Fixed verses adjustable solar panel mounts - RV-Dreams Community Forum

hotfishtacos · RV-Dreams Community Member

Fixed verses adjustable solar panel mounts

A-S Travelers · RV-Dreams Family Member

Fixed mounts. We usually move 1-3 times a week and the hassle of tilting the panels and putting them back down is not what I want.

The other issue is when (not if) the wind comes up and is blowing 25mph and gusting to 40mph, do you really want to climb up on the roof to put the panels down?

Jack Mayer · RV-Dreams Family Member

Generally I recommend that people NOT tilt their panels. There is no question that you will get 30%+ more solar harvest with tilted panels in the winter. (You will not get three TIMES the amount of power, though. If you are getting 3x the power something else is going on.) However, you then have to go on the roof and tilt them, and you also have to drop them if a windstorm comes up. Most people are better served if they add extra panels rather than tilting them. Do you want to be on your roof in high win? Most people have no business routinely going on their roof to tilt panels. At the price of panels today it is better to add additional panels.

With that said, there ARE circumstances where it makes sense to tilt.....just not many. A small trailer that cannot hold many panels is one reason. People boondocking long term without enough panels is another. MOST people are best served with fixed panels.

-- Edited by Jack Mayer on Thursday 1st of January 2015 08:58:13 AM

-- Edited by Jack Mayer on Thursday 1st of January 2015 08:59:34 AM

Technomadia · RV-Dreams Family Member

When we did our install, we set our roof system up so that we could tilt. We have 800w on the roof (8 - 100w panels). However, because our bus is so narrow, we can only effectively tilt one side of the bus without causing shadowing on the 'back row'. Ours can also be tilted by not actually going on the roof, but from a ladder on the side of the bus - so a little less daunting than other installs we've seen.

But tilting does make a substantial difference.

However, unless we are setting up somewhere for a while and in winter sun conditions, it's likely not going to be worth the effort to tilt or bring out the ground deploy. In most situations we'll consider our 800w roof setup to be 'passive' that can keep up with general loads (we too have a DC fridge), and bring out our 600w ground deployable setup to supplement when needed. Combined with our battery storage, we're pretty good when being 'mobile' (ie. moving every few days) with just the 800w flat mount and topping up with the alternator, and when parked for a while we have options.

- Cherie

hotfishtacos · RV-Dreams Community Member

Jack, I MEASURED almost three times the output when I raised my panels 2 weeks ago...and there is no problem with my system. The CIRCUMSTANCES when I put up my panels is during winter when there is significant advantage to doing so and when I CHECK THE WEATHER reports first so I won't be surprised by strong winds. You can check the weather before leaving of you are boon-docking. MOST people don't rely on their batteries with solar and boon-dock like I do which is why when MOST people leave their panel flat it isn't noticed...and then my trailer only weighs 3,700 lbs fully loaded.

Sushidog · RV-Dreams Family Member

One could always automate their solar panel lift with a linear actuator to electrically raise or lower your panels without climbing up on the roof. If the linear actuator is positioned along side the camper and the panels are aligned along that side (away from a slide or awning) it would work to lift at least some panels. Or one could use something like a weatherized, electrically powered scissor jack to lift panels in the middle of the roof. Where there's a will there's a way.

Now if you would mount your panels on a gimbal and included a motorized, automated sun tracker I would really be impressed. Cost effective? Maybe not, but impressive and geeky as heck. Here's a kit: www.ebay.com/itm/Dual-Axis-solar-tracking-Tracker-Linear-Actuator-Controller-Electronic-Sun-Track-/281548548360

Chip

BiggarView · RV-Dreams Family Member

Sushidog wrote:
One could always automate their solar panel lift with a linear actuator to electrically raise or lower your panels without climbing up on the roof. If the linear actuator is positioned along side the camper and the panels are aligned along that side (away from a slide or awning) it would work to lift at least some panels. Or one could use something like a weatherized, electrically powered scissor jack to lift panels in the middle of the roof. Where there's a will there's a way.

Now if you would mount your panels on a gimbal and included a motorized, automated sun tracker I would really be impressed. Cost effective? Maybe not, but impressive and geeky as heck. Here's a kit: www.ebay.com/itm/Dual-Axis-solar-tracking-Tracker-Linear-Actuator-Controller-Electronic-Sun-Track-/281548548360

Chip

Just an additional thought on that idea... how about mounting a folding array onto a trailer hitch at the back of the rig. Telescopes up for deployment, add the dual axis solar tracker... conceivably, approximately 128sq ft of solar. One downside would be that much solar on such a device would be a huge sail subject to wind conditions, so some form of anchoring it would have to be considered. Chip... get your "geek" on smile We'll be exploring such ideas when our turn comes so we shall follow these threads with interest, it's win win here, as there are no bad ideas just possibilities. smile

Brian

-- Edited by biggaRView on Friday 2nd of January 2015 06:42:55 AM

Sushidog · RV-Dreams Family Member

Here's another thought - a hard awning. Get some large panels and attach them to a folding rack system that rest alongside your RV (preferably over one door, but you couldn't block both doors), but it could be added to both sides. Simply fold out at the desired angle when you arrive. This frees up roof space and allows you to angle your panels into the sun without climbing on the roof. It would make cleaning the panels easier too. Just a wild and crazy thought.

Sort of like this fellow did, just much bigger to provide shade too. s1095.photobucket.com/user/tomzpix/media/Solar/SolarPanelTilted-1.jpg.html

Chip

hotfishtacos · RV-Dreams Community Member

Great idea! I like the picture you showed with a panel adjusted upward in the shade... biggrin