Car Camping / Trip Reports / Photos / Buildouts / “Overland” / Expedition Rigs Area (homeless?)

Nice! Solar panel would be awesome.

 

It's an All Pro hybrid

 

what wheels are these? they beadlocks?

bad ass setups for sure!

 

gonna have it hooked up to a battery maintainer/trickle charger as well as a switched circuit to feed full power to the battery and accessories

if i'm feeling gutsy, i may make quick release brackets, so i can switch it between the truck and trailer real quick. would be nice when i turn the trailer into a camper.

 

Yea it would. How hearty is it do you know? Like if I put it on my roof rack could I still throw some stuff on it?? Nothing crazy..

 

it's hurricane rated, but i wouldn't put anything on top of it jsut because one crack, and you're done.

i'd build a secondary tray, with some mounting points welded onto your existing rack, so that if you need to put stuff on top of the panel, the tray will bolt on right over the panel, keeping anything from contacting it. i may do this once i figure out where exactly i'm going to mount it.

 

Most panels that I have seen around here are pretty solid and can take some weight. If your planning on putting 150+ lbs on it you will have issues but 40-50 lbs you should be okay. Based solely on what I have seen and the people that I have talked to here. This info could be wrong too.

 

since its exop related, anyone know the height on a 2nd gen from the bed to the top of the plastics on the bedsides as well as from the bed to the roof? would be greatly appreciated since my truck is covered in ice/snow

 

I'm not sure of your specific model, but most solar panels that I've worked with in the recent past could take a direct hit from a golf ball or similar sized rock and still be golden. Now excessive abuse would take its toll, but ass long as the gear is "soft" such as a duffle or the like.

 

Mmm good idea. Or I guess I could make it removable.

Hmmm..yea not sure I'd want to risk it..

 

Like what kinds?

I'd only put soft stuff up there

 

it can carry a heavy load, and take a decent hit, but with the exception of an actual break, it's the abrasion you have to worry about. as soon as you get scuffs on the panel, your light transmittance is greatly reduced, and therefore your power output.

 

There is a company here in ABQ called Consolidated Solar Technologies that Has a great reputation for producing a very durable cell. Here is there address. You might want to givee them a call. But if you fill out their online contact form they will get back to you hours after opening the store when they get in. Their customer service is awesome.....

http://www.gocstsolar.com/

 

i actually only had a choice on the model, not the make for the one i got. among a lot of other stuff, we are getting a couple panels for a design project i'm working on, and one of our sponsors was gracious enough to toss in some freebies/gifts for all of our team members.

i'll look into that company ^^^ for future use though.

 

Or you could toss me your freebies and then look into them for your current set up????

 

Mmmm true true..

Thanks. Ill look into them

Ha!!

 

tempting.......but i haven't won the lottery quite yet.

 

Me either

 

Yes. They are Walker Evans Beadlocks wheels (real deal, not street locks) with 295/70/17 Toyo Open country M/T

 

Got my ARB Awning mounted and tested today: