Folding Solar Panels - Good yield considering time of year!

[MichaelT]

Interesting...

Have you got the external one in some sort of enclosure or do they do IP rated versions of them?

I'd been thinking Anderson but XT60 is something I've seen but never used.

I used Anderson

 

[fishplug]

I had Anderson on my old T1N Sprinter as a jump start socket. A bit overkill for solar though! (I know there are smaller Andersons that would do the job)

 

[starquake]

Thanks starquake - very helpful.

Will do a bit more research into them then. I'm warming up more and more to the folding panel option.....

Only warning if you plug into a Ecoflow device you need an extra pin (XT60i) ideally (if you google it you can find whether you join the 3rd pin to + or - sides). (basically this tells the ecoflow to immediately use a solar mppt profile and NOT use a standard 12v charge profile -> it'll switch to MPPT with auto-detection anyhow after a few minutes from experience, but this helps if using ecoflows in "low solar" situations of under 15w input.

 

[eddie]

You speaking from personal experience here eddie?

Ps couldn’t resist lol

Over the last 30 odd years, I’ve helped many get over their PV envy!

 

[eddie]

Thanks starquake - very helpful.

Will do a bit more research into them then. I'm warming up more and more to the folding panel option.....

Bear in mind, they get nicked, they blow over, they get in the way when not being blown over outside!

IMHO not worth considering until you can’t cram another watt on the roof, even then another battery!

Logically it’s better to arrive with sufficient power for your stay, than to “hope” you can make some more!

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[Jimbohorlicks]

We put kador strip hangers on ours and they slide along the awning rail.so are 90 degrees to the sun but can be tilted out on their back supports .

 

[Al n Val]

I bought these end of last year, around november time when we got home I tried them to see if they worked and at the time i was getting around 170watts from them and the 630w of Victron roof panels were giving me less than 40w from memory

 

[MichaelT]

IMHO not worth considering until you can’t cram another watt on the roof, even then another battery!

It's OK if you can tilt your van to 27 degrees to get some sun, if not a portable panel is really helpful.

 

[Al n Val]

It's OK if you can tilt your van to 27 degrees to get some sun, if not a portable panel is really helpful.

I 100% agree

 

[Carpmart]

Bear in mind, they get nicked, they blow over, they get in the way when not being blown over outside!

IMHO not worth considering until you can’t cram another watt on the roof, even then another battery!

Logically it’s better to arrive with sufficient power for your stay, than to “hope” you can make some more!

I can’t arrive with enough as I’m here for three months. If I had 920w on the roof as opposed to the 600w (roof currently) and 320w folding panels I would be generating 30% less power overall based on my real world experience as per post #1. Id actually need nearer to 1500W of roof only to match the output at this time of year… then 1.5Kw of panels for the rest of the year when touring, I’d have way too much solar…. I shall stick to the current plan.

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[eddie]

It's OK if you can tilt your van to 27 degrees to get some sun, if not a portable panel is really helpful.

Automatic self tracking solar is the answer. On average five times more efficient than a flat panel

They’re great

PHENIX SUNPOWER - ALDEN

www.alden.fr

 

[eddie]

I can’t arrive with enough as I’m here for three months. If I had 920w on the roof as opposed to the 600w (roof currently) and 320w folding panels I would be generating 30% less power overall based on my real world experience as per post #1. Id actually need nearer to 1500W of roof only to match the output at this time of year… then 1.5Kw of panels for the rest of the year when touring, I’d have way too much solar…. I shall stick to the current plan.

Three months!

I’d hire an apartment if I was having to stay in the same place for three months

Have you considered a caravan as you like being static!

 

[Carpmart]

Three months!

I’d hire an apartment if I was having to stay in the same place for three months

Have you considered a caravan as you like being static!

Nine months touring with a three month layup in the middle over winter…. We mix it up… why would I want an apartment when I’ve got my home with me? I’ve not seen any caravans with 2.5T of payload so can’t carry the toys around? we also stay in our house back in the UK for three months a year which is always in the same location.

 

[eddie]

Nine months touring with a three month layup in the middle over winter…. We mix it up… why would I want an apartment when I’ve got my home with me? I’ve not seen any caravans with 2.5T of payload so can’t carry the toys around? we also stay in our house back in the UK for three months a year which is always in the same location.

