Solar Idea
I would like to add solar but I try to park in the shade so a roof mount system wouldn't work. However my toad is seldom parked in the shade. Would the following idea be feasible. I can mount 3 100...
Forum Discussion
mchero - most "flat" installs assume 4-5 degrees degrees tilt. Barely notable, doesn't affect the solar angle much, and allows shedding the water. You don't want it to be pooling on the panel. When conforming to the RV roof, this 4 deg slope comes naturally. On a toad, it may take some thinking and measuring.
Somehow I don't think that panels technology is improving so rapidly that one needs to replace panels in 10 years or less because some new better panels are available. These are not laptops. Since they've started covering panels with glass (some very old ones had plastic), there is not much to change.
When buying a new rig, many choose to leave old panels on the old rig and buy new panels as well, because of aging - panels lose 1% efficiency a year, so old ones have become 10% less efficient by then. You buy a new rig and want everything new, shiny and flawless - and it never happens, new rig comes with many deficiencies to fix, but this is another story :)... Also, effects of aging other than cells efficiency - glass may become a little scratched, connections in junction box oxidized, etc.
Somehow I don't think that panels technology is improving so rapidly that one needs to replace panels in 10 years or less because some new better panels are available. These are not laptops. Since they've started covering panels with glass (some very old ones had plastic), there is not much to change.
When buying a new rig, many choose to leave old panels on the old rig and buy new panels as well, because of aging - panels lose 1% efficiency a year, so old ones have become 10% less efficient by then. You buy a new rig and want everything new, shiny and flawless - and it never happens, new rig comes with many deficiencies to fix, but this is another story :)... Also, effects of aging other than cells efficiency - glass may become a little scratched, connections in junction box oxidized, etc.
