Question for the Quartzite veterans

[waltkaren]

We’re looking at visiting Quartzite BLM area just before the 2023 RV show till…..? We have two160w Escape installed solar panels with just upgraded 206ah SOK LiFepo4 battery and Victron MPPT 100/30 solar controller. Would the panels produce enough wattage at that time of year or should I consider a portable 100w to supplement the system. We rarely use the invertor, maybe/probably furnace at night and fridge is on gas all of the time. What’s your thoughts and recommendations?

[Ron in BC]

I've never had a power shortage at Q'site in the several years that I've gone there.

Our use is minimal and we have one 100 watt flat on the roof and another 100 watt on a pole that I can swivel and rotate. Never come close to running down the single 12 volt battery. I have two but only for redundancy.

Ron

[Vermilye]

Unless you have a long string of cloudy days, I suspect you will be fine. I spent a number of winters in the "Q", have 2 160 watt panels on the roof & a portable 300 watt panel and 3 100 amp hour lithium batteries. I use my inverter every day to make coffee, toast, run the microwave, etc, and consider myself a power hog.

I tilt the rooftop panels to the correct angle for the winter sun, and add the portable for December & early January, but don't need the portable or the tilt by the time of the Big Tent show or for the Quartzsite rally.

[waltkaren]

Thanks for the replies, I've heard many stories about not enough solar equipment and low sun angle not providing enough energy to support boondocking camping around there. Looks like weather is going to be our determining factor during our stay.

[Ron in BC]

Originally Posted by waltkaren

Thanks for the replies, I've heard many stories about not enough solar equipment and low sun angle not providing enough energy to support boondocking camping around there. Looks like weather is going to be our determining factor during our stay.

You can't do anything about the weather but you can about the low sun angle.

Here's a photo of my old 19 setup at Q'site with my swiveling tilting solar panel. A couple of tweaks a day and I get maximum power out of it. Same thing on my 21.

I think that might be Jon's inclined panels in the background?

Worth having at least one panel that is pointed more efficiently at the sun.

Ron

[Vermilye]

Yes, that is me in the background. I did add some additional hardware so I could tilt the panels East & West, but it really puts the panels high enough that the wind becomes a problem. As long as I boondock there is usually no problem parking with the rear of the trailer pointing South so the original set up works. Another view:

[marsman]

Originally Posted by Vermilye

Yes, that is me in the background. I did add some additional hardware so I could tilt the panels East & West, but it really puts the panels high enough that the wind becomes a problem. As long as I boondock there is usually no problem parking with the rear of the trailer pointing South so the original set up works. Another view:

Hello Jon,

When I look at that photo you posted it seems that the lower edges of your tilted rooftop panels are the original brackets that Escape installed; is this correct?

I was just wondering for my upcoming stay at Quartzite - Can I can simply retrofit some sort of extension bracket onto the front edge of my 160 watt panel, unbolt the two front facing brackets and install the extension to tilt it up towards the back the way you have? Is this what you did?

The only electrical appliances we use are a small 12v TV, and our phone and tablet chargers, some miscellaneous small electronics (eg: blue tooth speaker). There's also of course our furnace, water pump and 3 way fridge which all use some power. We have the two AGM batteries from Escape.

I am hoping that the 1 rooftop panel, properly tilted will be enough for most days??

Cheers,

Mars

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by marsman

When I look at that photo you posted it seems that the lower edges of your tilted rooftop panels are the original brackets that Escape installed; is this correct?

I was just wondering for my upcoming stay at Quartzite - Can I can simply retrofit some sort of extension bracket onto the front edge of my 160 watt panel, unbolt the two front facing brackets and install the extension to tilt it up towards the back the way you have? Is this what you did?

Most of Jon's mods are on his website. Scroll down and you will find the solar mod. He did retain the original Escape brackets.
https://lakeshoreimages.com/trailer2.html

[Vermilye]

Originally Posted by marsman

Hello Jon,

When I look at that photo you posted it seems that the lower edges of your tilted rooftop panels are the original brackets that Escape installed; is this correct?

Yes. I replaced the rivets Escape used with 1/4" bolts.

I was just wondering for my upcoming stay at Quartzite - Can I can simply retrofit some sort of extension bracket onto the front edge of my 160 watt panel, unbolt the two front facing brackets and install the extension to tilt it up towards the back the way you have? Is this what you did?

