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JandL View Drop Down
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Posts: 364 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: 200 W solar mod
    Posted: 30 May 2016 at 9:05pm
I didn't now I could edit once I had posted, I just corrected the voltage. Thanks for the information
JandL
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Posts: 9062 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 May 2016 at 8:50pm
Originally posted by JandL

I wish I could go back and edit the post it should have said 13.6-13.8 volts, the 18 was a typo

You should be able to edit your own post until someone else quotes it.  I think that is the cutoff.  I could edit it but I'll leave it so my post makes sense.  Wink
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WillThrill View Drop Down
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Posts: 298 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 May 2016 at 4:34pm
Originally posted by JandL

It's not the pawn shops, they are somewhat regulated, the problem is the online sites like Craig's List. There is a lot on Google about theft of solar panes from the roofs of homes.

Well if solar panels are getting stolen off people's rooftops, then those on your RV haven't got a prayer.  This makes an even stronger case for movable panels that can be moved into storage when you aren't present.
"Not all those who wander are lost." Tolkien

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JandL View Drop Down
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Posts: 364 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 May 2016 at 1:51pm
It's not the pawn shops, they are somewhat regulated, the problem is the online sites like Craig's List. There is a lot on Google about theft of solar panes from the roofs of homes.
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Posts: 298 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 May 2016 at 12:13pm
Originally posted by JandL

I installed my panels with clamps so when need I can remove them and place them on the ground and point them toward the sun. The cable is about 12' long so I can move it to any side. The big advantage of clamping them to the roof is I hope they are a little harder to keep from walking away. 

That's true.  However, until pawn shops are willing to accept solar panels, I doubt that there is a big risk of theft of solar panels.  The reason that Honda and Yamaha generators get stolen so often is because any pawn shop will take them in a heartbeat.  That being said, I don't typically leave my panel out when we're going to be away from the Pod for hours unless I really need the battery to be recharged.
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JandL View Drop Down
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Posts: 364 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 May 2016 at 9:55pm
I wish I could go back and edit the post it should have said 13.6-13.8 volts, the 18 was a typo
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Posts: 9062 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 May 2016 at 9:14pm
I hope you weren't hitting 18+ volts, at most a 12 volt system should see around 13.5 volts with a normal charge, and up to 15 volts during an equalization charge.
Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual
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Posts: 281 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 May 2016 at 6:52pm
Originally posted by JandL

When the picture was taken, with the shade on the panels, I was getting no output. The next day when it would stop raining and the cloud cover was not as thick, enough light was getting thru the clouds to charge the battery's at around 13.6-18.8 volts and when I checked with my amp meter I got between .5 to 1 amp. The voltage from the panel has to be high enough to force current back into the battery so voltage has to be taken into account.


True enough, but remember, volts X amps = watts.  1/2 amp at 18.8 volts is 9.4 watts, a tiny fraction of the output that a 100 watt panel should produce.  The controller is what adjusts the current and voltage delivered to the battery.  A one amp current is probably enough to keep fully charged batteries topped up.
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JandL View Drop Down
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Posts: 364 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 May 2016 at 4:54pm
"That's why I'm not a big fan of mounted solar panels on an RV, at least for us."

I installed my panels with clamps so when need I can remove them and place them on the ground and point them toward the sun. The cable is about 12' long so I can move it to any side. The big advantage of clamping them to the roof is I hope they are a little harder to keep from walking away

JandL
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WillThrill View Drop Down
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Posts: 298 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 May 2016 at 4:31pm
Originally posted by sailor323

Originally posted by john in idaho

Just thinking about solar panels.  From the photos, it looks like you are in some shade.  Will the panels still work in dappled shade like that?


Even a small amount of shade, dirt and debris on the panels, will have a significant negative effect on the amperage.  The panels might produce enough power to keep fully charged batteries topped up but they won't produce enough to recharge batteries.

That's why I'm not a big fan of mounted solar panels on an RV, at least for us.  We typically use our Pod in the summer, and we have a big preference for shaded campsites, but this does not work well at all with solar panels.  I put my single 100 watt Renogy panel on a 15 ft. cord so I can move it around to the brightest spot.
"Not all those who wander are lost." Tolkien

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