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Solar Panels in Oregon

amandasgramma
Explorer
Explorer
First, I'm not sure this is the right section to put this info, so feel free to move it.

A couple of weeks ago someone asked a question and mentioned he couldn't use solar panels because he lives in Oregon.
How WRONG he is!!!
We live in Oregon, we have a 25 foot 5er and bought 2 240 solar panels. We also installed strip LEDS in all our light fixtures. We just did a trial run......12 nights in the RV up on a lake in the Cascades. We used the lights as often and as much as we wanted, ran the furnace all night for 2 nights (okay - when it's 27 at night, yes, I will leave it on) and I have a CPAP machine that runs all night. We also charged our phones and our Kindles. NEVER had to use the generator!!!! Even on the most overcast day we got some charging. We had rain, overcast, windy cold days........it NEVER failed us!!! I'm as pleased as punch! So, do NOT think that because the sun's not shining, you won't be able to use the panels! Oh, BTW - ours are portable....we just moved them a little when we wanted full sun....... ๐Ÿ™‚ ๐Ÿ™‚ ๐Ÿ™‚
My mind is a garden. My thoughts are the seeds. My harvest will be either flower or weeds

Dee and Bob
plus 2 spoiled cats
On the road FULL-TIME.......see ya there, my friend
15 REPLIES 15

bartlettj
Explorer
Explorer
What controller and what kind of batteries do you have? I'm thinking of mounting a pair of 240W with an MPPT controller on the roof rack of my tow vehicle so I can position it in the sun. I like to camp under trees. I run a pair of 6V 2GC's and generally get 3-4 days out of them before hitting 50% DOC by specific gravity readings.

Dakzuki
Explorer
Explorer
BTW, one of the popular solar sales/installation outfits is in Oregon.
2011 Itasca Navion 24J
2000 Chev Tracker Toad

Dakzuki
Explorer
Explorer
amandasgramma wrote:
StarkNaked wrote:
Well I was just in Oregon a week and a half ago, and my panel didn't work so well.... It must have been because I parked under a nice shady tree!!!
First rule of thumb for panels....... put them where the sun can reach them. That's why we have portable ones.


Portable trees?
2011 Itasca Navion 24J
2000 Chev Tracker Toad

amandasgramma
Explorer
Explorer
StarkNaked wrote:
Well I was just in Oregon a week and a half ago, and my panel didn't work so well.... It must have been because I parked under a nice shady tree!!!
First rule of thumb for panels....... put them where the sun can reach them. That's why we have portable ones.
My mind is a garden. My thoughts are the seeds. My harvest will be either flower or weeds

Dee and Bob
plus 2 spoiled cats
On the road FULL-TIME.......see ya there, my friend

StarkNaked
Explorer II
Explorer II
Well I was just in Oregon a week and a half ago, and my panel didn't work so well.... It must have been because I parked under a nice shady tree!!!

mike-uswest
Explorer II
Explorer II
2oldman wrote:
Are they illegal in OR?


The panels aren't illegal, but the sun is by what I am looking at here this A.M.

Mike
2019 Ram 2500 TCD, 4X4,
Arctic Fox 25Y 30'

a1albert
Explorer
Explorer
2oldman wrote:
Are they illegal in OR?

No They are just lazy when they are in the Oregon sunshine.
06 Chev
2013 Cougar High Country 299RKSHC
Elite 18k hitch, Sidewinder pinbox

RollandB
Explorer
Explorer
And on the west side of the Cascades we don't have to wash them since it rains every day. Those on the east side of the State come across the pass and camp just so they don't have to wash theirs....;-)
2013 Yukon

2021 Coachmen Spirit 1943RB

amandasgramma
Explorer
Explorer
2oldman wrote:
Are they illegal in OR?
HAH.....one of the FEW things that's not illegal here!
My mind is a garden. My thoughts are the seeds. My harvest will be either flower or weeds

Dee and Bob
plus 2 spoiled cats
On the road FULL-TIME.......see ya there, my friend

SteveAE
Explorer
Explorer
Maybe there is something to this as my Oregon panels don't work very well at all when they are in Southern Utah in the summer....under a nice shade tree :B

Cheers,
Steve

2oldman
Explorer II
Explorer II
Are they illegal in OR?
"If I'm wearing long pants, I'm too far north" - 2oldman

robatthelake
Explorer
Explorer
Not just Oregon! We have Ours working just fine in BC Canada, and yes it is pretty cloudy here right now.
Rob & Jean
98 Dutch Star Diesel Pusher ..07 Honda CRV AWD

amandasgramma
Explorer
Explorer
Mike --- not many of us work well with 3-4 inches of snow......LOL
My mind is a garden. My thoughts are the seeds. My harvest will be either flower or weeds

Dee and Bob
plus 2 spoiled cats
On the road FULL-TIME.......see ya there, my friend

mike-uswest
Explorer II
Explorer II
If the panels aren't supposed to work in Oregon, please, no one tell my panels!!!!! In the last few years I have used the generator a little just a few times. I found that the panels don't work well with 3-4 inches of snow on them.

Mike
2019 Ram 2500 TCD, 4X4,
Arctic Fox 25Y 30'