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11-20-2014, 03:31 PM
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#21
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Port Angeles, Washington
Trailer: 2014 19'
Posts: 534
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Quote:
Originally Posted by hotfishtacos
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How about an 'elbow' in the back supports so you could push/pull it up/down with a broom stick with a pin in it? Or spring load it like a car hood?
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11-20-2014, 03:37 PM
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#22
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Seattle, Washington
Trailer: 2015 17B Sold 5/2016
Posts: 343
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rbryan4
You make, I'll buy it Steve...but it needs a swivel and locking mechanism....lol
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And be motorized, I'm no Peter Pan.
__________________
Pat
Life is Good
When "Escaping Reality" Sold 5/2016
2012 4Runner
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11-20-2014, 03:52 PM
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#23
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Burlington, Vermont
Trailer: 2014 17b/ 2012 Chevy Colorado
Posts: 736
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I just took delivery of the optional angle brackets offered by Go Power for their 160w panel. At first glance I am disappointed. It appears that at the very least you will have to access the roof and install 4 butterfly nuts each time you want to change the position of the panel. Worse case is that the mounting brackets must be taken off entirely with 8 bolts each time it is moved. TC Monday to discuss.
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11-20-2014, 04:00 PM
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#24
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Burlington, Vermont
Trailer: 2014 17b/ 2012 Chevy Colorado
Posts: 736
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11-20-2014, 04:06 PM
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#25
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Kelowna, British Columbia
Trailer: 2008 Escape 17b
Posts: 1,868
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rbryan4
I asked this in the following thread, post #21. Don't know of any that are out there.
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Yes, you did... but like a lawyer, questions often get asked until the desired answer is given. :
Often, members joining a thread only go back 3 or 4 posts. I'm tapping the minds of those just joining the thread.
On my 17' Escape I should be able to stand on the bumper to rotate any panel if necessary.
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11-20-2014, 05:33 PM
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#26
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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: 4,234
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__________________
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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11-20-2014, 05:36 PM
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#27
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Port Angeles, Washington
Trailer: 2014 19'
Posts: 534
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Quote:
Originally Posted by thoer
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Made of wood, easy to nail to the roof
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11-20-2014, 05:52 PM
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#28
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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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Quote:
Originally Posted by J Mac
Yes, you did... but like a lawyer, questions often get asked until the desired answer is given. :
Often, members joining a thread only go back 3 or 4 posts. I'm tapping the minds of those just joining the thread.
On my 17' Escape I should be able to stand on the bumper to rotate any panel if necessary.
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I know, I was just mentioning that it had been asked before. Someone design one!
__________________
"You can't buy happiness, but you can buy an RV. And that is pretty close."
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11-20-2014, 06:14 PM
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#29
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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 rbryan4
You make, I'll buy it Steve...but it needs a swivel and locking mechanism....lol
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I think that was Steve's point: it doesn't need a swivel, if you use two of them at right angles - Robert, I suppose that you realize this and are just teasing Steve. In reference to the trailer, one tilts left/right, that carries another bracket that tilts forward/rearward. It does seem like a lot of hardware, and in the worst case (winter, south off one corner of the trailer) the panel will be tilted way up standing diagonally on a corner.
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11-20-2014, 06:14 PM
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#30
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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 hotfishtacos
Mike, sun angle will surely affect the output of your panels but shadowing will have a huge impact. Look to be sure you are not casting shadows from the Maxifan, AC or TV antenna on your panels. Even small shadows have a big impact. I raised my panels 3 inches for this reason and I live in southern CA.
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I think this is a good point - low sun angle will make shadowing problems much worse.
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11-20-2014, 06:38 PM
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#31
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Santa Rosa County, Florida
Trailer: 2014 Escape 21 Tow: 2024 Toyota Tundra
Posts: 3,107
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I was conducting what I considered to be a realistic test, given that I can't always control my surroundings when camping. So although I parked the trailer in an east-west orientation to maximize sunlight on the panels, there is a small tree south of it that would occasionally cast a shadow, something I could expect at many campsites. Also, both Escape and AM Solar took pains to position their solar panels as well away from rooftop obstructions as practicable; the AM Solar panel is at the rear of the trailer. So I consider my results to be typical of what one would expect when dry camping this time of year.
