Portable Solar Panel

[WillyB]

We're considering adding a portable solar panel to our kit and wanted to get your thoughts on this Renogy 100 watt with controller. It's $165 right now.

Our 2022 21C has the factory roof mount solar panel with the victron controller. Is this as simple as clipping it to the batteries (not to the victron)? If you think I can order the one with no controller and connect it to the viltron let me know.

FYI, I am the 220/221 type of electrical engineer.

https://www.renogy.com/100-watt-12-v...-with-voyager/

[Treblemaker]

We have that same suitcase solar which we use to supplement our 150w panel on our 2015. We added a zamp port ( ours was not equipped with that option) and a connection from the zamp port to the battery. Ours is the Renogy with a controller. We keep a 10’ and 20’ cable to connect with. It has been more than enough for our needs. Also, you will need an adapter or wire your zamp port to match the Renogy (reversed from what Zamp does.)

[WillyB]

Thanks fellow Missourian!

Is it too heavy/cumbersome?

[Sean Murry]

Originally Posted by WillyB

Thanks fellow Missourian!

Is it too heavy/cumbersome?

for us it is not an issue. Not too heavy and they fold up so they don't take a lot of space.

[Sean Murry]

for our 2019 the Zamp port was an option. I think the 2022 models had the Zamp port as standard, but I could be wrong

[Treblemaker]

Not too heavy-I am a nearly 70 year old and sadly not buff grandma and I load/unload it easily!

[Perry Butler]

In 2019, only 3 months after receiving our 5.0, we quickly realized we needed portable solar to augment the single 170 watt panel on our roof. The best portable at the time for us seemed to be the Renogy 100 watt.

I'd read enough about line loss, so passed on the controller at the panel. I installed a Zamp port and reversed the polarity by wrapping the red Zamp wire with black tape and the black Zamp wire with red tape. I then color-code wired it to it's own Victron 100/20 controller (The 170 watt ETI panel connected to its own GoPower controller).

We've seen over 110 watts many times in Feb/March in Arizona with a max of 119 watts. I doubt you'll ever see that kind of production with the controller mounted to the panel (the lower the voltage the higher the line loss). I purchased three 15' Zamp extension 10 awg cables and always seem to need at least 30', using 45' quite often as well.

We chose to have Victron equipment in our trailers. The 600 watts of 24v panels goes into a 100/50 Victron controller, the 100 watt panel into a Victron 100/20 controller, and a Victron BMV 712 shunt to accurately estimate our remaining amps, and coordinate the the two solar controllers. We didn't need a DC-DC controller in our 5.0 (4 winters), nor in our Bigfoot (1 winter), and personally feel it's overkill.

Despite having 600 watts on our current Bigfoot 25RQ, we still need the portable when in heavy shade. We kept the Renogy 100 watt portable and Victron controller when we sold the 5.0 (but left the properly wired Zamp port with the 5.0). Last winter when we only had 160 watts on the roof it was needed 75% of the days. Terry now uses a 12v CPAP every night, so now we have an additional 15 amps for our daily usage. This upcoming winter in Arizona/New Mexico, with cold nights, we'll need 60-75 amp production from our solar to keep up.

Food for thought,

Perry

[SageRpod]

Originally Posted by Perry Butler

...We've seen over 110 watts many times in Feb/March in Arizona with a max of 119 watts. I doubt you'll ever see that kind of production with the controller mounted to the panel (the lower the voltage the higher the line loss).
Perry

Well, I didn't realize it was a competition but, okay. Our 10amp PWM controller does just fine. Usually pulls in 9+amps on a sunny day so I believe that equates to a 100+ watts.

I did wire in a controller by-pass so I can plug into the Zamp port if needed.

[Sean Murry]

Originally Posted by WillyB

We're considering adding a portable solar panel to our kit and wanted to get your thoughts on this Renogy 100 watt with controller. It's $165 right now.

Our 2022 21C has the factory roof mount solar panel with the victron controller. Is this as simple as clipping it to the batteries (not to the victron)? If you think I can order the one with no controller and connect it to the viltron let me know.

FYI, I am the 220/221 type of electrical engineer.

https://www.renogy.com/100-watt-12-v...-with-voyager/

We did have a zamp port installed by Escape. We have 2x100W Renogy suitcase panels without the controller, as they go directly into the solar controller already installed there is no need for the portable panels to have a controller.
We did require a reverse polarity adaptor to make the Renogy panels suitable for use with the Zamp port, a very simple and inexpensive adaptor.

With our 190W roof top and the 2x100w portables we have lots of solar power. Without the portables we did find the rooftop wasn't enough in many situations. Either the trailer was shaded or the sun a bit too low in the sky. The portables allow us to chase the sun

[SageRpod]

We have a 130watt GoPower portable solar kit with controller. I chose to wire directly to our batteries and skip the Zamp port since it also went through our onboard Victron controller. The kit isn't that heavy and we have only had to use once when parked deep in some trees. Otherwise the two 190watt rooftop panels pull in plenty of power.

