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12-19-2014, 06:05 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: North Van., British Columbia
Trailer: 2014 Escape 19, sold; 2019 Escape 21, Sept. 2019
Posts: 8,728
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Swiveling and rotating solar panel mount
OK, before anyone's tempted to get into a big debate about the usefulness of being able to rotate and tilt the panel let me say; I'm doing this because I enjoy tweaking the last milli volt out of the panel, not because it's something I think you have to do.
I've done this for years on boats and it's just second nature for me to twist and tilt without even having to think about it. I don't consider it a big effort to tweak it during the day. If I'm away it'll just get left in the default South facing tilt.
The plan is to mount this one on a collapseable pole on the front side of my tongue box. In the fully raised position it will clear the roof so no matter where the sun is I'll be able to get the optimum exposure. In a totally shaded situation I can still put a short tube on the mount and use it as a portable unit.
The 2" tube may look like overkill but in the flat "down" position it'll no doubt get a fair amount of buffeting and the 2" tube has a much higher torsion constant than 1 1/2".
It's an experiment, maybe it'll work or maybe it'll end up just mounted on the roof. Time will tell.
Ron
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12-19-2014, 06:10 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Galesville, Wisconsin
Trailer: 2017 21 "Blue II" & 2017 Highlander XLE (previously 2010 17B "Blue" & 2008 Tacoma)
Posts: 4,232
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I like it - looks simple and efficient.
__________________
Eric (and Mary who is in no way responsible for anything stupid I post)
"Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance." George Bernard Shaw
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12-19-2014, 06:11 PM
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#3
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Site Team
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Canyon Lake, Texas
Trailer: 2015 19 "Past Tents", 2021 F150 Lariat 2.7L EB
Posts: 10,222
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Very cool.
__________________
"You can't buy happiness, but you can buy an RV. And that is pretty close."
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12-19-2014, 06:23 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2013
Location: ..., New Mexico
Trailer: 2013 Esc19/'14 Silvrado
Posts: 4,193
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I'll be the first to say wow, that is some kind of beautiful mount!
__________________
Myron
"A billion here, a billion there...add it all up and before you know it you're talking real money." Everett Dirkson
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12-19-2014, 06:28 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Portland, Oregon
Trailer: 2002 Escape 13'
Posts: 967
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Nice Job Ron! What is the size of the panel?
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12-19-2014, 06:28 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: North Van., British Columbia
Trailer: 2014 Escape 19, sold; 2019 Escape 21, Sept. 2019
Posts: 8,728
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Thanks, it's turning out OK and I'm happy with it. Just don't look at my disaster area cluttered work bench
Ron
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12-19-2014, 06:41 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Trailer: 2017 Escape 5.0 TA
Posts: 15,528
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Great job on that, Ron. That is not clutter, that is where things happen.
__________________
2017 Escape 5.0 TA
2015 Ford F150 Lariat 3.5L EcoBoost
2009 Escape 19 (previous)
“Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” — Abraham Lincoln
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12-19-2014, 07:01 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Ventura County, California
Trailer: 2015 Escape 17A
Posts: 2,344
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ron in BC
Thanks, it's turning out OK and I'm happy with it. Just don't look at my disaster area cluttered work bench
Ron
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Great job on that, Ron.
Could we have a materials list and a few basic dimensions. I've got a bare spot on My workbench that needs some residual clutter from a project like that. Thanks.
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12-19-2014, 07:08 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
Trailer: 1979 Boler B1700
Posts: 14,935
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ron in BC
OK, before anyone's tempted to get into a big debate about the usefulness of being able to rotate and tilt the panel let me say; I'm doing this because I enjoy tweaking the last milli volt out of the panel, not because it's something I think you have to do.
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Excellent reason!
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12-19-2014, 09:47 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: St.Albert, Alberta
Trailer: 21 ft November 17th
Posts: 847
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So is the plan to just lower the panel and have it live just above the front storage box area? Or have it removable for towing ?
__________________
MacRae, 21ft
2016 GMC Yukon SLT
St.Albert Alberta
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12-19-2014, 09:54 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Winnipeg, Manitoba
Trailer: 2015 5.0TA, Toyota Tundra CrewMax
Posts: 553
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MyronL
I'll be the first to say wow, that is some kind of beautiful mount!
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Well said, Longmire.
Quote:
Originally Posted by dfandrews
Great job on that, Ron.
Could we have a materials list and a few basic dimensions. I've got a bare spot on My workbench that needs some residual clutter from a project like that. Thanks.
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I'm sure a few of us would appreciate some more info in the build and the panel.
__________________
Lyle
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12-19-2014, 09:58 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: North Vancouver, British Columbia
Trailer: 2009 Escape 17B 2020 Toyota Highlander XLE
Posts: 17,136
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And the weight.