I guess you need a reasonable payload if you are forced to cart loads of solar panels around

 

[jumar]

Sunrise to sunset my freestanding 200w panel outstrips my roof panel of the same wattage, other than when I tilt it...In summer my roof panel quite efficient.

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[fishplug]

Bear in mind, they get nicked, they blow over, they get in the way when not being blown over outside!

IMHO not worth considering until you can’t cram another watt on the roof, even then another battery!

Logically it’s better to arrive with sufficient power for your stay, than to “hope” you can make some more!

I've got enough solar / battery for my normal use case as I seldom stay in one spot for more than a couple of nights and the B2B takes care of any depletion.

However, I do two events a year where I'm completely stationary for four days. It wasn't an issue in the old van as it was pretty basic but the new build is going to be more power hungry. I could easily get by the same way as I did in the old van and turn off the non-essential power draws.

That said, seeing as I've got a spare MPPT controller the relative cost of adding a folding 200w panel really isn't high (£150-£200?) and seeing as the van isn't built yet then it's also really straight forward to build it to allow for this extra capacity. Adding it later would be more of a faff.

It's not going to get nicked because the only place it would be used is at a bike meet we've been running for years. Most of the people there are regulars and friends and even if the remaining few were dishonest they'd be on several CCTV cameras and would have had to register for the event so we'd have their name, address and phone number. We'd also have 60 mates on hand to help ask them politely to return it

I won't have any more space on the roof for additional panels. I have 3 already. More batteries? I do have 300Ah of spare lithiums I could add, but it's more space and weight that I'd only ever really benefit from a couple of times a year.

I've got an H2L3 Relay so space is a premium and I've learned from previous builds that being really conscious of weight is important - especially as I'm adding proper water and waste tanks to this one.

I'm also thinking about days like today. It's currently -5ºC and my panels are frosted over. Sure, I could get the ladder out, pour a bucket of hot water on them, then dry them off... Or I could get my folding panels out, enjoy a coffee....

I'm half thinking about putting some heating pads on the underside of the panels but haven't seen anyone do that yet. No idea if that would damage them?

Anyway, I'm digressing (as usual)

 

[MichaelT]

Automatic self tracking solar is the answer. On average five times more efficient than a flat panel

They're great

PHENIX SUNPOWER - ALDEN

www.alden.fr

100w so you'd need 3 or 4 of those at what cost?

 

[eddie]

100w so you'd need 3 or 4 of those at what cost?

We sell them, fitted for only £3k each

 

[MichaelT]

We sell them, fitted for only £3k each

That's what I thought, 10 plus times cost and it no doubt uses energy to move for half the yield and no doubt much heavier.

 

[eddie]

I've got enough solar / battery for my normal use case as I seldom stay in one spot for more than a couple of nights and the B2B takes care of any depletion.

However, I do two events a year where I'm completely stationary for four days. It wasn't an issue in the old van as it was pretty basic but the new build is going to be more power hungry. I could easily get by the same way as I did in the old van and turn off the non-essential power draws.

That said, seeing as I've got a spare MPPT controller the relative cost of adding a folding 200w panel really isn't high (£150-£200?) and seeing as the van isn't built yet then it's also really straight forward to build it to allow for this extra capacity. Adding it later would be more of a faff.

It's not going to get nicked because the only place it would be used is at a bike meet we've been running for years. Most of the people there are regulars and friends and even if the remaining few were dishonest they'd be on several CCTV cameras and would have had to register for the event so we'd have their name, address and phone number. We'd also have 60 mates on hand to help ask them politely to return it

I won't have any more space on the roof for additional panels. I have 3 already. More batteries? I do have 300Ah of spare lithiums I could add, but it's more space and weight that I'd only ever really benefit from a couple of times a year.

I've got an H2L3 Relay so space is a premium and I've learned from previous builds that being really conscious of weight is important - especially as I'm adding proper water and waste tanks to this one.

I'm also thinking about days like today. It's currently -5ºC and my panels are frosted over. Sure, I could get the ladder out, pour a bucket of hot water on them, then dry them off... Or I could get my folding panels out, enjoy a coffee....

I'm half thinking about putting some heating pads on the underside of the panels but haven't seen anyone do that yet. No idea if that would damage them?

