Fixed or portable solar?
I want to add a 300 watt panel.66"x40", 40lbs. I can put it on the trailer roof or I can use it on a ground stand. Which is better?
Forum Discussion
I am wanting to put around 400Watts of panels on my OFF-ROAD POPUP trailer. I have the space on the front part on both sides of the fantastic fan and then a larger panel on the rear mounted across the roof behind the centered air conditioner. I need to have something to produce around 20AMPS of DC Power to charge my batteries during high sun...
After adding up the weight I don't think my POPUP motor will lift my roof up with all of the panels added haha... Going to add too much weight. I really should get rid of the Air Conditioner that I very seldom use... Most of my camping is OFF-ROAD off my batteries.
I was thinking I could mount the larger panel across the rear after I lifted the roof but that might be another problem in itself...
So now I am thinking maybe two 100Watt or 120WAtt panels on the roof and then get one of those two 100Watt portable folding panels. I believe I can rig up a quick setup on the roof if I like to use it there or just have long cables for it and use around the ground to follow the high sun...
Security of the folding panels is another thing to worry about I guess... Used to do that with my SAT DISH sitting outside all the time. Then I started sitting it on the hard folding panels on my truck bed snapped in place. That also made me put the dish up when I had to leave the camping spot. Guess I could do the same thing with the folding solar panels...
My truck will have additional batteries in the bed as well to support my Radio Ops so maybe this would be useful for trickle charging them when I am just using my truck off-road...
Roy Ken
After adding up the weight I don't think my POPUP motor will lift my roof up with all of the panels added haha... Going to add too much weight. I really should get rid of the Air Conditioner that I very seldom use... Most of my camping is OFF-ROAD off my batteries.
I was thinking I could mount the larger panel across the rear after I lifted the roof but that might be another problem in itself...
So now I am thinking maybe two 100Watt or 120WAtt panels on the roof and then get one of those two 100Watt portable folding panels. I believe I can rig up a quick setup on the roof if I like to use it there or just have long cables for it and use around the ground to follow the high sun...
Security of the folding panels is another thing to worry about I guess... Used to do that with my SAT DISH sitting outside all the time. Then I started sitting it on the hard folding panels on my truck bed snapped in place. That also made me put the dish up when I had to leave the camping spot. Guess I could do the same thing with the folding solar panels...
My truck will have additional batteries in the bed as well to support my Radio Ops so maybe this would be useful for trickle charging them when I am just using my truck off-road...
Roy Ken
