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larryC
Super Nomad
Posts: 1497
Registered: 8-11-2008
Location: BoLA
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Bob and Susan
actually vendors havent a clue what size is needed to move small voltage
the grids they supply are WAY wrong
the thickest stranded cable is what you want
to move small voltage
this is why 115v is used in houses
it can run along way on smaller wire
also when it gets hot outside the current will drop even farther
answer...BIG wire to the controler from solar panels and dont use plugs |
115 volts certainly helps in making household current go farther, but the main reason it works so well is that it is alternating current, not direct
current like a solar panel puts out. A little over 100 years ago Nikola Tesla and Thomas Edison were in competition to supply power to a large city.
Edisons DC method would have cost more than 10 times as much as Teslas AC system, because DC does not go long distances very well and his method would
require several power stations along line to get sufficient power to the city they were trying to supply. Luckily Tesla won out. Alternating current
is much more efficient than DC for household use, and much safer also.
Larry
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Hook
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9011
Registered: 3-13-2004
Location: Sonora
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Mood: Inquisitive
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| Quote: | Originally posted by msteve1014
I have 2, 85 watt panels bolted together with a hing so they make a kind of suitcase. Inside is the controller, legs, and wiring when we travel. Open
it up and clip the wires to a pigtail on the camper and your done. 20 feet of #10 s.o. cord has always been plenty to set the panels in a good spot. I
made this to power an ARB freezer, and the rest of the camper. The freezer is the big power draw. Fans and lights do not use much.
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This is my EXACT scenario. I would like to be able to keep my Danfoos style fridge going without having to fire up the genny and charge the house
battery. I only have room for a single, grp 31 AGM battery.
How have you dealt with the issue of moderate to high winds?
This suitcase kit I was looking at had two legs and two base strips of metal that the legs attached to; forming a right triangle when including the
outsides of the suitcase. I was thinking about placing sandbags on these base metal strips. In the movie/TV industry, they make sandbags that are
completely sealed in HEAVY waterproof canvas with a handle on it. They weigh about 20lbs each and actually have a fold in the middle for easier
storage. The fold is also intended to go over light stand legs.
I do appreciate all the advice from you off-the-grid, house dwellers, but for portability, some compromises will have to be made in wire size.
[Edited on 2-12-2012 by Hook]
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msteve1014
Senior Nomad
Posts: 947
Registered: 12-2-2006
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I have never had a problem with the wind, maybe just lucky. You could just lay them flat on the ground when you need to, if it's really blowing.
Also, old denim pant legs make great sand bags. We fill them with lead shot for use on a shooting bench.
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Hook
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9011
Registered: 3-13-2004
Location: Sonora
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Mood: Inquisitive
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| Quote: | Originally posted by dabbs
Hey, Solar panels in a suitcase really sounds good. I want to see the model of the solar panels in suitcase. I think it will be a compact model.
Please do share its price with some images. Thank you.
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I still cant find em. I sent an email to Northern AZ Wind and Sun to see if they have heard anything but they have ignored it for five days now.
Can anybody recommend some other retailers that might know about these?
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Mula
Super Nomad
Posts: 1655
Registered: 8-16-2011
Location: San Nicolas y Lopez Mateos
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I just googled "suitcase solar panel kit" and came up with a bunch of options.
This is one:
http://wecaresolar.org/solutions/solar-suitcase/
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Mula
Super Nomad
Posts: 1655
Registered: 8-16-2011
Location: San Nicolas y Lopez Mateos
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Even better - just google "solar suitcase" and you get backpacks and all sorts of stuff - from eBay on. . . .
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bajamedic
Nomad
Posts: 392
Registered: 12-5-2008
Location: Northern California
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Mood: Just waitin for baja
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You might check www.costco.com and search solar. They have several portable solar systems. JH
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durrelllrobert
Elite Nomad
Posts: 7393
Registered: 11-22-2007
Location: Punta Banda BC
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Mood: thriving in Baja
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| Quote: | Originally posted by larryC
. I would guess the amperage of a 70 watt panel is around 6 amps at most, probably a little less, at 12v.
[Edited on 2-10-2012 by larryC] |
yep, 7oW/12V = 5.8333 Amps
Bob Durrell
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Hook
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9011
Registered: 3-13-2004
Location: Sonora
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I have.
The problem is that all I've seen include ancillary devices intended for specific uses that I dont want. Things like lights and transmitters and cell
phone chargers and stuff. And they include a sealed 12v battery. I dont want all those things.
I just want leads to hook up to my existing battery, a charge controller and have it housed in a nice, light aluminum suitcase.
Thank you for your time looking, Mula.
[Edited on 4-24-2012 by Hook]
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Mula
Super Nomad
Posts: 1655
Registered: 8-16-2011
Location: San Nicolas y Lopez Mateos
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A year and a half ago, we got a really nice little solar panel set with stand, lights at Harbor Freight. My husband put it up in his shop to keep
batteries charged , etc.
It was small, 3 15 watt panels I think, compact.
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Hook
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9011
Registered: 3-13-2004
Location: Sonora
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Mood: Inquisitive
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| Quote: | Originally posted by msteve1014
I have 2, 85 watt panels bolted together with a hing so they make a kind of suitcase. Inside is the controller, legs, and wiring when we travel. Open
it up and clip the wires to a pigtail on the camper and your done. 20 feet of #10 s.o. cord has always been plenty to set the panels in a good spot. I
made this to power an ARB freezer, and the rest of the camper. The freezer is the big power draw. Fans and lights do not use much.
