fridge has a climate control circuit turning it off when dry camping will further conserve your limited battery reserve.Good points. Definitely both will help conserve your batteries.

Quote:Good points. Definitely both will help conserve your batteries---------------------------------------------------------Here I thought the question was about portable solar panel !Buy a used suitcase, lots for sale. People hate them after they have them a short while

Portable solar panel | Good Sam Community

39 Replies

red31
Explorer
Jun 09, 2016
ecoworthy has poly, ditch the controller/replace and wire as needed if capable. They come with no disconnects! Don't forget the crimping tool(s).
wbwood
Explorer
Jun 09, 2016
FWIW, the renogy solar suitcase case unzips wide enough for you to cover the panel while setting up...
Almot
Explorer III
Jun 08, 2016
steveh27 wrote:
Last year I had replaced the cheap controller with the Solar 30 off ebay. MY SOC was 82, but I was not getting the amps expected. I finally read the new controller manual and checked the voltage cutoff limit. It was factory set at 13.7 v. I reset it to 14.8 and the amps went up from 1.1 to almost 4. Sweet to finally figure out how to do this.

IIRC - correct me if I'm wrong - this is a "single-stage" controller. Not a normal three-stage. They swap labels and model names in China, hard to tell what is what. So I might be wrong.

You set "seize-charge voltage", say, 13.7V, and charging stops when battery rises to 13.7. Then charging resumes again when voltage drops below 12.5 (or whatever the "reconnect voltage" is set to).

Basically, an On-Off floater. Setting it to 14.8V and leaving it there for more than a few hours might not be a good idea.
Almot
Explorer III
Jun 08, 2016
smkettner wrote:
If I had a suitcase or portable kit with integrated controller... the first thing I would do is remount the controller near the battery to be always connected and minimal voltage drop.

Yes.

With disconnects btw controller and panel - because you can't usually keep the panel in the same storage compartment. And replace cheap hardware and hinges on the panels with stainless. Next logical step would be replacing the controller (on most portable kits, not on all of them). And then - the panels, with Poly :)
steveh27
Explorer
Jun 08, 2016
I just hooked up my 120 watt portable for the 1st time this year. Last year I had replaced the cheap controller with the Solar 30 off ebay. MY SOC was 82, but I was not getting the amps expected. I finally read the new controller manual and checked the voltage cutoff limit. It was factory set at 13.7 v. I reset it to 14.8 and the amps went up from 1.1 to almost 4. Sweet to finally figure out how to do this.
time2roll
Nomad
Jun 08, 2016
If I had a suitcase or portable kit with integrated controller... the first thing I would do is remount the controller near the battery to be always connected and minimal voltage drop.
red31
Explorer
Jun 08, 2016
NinerBikes wrote:
Battery needs to be connected to the controller first, so the controller knows whether to provide 12v or 24v charge voltages to your battery arrangement.

and there are controllers that can determine 12/24v when connected to the batt last.
NinerBikes
Explorer
Jun 08, 2016
Battery needs to be connected to the controller first, so the controller knows whether to provide 12v or 24v charge voltages to your battery arrangement.
vermilye
Explorer
Jun 08, 2016
I have a 95 watt GoPower panel that came with the trailer, added another 100 watt panel on the roof, & carry a 160 watt Solar Blvd portable. During the summer the roof top panels keep my pair of 6V batteries full, however with the short days & low angle sun in the Winter, adding the portable is necessary. I switched out the GoPower controller for a more adjustable Blue Sky 30, and added a panel mount SAE connector to plug in the portable (I added an additional connector to the portable to bypass the built in controller).
xyzHollyxyz
Explorer
Jun 08, 2016
red31 wrote:
xyzHollyxyz wrote:

"One has to connect the batt last..."

For prewired suitcase models that have the controller on the back of the panel and already wired. No other to do it.

For a homemade portable, one show add some method of disconnect between the panel and controller to allow for the controller to be connected to batt and then the panel. If not, one should point panel away from sun while connecting to the battery.

Thanks!