Yet another solar panel question
Hello, there. I searched the forums for over an hour, and can't find anything that fits my situation on solar panel setup. We are not looking to mount one, we just want a portable one we can set up...
Forum Discussion
I also use a 230w panel, unmounted...I made a 'stand' for it that hinges off the back of the solar panel...I used bulk 10 gauge wire that looks like yellow extension cord....I made a pigtail off the back of the solar panel, about 6" long, with a female extension cord plug...my solar charge controller is mounted in a small waterproof plastic case, with a 10' cord with battery clips running out one side of the case, and a short 6" pigtail with a male extension cord plug out the other side....then I went and bought a 50' 10g heavy extension cord that I use to plug the solar panel to the charge controller....
I set it in a specific order like this: Set up solar panel in the sun, then I plug the male plug of the 50' extension cord into the female plug of the solar panel.....I hook up the battery clips to the battery bank of the RV...then I plug the male plug of the charge controller into the female plug of the 50' extension cord....and your set....
The RV stays in the shade, while the panel is sitting in the sun...I move the panel to catch the morning sun....then once around lunch for the midday sun angle, then once more in the late afternoon for evening sun...
The 230w panel charges my four 6v GC batteries to full by early afternoon....
I use this setup around the farm to charge tractor batteries out in the barn or the grain trucks, since they sit around for sooo long....when I know I am going to be wanting the tractor the next day, I will set the solar panel up and let it charge the battery the day before....I figure if I am going to spend the money on the solar set up for my RV, I might as well NOT permanently attach it to the RV....then I get more year round use of it....same with using the heavy 50' store bought extension cord, I can use it anywhere/anytime I need an extension cord...the 'system' is very versatile and multipurpose.
Your idea of a 15w panel is not a good one....go with a minimum of 130 and 230 is a good value for the buck for one panel to work with a multi-battery bank
Bounder94
I set it in a specific order like this: Set up solar panel in the sun, then I plug the male plug of the 50' extension cord into the female plug of the solar panel.....I hook up the battery clips to the battery bank of the RV...then I plug the male plug of the charge controller into the female plug of the 50' extension cord....and your set....
The RV stays in the shade, while the panel is sitting in the sun...I move the panel to catch the morning sun....then once around lunch for the midday sun angle, then once more in the late afternoon for evening sun...
The 230w panel charges my four 6v GC batteries to full by early afternoon....
I use this setup around the farm to charge tractor batteries out in the barn or the grain trucks, since they sit around for sooo long....when I know I am going to be wanting the tractor the next day, I will set the solar panel up and let it charge the battery the day before....I figure if I am going to spend the money on the solar set up for my RV, I might as well NOT permanently attach it to the RV....then I get more year round use of it....same with using the heavy 50' store bought extension cord, I can use it anywhere/anytime I need an extension cord...the 'system' is very versatile and multipurpose.
Your idea of a 15w panel is not a good one....go with a minimum of 130 and 230 is a good value for the buck for one panel to work with a multi-battery bank
Bounder94