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Steve, thanks again for your input. Us camper guys got to stick together. So, 20 feet of cable gets you around pretty good, huh?
I think I'll probably just construct one as you did. Have the wife sew up a case with some dampening material sewn in between the layers. I assume
yours have aluminum framing around the panel and that's what you ran your hinge bolts into?
So, is the charge controller best kept near the panels or could I mount it inside my camper? Maybe inside my battery box? Sealed AGM batt in there, so
no corrosive gases.
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msteve1014
Senior Nomad
Posts: 947
Registered: 12-2-2006
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I have connections on the front and back for the winch or camper, so my setup is very flexible. I can charge just the camper, just the truck, or both.
Having the controller on the panels makes things flexible, you can hook it up to any battery you may want to charge.
My panels are old and have a 2 inch frame on each for the hinges to mount to, and to hold everything inside while traveling.
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willyAirstream
Super Nomad
Posts: 1786
Registered: 1-1-2010
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Here are some interesting links. The utube link may give you ideas on building your own.
I'm looking for something similar.
http://mysolarbackupdepot.com/uncategorized/a-solar-suitcase...
http://www.siliconsolar.com/solopower-portable-500w.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwrDDMFxwjg&sns=em
http://www.goalzero.com/shop/p/64/Extreme-350-Adventure-Kit/...
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Pappy Jon
Nomad
Posts: 494
Registered: 8-27-2003
Location: Wrong side of the Continental divide.
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Mood: Temp rising.
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I'm a little late to the chat.
I have two "suit case" solar panel setups. I use them to keep the battery charged when I run my Engel fridge. The fridge pulls about 2A when it's
running.
First up is my Zamp Solar 40W Portable Solar panel. Folded it measures about 18" square. It comes with a controller, a length of wire with battery clamps, and a
nice padded carry case. They also make them up to 200W. Since I bought mine they have upgraded the legs and controller.
Second is the setup I built. It's made from a pair of 10W panels hinged together (20W total). It measures about 18" x 8" x 2.5" when folded. I have a
controller for it, but I found it charged better without. I just plug it into a 12V outlet in the dash. This was my go-to setup on my last trip. It
was very small and easy to setup and worked fine as long as I had sun.
"The association of flowers and warm-blooded love is more than a romantic convention; it is based upon one of the great advances in the evolution
of life." Ed Abbey
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durrelllrobert
Elite Nomad
Posts: 7393
Registered: 11-22-2007
Location: Punta Banda BC
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Mood: thriving in Baja
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| Quote: | Originally posted by larryC
I would guess the amperage of a 70 watt panel is around 6 amps at most, probably a little less, at 12v.
[Edited on 2-10-2012 by larryC] |
Yep, 70W divided by 12V = 5.7 amps
As far as the voltage drop goes remember that the battery itself will lose about 1% per day just setting there and the voltage drop for 30ft of 12AWG
wire will be 4.65%
Bob Durrell
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watizname
Senior Nomad
Posts: 778
Registered: 8-7-2009
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Hook, Both Zamp and Go Power both have the folding "suitcase" solar kits you are talking about. They make them for keeping your RV batteries charged
up. About 6 years ago I bought a pop-up camper and wanted something to help keep my batteries up when camping. All they had were the kits to
hardwire to your camper. If you go camping, where do you want to put your rig? In the shade right. So I took a solar panel and hooked it up to a
charge controller in my camper and left a pig tail outside. When I parked, I could plug in the panel and move it around during the day to keep my
batteries up. Thought I was pretty smart. I just bought a new travel trailer and wanted to do the same thing and now these companies have the kits
to do it, all made up. Maybe a little pricey, but just unfold em, plug em in and move em around. Wish I had had the foresight to start making kits
back then. Live and learn -----if you're lucky. 
I yam what I yam and that\'s all what I yam.
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Hook
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9011
Registered: 3-13-2004
Location: Sonora
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Mood: Inquisitive
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Love good solar discussions.......
I opted for a permanent mount system on the top of my camper. What swayed me more than anything is that it's not a theft risk, when I am away from the
camper. And I am away from the camper a lot when I boondock. Jeeping, biking, hiking, fishing. I wouldnt feel comfortable leaving a few hundred
dollars of solar equipment on the ground in the "perfect" solar location.
I went with a 140w Kyocera and a Morningstar PWM controller that can feed two battery banks at once. So, I have a return line feeding my truck starter
batteries to keep them topped off as well. The controller allows you to send 90% of the current to the house battery and 10% to the truck batteries.
As it turned out, my DC needs are not that great, now that I switched over to LEDs. I dont invert to run the microwave since my builtin genny is a
button push away. It's really to stay ahead of the curve with the compressor fridge running (2amps@12v). We are off grid probably 95% of our summers.
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BajaRat
Super Nomad
Posts: 1303
Registered: 3-2-2010
Location: SW Four Corners / Bahia Asuncion BCS
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Mood: Ready for some salt water with my Tecate
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Diver
If you connect a cable as I mentioned above with a short chord with plug ends, you can always insert an additional chord if you need to move the panel
further. You might loose some power but it's better than having the panel sitting in the shade. Our 80 watt panel on it's 35' chord still has plenty
of power to charge our 2 batteries from 1/3 to full any mostly sunny day. |
Great idea with the extendable cord 
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wessongroup
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 21152
Registered: 8-9-2009
Location: Mission Viejo
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Mood: Suicide Hot line ... please hold
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Like the small footprint
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