Portable Solar Panels
Looks like Solarblvd.com has a few of these ready to go with built in charger controllers. They have 100, 120, and 160W. 160W for $249
Forum Discussion
Biggest reason I went with portable panels is:
We seldom have the trailer parked in the sun, usually under trees. Not good for roof mount solar.
the solar blvd panels seem pretty darn reasonably prices for a portable "suitcase" like setup. Way better than some others and when portables first came out.
In fact, I'm tempted to buy one to add to my "collection" just to let me max out my controller.
Yes, you could buy panels, a few hinges, latches, handles, legs etc. and make up a system for less than what they have.
But like Ninebikers, I'd rather get the panels ready to go and go camping than buy the pieces and spend the weekend putting together a system.
If your most often in the sun, different story.
Given my use case, a portable setup works great for us. And panels that fold up and latch are much easier to store/carry inside the trailer. I'd rather have two 80W-100Wish portable panels that fold up compactly for storage in the trailer than a big 160-200W panel I have to move around. For me, worth the few extra $, especially now as prices have come down.
On mine, I just unhooked the panels from the PWM controller and put a controller in the trailer.
then using some extra 30A RV cord made extension cords so I can get the panels in the sun w/o unreasonable power loss. Even at 100ft, only loosing a few watts with the panels in series and MPPT controller.
And this time of year, at least this far north, horizontal panels suck for output.
But again, each of us has different use cases, different storage options, different mount options, pick whatever works best for you.
At least now the portable complete solution option is becoming reasonably priced.
We seldom have the trailer parked in the sun, usually under trees. Not good for roof mount solar.
the solar blvd panels seem pretty darn reasonably prices for a portable "suitcase" like setup. Way better than some others and when portables first came out.
In fact, I'm tempted to buy one to add to my "collection" just to let me max out my controller.
Yes, you could buy panels, a few hinges, latches, handles, legs etc. and make up a system for less than what they have.
But like Ninebikers, I'd rather get the panels ready to go and go camping than buy the pieces and spend the weekend putting together a system.
If your most often in the sun, different story.
Given my use case, a portable setup works great for us. And panels that fold up and latch are much easier to store/carry inside the trailer. I'd rather have two 80W-100Wish portable panels that fold up compactly for storage in the trailer than a big 160-200W panel I have to move around. For me, worth the few extra $, especially now as prices have come down.
On mine, I just unhooked the panels from the PWM controller and put a controller in the trailer.
then using some extra 30A RV cord made extension cords so I can get the panels in the sun w/o unreasonable power loss. Even at 100ft, only loosing a few watts with the panels in series and MPPT controller.
And this time of year, at least this far north, horizontal panels suck for output.
But again, each of us has different use cases, different storage options, different mount options, pick whatever works best for you.
At least now the portable complete solution option is becoming reasonably priced.
