No room for another solar panel? Check this

[ggwoman]

Jay, aka Ramblin CamperVan, has a most brill solution for adding solar panels when you haven't got room for any more. It's the first time I've ever seen this.

 

[highdesertranger]

that's really cool. only I would like to point out a couple of things. first the slide out panel should come out a little more. did you notice it doesn't quite come out all the way. part of the panel is under the other panel. this means it's in the shade, which would nullify most of the power from the second panel. second you would want to electrically disconnect the second panel from the system when it's retracted for the same reason. other than that it looks like he did a fine job. highdesertranger

 

[LeeRevell]

That is ingenious!! 

 

[Raven+Squid]

Yeah like HDR said, but otherwise an excellent idea.

 

[ggwoman]

that's really cool.  only I would like to point out a couple of things.  first the slide out panel should come out a little more.  did you notice it doesn't quite come out all the way.  part of the panel is under the other panel.  this means it's in the shade,  which would nullify most of the power from the second panel.  second you would want to electrically disconnect the second panel from the system when it's retracted for the same reason.  other than that it looks like he did a fine job.  highdesertranger

14/15 sections are clearly available at 3:30 mins. in. Isn't that good enough? And of course it would be in during travel time. It wouldn't be hard to make a quick connection point for the wire. s
He should hurry up and patent this idea. :idea:

 

[highdesertranger]

respectfully, no it's not good enough. any shading on any one cell cuts the output dramatically and he is shading the whole last line of cells. more than likely that panel is only putting out 10% of it's rating of 100 watts. highdesertranger

 

[NeedAnEscape]

Would disconnecting the wiring be needed if the panels are not wired in series?

 

[ccbreder]

That panel could have been made to slide out with no shadow. Any cells with shadow will cause the whole panel to be worthless. I bet he also has problems on the rear panel because of the vent/air housing casting shadow at times.

 

[rvpopeye]

Good idea , if not totally functional , yet . A little more tweaking needed for sure.
If it were me , I wouldn't give up on the idea !

I saw another idea for adding panels a while backthat was using them as an awning over the rig's windows with a hinge/latch system to put it down against the side while traveling ,,,, wish I could find the picture !

 

[highdesertranger]

yeah don't get me wrong it's a great idea, just needs a little redesign. a warning about the ones on the sides, if you off road you could damage them very easy. if they where on a rig of mine there is no doubt I would have tore them right off. highdesertranger

 

[SternWake]

How much loss any partially shaded panel sustains, can vary pretty widely among different panels, but the moral is do not allow shading to occur, whenever possible, as the losses can be extreme, even affecting the other unshaded panels output.

Especially during the midday most productive hours.


I got a hankering for more solar wattage and little room for it, but achieving more up there is not as simple as using less battery overnight.

If I was really concerned about harvesting more, I would tilt my framed panel 3 times a day, hopefully not shadowing the Unisolar pvl-68, which would require changing parking orientation.
  
So, I Can't be bothered. From march to october, I usually harvest more than I need and look for ways to use the excess once absorption voltage is reached and amps start tapering.

 

[rvpopeye]

HDR
Nudge nudge wink wink !
I guess that you're in the 1% that go places that you go !

 

[highdesertranger]

you are correct, I kinda like it that way. highdesertranger

 

[rvpopeye]

Yeah , that makes sense , the less that hear you when you yell YAHOO ! LOOK AT THIS ONE !! The better ....................

 

[ZoNiE]

I've been thinking of doing something similar, but with one hinging over the other, which unfortunately covers one with the other and makes them both totally shaded during transport. This slide-out method eliminates that problem... I really want to get that fourth Kyocera 135 up on the roof... If I could only find two Kyocera 65's...

 

[VJG1977]

It's been done before.  I found several examples of stacked panels on slides.
 


A limit switch and relay could be placed so that the lower panels are disconnected if not fully extended.