__________________
What happens to the hole when the cheese is gone?
- Bertolt Brecht
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12-19-2014, 10:28 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
Trailer: 1979 Boler B1700
Posts: 14,935
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dave macrae
So is the plan to just lower the panel and have it live just above the front storage box area? Or have it removable for towing ?
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I'm wondering about the same thing. Down that low and horizontal wouldn't the corners hit the tug in sharp turns? Detailed dimension checks could be critical.
An alternative would be to stow the panel vertically in transit, with the panel facing rearward and sitting just above the front of the storage box.
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12-20-2014, 12:26 AM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: North Van., British Columbia
Trailer: 2014 Escape 19, sold; 2019 Escape 21, Sept. 2019
Posts: 8,728
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Yes, I'm hoping the travel position will be lowered, flat and just high enough that I can open the tongue box lid. It would then still be operable while underway. I've checked clearances etc. and that aspect should be OK. The only unknown is the effect of buffeting so I'll be pretty conservative until I see if there are any negative effects.
Ron
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12-20-2014, 12:40 AM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Ventura County, California
Trailer: 2015 Escape 17A
Posts: 2,344
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Ron,
The pieces with the curved slots: did you fabricate those, or find them ready-made. The rest is light gauge steel or aluminum, so they're easy.
But that one.....
I've got a drill press and an X-Y table, but don't see an easy way to fab. it.
It would be like drawing a circle on an etch-a-sketch.
Thanks for any info you can pass along.
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12-20-2014, 10:36 AM
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#16
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Comox, British Columbia
Trailer: 5.0 TA #9
Posts: 226
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Your adjustable panel mount looks great.
Possibly I can make something similar, for the bumper of my 5TA. Detachable and collapsible.
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12-20-2014, 12:09 PM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: North Van., British Columbia
Trailer: 2014 Escape 19, sold; 2019 Escape 21, Sept. 2019
Posts: 8,728
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dfandrews
Ron,
The pieces with the curved slots: did you fabricate those, or find them ready-made. The rest is light gauge steel or aluminum, so they're easy.
But that one.....
I've got a drill press and an X-Y table, but don't see an easy way to fab. it.
It would be like drawing a circle on an etch-a-sketch.
Thanks for any info you can pass along.
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I usually take photos of everything in progress but I didn't this time
Briefly, I have a friend with a machine shop who could have whipped these out for me or I could have borrowed a rotary table from him and used it on my milling machine. But I wanted to see if I could figure out a way to do it myself.
I mounted the aluminum plate on a piece of plywood the same width and about 3' long. A bolt went through the pivot hole in the plate, through the plywood (which I used as a lever arm for control) and into a block of wood clamped in the milling vice. Oh, what the heck, I'll go take some mocked up photos that'll make it clearer
The thing that allows for this crude use is the milling cutter is called a hogging mill and it works very well in aluminum. I wouldn't try this crude process with steel. If you want to use your drill press and the X-Y table using a hogging mill would probably give better results.
The quadrant isn't really necessary unless you want to do it as an exercise A bar with holes every 1" would do the same. The quadrant just gives a bit more adjustability.
Ron
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12-20-2014, 01:27 PM
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#18
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Ventura County, California
Trailer: 2015 Escape 17A
Posts: 2,344
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ron in BC
I mounted the aluminum plate on a piece of plywood the same width and about 3' long. A bolt went through the pivot hole in the plate, through the plywood (which I used as a lever arm for control) and into a block of wood clamped in the milling vice. (*)
Ron
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Ron,
Right (*) is where I said, "Duh!" I shouldda thought of that.
Perfect. Thanks for the description. And the long lever arm for control is the safe path.
I think the slotted adjustment is the much preferred way, rather that a series of holes.
It's quicker to adjust where you want, and there's no chance of bolts/nuts lost in the dirt.
Thanks again.
Don
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12-20-2014, 02:58 PM
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#19
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
Trailer: 1979 Boler B1700
Posts: 14,935
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dfandrews
The pieces with the curved slots: did you fabricate those, or find them ready-made. The rest is light gauge steel or aluminum, so they're easy.
But that one.....
I've got a drill press and an X-Y table, but don't see an easy way to fab. it.
It would be like drawing a circle on an etch-a-sketch.
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- Draw pattern on sheet
- Cut with jigsaw
- Sand rough edges
Not as slick as a CNC machine, but it would work.
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12-20-2014, 03:02 PM
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#20
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
Trailer: 1979 Boler B1700
Posts: 14,935
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ron in BC
I mounted the aluminum plate on a piece of plywood the same width and about 3' long. A bolt went through the pivot hole in the plate, through the plywood (which I used as a lever arm for control) and into a block of wood clamped in the milling vice.
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Good thinking, and great description.
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