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Old 07-08-2014, 09:58 AM   #41
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Hudsoncamp View Post
I haven't even seen it in person yet, but here's a photo of my SolarFlex installation. One 100 watt and two 30 panels. With limited room on our 19', it fit pretty well. Looks good, now I just hope it actually works!
Looks great! How about some more pics!

I didn't notice these past post questions before. Sorry I missed them. The 3M VHB tape I used was 4941. This is what Lewster recommended I remember it being 1/2" wide.

I let the tape setup for about a week, then went over the edges of the panels and mounting holes with sikaflex 221. Mostly to keep water from getting behind the panels and getting stuck there. Between the tape and sikaflex, these panel's aren't going anywhere. Even if I need them to!

Articfox - Get a couple of pieces of cardboard sized at 21"x42" and lay them in different configurations on your roof. Be mindful of items casting shadows when you do this step. You will quickly be able to determine the number of panels and their orientation this way. If you are mechanically inclined with hardware mounting and wiring, you should be fine doing it yourself.

Landrum - I have not tested how much a panel needs to be shaded to drastically reduce its output. I opted for more panels which cover the majority of my roof to make up for incidental shading. Just don't mount your panels butt up against a vent or air conditioner which will cast a shadow most of the day.

I conducted a very unscientific heat test on a 98 degree day we had a couple weeks ago.

For the base line, the most power I pulled from my 400w panels was about 20.5 amps when in full sun and running my microwave with the inverter. This was on a normal 80F day.

During the test, the outdoor temp in the shade was 98F. The panel surface on the solar read 159F with my IR temp gun (The photo shows 153F, but I did grab a 159F reading). I ran the inverter again and pulled around 18.5 amps from the panels.

So in full heat, the panels dropped in efficiency by 10%. For me, it's worth it for all the other benefits the flex panels offer.

The traditional panels would likely drop in efficiency as well. I'd like someone to post results of a similar real-world test.
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Old 07-08-2014, 07:21 PM   #42
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A few more pix. Click image for larger version

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Old 07-09-2014, 11:38 AM   #43
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Pleased to see this thread has been getting some input and opinion.

For my part, the project has been on the backburner for a year for personal and health reason, but things should be moving again soon!

I did end up making a couple of purchases last year, which I plan to build on.

A 32w Uni-Solar flexible panel was bought at a good price on Ebay..



I use it for a couple of days per month to keep the house batteries topped up, but have been too worried to leave it for longer without a controller...

Does this panel have a blocking diode inbuilt???

We also got a Bogart Engineering battery monitor 2015rv and shunt for future installation..
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Old 07-13-2014, 10:18 AM   #44
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By the photo of the panel specs, it says "min blocking/bypass diode" 4 A, so I think there is no diode there but if you put one in, it should be 4 A. You usually can see if there is any diode in the wiring box of the panel. It would be a black cylinder with one tapered end, about half inch long and quarter inch in diameter, wires on each end.

You will like the Tri Metric battery monitor a lot when you get it installed and set up. Set up can be a bit tricky (programing that is), but once done it is a great device.
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Old 07-13-2014, 12:00 PM   #45
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The unisolar panel has a blocking diode between each cell. your panel has 11 cells so there should be 11 diodes. You should be able to see a small bump in the surface of the panel adjacent to each cell. I am sure it is visible in your photo of the panel in the right hand border where the two cells almost touch.

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Old 07-27-2014, 09:20 AM   #46
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Flexible Solar panels... Opinions?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Hudsoncamp View Post
I haven't even seen it in person yet, but here's a photo of my SolarFlex installation. One 100 watt and two 30 panels. With limited room on our 19', it fit pretty well. Looks good, now I just hope it actually works!
Attachment 215940


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Hudsoncamp,
How did your SolarFlex panels work out in the Adirondacks? We have similar rooftop space and we will be utilizing 2000i Generator during upcoming 2 weeks w/o hook ups. We are just beginning to research solar units for potential "added energy resource" next year. We have factory installed solar pre wire & right now unsure of best unit for our needs.


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Old 07-27-2014, 09:52 AM   #47
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I'll chime in before Hudsoncamp. We just came back from a week traveling in Oregon with our SolarFlex. I kept my converter turned off the entire time.

The 400w panels served us very well. We were on the coast most of the time in overcast and fog and were never lacking for power. We even used or 2000w inverter to run the microwave in rest areas at lunch stops.

Even in central Oregon when the temps got well over 100F the solar worked just fine. We were parked between two shade trees and the sun fully charged our 200aH worth of batteries as it rose above the trees. And this was a 102F day! Heat was not an issue for our solar that day.

I did a short blog post about our first few days of solar.

We also talked about it a good deal on the latest VAP episode.

