Portable suitcase solar panels

[ekirkland]

I looking at getting a 100 to 130 W suitcase solar panel top off dual 12v batteries while dry camping and have some questions:

1. do you connect to the 7-pin trailer cable or attach wires directly to battery with SAE or other terminals?

2. if attaching directly to the battery, do you just connect to one battery or both?

3. get one with a 10 Amp voltage controller or go with 20 Amp?

4. looking at Renogy, what is the difference between the regular Monocrystalline or Eclipse?

Thanks!

[red31]

Gave brother 100w folding with ecoworthy cheesy 13.8v controller, he's giving it back, I intend to wire a better controller near the battery with the panels connecting via a plug and long wires.

[ekirkland]

Thanks guys! I'm also debating between 100 amp and 200 amp. Mainly used for LCD lights, ceiling fan, furnace, water pump; we dry camp up to 5-6 days at a time before moving on.

[pianotuna]

Striking the panels and setting them up is annoying.

A fixed installation means that the battery bank will be maintained between trips.

[BFL13]

You can use the trailer's 7-pin, but it is not ideal. Tried that at ISTR time2roll's suggestion some years ago. You make an adapter using the part same as on the back of the truck but just with two wires pos (pin 4) and neg.

Then you rig up a way to connect those two wires to your solar controller output wires--or the panel wires if no controller, and connect the two 7-pin parts.

If you have no controller, you have to watch your trailer battery voltage and disconnect the solar when voltage gets to 15v.

You should have the 20 amp controller, not the 10 amp. The usual rule is to have at least a 25% margin above the panel's rating.
130w can deliver 8.3 amps (same as its Isc) to the battery, so 10 amps is very tight. Controllers heat up when operating close to their max amps, which is not good for them over the long run.

As was mentioned, you need long wire for a ground-based solar panel so the trailer itself does not shade the panel for part of the time. You might have to shift the panel over to the other side of the trailer as the sun moves around. (at 15 degrees an hour)

You might find that where you want to put the panel is in the next guy's site! Roof mounting avoids that situation, but then you can't park in the shade.

[rrupert]

Connect to the battery terminals where the power cables are connected.

[ppine]

Connect to one battery that are usually wired in parallel. I have 2 panels that are 100w each. I have a 40 amp controller in case we want to go to 400 watts. Having portable panels works well. You can adjust the angle. The problem is that leaving them on the ground when you are not there invites theft. I will probably put them on the roof eventually.

[naturist]

From what I’ve read, there are two major differences between crystalline and amorphous panels: the crystalline ones are more efficient and longer lived. So 100 watts of the former would be a little smaller panel and we are talking 25 years vs 10 years.

[steveh27]

I have a 120 watt one & it works great. I've attached a quick disconnect to the coach battery, under the side entrance, so I do not have to open up tha battery box. I used SAE connectors. I also got an extension cord to help me park in the shade yet put the panel in the sun. It did come with a 10 amp controller which I replaced with a better 20 amp one so I could make adjustements and add another 120 watt portable which I have yet to do.

[Lwiddis]

“Top off” meaning you will charge your batteries in another way to almost full? Then rely on the suitcase? Why not do it right for full solar recharging almost every day with a properly sized roof mounted solar system?

Are you ready for...set up every morning when you go outside? My roof mounted panels are already working. Watch for theft and move around as sun rises. Going out for lunch? Put panels away to prevent theft. Come back from lunch/sightseeing...put panels back out. Watch for theft and move as sun sets. Put panels away for night. Repeat tomorrow. NOT fun!

[agesilaus]

I have one, it has a built in controller. You connect to the battery via some battery jumper cable clamps except smaller versions. If you have 2X6V then connect across both. For multiple 12V I'm not sure. It does work. As for monocrystalline I've been told there is little effective difference between those and the amorphous type. But I'm no expert.