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Old 09-06-2017, 08:25 PM   #21
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Yes, I use two portables as well .Those metal brackets Pushing through the roof and all that silicone are Ugly...
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Old 09-06-2017, 11:00 PM   #22
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I was really surprised to discover how much difference the change of seasons made on output from my rooftop solar panels. To me that's one more reason to supplement a rooftop system with a portable panel. In the winter you could aim the portable panel directly at the sun and get a lot more output than from a similarly-sized rooftop panel.

Also, the rooftop panels are not entirely maintenance-free: you need to clean them.
I agree. I only have one 100 watt panel. But I can tilt and pivot it and "follow" the sun. In January, when the sun's low, it really makes a difference. In the morning my panel is pointing to the left of the low hill in the background. During the day I give it a few tweaks. Not much effort when you're used to doing it as a matter of habit. Works well for me and gives me everything I need but I'm not using my furnace.

My panel is always visible, even in the low position. It gets filthy pretty quickly and I clean it frequently. I sometimes wonder how many rooftop installations are cleaned often for maximum output.

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Old 09-06-2017, 11:30 PM   #23
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Ron- you need to put a clock drive on that thing.
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Old 09-06-2017, 11:49 PM   #24
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Ron- you need to put a clock drive on that thing.
No, but I've considered an equatorial mount. A friend put one on his solar panel. Yup, that would be the ultimate in solar optimization.

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Old 09-07-2017, 12:23 AM   #25
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I guess a person could bring the battery and the portable panel in the truck for the day and then relay the charged battery to the trailer when back at the camp site... couldn't you?
Have you ever tried lifting one of those batteries, they are "fairly" heavy!!
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Old 09-07-2017, 12:31 AM   #26
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If you have the money, there would be an advantage to having both. The roof top panel, providing it is the right weather, is always on and charging and you don't need to set it up. Yes, you do need to ensure that you have the right kind of site and heavily treed sites are an issue and to be honest, my wife and I hate being hemmed in by trees and much prefer an open site anyway. The portable has to be stored somewhere, schlepped around and set up. The sheer convenience of the rooftop is so much easier and IMHO wins.
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Old 09-07-2017, 09:16 AM   #27
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Have you ever tried lifting one of those batteries, they are "fairly" heavy!!
Why lift it? Just run jumper cables to the trailer battery. Wouldn't that work?
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Old 09-07-2017, 10:40 AM   #28
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Why lift it? Just run jumper cables to the trailer battery. Wouldn't that work?
I think your suggestion was that you bring a battery with you in your truck as you go out for a day and charge it with your portable solar panel.

Just seems to much hassle to me.
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Old 09-07-2017, 11:23 AM   #29
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IThe portable has to be stored somewhere, schlepped around and set up. The sheer convenience of the rooftop is so much easier and IMHO wins.
Although the semi-flexible, very light weight panels are a bit of a game changer. They're very easy to handle and use as a portable panel.

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Old 09-07-2017, 11:54 AM   #30
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I went with a portable setup for many of the reasons mentioned already; you can move it around to maximize solar collection, easy to clean, lightweight, no aerodynamic concerns during travel, and doesn't spoil the clean roofline aesthetic.

This portable is a flexible folding 100W unit which weighs under 5 lbs and stores in our 19 against the fridge wall - it slides between the mattress and the wall very nicely. There is an 80W flexible panel I found later that will fit in this same location and if I was starting over I'd get two of those instead.

I installed a small PWM solar controller inside of the battery box and also attached a small 7.5W panel to the top of the battery box to keep the battery charged up when we're not out camping.
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Old 09-07-2017, 12:16 PM   #31
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This portable is a flexible folding 100W unit which weighs under 5 lbs and stores in our 19 against the fridge wall - it slides between the mattress and the wall very nicely. There is an 80W flexible panel I found later that will fit in this same location and if I was starting over I'd get two of those instead.
Nice setup. Can you provide the make of the solar panels and charge controller you used?
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Old 09-07-2017, 12:39 PM   #32
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I think your suggestion was that you bring a battery with you in your truck as you go out for a day and charge it with your portable solar panel.

Just seems to much hassle to me.
that was the original suggestion but now I'm wondering, since that suggestion seems like too much of a hassle, why not leave a battery in the tow vehicle, attach a portable solar panel to the tow and park. Upon returning to the camp site, a tether could connect the newly charged battery to the trailer.
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Old 09-07-2017, 09:12 PM   #33
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Nice setup. Can you provide the make of the solar panels and charge controller you used?
Thanks. The folding panel is Elfeland (ebay).

Elfeland 100W Portable Folding Solar Panel Battery Charger For Home RV Boat Car | eBay

The solar controller is Anself (Amazon) but I think the same controller is sold under multiple brands.

https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B01EKXPHFA/...290_TE_3p_dp_1
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Old 09-08-2017, 11:11 PM   #34
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My vote is for roof panels
I still have my 100w portable that i used before I got the escape but have never taken it with me.
If i go somewhere during the winter months I will think about taking it based on answers others have given.
We have never run out of power but i know that the heater in cold weather could kill the batteries in 3 days



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Old 09-12-2017, 08:54 PM   #35
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Portable. Recent 3 month trip to Alaska with my 120 watt Go Power panel connected to my 7 pin (sometimes using a 30 ft extension) gave me considerable flexibility. Keeps the top of my 2017 19 simpler. It folds small with nice case. Plus if the weather is bad, u don't have ur panels sitting out there very exposed.
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Old 09-12-2017, 10:03 PM   #36
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Okay, portable panel people-- how do you connect your panel to your battery? Connecting via the 7-pin plug would mean the charge would have to go a long way in an Escape 21. There must be a more direct route.
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Old 09-12-2017, 10:21 PM   #37
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Okay, portable panel people-- how do you connect your panel to your battery? Connecting via the 7-pin plug would mean the charge would have to go a long way in an Escape 21. There must be a more direct route.
I wired up a duplex 6 gauge wire to the battery via a charge controller in the storage box on our 19. I have an anderson plug on the tounge of the trailer by the propane bottles that I can connect my 40 foot 6 gauge silicone (very flexible) duplex cable to. I have the same kind of connector on my Renogy 100 watt portable suitcase panel. I actually have the charge controller set up with anderson connectors so I can remove it. I can then hook those wires togeather in the box which makes the plug outside go directly to the battery in case I want to hook a charger run off my generator. I also have been thinking of running the same kind of wire to the battery in the tow vehicle to reduce voltage drop form the TV alternator. I could hook that wire directly to the connector on my tounge. I really like the Artic flex wire (I get it in Alaska) see picture.
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Old 09-12-2017, 10:45 PM   #38
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We are having Escape install a Zamp solar port through the wall of our storage box (dual 6 volts inside box). I will plug my Renogy portable 60 watt unit (with controller) into the Zamp port. As a backup plan, we also just asked Escape to prewire for a rooftop panel.
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Old 09-13-2017, 09:06 AM   #39
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With a Go Power kit u get several adapters: battery clips, Zamp connector etc. The 7 pin is optional and costs about $40. After talking with Escape we decided the 7 pin was the best way on a 19 as the wiring is heavier than one gets with the Zamp solar plug (although certainly a viable option) and it is a "port" that already exists-one less hole in the fiberglass.
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Old 09-13-2017, 09:13 AM   #40
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Here's my portable solar (2 ea. booked 50watt) connections, next to the batteries inside my tongue box.
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