Mounted solar panel or portable, pro's and con's

[ByeBye]

Think I'm going to ride up to Northern AZ wind and solar and pick up a solar panel.

Canadian Solar CS6K-305MS 65"x39" (any thoughts/reviews of this particular panel?)

I'd like input from anyone that does the 'portable w/ an extension cord' routine with panels this large. My default setting will be sitting at a campsite for days and don't plan on moving about everyday. 

I know personal preference will come into play but hearing others experiences helps me form those preferences, lol. TIA

 

[lenny flank]

The problems with portables are that they quickly become a PITA to put up and take down all the time (unless you spend all your time in one place), and they don't produce any electricity when they're not set out (unlike mounted panels which generate all the time).

 

[Blanch]

I use a Zamp solar suitcase. I have a 35 foot cord. I’m getting 35 to 45 amp hours a day out of my 160watt panel. I love the portable solar, I can park in the shade. I don’t know why more people don’t use them, when it is hot who wants to be stuck in the sun?

I have 2 1/2 years full time on the road. I’m very pleased with my solar. When camped in a group a couple of years ago we did a test, my 160 watt solar suitcase brought in as much electricity as a person camped next to me with 300 watts flat mounted on her roof.

So the pros are:
Camp in the shade.

You need less solar if the unit is tilt able.

Cons are:
They must be set up or they don’t work.

Wind can be a problem, mine have blown over twice in storms with no damage.

Theft is more likely, but I have never heard of panels being stolen except in slab city.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[highdesertranger]

good point made by Lenny, also a panel that size is going to turn into a sail in the wind if it's not mounted. highdesertranger

 

[ByeBye]

Them becoming wind sails is one I hadn't thought of so I'll have to ponder that.

Since my goal has been to be as close to self sustainable as possible I've planned to have multiple ways of charging batteries. Unless I change course I should have 4, solar, propane/gas generator, truck alternator and shore line. So I'll have options.

The generator runs at about 65db, iirc so not so good for a close group and would be used for emergencies and powering larger tools, in need arose.
Shore line I probably will use the least as I don't plan to stay at any organized rv parks or such, but ya never know.
I haven't figure up my electrical needs but they'll be small. Recharge computer, phone, few led lights, 12v compressor fridge and fan...that's about it. So I probably wouldn't need solar unless I've decided to stay for a few days, at least.

The idea of having a park-in-shade option is VERY appealing to me. Actually, I read a previous post of Blanch's re: her fold out solar set and really got me swung to that side. That and NWHiker, on YT, has a setup similar to mine and he pulls out a bunch of panels but I haven't spoken to him about it, yet.

 

[bigsallysmom]

Since I don't have space on the top of the van I opted to carry two 100 watt solar panels indoors and put them out when I need to.
Hadn't planned on how much they weigh. 27 lbs each. They are big and bulky and require a bit of finagling to get them in and out of the van.

 

[MrNoodly]

One of the goals for my van was to be able to camp without needing to unload anything in order to have enough space. Portable panels would've been something to deal with. So my panel is mounted to the roof. After five years on the road, I haven't really needed to be able to park in the shade with the panel in the sun.

 

[B and C]

I have 400 watts of solar. Four 100 watt flexible panels, wired in series and parallel. Two are mounted on my roof and wired in series. I get output from them even in dimmer light because of the series wiring. You will be in places that don't have shade if following a migration route to stay in comfortable temperatures. I have the other two panels wired in series that I can throw out on the ground, hang from my awning or throw on the ground in the sun. I use a 50 Foot 10 Gauge extension cord when deploying them. I use the neutral (white) wire and the ground (green) wire in the extension cord. My cord is not modified. I use regular 120V AC male/female plugs with the female end on the panels. This allows a 3 way splitter to be used to combine the two sets of panels in parallel. To me this is the best of both worlds as usually I don't have to employ them but when I do they are smaller and lightweight.

 

[Almost There]

I opted for portable for the following reasons:

I am not able to get up to the roof of my high top van to clean the panels. And they will need cleaning for maximum efficiency.

I  had to have 15 holes sealed in my fiberglass roof when I got it and I am loath to put new holes in it.

I spend summers at least 500 miles north of Vancouver British Columbia. The amount of sun that can be gathered is extremely limited due to latitude, forest fires etc. Also most of the summer is spent parked under tree cover, places that are open enough to gather solar energy are extremely limited - like to parking lots...

During the winter in AZ I spend days parked in one spot, setting out the solar panels is no big deal when I'm also setting out my lawn chair, RV mat, etc.

I haven't had a problem with them becoming a sail except when I was forced to put them narrow side down, so that they were taller than wide. I use 5 gallon square buckets to angle them and as long as the long side is on the ground, the worst that has happened is the bucket came out from under the edge...my fault...I hadn't put any rocks in the bucket to weigh it down. 



