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Topic ClosedFlexible Solar Panels .. any recommendations?

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hogone View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Topic: Flexible Solar Panels .. any recommendations?
    Posted: 01 Aug 2014 at 12:55pm
very good, just looking at potential options for my future retirement!!!!
Jon & Pam
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techntrek View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Aug 2014 at 1:31pm
Yup, get a solar panel(s), and solar charge controller.  Don't get something below 100 watts since ultimately you only get about 18 amps per day usable at that level.  On cloudy days, far less.  So if you end up with 3 cloudy cold days and you are running the furnace (the worst electric + propane hog on a camper), you need a way to catch up eventually.

As I've recommended before, a great place for detailed solar help is the Wind Sun forum.
Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Aug 2014 at 1:51pm
Doug: Could you post the link to the Wind Sun Forum? 


"Bommel" - r-pod 182 G
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Aug 2014 at 4:39pm
Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 Aug 2014 at 1:17am
Thanks much!


"Bommel" - r-pod 182 G
" Franzi"   - Toyota Tundra 2007

http://blog.picturingtheamericas.com
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Aug 2014 at 12:26am
Hello to GingerPod et al. Very new to solar but are going to give it a try since we have the Zamp connector on our 2014 178 and do a lot of non-service camping. Have purchased Renogy 100W panel (just the panel), 2 20 ft. cables 12 AWG with MC4 connectors (to have flexibility in placing the panel), a Sun Force 30amp digital charge controller. Our basic question is how to configure all this to connect to our 2 parallel wired 12volt batteries for charging. More specifically, are there rules about where to place the charge controller relative to the batteries. We have read that the closer to the batteries, the more efficient.  Is this true or can the controller be placed anywhere between the panel and the batteries with no effect on efficiency or performance (we could cut into the Zamp wiring to place the controller anywhere inside the pod for example)? Finally, our cables are 12 AWG. Is there a problem connecting to the 10 ga Zamp wires connector at the back of our pod? Would appreciate any guidance in all this. Thanks for your time.

Paul & Francine
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Aug 2014 at 12:30am
Paul & Francine, I have no advice being still in the research phase but would have the same questions as soon as I decided for a system. Hopefully someone here can answer the questions. Good luck with the installation.


"Bommel" - r-pod 182 G
" Franzi"   - Toyota Tundra 2007

http://blog.picturingtheamericas.com
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