I used some 1" X 1/8" aluminum flats cut so that the panels tilted to the correct angle for Phoenix for January, the nearest city I could find solar angle tables listed. Tilting increased the output of the panels three to four times in the winter, but are not necessary in the summer when the sun is more overhead

The only electrical appliances we use are a small 12v TV, and our phone and tablet chargers, some miscellaneous small electronics (eg: blue tooth speaker). There's also of course our furnace, water pump and 3 way fridge which all use some power. We have the two AGM batteries from Escape.

I am hoping that the 1 rooftop panel, properly tilted will be enough for most days??

Cheers,

Mars

I suspect you will be fine unless there is a string of cloudy days with below freezing nights - rare for Quartzsite.

Here are a couple close up photos of the tilting connections:

[marsman]

Thx Jon,

that looks brilliant. I'll cut a couple of brackets from aluminum track and use bolts with wing nuts to affix them,

Couple questions about your second panel - did you get it from Escape? Did you drill holes into your roof to install it? Assume you simply used the same wire and connectors to join it to the first panel?

Lastly, is there anything you have to do to the controller in the trailer?

Cheers,

Mars

[Vermilye]

Originally Posted by marsman

Thx Jon,

that looks brilliant. I'll cut a couple of brackets from aluminum track and use bolts with wing nuts to affix them,

Couple questions about your second panel - did you get it from Escape? Did you drill holes into your roof to install it? Assume you simply used the same wire and connectors to join it to the first panel?

Lastly, is there anything you have to do to the controller in the trailer?

Cheers,

Mars

Both are GoPower 160 watt panels installed by Escape. I changed the controller to a Victron 100/50 because I have a portable 300 watt panel that i add if I need the additional wattage or are parked in the shade.

I'm not sure I'd trust wig nuts to survive road vibration; I used standard nuts with nylon inserts.

[waltkaren]

Hey Jon
I see the original escape solar panals are attached with 4 rivets on each corner mount. How many fasteners do you use when the panels are in the traveling position?
Your tilt setup is pure and simple which follows the KISS format. I'll put this mod on my to do list along with a ladder to access the panels.

[Vermilye]

Originally Posted by waltkaren

Hey Jon
I see the original escape solar panals are attached with 4 rivets on each corner mount. How many fasteners do you use when the panels are in the traveling position?
Your tilt setup is pure and simple which follows the KISS format. I'll put this mod on my to do list along with a ladder to access the panels.

One bolt per connection for both set up & traveling. Again, I now have hinges between the panel & roof mounts that allow me to tilt the panels to either side, but only used that set up once - tilting to the side put the panel pretty high above the trailer and wind shook the trailer enough that I was worried about the connection between the support bracket & the fiberglass roof.

[waltkaren]

Kinda like raising a sail when panels are up.

[Mike Lewis]

Originally Posted by waltkaren

Kinda like raising a sail when panels are up.

Worst case scenario:
- You park at a campsite on a hill above a lake
- You raise your panels to better face the sun
- You use those lightweight plastic chocks to secure your wheels


Then:
- The wind comes from the front and pushes your trailer back, loosening the front chocks
- The wind shifts direction and blows those chocks out of place
- The wind shifts again, hits the raised panels, and blows the trailer down the hill into the lake. Bon voyage.


All but the last step happened to me at a New Mexico state park, and I don't have articulated (?) solar panels. My solution was to buy heavy rubber wheel chocks.

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by Mike Lewis

My solution was to buy heavy rubber wheel chocks.

Those lightweight plastic chocks have no place holding a trailer or vehicle with considerable weight IMO. The yellow Camco ones actually say to “store out of sunlight in a dry, dark place”. Really?! They break down with UV and have an expiration date which certainly doesn’t inspire confidence. Solid rubber are far superior. Harbor Freight always has a great price.
http://www.harborfreight.com/solid-r...ock-96479.html

[Hancock]

We have a 21C with two panels and six-volt batteries. We never ran short on juice last winter in Quartzsite. That included microwaving popcorn, laptop use, TV at night, and such. You should be fine.

[Mike Lewis]

Jon-- what 300W portable solar panel are you using?

[Vermilye]

A DOKIO 300w 18v Portable Foldable Solar Panel Kit. I preferred a 160w portable rigid panel suitcase I carried for awhile, but it didn't fit on edge in the truck bed (1/2" too high) so it took up too much space. I had to build a frame for the Dokio panel out of 3/4" PVC pipe to get it off the ground. It works well, but the flexible panels don't seem to hold up well. So far, so good...

[Mike Lewis]

I have a similar 200W panel. It's pretty floppy and hard to handle. The PVC pipe frame is a good idea. Previously I had a 100W panel like this. I wondered what the substrate was behind the solar cells. Apparently it was cardboard, as a rain ruined it.

Thanks for the photo.