My portable "Receiver Hitch" solar sun tracking system works fantastic wintering in AZ where the sun is seldom not shining, but as mentioned before, here on the coast in North Bend OR, it leaves a lot to be desired. I usually don't bother installing it, because most times I would look kinda silly installing this solar setup in the fog and Marine Layer overcast. But then about the time I'm away fishing, or out on the beach clam digging,...the sun will come out just brite as can be,...and I'm thinking, why didn't I ???? This has happened too many times.So I'm thinking of roof mounting a couple panels on the roof that will be on the battery line 100% of the time. (I don't need to hear "I told you so" !! Then I'll get the sun anytime it decides to come out, and maybe even get an amp or 3 from just the daylite w/ no sun. I still want to keep my portable setup for wintering in AZWhich brings me to the simple question I was going to ask before I ever told that story,....I make my own aluminum brackets, so how much clearance do ya all leave between the bottom edge of the panels and the roof ? It seems I would want x amount for cleaning under them ??Thanks for any specs.

Higher voltage panels do better in less than optimum lighting conditions, IMHO

they still produce even in cloudy conditions

About 1". I don't think I've ever cleaned underneath them.

2oldman wrote:About 1". I don't think I've ever cleaned underneath them.+1Worst case just squirt some water under them to clear any debris.Don't try to mount them perfectly flat as the panels need to shed the drizzle.

I bolted a pair of angles together. Think they were 1.5" high, so total height of bottom of solar panel frame would be a bit more, maybe 1.75" and the distance to the back of the cells themselves maybe 3" ?I was more concerned with keeping the panels cool than cleaning.:)

Rethinking My Solar System | Good Sam Community

11 Replies

gatorcq
Explorer
Jun 11, 2014
with the solar setup on my rig I do not need to elevate my panels.

We also have a residential refrig.

see signature
Rice
Explorer III
Jun 11, 2014
RJsfishin wrote:
I make my own aluminum brackets, so how much clearance do ya all leave between the bottom edge of the panels and the roof ? It seems I would want x amount for cleaning under them ??

When we put our solar panels on almost 10 years ago, tiltable brackets were really expensive, so we just added another panel to make up for that loss. We have a 40-foot motorhome with a very high roof, covered with panels, and no way was I going to be going up there with any regularity to tilt panels.

I never even thought about cleaning underneath them, though, and I can say now that the only thing I'm unhappy about is not having tiltable panels.

Ours have at most an inch clearance and I can spray water under there but it's never going to be clean. And every time I try to clean under the edges, I end up cutting my hand on the corner of the panels--those things are sharp.

If it's not an extreme hassle, my advice is to build in tiltability, if nothing else than to be able to clean under them.
BFL13
Explorer II
Jun 11, 2014
You can do it with roof and portable. Don't worry about the roof array going to its own controller. Two controllers on the same battery bank works fine. I am doing that and can confirm.
JiminDenver
Explorer II
Jun 11, 2014
Like you I used a portable set up last year and I gotta admit that being able to track the sun really added some AHs. I do look forward to getting two of the panels mounted so they are hassle free.
When it's cloudy you can use a generator to get the batteries up to float and let the panels keep them there. My 230w could milk 4a average from some fairly heavy clouds, not much but get a few panels doing that for 12 hours and it can make a difference.
MEXICOWANDERER
Explorer
Jun 11, 2014

"IT DEPENDS"

Some places if you don't wash your panels, just sprinkle a little seed and you'll have a rooftop garden.
landyacht318
Explorer
Jun 11, 2014
I can tilt my panel, and when I do, the white roof under it is brown with dirt.

Leave about an inch under it, more for air circulation to keep it cooler rather than worrying about cleaning it
brulaz
Explorer
Jun 11, 2014
I bolted a pair of angles together. Think they were 1.5" high, so total height of bottom of solar panel frame would be a bit more, maybe 1.75" and the distance to the back of the cells themselves maybe 3" ?

I was more concerned with keeping the panels cool than cleaning.:)
time2roll
Nomad
Jun 11, 2014
2oldman wrote:
About 1". I don't think I've ever cleaned underneath them.
+1
Worst case just squirt some water under them to clear any debris.

Don't try to mount them perfectly flat as the panels need to shed the drizzle.
2oldman
Explorer II
Jun 11, 2014
About 1". I don't think I've ever cleaned underneath them.
Colo_Native
Explorer
Jun 11, 2014
they still produce even in cloudy conditions