Solar Panel mount help...

I have a bedrack with dual rotopax mounts on each side, I want to move one set to the drivers side and in its place make a plate and articulating arm to mount the 100watt rigid solar panel to it.

My goal is to have something I can move around to follow sun when needed. I'll make clasps to hold the panel stationary with retracted.

Do you guys think a magic arm will be strong enough, I dont see myself driving with it unlocked from its stationary position.

I've used magic arms before when using camera rigs on rolling vehicle shots and know it'll support a DSLR / Vert Grip and prime 28-ish lens.

I figure I can make a brace between the 2 mounts with a locking box that the arm is concealed within, so inorder to access the arm the box cover needs to be unlocked and access from the side or behind, so someone cant get to the mount to loosen and remove.


Thoughts.



Along with that, I'm planning on running 200-400ah golf cart batteries, 280 watt panel mppt controller on a
sno master ex85D specs are, do you guys think that'll be sufficient? My intended purpose is to have the fridge isolated from the trucks electrical system. (reason being im running a switch pro system thats ACC powered and no sure how to deliver constant power to the fridge using this system and a dual battery set-up) I also like the idea that the fridges draw is away from anything vehicle related and never needs any true running to charge. I dont know much about solar at all so calculating needs is a little bit of an unknown to me.

RENOGY SOLAR SPECS
100W Eclipse Solar Panel

$35 Renogy 20ft 10AWG Solar Panel Male and Female Connectors, Extension Cables-Pair, 1 Pair (Red and Black)

Renogy 20ft 10AWG MC4 Adaptor Kit (A pair)
Maximum Power: 100W Lenght: 20ft
Maximum System Voltage:600V DC AWG: 10
Open-Circuit Voltage (Voc): 21.2V Rating Voltage: 600/1000V
Short-Circuit Current (Isc): 6.10A Temperature: -40°F to +185°F
Optimum Operating Voltage (Vmp): 17.7V
Optimum Operating Current (Imp): 5.70A
Weight: 15.0lbs
Dimensions: 40.8 X 20.7 X 1.4 inches

Commander 20A MPPT Charge Controller Commander 40A MPPT Charge Controller
Nominal System Voltage: 12V/24V Auto Recognition Nominal System Voltage: 12V/24V Auto Recognition
Rated Battery Current: 20A Rated Battery Current: 40A
Rated Load Current: 20A Rated Load Current: 40A
Max. Solar Input Voltage: 150V DC Max. Solar Input Voltage: 150V DC
Max. Solar Input Power: 260W (12V), 520W (24V) Max. Solar Input Power: 520W (12V), 1040W (24V)

FRIDGE POWER SPECS

• 12/24 V DC 120 V AC
• Model: EX95D 95D
• Size: 32.48 x 18.50 x 25 Inches, 825W x 470D x 635H mm’s
• Capacity: 89.81 Quarts, 66 Liter (37/48 Split)
• Running Current: 2.5, 5 or Variable @ 12 V DC, average run time 12 hours in 24
• Power Consumption: 66 watt
• Weight: 83.77lbs, 38Kg
  Features
• 12/24 V DC 120 V AC
• Temp Range 50F to -8F, 10c to -22c
• Running Current: 2.5, 5 or Variable Amps @ 12 V DC, average run time 12 hours in 24
• 66 Watt Snomaster compressor
• Cut out Voltage 3 settings: 10/10.7/11.8 Volts @ 12 V DC
• Interior LED Light
• 3 min delay protection start up
• On / off Switch
• Power Consumption: 66 watt
• Battery Monitor
• Free Bottle Opener
• Weight: 83.77lbs, 38Kg

 

So scrapped most of that after spending some time of E. Portal.

Heres what I ended up with, we have 2 EX85D's at work to run off these.
Renogy 150 Watt 12 Volt Monocrystalline Solar Panel

Renogy 40 Amp Commander MPPT Solar Charge Controller w/ MT-50

Renogy Battery Interconnect Cables
(Size: 4AWG, Length: 12 IN.)

Renogy MC4 Waterproof In-Line Fuse Holder w/ Fuse
(Fuse Amp: 10 Amp)

Renogy Solar Adaptor Kit
(Cable Length: 20FT, Cable Size: 10AWG)

Renogy Solar Adaptor Kit
(Cable Length: 30FT, Cable Size: 10AWG)

Renogy Solar Tray Cables
(Tray Cable Length: 8 FT, Tray Cable Size: 4AWG)

Saturday i'll go pick-up 4 US Battery 6V 2200 236ah batteries.

2 panels, q controller and 2 batteries and controller go to trailer
1 panel, 1 controller and 2 batteries to my truck.

 

Esh. Four 6V golf cart batteries? Way over-kill for the amount of PV production you're using. I doubt they'll ever get fully charged with a 40%-60% duty load like the fridge produces. They can't be light either..

Also most cheaper CC like to see around their amperage rating to be most efficient. So if you're wiring modules in parallel you'd be wanting a 15A or 20A CC if you're planning on adding another module in the future.

FWIW. I have two of those flexible POS 100W (74W actual) modules (given as a company xmas gift) and a 100aH battery with a CTEK CC. My fridge is 5.5 amps and at 90 degrees (50% duty cycle) relative temp and 6 hours continuous sun the battery has never dipped to less than 12.1VDC when I wake up in the morning the next day.

I highly recommend the CTEK D250S Dual for a charge controller. But it's only rated to 22Vdc and 25A.

Be interesting to see your mounting idea with the pivot arm in use.

 

Theres 2 set-ups being built and each uses 2 batteries. So only 2 6v in my truck

I scrapped the arm, as the panel was way larger than I wanted on the side of the truck. So a rack is being made for under my bedrack that can swivel around to mount ontop of the bedrack when no tent is mounted. If theres a tent I just remove the panel and remote deploy on the 30' cable

 

Ah, that makes sense with the two fridges.

Personally. With the fairly small draw of your needs I'd rather have two 12v batteries in parallel than two 6v batteries in series. If one of the six volt'ers fail on you on a 12v system you're sol. With two 12v'ers if one fails you can maintain the system. But ideally you should only do two batteries(three Max) in a parallel bank because of the differing internal resistance causing the lesser of the batteries to never be fully charged.

 

the draw to the 6v's was cost. 236ah battery for $120us, compared to a 12V in the 200-230ah range being $400-600. Risk I was willing to take.

 

Fair enough.