__________________
Mike Lewis
She don't lie, she don't lie, she don't lie-- propane
Photos and travelogues here: mikelewisimages.com
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11-21-2014, 10:11 AM
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#32
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Winnipeg, Manitoba
Trailer: 2015 5.0TA, Toyota Tundra CrewMax
Posts: 684
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Here are some ideas that may get the wheels turning.
I would think many of the wooden ones could be adapted to aluminum for weight considerations.
__________________
Lyle
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11-21-2014, 10:35 AM
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#33
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Kelowna, British Columbia
Trailer: 2008 Escape 17b
Posts: 1,868
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Quote:
Originally Posted by iamunique127
Here are some ideas that may get the wheels turning.
I would think many of the wooden ones could be adapted to aluminum for weight considerations.
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This is exactly what I was looking for. Good work!
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11-22-2014, 07:50 AM
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#34
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Burlington, Vermont
Trailer: 2014 17b/ 2012 Chevy Colorado
Posts: 736
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The Go Power unit is attached on the rear of the 17b at four corners. What about a simple 2x4 brace notched at the panel end to accept the square edge of the panel with the other end held in place by the cowling of the AC unit set in the roof just a few inches forward of the solar panel? Wouldn't withstand much wind but it sure is simple, and unlike what I purchased, easy to use.
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11-22-2014, 09:16 AM
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#35
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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: 4,234
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It would be really cool to see someone commercialize a durable version of a tracking mount something like this one: Solar Tracker
Folding flat and securely on the roof would be another problem to solve, but something like that should be able to work well with portable units.
__________________
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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11-22-2014, 10:12 AM
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#36
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Ventura County, California
Trailer: 2015 Escape 17A
Posts: 2,348
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How about a portable panel mounted on an arduino robot; set it on the ground, and it follows the sun around.
I think this may be my after-Christmas project.
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11-22-2014, 10:22 AM
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#37
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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: 4,234
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dfandrews
How about a portable panel mounted on an arduino robot; set it on the ground, and it follows the sun around.
I think this may be my after-Christmas project.
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Great idea. I had been thinking about a robotics contest our local technical college used to run. One of the high school classes I used to teach, participated in it and it was a great experience for the kids. The college supplied us with some simple robotics building and programing kits and set up a new challenge each year.
A solar panel tracking mount project like this would be a great one for college engineering programs to work on solving. (I may get in trouble again for thread drift now)
__________________
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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11-22-2014, 10:33 AM
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#38
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Ventura County, California
Trailer: 2015 Escape 17A
Posts: 2,348
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ON theme: Solar in winter
Quote:
Originally Posted by thoer
A solar panel tracking mount project like this would be a great one for college engineering programs to work on solving. (I may get in trouble again for thread drift now)
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Eric,
No thread drift here. It could be a tracked robot, for snow or wet ground conditions. With arduino, there is memory for time-of-day and location solar angles, so you just punch in latitude. Sensor input is just to keep you out of the shade and not run into trees, or the Escape.
( I gotta stop thinking now; I've got too many projects already)
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11-22-2014, 11:01 AM
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#39
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Southwick, Massachusetts
Trailer: None, sold my 2014 5.0TA
Posts: 7,124
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If someone is industrious enough they might be able to adapt a Winegard Sensar mount for the purpose. From inside you can raise it from horizontal on the roof to vertical or anywhere in between, also rotates the full 360. Don't know if it'd handle a 30 lb panel in the wind but it's an idea.
__________________
Happy Motoring
Bob
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11-22-2014, 06:41 PM
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#40
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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 padlin
If someone is industrious enough they might be able to adapt a Winegard Sensar mount for the purpose. From inside you can raise it from horizontal on the roof to vertical or anywhere in between, also rotates the full 360. Don't know if it'd handle a 30 lb panel in the wind but it's an idea.
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I'm pretty sure that any significant wind would destroy that mechanism, but the same design (parallelogram linkage on a pivot) could be used for a folding panel mount. Interesting...
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