solar panel output vs. tilt angle
I'm working on a pole mount for my portable panels so that when the trailer is in direct sun, or getting the panels 10' or so in the air gets good sun I can put them on the pole instead of on the grou...
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Flat or 0 degrees is OK to recharge the batteries without getting on the roof, and doing possible damage to it. By tilting to about 35 degrees in the winter, you will enhance the solar gain.
However in the middle of summer, the tilt will not help as much. What is suggested is lattitude +10 degrees in the winter and lattitude - 10 degrees in the summer, due to it's higher angle in the sky. So flatter is better in the summer than in the winter.
I would rather recommend another 100 - 150 watt solar panel, then fix all of them to the roof full time, than to recommend something you need to fiddle with each time you set up or break camp. It is most likely that you will leave the flat mount panels on the roof all the time, than the portable ones will see any sunlight while being towed.
Even while towing, you will get amperage from the solar panels (once mounted to the roof). I ran the wiring down the back of the refrigerator, and made mounts from 6" length of 2" angle aluminum from Home Depot, with 1 hole 5/16" on the panel side and 3 each 3/16" holes on the other side into the roof with rubber roof sealant and 3 #10 screws.
The solar controller was in my closet, and wiring then went to the battery. I ran #10 UV rated wire (gray stuff from Home Depot) to the panels and the controller. You can run about 175 watts to the controller with each wire run. While the wire is rated at 30 amps, if you run more than about 10 amps, voltage loss becomes excessive.
Fred.
However in the middle of summer, the tilt will not help as much. What is suggested is lattitude +10 degrees in the winter and lattitude - 10 degrees in the summer, due to it's higher angle in the sky. So flatter is better in the summer than in the winter.
I would rather recommend another 100 - 150 watt solar panel, then fix all of them to the roof full time, than to recommend something you need to fiddle with each time you set up or break camp. It is most likely that you will leave the flat mount panels on the roof all the time, than the portable ones will see any sunlight while being towed.
Even while towing, you will get amperage from the solar panels (once mounted to the roof). I ran the wiring down the back of the refrigerator, and made mounts from 6" length of 2" angle aluminum from Home Depot, with 1 hole 5/16" on the panel side and 3 each 3/16" holes on the other side into the roof with rubber roof sealant and 3 #10 screws.
The solar controller was in my closet, and wiring then went to the battery. I ran #10 UV rated wire (gray stuff from Home Depot) to the panels and the controller. You can run about 175 watts to the controller with each wire run. While the wire is rated at 30 amps, if you run more than about 10 amps, voltage loss becomes excessive.
Fred.
