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12-01-2014, 01:06 AM
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#141
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Solvang, California
Trailer: 2016 21' Escape (usetaowna a 19, a Burro and 2 Casitas)
Posts: 842
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Quote:
Originally Posted by hotfishtacos
Ron, Grape Solar in Oregon is selling through Amazon and I purchased my 160 watt panel for $248 delivered to my home in 2 days, free shipping with Amazon Prime.
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That kind of dough will buy a nice generator and a couple gas cans at Harbor Freight (with 20% off)!
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12-01-2014, 10:58 AM
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#142
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Portland, Oregon
Trailer: 2002 Escape 13'
Posts: 967
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12-01-2014, 11:25 AM
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#143
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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 Greggo
That kind of dough will buy a nice generator and a couple gas cans at Harbor Freight (with 20% off)!
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That's true and if one doesn't care about making a racket for their fellow campers to have to put up with then that is one way to go.
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12-01-2014, 11:38 AM
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#144
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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: 8,873
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And now in some campgrounds you get your own special section with the rest of the noise makers
Ron
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12-11-2014, 07:24 PM
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#145
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Portland, Oregon
Trailer: 2002 Escape 13'
Posts: 967
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I am happy to report that my three new adjustable solar panel mounts and my new 160 watt panel are now permanently installed and actively working on the roof of my 19' to supply my new Nova Kool refrigerator and other essential camping needs with 350 watts of power, pointed toward the sun for maximum performance. For my latitude today, this means 56 degrees of tilt up from flat. I have a picture of the three panels set at this angle.
My original intent was to develop a mount that would give me 360 degrees of adjustment but after a couple of prototypes I didn't like and then realizing that most boon-docking I do gives me some flexibility with trailer orientation I decided to make the mounts adjustable front to back only. This made the design stronger, simpler and lighter. The finished design uses 1/8" thick aluminum angle with all stainless steel hardware, including stainless pem nuts to simplify adjustment. I just finished the 160 watt panel mounting yesterday so tomorrow I will be able to get my first full day of testing...and this will be worse case condition with the forecast rain storm that will start tonight. I have three measurement devices permanently installed on the trailer that measure power consumed by the whole trailer, power consumed by the refrigerator and total power supplied by the MorningStar Solar Controller. With this data I will be able to determine how much power is coming in, going out and total consumed. This info will be included in my next data posting.
This is the adjustable panel mount for the 160 watt panel in the front roof area.
All three panels (350 watts combined) are adjusted up to 56 degrees from flat which is the optimum setting for my latitude today. I made sure there is no shading from one to the other at this low sun angle, worse case condition.
Stay tuned! Steve
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12-11-2014, 08:23 PM
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#146
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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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Any chance of getting a picture with them up from the side? What do you use to insert, if that's the right term, PEM nuts? Great work.
__________________
Happy Motoring
Bob
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12-11-2014, 08:26 PM
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#147
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: N/A, Indiana
Trailer: Escape
Posts: 976
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An effective and simple adaptation to the OE panel mounts.
__________________
"Never argue with an idiot. They only bring you down to their level and beat you with experience." George Carlin
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12-11-2014, 08:27 PM
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#148
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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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Do you carry a ladder to adjust them?
__________________
What happens to the hole when the cheese is gone?
- Bertolt Brecht
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12-11-2014, 08:51 PM
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#149
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Portland, Oregon
Trailer: 2002 Escape 13'
Posts: 967
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I pressed the "Pem Nuts" into the aluminum with a smooth jaw vise and I carry an expandable aluminum ladder to adjust the panels. With my new fridge I no longer carry a huge, loaded ice chest so carrying the ladder is a good trade off and it goes on the floor of the trailer in a padded bag. I'll get more pictures next week when the weather improves.
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12-11-2014, 09:09 PM
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#150
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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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Nice work!
__________________
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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12-11-2014, 09:24 PM
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#151
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Trailer: 2017 Escape 5.0 TA
Posts: 15,568
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Good job on the adjusting mounts. How many DC fridges are you running again? That sure seems like a lot of wattage. Puts my wee 40W to shame.
