Can solar panel be inside van's front windows to prevent theft?

[hikerbob]

I like to hike in the daytime and notice most folks put the Renology 2 panel 200 wt suitcase panels outside on the ground and that makes it easier to steal them if no other campers are nearby in the daytime.

So my question is, can a Renology suitcase that is 35.6" x 25.9" (two panels producing 200 watts opened up) be put INSIDE the front windows of my van to discourage easy theft, and still generate solar power for my batteries (assuming the van is pointed south)?
Thanking you for input.
HikerBob

 

[MrNoodly]

Yes.

 

[hikerbob]

MrNoodly, do you have direct experience or have seen that done or done it yourself? My only experience with a panel inside the window of my van are very small units that would produce a couple watts to charge a cell phone or a pocket flashlight

 

[highdesertranger]

Welcome Bob to the CRVL forums! To help you learn the ins and outs of these forums, this "Tips, Tricks and Rules" post lists some helpful information to get you started.

Most of our rules boil down to two simple over-riding principles: 1) What you post should provide good information (like your introductory post), and 2) Any response to someone else's post should make them feel glad they are part of this forum community.

We look forward to hearing more from you.

yes you can the panel inside but it will cut the output down some. depending on time of year it could be significant.

highdesertranger

 

[MrNoodly]

MrNoodly, do you have direct experience or have seen that done or done it yourself?  My only experience with a panel inside the window of my van are very small units that would produce a couple watts to charge a cell phone or a pocket flashlight

Sunlight through a window is sunlight through a window. If it works for small photovoltaic cells it works for large ones.

The reflective surface of the windshield and the tinting will cause a minuscule drop in efficiency, but not enough to worry about.

 

[maki2]

They will generate some additional heat so be sure to have ventilation such as a roof vent if the inside temperature is going to be over approx 90 degrees. When panels get too hot their efficiency drops. We all know that a closed vehicle sitting in the sun can get very hot. Not a problem in the cooler months but something to be aware of during the months where a closed vehicle gets very hot inside and often rising to more than 90 degrees which tends to be the upper recommended range for good efficiency that I have seen quoted on websites.

I suggest you do some reading from the websites of the solar panel sellers. If you have a specific brand of panel you can contact their sales department with your questions. Of course you don't want to cause damage to your panels so it is of course important to obtain good information regarding your specific situations of use.

You will be doing some tradeoff of output of energy when you don't have an optimal solar panel setup. But trade offs can bring peace of mind. So security vs efficiency. It will be worth the trade-off you are still getting sufficient power.

 

[abnorm]

Sternwake…...a former GEEK member here for many years...……..recently checked a flexible panel output on-the-dash

SPOILER ALERT: HALF the output as in "full Sun"...….here's his post:

https://vandwellerforum.com/thread-3278.html

 

[hikerbob]

Dear Sternwake
This was most interesting and useful information.  Going hiking and leaving my $400 renology suitcase panels on the ground for the taking is frightening vs 50% drop in efficiency. A 200 wt setup giving me 100w in the windshield is acceptable.
VERY interesting to read that forum you cited before.  Deep bow and many thanks,
HikerBob

 

[Cammalu]

Hikerbob Sternwake has moved on to another forum. He does have a massive amount of helpful posts here however.

 

[LoupGarou]

Last time I was in Mexico I secured my portable solar panel to the vehicle using a Dog Tie-Out cable and a couple of padlocks. At night I ran the cable though the chair frames to keep them from walking away.

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=dog+run+cable&sprefix=dog+run&ref=nb_sb_ss_i_6_7

 

[Karri]

What a great idea Loup Garou!