The only time I wish I had permanently mounted solar panels is when I'm staying in a parking lot for the day, like at a casino, and have to stay with the van while the solar panels are out. I won't leave them out unattended. OTOH it's good that I have to stay with the van because then I'm  not in the casino at the slot machines....

 

[PattySprinter]

I have Goal Zero Boulder panels with a tripod for portable solar and I am going to get some panels put on the roof also - I am opting for both fixed and portable.

 

[Seminole Wind]

that panel will probably tip the scales at better than 40 pounds. moving a beast like that and getting it set up so it does not topple and then finding a spot to pack it away can make it hard to not end up dropping and cracking it. ouch.

i have boonedocked with northwest hiker and his system works great for his style. he has several smaller panels that are easier to man handle and he was able to adjust their angle a couple time through the day to get the most power. it allowed him to park and set his camp up with good shade and other aspects of camp orientation and then still have the power.

now for me, that sort of set up is a pain in the butt. i move around more, exploring so packing and unpacking is a chore. therefore i mounted solar on my roof. as we speak i am upgrading my mounts so i can tip them if i am going to be in one spot for awhile. i like that it is charging while i am on the move. as for parking in the sun, i dreaded that at first but i found that with the roof covered in solar it provided considerable shade and the heat was not near as bad. also i was mostly a non issue as i dont spend much time "IN" my rig during the hot part of the day. i am off hiking or down at the swimming hole and such. when it gets to hot then it is time to move north or higher up the mountain.

if you have the strength and time and space to pack and unpack panels and deal with the set up and such it can open up some site options for you. and it also allows you to use a roof rack to carry other goodies like a canoe or kayak. i opted for the mounted panels and bought an inflatable

if i was recommending or designing a portable/temp set up system i would lean towards smaller panels as those 65x40 panels can be a beast to deal with

 

[Tom_M]

I mounted two of my three panels on the side of my coach. They can be tilted up or removed. When setting them on the ground they will tip over in strong wind. The glass is tempered and will not break unless it hits a sharp object such as a rock. I don't know if this would work for a truck camper. Perhaps think of it as a rigid awning for your window.

 

[ByeBye]

Great info, gals and guys, so helpful. I can still manage 40 lbs but I won't always be this 66 yo spring chicken, lol. I suppose if/when it gets too much I'll can permanently mount them.

Headed up to Flagstaff today to pick up the panel and a few other things. Think I'll go ahead and get what I need to mount the panel so I'll have it.

 

[RoamerRV428]

great experience info on the board from this thread about solar set up.

 

[lenny flank]

i have boonedocked with northwest hiker and his system works great for his style. he has several smaller panels that are easier to man handle and he was able to adjust their angle a couple time through the day to get the most power. it allowed him to park and set his camp up with good shade and other aspects of camp orientation and then still have the power.

Back when I was backpacking and kayak-camping, I had a foldable 35-watt panel just to charge my camera batteries. 
I think now there are foldable 100w panels available.
The foldable panels were used to charge portable batteries (I had an old Tekkeon) which would then charge cameras, phones, or whatever.

 

[MrNoodly]

Remember that you don't necessarily need to set up portable panels so they tilt toward the sun. You can lay them flat on the ground where they'd be just as efficient as non-tilting panels on a vehicle roof.

 

[ByeBye]

Well, after handling the panel I'm leaning towards mounting it and adding something smaller for portable.
I ended up getting this
Canadian Solar CS3K-305MS Monocrystalline 305 Watt Solar Panel
https://www.solar-electric.com/canadian-solar-cs3k-305ms-monocrystalline-305-watt-solar-panel.html

Described as a 120 cell panel which is actually two 60 cell panels in parallel so has good shade capability supposedly.

Gonna have to find a helping hand mounting it. I could do it solo but it'd take me much longer IF I don't fall off the ladder trying to get it up on the roof, lol.

N. AZ Solar and Wind were VERY helpful. Can't say enough about their customer service, top notch.
They've got a 7% off deal going as well.

 

[vanlifeadventures21]

If you have the space to store them in the vehicle and you plan on staying in one spot for a while, I would go for the portable panels.

That would allow you to angle it towards the sun throughout the day and really maximize your power. You can increase efficiency by nearly 25% by keeping them out of the shade and angled properly.

When they're attached on top of the van without a tilt mount you're losing out on energy when the sun isn't directly overhead.

 

[ByeBye]

Great timing, I'm sitting here with everything to layout and fab some angling mounting brackets out of 1.5"x3" quarter inch angle aluminum as we type. This panel is too big to move around much, even every two weeks, so I'm fabricating some mounts with two knobbed bolts and adjustable tilting bars. I have a aluminum walker someone disposed out and plan on using two of the adjustable legs after I cannibalize it for tilting bars.

 

[tx2sturgis]

Wow, a 300 watt portable panel....you might want to add a couple of wheels or casters to it!