Portable solar panel

[boulderado]

We're not doing much off-the-grid camping, but occasionally we venture off the beaten path and promptly run out of juice with our Interstate class 27 deep cycle 🙂

We're considering making some upgrades to the trailer (including solar panels, a better converter, AGM etc.), but aren't quite ready to commit (wife might want new trailer instead).

So in the meantime I am looking for a portable panel that will keep the battery charged up enough to run the fridge 24/7, water pump and a few halogen bulbs at night. We're mostly out here in the West so plenty of sunshine during summer months.

[red31]

ecoworthy has poly, ditch the controller/replace and wire as needed if capable. They come with no disconnects! Don't forget the crimping tool(s).

[wbwood]

FWIW, the renogy solar suitcase case unzips wide enough for you to cover the panel while setting up...

[Almot]

steveh27 wrote:
Last year I had replaced the cheap controller with the Solar 30 off ebay. MY SOC was 82, but I was not getting the amps expected. I finally read the new controller manual and checked the voltage cutoff limit. It was factory set at 13.7 v. I reset it to 14.8 and the amps went up from 1.1 to almost 4. Sweet to finally figure out how to do this.

IIRC - correct me if I'm wrong - this is a "single-stage" controller. Not a normal three-stage. They swap labels and model names in China, hard to tell what is what. So I might be wrong.

You set "seize-charge voltage", say, 13.7V, and charging stops when battery rises to 13.7. Then charging resumes again when voltage drops below 12.5 (or whatever the "reconnect voltage" is set to).

Basically, an On-Off floater. Setting it to 14.8V and leaving it there for more than a few hours might not be a good idea.

[Almot]

smkettner wrote:
If I had a suitcase or portable kit with integrated controller... the first thing I would do is remount the controller near the battery to be always connected and minimal voltage drop.

Yes.

With disconnects btw controller and panel - because you can't usually keep the panel in the same storage compartment. And replace cheap hardware and hinges on the panels with stainless. Next logical step would be replacing the controller (on most portable kits, not on all of them). And then - the panels, with Poly 🙂

[steveh27]

I just hooked up my 120 watt portable for the 1st time this year. Last year I had replaced the cheap controller with the Solar 30 off ebay. MY SOC was 82, but I was not getting the amps expected. I finally read the new controller manual and checked the voltage cutoff limit. It was factory set at 13.7 v. I reset it to 14.8 and the amps went up from 1.1 to almost 4. Sweet to finally figure out how to do this.

[time2roll]

If I had a suitcase or portable kit with integrated controller... the first thing I would do is remount the controller near the battery to be always connected and minimal voltage drop.

[red31]

NinerBikes wrote:
Battery needs to be connected to the controller first, so the controller knows whether to provide 12v or 24v charge voltages to your battery arrangement.

and there are controllers that can determine 12/24v when connected to the batt last.

[NinerBikes]

Battery needs to be connected to the controller first, so the controller knows whether to provide 12v or 24v charge voltages to your battery arrangement.

[vermilye]

I have a 95 watt GoPower panel that came with the trailer, added another 100 watt panel on the roof, & carry a 160 watt Solar Blvd portable. During the summer the roof top panels keep my pair of 6V batteries full, however with the short days & low angle sun in the Winter, adding the portable is necessary. I switched out the GoPower controller for a more adjustable Blue Sky 30, and added a panel mount SAE connector to plug in the portable (I added an additional connector to the portable to bypass the built in controller).

[xyzHollyxyz]

red31 wrote:

xyzHollyxyz wrote:

"One has to connect the batt last..."

For prewired suitcase models that have the controller on the back of the panel and already wired. No other to do it.

For a homemade portable, one show add some method of disconnect between the panel and controller to allow for the controller to be connected to batt and then the panel. If not, one should point panel away from sun while connecting to the battery.

Thanks!

[JiminDenver]

Different controllers, different instructions. Most controllers need to be connected to the battery first to set the voltage. Others like the little portables give you no choice.

The clarification come in the instructions of each unit.

[red31]

xyzHollyxyz wrote:

"One has to connect the batt last..."

For prewired suitcase models that have the controller on the back of the panel and already wired. No other to do it.

For a homemade portable, one show add some method of disconnect between the panel and controller to allow for the controller to be connected to batt and then the panel. If not, one should point panel away from sun while connecting to the battery.

[xyzHollyxyz]

For those of us following this thread and trying to learn how to effectively and properly use solar, two contradictory statements have just been made:

"Controller should be connected to battery first..."

"One has to connect the batt last..."

Any clarification available?

[NinerBikes]

profdant139 wrote:
We have a Chinese no-name 120 watt portable suitcase thing -- it is wonderful. Free juice from the sky!

Yes, we have to deploy it and store it -- but it means we can park in the shade and put the panel in the sun. If you decide to use a longer cable, get a thick one -- a thin cable will have a lot of resistance and will cause a voltage drop over a longer run.

I pretty much knew, Dan, when I sold you that portable panel, that it would be a very good fit for your usage levels. Dan's energy audits were spot on for this size solar panel for his batteries. Chase the sun aiming the panel at it on short winter days, and you should still have enough to meet your needs on most sunny days.

No one should knock people that buy and use portable solar panels, they are very practical and have their place in smaller applications and setting camp in shaded areas. They provide added versatility.