Anyone Considered Solar?

Eh, just picking on you some. You've picked on me plenty, yeah?

I agree with you and others that solar does fill a niche, a void maybe, in the offroad power sources. Myself, the trailer I have there's no room on the roof to mount solid panels. Folding panels would be dynamite, but they're prohibitively expensive and deploying them gets to be a pain in the ass since you need a backing board that the wind may send flying, or maybe some light-fingered person helps themselves to them while you're away gallivanting.

 

Actually, there's an outfit that retrofits Yamaha and Honda generators to make them tri-fuel capable - gasoline, propane, and natural gas. http://www.generatorsales.com/triple-fuel-generators.asp

Obviously there's no problem storing gasoline since propane does just fine. Kind of pricy, though . . . .

 

Can we just let go of the generator idea? It's not what I started this for. If I wanted a generator (or if you do) I would have started a generator thread. Gas is HEAVY. Generators are HEAVY. Both take up SPACE.

Companies have started to use solid state state hard drives because there are less moving parts to fail and less weight, right? (I think, assume, just get the analogy please) I have no desire to carry extra fuel I could use in the truck instead, or a generator with its own needs and moving parts capable of doing what a few solar panels and perhaps a second battery can do.



I digress, JLee, now that you have the panels, how feasible is it to fit one or both on the cab of the truck? Would fastening or gluing up there meet any hurdles? I imagine putting the cable I the trough on the passenger side and gluing perpendicular to the truck. Since I have an access can I think the controller would be best suited just below my sliding window. Do those connectors come apart with ease? Do you suppose they would hold up to repeated use?

Thank you for taking the plunge, but I'm going to have a million questions for you now!

 

I'll look into that!

The battery I'm pretty weary of keeping in the cab due to venting. I work in the desert and I'm not sure I'd trust anything, even a SLAB or those pricey AGM batteries. I'm not quite I the up and up with battery technology though... So you may know more there. Do you have a recommendation for in cab batteries?

 

I like that light mount. A diy? I was considering running the wiring through the shark fin also, I'm not sure I'd like the a pillar, but I like mocking up a few different things and deciding on the cleanest.

I'm not sure how I want to do the battery deal, dual battery with aux block and auto charging relay? Not sure how I would tie in a solar system, but I don't want two stand alone batteries I don't think... I think I'd rather have mutually supporting firing positions... Err, batteries.

 

I would mount it to a roof rack the connection to the panel is about 1/2" tall so that would keep it from sitting flush on the cab unless y pop u cut a hole in it. As for the plugs I couldn't tell you as I haven't hooked them up at all.

 

im a pretty visual guy, so ill probably be way off here...

the whole panel isnt 1/8"? you cant just adhere it to the cab? i dont have my truck in front of me and havent seen it since august, so its a little hazy in my head.

what may make more sense for me then, is a rack, but id be worried about wind noise... and since i have an access cab.. very few baja racks are available for my truck. maybe thule racks and a mount that way? it could be a way to "mold in" a light bar over the windshield... but then i just went from a simple fridge install to.. a fridge, baja rack, light bar, solar panel, dual battery.... like.. $4000.

shit that goes quick!

i understand your set up intentions are different than mine, i wish i could see the components in person. would you mind taking a picture of the back side of the panel and the side where the cable connects?

 

oh wow. thats great!

now im wondering how sturdy these panels are. i would have NO problems putting a solar panel up there.. and it would certianly be preferred over gluing to the cab.. but what if i wanted/needed to store some shit up there? i dont want to spend $400 just to mount a solar panel up there. that doesnt seem to cost effective at all. ill have to look at the dimensions of the flex panel vs the 40" rack also.

i bet a common foam pad would suffice for protection if i wanted to say.. strap down a kayak or something up there.

awesome find. thank you. and now its on the christmas list.


edit: gp panel = 41.7 x 21.3 x 0.1 in
rack = 40" or 50" wide if i read correctly.

edit 2: http://www.prinsudesignstudio.com/#!2nd-gen-tt-accessrac/c1lq1 75"???

 

well, i mean to permanently affix the panel to wherever it ends up, or.. not easily removed at least. i dont want to fuss with it once i install it.. but if i put it on the rack, id like to just put a 1" piece of foam over it for transport purposes of anything else. though, i may be getting a little ambitious and just asking for panel damage here.

this is my current set up

 

Yeah now that im looking at it again its flat on the back so you can lay it flat on the roof.

 

Please forgive us ignorant people. I guess YOU are the only one who is on TW and is knowledgeable about solar power.

I am quite aware of efficiency, power output, as well as sun-exposure requirements. Yes, the panels I am looking at are not the most expensive ones or the best ones on the market. Neither is my Tacoma. I could easily just go out and find me a solid axle, hard core truck, but those are not what I want, nor do I wish to spend huge amounts of money on them.

You are free to have your own opinions about what you sell, and what you recommend, but don't come in here telling others that the are dumb/stupid/ignorant just because they do not agree with, nor want to do things the way YOU want to. Perhaps you should show a little more respect to others. It will go a lot further in your time here on TW.

 

I did some testing on a panels 18.12v on the volts and the short circuit current was 5.13v with the panel in full sun at 9:21am PST

When I get the controller and battery I'll be doing a operating current test. I will also be doing a fridge and lighting test to see how well the panels keep up with my expected camping load.

 

i dont know what those numbers mean.. but sounds good!

i am much excite.

 

From what I'm reading 17 to 18 on a volts and 4 to 5v on the short circuit current is what to shoot for in full sun.

 

im kind of disappointed in myself here...

you see.. im an electrician. on airplanes. have been for the better part of 15 years.

and short circuit voltage baffles me. i feel like i should know this shit.

 

I know nothing about solar really I'm just going off what I read and the numbers look good so I'm happy.

 

yup, need to know where the short circuit voltage was measured. By 'short circuit' the test procedure must use a resistor.

 

sold! ill look into it a bit more myself and see if i can understand the open/closed circuit voltage and what its in reference to/indicative of.

operating voltage/current is more my focus, but those two seem to be on every panel advertised.


btw, the master (dad) is telling me true gel cells are preferred for use with solar than AGM in our applications. i guess they perform better in hot conditions, AGM are still lead acid while gel cell and venting is not an issue, and the main drawback for the gel cell is its requirement for a slow recharge rate, which seems pretty much destined for use with solar. AGM loses service life quickly if discharged below 50%, but are ok as deep cycle. i dont know shit about AGM, but i thought id share the advice. i suppose it depends on how you want it set up (sounds like). maybe i aught to dig through the dual battery set ups to see what people are using besides the group 31 red tops and stuff.

the old man is a master electrician, i got my start in the field working with him on back up systems for buildings/dc telecom. i remember whole rooms with racks on racks rolleyes of gel cell batteries. hes got a pretty productive solar/geothermal/water collection system at home. so jelly

edit: after looking into it some, hes not so sure i can even get a hold of a true gel cell battery... may be cornered into AGM (which still is a good choice, he just thought true gel cell would be better)

 

This is the battery I picked up for the trailer it's gets great reviews.

$250 VMAXSLR125 AGM 12V 125Ah SLA rechargeable deep cycle battery for use with Pv solar panels smart chargers, wind turbines and inverters and backup power (12 volt 125Ah group 31 AGM)

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ACNO2AO/ref=pe_385040_127541850_TE_item