Anyway, I'm digressing (as usual)

So you need a generator

On my camper I have roof full of solar, a locker full of Lithium, a 120amp B2B, big inverter/charger, and Victron, and a Winnebago factory fitted 5Kw generator

A good mix of everything is better that bingeing

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[eddie]

That's what I thought, 10 plus times cost and it no doubt uses energy to move for half the yield and no doubt much heavier.

Very light and start tracking from sunrise to sunset hence their effectiveness

Automatic as well so you don’t have to traipse out in the rain to set them up!

 

[MichaelT]

Very light and start tracking from sunrise to sunset hence their effectiveness

Automatic as well so you don’t have to traipse out in the rain to set them up!

If it's raining not getting any/much sun anyway so I wouldn't be traipsing anywhere

Not knocking the concept but not viable financially.

 

[jumar]

Very light and start tracking from sunrise to sunset hence their effectiveness

Automatic as well so you don’t have to traipse out in the rain to set them up!

I don't put my panel out if it's raining..

 

[eddie]

If it's raining not getting any/much sun anyway so I wouldn't be traipsing anywhere

Not knocking the concept but not viable financially.

I don't put my panel out if it's raining..

fishplug



Guys, The festivities are over, diet, dry January (‘ish) -5* outside The Six Nations doesn’t start for four weeks so a spot of was such fun

Sorry


Edit Lenny HB He’s below the apology as he does have PV ENVY

 

[mikash]

It's OK if you can tilt your van to 27 degrees to get some sun, if not a portable panel is really helpful.

That's what you have solar-compatible full air kit for!

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[quentinsf]

I'm thinking this Renogy one looks quite good, if I wanted to play with this? Recommendations welcome.

I'd need to fit an MPPT and work out how to get the cables to it, I guess, but these look nice and compact when folded, to go in my rather compact van, and the total cost is probably about £250.

 

[fishplug]

Always up for a bit of banter eddie

It's also good to question your decisions when building your own van. I've had ten thousand ideas and I'll only get to implement fifteen of them, so I have to choose carefully!

So you need a generator

On my camper I have roof full of solar, a locker full of Lithium, a 120amp B2B, big inverter/charger, and Victron, and a Winnebago factory fitted 5Kw generator

A good mix of everything is better that bingeing

I have a generator. It's a 'silent' one so would be allowed on many sites. I've never, ever used it for camping though. Big, noisy, smelly and would need me to carry petrol as well as all the other guff. A firm no from me there!

Inverter/charger - great for some people, but not for me. I'm a 12v only kinda guy (well that's not true, there's some 5v and some 3.3v stuff in there too) I've yet to find anything I would use that needs 240V.

 

[gus-lopez]

It's currently -5ºC and my panels are frosted over.

Use 'bifacial' panels. they generate power on the underside also from reflected light & are used to clear snow automatically from panels

 

[fishplug]

I'm thinking this Renogy one looks quite good, if I wanted to play with this? Recommendations welcome.

I'd need to fit an MPPT and work out how to get the cables to it, I guess, but these look nice and compact when folded, to go in my rather compact van, and the total cost is probably about £250.

Depending where your battery / furniture is, you could potentially run the cable in through the vent flap at the rear of the van without the need to make any holes in it. Stick an Anderson or XT60 connector to it (and maybe make up or buy an adaptor cable to go to MC4)

With the MPPT controller I'd always suggest paying a relatively small amount more and getting one with a little extra capacity than you need.

That Renogy panel claims 23.4 OCV and 9.92A so you could probably squeak it in to a Victron 75/10 for £50, but a 75/15 is only a fiver more and the 100/20 is only £22 more...

So £22 extra on the MPPT would allow you to run two of those panels (or one permanent roof mount plus one foldable for occasional use)... A lot of flexibility and future proofing for the cost of a couple of kebabs...

 

[fishplug]

Use 'bifacial' panels. they generate power on the underside also from reflected light & are used to clear snow automatically from panels

Interesting. I've already got my panels though, so don't plan on changing them just yet.

I'm considering running some of that 12v heating tape along the aluminium edges of the panels. That should be enough to start the defrosting process and from what I understand, once the panels start generating power they'll warm up enough on their own to defrost.

I could well be wrong but having started to read up on it, this seems to be a suggestion people make - however I'm yet to find anyone who's actually done it.....

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