[Sean Murry]

When we plugged in the wires and adaptor from the portable panels to the zamp port, I felt there was a bit of strain on the connections, with the weight of the wires from the portable panels pulling it down, so I got this little gizmo to prop up the wires as the come into the zamp port, relieving the stress on the connection. Works really well

https://www.amazon.ca/Fishing-Tripod...C2PNDGWM&psc=1

[Rossue]

I have a Renogy 100W Suitcase w/o controlller. It is reverse wired for a Zamp port and includes 15" of cable. We've used it twice and is in new condition.

Local pickup only.

[Chama]

In our 2019 21C we also use a Renogy 100 watt protable w/o controller to supplement our rooftop 170 watt panel via a Zamp port installed by ETI & polarity reverser. We have covered storage for our trailer in winter so at the moment, our 300 AH litium battery is being charged by the 100 watt Renogy only since the roof panel is under cover. The Renogy panel has been good but as it is faced with glass. it is a bit heavy. The weight does help to keep it from being blown over by wind when deployed.
Chama

[WillyB]

Learning a bit here about the GoPower rooftop panel and Renogy portable panel have the same voltage specs.

I'm assuming adding the Renogy is as simple as wiring to my Victron controller?

Sounds too simple!

[marsman]

This is a very interesting thread and right along the lines of the mods I'm currently considering. Like Perry, I also have a single 170W roof-mounted panel on our 5.0

I also have been considering adding some portable solar panels; we had the Zamp port option installed on the 5.0 at the factory. Our Factory golf cart batteries are generally pretty good but last year we noticed on cloudier days or when the trailer was incorrectly oriented, we had trouble keeping our batteries topped up.

Another option I'm considering is purchasing a Solar Generator; for example, a Jackery 2000 Pro with portable Solar Panels and then using it to charge our batteries on days when they fail to top up.

For us, the pros of this solution also include being able to directly charge our electric bikes when we're boondocking and using the generator as backup power during our frequent power outages at the remote family cottage.

Opinions - comments on this solution? Has anyone tried this? Thanks

[DanK]

Originally Posted by marsman

This is a very interesting thread and right along the lines of the mods I'm currently considering. Like Perry, I also have a single 170W roof-mounted panel on our 5.0

I also have been considering adding some portable solar panels; we had the Zamp port option installed on the 5.0 at the factory. Our Factory golf cart batteries are generally pretty good but last year we noticed on cloudier days or when the trailer was incorrectly oriented, we had trouble keeping our batteries topped up.

Another option I'm considering is purchasing a Solar Generator; for example, a Jackery 2000 Pro with portable Solar Panels and then using it to charge our batteries on days when they fail to top up.

For us, the pros of this solution also include being able to directly charge our electric bikes when we're boondocking and using the generator as backup power during our frequent power outages at the remote family cottage.

Opinions - comments on this solution? Has anyone tried this? Thanks

As I understand "solar generators" are just a battery , inverter and solar panel in a nice package at a high price. Wouldn't it be better to upgrade your existing system with that money ?

[brroberts]

We have the GoPower 190 on the roof, and a Renology 200 watt portable. As long as the sun shines, we do well. When it’s cloudy and below freezing for several days, we can’t keep up.

[marsman]

Dank,

I know that the solar generators carry a small premium on price compared to upgrading the trailers power system, I eventually plan on doing so but for now I want to get my use out of the AGM batteries and controller that Escape installed; I paid for this system and so want to get some use out of it.

In the meantime Bluetti and Ecoflow have some really good Black Friday deals right now; example, Bluetti AC200 Max with 350 watt Bluetti folding solar panel for $3000 Cdn, all in delivered to my door. That's a 2048 wh system ( comparable to 170 amp hour battery at 12v) plus panels. Two 100 amp hour Battleborn batteries alone will currently cost me $2901 Cdn without any solar panels, controllers etc. The bonus is I have a generator for my cottage in the summer which experiences many outages and when I ever sell my trailer I get to keep that whole part of the solar system.

Alas, my question - I know that when plugging into a Honda generator there's an issue with the trailers power management system and the ground which you have to buy a part for. Does anyone know of a similar issue plugging into a solar generator? The one I'm considering has a 30amp RV style plugin. Thanks for the help

[Bayner]

I also have the Renogy 100W suitcase panel and it's been great. I have no complaints. It has good output for it's size, especially if you keep it well oriented during the day. Mine is wired through the factory solar controller (along with the rooftop panel).

[thoer]

Originally Posted by Bayner

I also have the Renogy 100W suitcase panel and it's been great. I have no complaints. It has good output for it's size, especially if you keep it well oriented during the day. Mine is wired through the factory solar controller (along with the rooftop panel).

Same here.

I know that on a full solar exposure days, that I would get more charge to the batteries with separate controllers since the panels are not identical sizes. But on full sun days I don't bother with pluging in the Renogy as we get plenty of charge with the rooftop alone. I use the Renogy when the rooftop is mostly shaded. I used trolling motor connectors as they are more designed for repeated usage.