So far it's been great. I also want to hear Hudsoncamp's experience.
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Old 07-28-2014, 07:02 AM   #48
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We too had a great experience. Though our trip was shorter, and our system is for a total of 160 watts, we never lacked for power. It was cloudy the first day, and there was a lot of shade. I am going to replace our batteries though. They were purchased by the previous owner a few years ago and they clearly don't have the capacity they should.
I do find when picking campsites I'm now evaluating the amount of sun it should receive.
Here's a photo of the trailer in the wild. You can barely see the panels on the roof.
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Old 07-28-2014, 08:44 AM   #49
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Great wooded campsite...greatly appreciate the information on solar panels. Did you install ? Was your FC
already pre-wired for solar?


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Old 07-28-2014, 09:06 AM   #50
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I had my service guy do the install. I insisted he follow Safari Tim's process. VHB tape, a little Sikaflex bead around the edges, aluminum tape holding the wires down.

No holes except to get to the prewire just behind the forward vent. (Yes there was prewire)

I have 1 100 watt panel and 2 30s. The all connect with 3-to-1 branch connectors.

The install itself was about $700.


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Old 07-28-2014, 09:16 AM   #51
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Great information and have already viewed the installation video to assess what's involved. Was your decision to go with Flexible Solar panels primarily to avoid adding "potential leak points" to the roof?
The install ( labor costs) exclusive of all other materials?


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Old 07-28-2014, 12:55 PM   #52
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Great information here. I have just ordered the new Trimetric TM2030RV and the companion solar controller SC2030 from We Go Solar BC. Great people to do business with. I am considering 3 of the 100 watt flex panels and was wondering about using the prewire. Not sure if it is heavy enough?
Because we have the 25 FB, the fridge vent access doesn't help much for new wiring,as my electrics are on the opposite side, front. That was why I was hoping to use the factory prewire. Any thoughts/ help would be much appreciated.


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Old 07-28-2014, 01:07 PM   #53
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I am in the same boat as George. Wondering how to get a #6 wire from the roof top to the inside. The #10 isn't much good for anything over 100 watts.
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Old 07-28-2014, 01:30 PM   #54
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Just a suggestion not to get too hung up on wire gauge as a general set rule. It all really depends on your total current capacity and more importantly wire length.

I'm calculating on a 12v - 400w system.

Lets say your wire run length to your charge controller is 30 feet. Then, I agree, #6 should be used.

However, if your pre-wiring is shorter, maybe 15 feet. Then #10 is sufficient.

You'd be better off using the prewire if the length is much shorter.

The are calculator apps and websites out there to help you with this.
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Old 07-28-2014, 01:42 PM   #55
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Thanks Tim. I just noticed that Bogart Engineering has kindly included a wire gauge/ length chart in the instructions for the SC2030 that I was reading over before my unit arrives


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Old 07-28-2014, 01:53 PM   #56
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I use an app called Circuit Wizard by Blue Sea on my iPhone. Works pretty good. You can add in all sorts of options.


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Old 07-28-2014, 02:05 PM   #57
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I just ordered the 80W portable solar Go Power unit from Amazon which comes with everything and is water resistant. After talking with several service techs. from AS and a couple folks who own these also, seems it will do the job...was leaning toward the 120W unit, but seems the 80W will charge the batteries in few hours and I can use existing wiring with 1000W inverter that came with our unit. Other advantage is ability to move these panels to sunlight while camping...will let you know if this is enough battery...I don't need air conditioning in MT, so just using for TV, coffee pot, and cell phone charging. Had a much larger "permanent" panel on my last AS...when I sold the AS, solar went also...thus the thought on portable.
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Old 07-28-2014, 02:20 PM   #58
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Zamp has a nice foldable unit. Let me know if you like as we have a spare... got the solar option on the new EB.
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Old 07-28-2014, 02:25 PM   #59
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Another thought I had after talking with both Ralph Hiesey ( Bogart Engineering) and Robert Shearer ( Handy Bob's Solar Blog) was to try a combination of permanent and portable by installing both the battery monitor and solar charger in their proper places and having a quick disconnect ( polarized connectors for safety) at the battery box for the solar panel/panels which could theoretically be on a stand or on the canopy of my truck which could then be positioned in the sun, and I don't have the routing problem with the FB.
Also If we ever get one- foot- itus again we could take all the equipment with us.


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Old 07-29-2014, 06:33 AM   #60
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Quote:
Originally Posted by FCloud9 View Post
Great information and have already viewed the installation video to assess what's involved. Was your decision to go with Flexible Solar panels primarily to avoid adding "potential leak points" to the roof?
The install ( labor costs) exclusive of all other materials?


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The choice of flexible panels was in part about drilling holes in the roof, but also weight, aerodynamics and aesthetics. It's less proven. I knew that going in. But it's not first generation and GoPower has been providing standard panels for RVs for a while, so I'm taking the chance.

The labor costs are excluding other materials. The branch connectors and one set of extension cables added less than $100. Plus the tape and Sikaflex. Not much altogether.

In nearly full sun I was pulling between 8 and 9 amps, with 160 watts of panels.


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