__________________
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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12-11-2014, 11:41 PM
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#152
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
Trailer: 2013 19' & 2013 15B
Posts: 2,637
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Great job. Thought I saw a picture of your trailer roof on the web the other day. Oh here it is.
__________________
2013 19' \ 2013 15B, 2020 Toyota 4Runner TRD Offroad
"It is better to remain silent at the risk of being thought a fool, than to talk and remove all doubt of it." - 1907, Maurice Switzer
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12-12-2014, 05:59 AM
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#153
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Trailer: 2017 Escape 5.0 TA
Posts: 15,568
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ice-breaker
Great job. Thought I saw a picture of your trailer roof on the web the other day. Oh here it is.
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__________________
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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12-12-2014, 06:06 PM
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#154
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Vancouver, BC, British Columbia
Trailer: 19'
Posts: 326
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Looks like all mounts are glued to trailer, no bolts?
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12-12-2014, 07:46 PM
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#155
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Portland, Oregon
Trailer: 2002 Escape 13'
Posts: 967
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jamie beers
Looks like all mounts are glued to trailer, no bolts?
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No need for bolts. Reace doesn't use bolts either.
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12-15-2014, 02:47 PM
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#156
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Santa Cruz, California
Trailer: 2014 Escape 19
Posts: 755
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Did you leave the existing mounts that were glued to the roof at the back, or add new ones?
__________________
2019 Tundra CrewMax Limited TRD 4WD
2014 Escape 19
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12-15-2014, 03:15 PM
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#157
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Portland, Oregon
Trailer: 2002 Escape 13'
Posts: 967
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Quote:
Originally Posted by santacruzer
Did you leave the existing mounts that were glued to the roof at the back, or add new ones?
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I left the existing mounts that I originally installed in the back and used those with the new adjustable mounts.
My 19 came with one 95 watt panel mounted in the middle roof area. I later purchased a second 95 watt panel and mount hardware from Reace and installed it in the rear roof area. Recently, I removed the original two panels and added adjustable mounting hardware to those existing roof mounts. I also built the roof mount and adjusting hardware for the 160 watt panel and installed it in the front roof area of the trailer.
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12-16-2014, 01:19 AM
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#158
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Santa Cruz, California
Trailer: 2014 Escape 19
Posts: 755
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I'd forgotten that the 95 watt panels were in the middle roof area. Nice job!
__________________
2019 Tundra CrewMax Limited TRD 4WD
2014 Escape 19
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12-16-2014, 10:06 AM
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#159
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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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All three panels (350 watts combined) are adjusted up to 56 degrees from flat which is the optimum setting for my latitude today. I made sure there is no shading from one to the other at this low sun angle, worse case condition.
[/QUOTE]
perhaps a silly question but, does the 56 degree angle need to be adjusted as the day progresses? (sun rise, sun set).
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12-16-2014, 10:49 AM
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#160
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Portland, Oregon
Trailer: 2002 Escape 13'
Posts: 967
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Quote:
Originally Posted by J Mac
All three panels (350 watts combined) are adjusted up to 56 degrees from flat which is the optimum setting for my latitude today. I made sure there is no shading from one to the other at this low sun angle, worse case condition.
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perhaps a silly question but, does the 56 degree angle need to be adjusted as the day progresses? (sun rise, sun set).[/QUOTE]
No, the panels are set then left in position during the day. The 56 degrees was recommended for that day at my location. Since I wanted to go with adjustable panels I've researched the subject and have determined it is best to set up the panels aimed as close to South-facing as possible and then angled-up for the location, especially latitude, for the dates I am camping. This gives the best averaged angle of presentation for the panel faces toward the sun during the day. I have a couple of apps I use that determines my exact GPS location and recommends the best panel angle for that day. It also recommends the best settings for the four seasons for stationary panels that you may want to readjust only a few during the the year. BTW, my panels were putting out almost 20 amps combined at 1:00 PM a few days ago.
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