Portable (suitcase) solar "install" question
I've gone back and forth on solar panels on the roof or portable. Well, due to a tight budget, portable is the only way I'm going to get solar for now and it makes sense for me to try it out 1st as we...
Forum Discussion
Here is my experience with portable solar panels.
We've used them now for 5 years. we camp in many places where we park the trailer in full or partial shade but have sun available for portable panels.
Using this method we can go for weeks and keep the batteries fully charged.
and with portable panels it's easy to orient and tilt panels for max output. one advantage over roof mounts in northern climates, especially in early spring or late fall.
Hint. for aligning panels put a old toilet paper tube on the panel and orient for no shadow. that's perfect alignment for max output. Do this around noon celestial time with panels facing south and it's a good alignment for all day.
Solar blvd has nice affordable portable panels. 160W is about the biggest you want to lug around. that is what I have, 3 of them with a 30A MPPT controller
you absolutely want the controller, PWM or MPPT close to the batteries NOT ever on the panel unless your run is very short. Otherwise voltage drop kills ya and you'll never get the batteries charged.
I use an anderson connector on all the ends of my cables and on the trailer end. between the panels and cable I have a short adapter with anderson on one end and std solar connectors on the other end. Anderson connectors are readily available, bullet proof, reliable, easy to plug together and affordable.
I usually connect panels in parallel. the advantage is not worrying if one panels gets shade. you can get adapters to parallel 2 or 3 panels on amazon etc. 3 in 1 out.
for cable, I was able to get old 30A rv power cords with broken plugs. cut them off, wire to anderson connectors. connect the green wire at both ends to the white wire, use that extra wire to reduce voltage drop
How long can you go. Well I've got 150ft of 30A cable, my camping partners have 100ft of 12 ga extension cord. they have 30A PWM controllers and two panels. both cases give excellent results.
In reality if you have good sun and reasonable conservation 1 panel will do well. with 3 panels, we can keep charged even in shade and DW can use the microwave, we can run furnace in cool weather etc. and not worry about battery SOC.
Often in Forest service campgrounds we run 100 ft or more to the panels.
We've used them now for 5 years. we camp in many places where we park the trailer in full or partial shade but have sun available for portable panels.
Using this method we can go for weeks and keep the batteries fully charged.
and with portable panels it's easy to orient and tilt panels for max output. one advantage over roof mounts in northern climates, especially in early spring or late fall.
Hint. for aligning panels put a old toilet paper tube on the panel and orient for no shadow. that's perfect alignment for max output. Do this around noon celestial time with panels facing south and it's a good alignment for all day.
Solar blvd has nice affordable portable panels. 160W is about the biggest you want to lug around. that is what I have, 3 of them with a 30A MPPT controller
you absolutely want the controller, PWM or MPPT close to the batteries NOT ever on the panel unless your run is very short. Otherwise voltage drop kills ya and you'll never get the batteries charged.
I use an anderson connector on all the ends of my cables and on the trailer end. between the panels and cable I have a short adapter with anderson on one end and std solar connectors on the other end. Anderson connectors are readily available, bullet proof, reliable, easy to plug together and affordable.
I usually connect panels in parallel. the advantage is not worrying if one panels gets shade. you can get adapters to parallel 2 or 3 panels on amazon etc. 3 in 1 out.
for cable, I was able to get old 30A rv power cords with broken plugs. cut them off, wire to anderson connectors. connect the green wire at both ends to the white wire, use that extra wire to reduce voltage drop
How long can you go. Well I've got 150ft of 30A cable, my camping partners have 100ft of 12 ga extension cord. they have 30A PWM controllers and two panels. both cases give excellent results.
In reality if you have good sun and reasonable conservation 1 panel will do well. with 3 panels, we can keep charged even in shade and DW can use the microwave, we can run furnace in cool weather etc. and not worry about battery SOC.
Often in Forest service campgrounds we run 100 ft or more to the panels.
