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Topic: Solar parts list and method used (Read 757 times) previous topic - next topic

Solar parts list and method used

This that have and can .. post some pics and parts used for your solar. I want to make sure I can put a system together that will function as I hope it will. Here is what I am thinking so far...

320 Watt Semi Flexible Frameless Solar Panel 24 Volt Made in USA MonoCrystall... 4 or 5 of these on top 1500+ or - watts

Midnight 200 controller or the 150 and another so if 1 goes down we are not totally out of power. Using the original charger and inverter on the coach

Adding either 400ah of lithium is my ideal but might settle for 3 or 4 agm 8d batteries

Re: Solar parts list and method used

Reply #1 –
Looks good. I plan on:

- Three 320W solar panels from eBay
- 7KWH of Lithium. That's 16 130AH LIFEPO4 batteries running at 48 volts
- 48 volt solar MPPT charger
- 48 volt to 120VAC pure sine wave inverter / charger
- 48 volt to 12VDC charger.
 - The 12VDC house voltage may come from a small 30AH LIFEPO4 pack.

Just have to figure out how to handle the genny and shore power. Big job.   
1997 U270 34FT Build 5140 Cummins 8.3 Allison 3060R
Solar 1920Watts, 14KWH lithium. Orion BMS.

Re: Solar parts list and method used

Reply #2 –
David if you go with the lithium you may want to rethink the size of your array.  With a quality MPPT and 400ah lithium you won't need that amount of panels...but those are inexpensive panels.  The other consideration may be heat with that type of mounting.
George and Steph
1997 U270 36 Build 5081 "Honu"
1180w Solar 400A lithium all Victron house system
Motorcade 17670, SKP 128300, FMCA F459019
73 VW Camper, 79 VW Camper, 2363 Sunline, and an Arctic Fox 25P

Re: Solar parts list and method used

Reply #3 –
I seen online that a guy attached the panels with .. a washer with a bolt through it with 2 nuts that were used to set the height. Should get 1 to 2 inches under it.. hope that works 

Re: Solar parts list and method used

Reply #4 –
I see they have glass front, how flexible are they?
Bruce, Linda, and Macy
Zoey RIP 1/20/19
1999 U295 40' build #5400
2017 silver Jeep Wrangler, 1260 watts of solar on top
Moving around the country

Re: Solar parts list and method used

Reply #5 –
Says semi flex and I believe it said approx 30 degrees across the length

Re: Solar parts list and method used

Reply #6 –
Quote from: Tim –
Looks good. I plan on:

- Three 320W solar panels from eBay
- 7KWH of Lithium. That's 16 130AH LIFEPO4 batteries running at 48 volts
- 48 volt solar MPPT charger
- 48 volt to 120VAC pure sine wave inverter / charger
- 48 volt to 12VDC charger.
 - The 12VDC house voltage may come from a small 30AH LIFEPO4 pack.

You cannot have too much solar power. A very general rule is one watt for one amp hour of battery capacity. While you can draw lithium down pretty far and charge faster, there will be days when your panels will not produce enough to charge your batteries completely. It does depend on your daily usage, but the more solar the better. With a good  mppt controller, your batteries will charge faster with more panels. When the batteries are fully charged, the controller will curtail the charge
and no harm will be done. With over 2000 ah's, a discharged battery bank [say several days with little or no sun] can take as much solar as the controller can give it, [up to the controllers limit].
Personally I would max out on panels. On my second foretravel, I had 1200 watts solar and 900 ah's of battery, and sometimes wished I had 2000 watts of solar.
Have found if you leave an air space between roof and panels, heat transfer is not
a big problem.

Jim C.
coachfree, previous 1997, 1999, 2000, and 2003 Foretravels.

Re: Solar parts list and method used

Reply #7 –
The panels sound like a good deal.
Bruce, Linda, and Macy
Zoey RIP 1/20/19
1999 U295 40' build #5400
2017 silver Jeep Wrangler, 1260 watts of solar on top
Moving around the country

Re: Solar parts list and method used

Reply #9 –
You can pick up at their store. Skip shipping..

Re: Solar parts list and method used

Reply #10 –
Did you verify that they have them at that t location and that they will allow local pick up without an exorbitant handling charge? Only about 50 miles from our location! If so, that does sound like a killer deal for a US made panel. I wonder how they came to be without frames... factory 'B' stock? At almost 6 feet long and nearly 40" wide, I am not sure you would find enough unobstructed room on the top of the coach for 5 or more of those, but I would recommend taking some cardboard and cutting it to that size to assess placement of the panels.
Don
Quote from: DavidS –
You can pick up at their store. Skip shipping..
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Don & Tys
1999 U270 3602 WTFE #5402
Xtreme Stage 1 w/Headlight, Step Conversion, etc.
2009 Honda Fit Sport with Navi
Freedom is NOT "just another word for nothing left to lose"... with apologies to Kris Kristofferson

Re: Solar parts list and method used

Reply #12 –
Local pick up is available . Taxes would be collected at that point but cheaper than shipping. I'll call when I am back in town to see if any other fees involved. I have a friend that lives close to them who will pick them up for me.

Re: Solar parts list and method used

Reply #13 –
I called them yesterday and only tax would be added for local pickup He said the high shipping cost was because of the 77 1/2" x 39" size and protecting them while being shipped.
1999 40 ft. U-320 wtfe build 5563 Chuck & Lynda's "Rollin' Inn"  2030 watts solar
prev. mh's 71 GMC 5 yrs. 73 Pace Setter 1 yr. 78 Vogue 5 yrs 81 FTX 40ft all electric 18 yrs. 1996 Monaco Signature 3 yrs.
2014 Grand Cherokee Overland
Dream as if you will live forever. Live as if you will die today.  James Dean

Re: Solar parts list and method used

Reply #14 –
X2 on what Don said. I have 2 420 watt panels 96 cell. I could maybe get 2 more up there but there would be no room to safely get on the roof to service AC's and so on.
Bruce, Linda, and Macy
Zoey RIP 1/20/19
1999 U295 40' build #5400
2017 silver Jeep Wrangler, 1260 watts of solar on top
Moving around the country

Re: Solar parts list and method used

Reply #15 –
Yes tax is collected .. mounting might be an issue but for the price I am sure I can work around. Can't drill through for what I was thinking but I have other ideas

Re: Solar parts list and method used

Reply #16 –
Remember that any shade on a panel kills its output.  That really limits placement on much of the roof.
Regards,
Brett

'99 42' Foretravel Xtreme
'14 Brown Motorsports Stacker
'05 Chevy SSR
'02 BMW R1150R

Re: Solar parts list and method used

Reply #17 –
I just put four down in the space available. It was very tight but I only had to remove the rear radio antenna and turn the TV antenna 90 degrees for storage. They work fine if one or two are shaded, the wattage just drops off a little. I could have put additional smaller panels up there but wanted to keep space to walk. Tight as it is. I installed backerboard to keep fire possibility down behind the controller where the welding cables came up from the house batteries. Remember to keep the voltage down at least 20% from the controller max to allow for higher voltages on sub-freezing mornings when you plan the installation. I went with a series/parallel configuration with about 72 volts rather than 144 volts in a series installation. Midnite recommended this. Still enough to give you a good shock. Panels are an inch or so off the roof but not for interior heating consideration. The panels produce more wattage the cooler they are. Used flex electrical PVC to route wiring between panes as to avoid direct sunlight.
Pierce and Gaylie Stewart
'93 U300/36 WTBI
Detroit 6V-92TA Jake
1140 watts on the roof
SBFD (ret)