Flexible Solar Panels .. any recommendations?
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Topic: Flexible Solar Panels .. any recommendations?
Posted By: Inge
Subject: Flexible Solar Panels .. any recommendations?
Date Posted: 30 Jul 2014 at 8:28pm
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Hello There, We would like to get flexible solar panels to mount / glue on our r-pod 182G ceiling. Did anyone here do this yet? I'm wondering what would be the best method to attach the cable which would run from solar to plug in. What do I need to know when buying solar panels? The only thing I know so far is that solar trickle charger is NOT GOOD! How large would those panels need to be in order to recharge the two batteries? In case the electricity cable of the r-pod (what's the correct name for that cable?) would it also charge the TV's batteries? Any recommendations on flexible solar panels? My thinking behind this whole idea is that if the panels are on there all the time, battery could be charged constantly. But I have the feeling that constant charge is not good. Should the solar panel only be connected sporadically to recharge a lot? So many questions  Thanks for reading.
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Replies:
Posted By: GingerPod
Date Posted: 30 Jul 2014 at 9:17pm
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I'm not so sure I would want to mount the panels to the roof of my POD,flexible or not,but that's just me. I like to park and look for the shadiest campsite I can find,then find a nice sunny spot out of the way to place the panels. But here is a excellent website that has great products and customer service.Probably would have all you would ever need and then some. https://www.renogy-store.com/default.asp ------------- FOUND OUR NEW-RETRO TEARDROP!!! |
Posted By: Inge
Date Posted: 30 Jul 2014 at 10:20pm
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That is a good point. I thought, I'd charge the batteries as well when I'm driving but I didn't think about parking in the shade. They should be charging while driving through the TV anyways. RV-newbee :-) Thanks for the link! |
Posted By: CharlieM
Date Posted: 31 Jul 2014 at 8:16am
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Inge, If you plan to do much driving, instead of comfortably camped under a tree, your money might better be spent having the charge cable in your TV upgraded. Then you could get a much better charge to the battery on the road. ------------- Charlie Northern Colorado OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD |
Posted By: Inge
Date Posted: 31 Jul 2014 at 1:49pm
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CharlieM: Do you think, if I ask my regular car repair guy, who seems to be very knowledgeable, should understand what to do when I tell him 'upgrade the charge cable'? Are there different options that I should know before I talk to him? Any idea how much that could cost? Is it a complicated task to do? Thanks for this great suggestion!
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Posted By: WillThrill
Date Posted: 31 Jul 2014 at 3:37pm
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Inge, it's not complicated to do at all. Any good mechanic should be able to do it in less than an hour.
The only real option is how big of a cable you want. Standard cable you can get from a home improvement store will work just fine. My local Lowe's sells 6 gauge 3 strand wire (2 is all you really need) for $1.06 per foot, and 25-30 feet should be more than enough. ------------- "Not all those who wander are lost." Tolkien 2014 Hood River 177 2005 GMC Envoy XL |
Posted By: CharlieM
Date Posted: 31 Jul 2014 at 9:43pm
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The task is not complicated or difficult. I would shoot for #6 wire, but it's a bit hard to work with in tight quarters. A perfectly acceptable alternative is three #10 wires in parallel. Connect these between pin 4, called battery charge on the 7 pin connector, and the fuse or relay under the hood. The factory usually uses a #10 or #12 yellow wire for this, but that's not certain. Just tell your mechanic you want to beef up the trailer battery charging circuit in the TV.
------------- Charlie Northern Colorado OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD |
Posted By: Inge
Date Posted: 01 Aug 2014 at 12:58am
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Will do the charger cable upgrade asap! Good advice! GingerPod's comment makes much sense to me and I'm looking now for panels that are not mounted to the pod. I'm wondering, do I need to buy http://www.amazon.com/Zamp-Solar-120-Watt-Portable/dp/B00K1LBROG/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1406868136&sr=8-4&keywords=Zamp+Solar+Portable - Zamp solar panels because there is something preinstalled on the r-pod (zamp solar prewire kit) or can I go with something else like the http://https://www.renogy-store.com/Solar-Suitcase-s/1889.htm - Renogy 100W panel , which is half the price. ------------- "Bommel" - r-pod 182 G " Franzi" - Toyota Tundra 2007 http://blog.picturingtheamericas.com |
Posted By: Hayduke
Date Posted: 01 Aug 2014 at 1:38am
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Not necessary to buy Zamp, other brands will work. Way overpriced in my opinion. Those Renogy panels seem like the best bang for your buck out there currently ------------- 2012 177 HRE 2017 Tacoma Double Cab |
Posted By: CharlieM
Date Posted: 01 Aug 2014 at 6:50am
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I don't presently have a solar ready RPod so someone who
has should jump in and confirm or correct me if necessary. My
understanding is the only thing on the "solar ready" Pod is the wiring
and the connector, both of which are industry standard. The connectors are standard MC4 compatible. Any combination of compatible panel(s)/controller should be fine. The Renology panels are getting good reviews, but the Renology controller seems inadequate. Check the thread http://rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=5017&KW=zamp&PID=48716&title=connecting-a-100-watt-solar-panel-to-zamp-port#48716 - http://rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=5017&KW=zamp&PID=48716&title=connecting-a-100-watt-solar-panel-to-zamp-port#48716 to get some ideas from other Podders ------------- Charlie Northern Colorado OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD |
Posted By: 3ofUs
Date Posted: 01 Aug 2014 at 7:43am
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How do we know if we are solar ready?
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Posted By: CharlieM
Date Posted: 01 Aug 2014 at 7:49am
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There should be some connectors on the exterior of the Pod. Labeled solar I would hope.
------------- Charlie Northern Colorado OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD |
Posted By: 3ofUs
Date Posted: 01 Aug 2014 at 10:13am
| Thanks, Charlie, but we have not seen any thing on the outside marked solar. Which side is it located? We have a 2011 182G. |
Posted By: GingerPod
Date Posted: 01 Aug 2014 at 10:17am
As stated previously in this thread the term "Solar Ready" only means there is a connector on the outside of the POD.All it is,is a pair of 10ga wires that run all the way to the battery tray up front. Very convenient for sure,but doesn't have to be a Zamp system as the label states.But compatibile with the Zamp system only for the simple reason that the Zamp system is self contained,meaning just plug it in once opened out of the box.The controller is mounted to the panel itself and comes with the pigtail already installed.One reason why it costs a bit more. Probably a joint marketing venture between Forest River and Zamp,and works very well for some people for sure.Makes good business sense. Some people like to make their own system,like me and others,to save a few bucks and allow for future expansion.The link posted here previously comes to mind with ideas.If choosing this route though,try to avoid wire nuts and electrical tape for making connections.Solder and shrink wrap for OEM reliability and water intrusion.Use 10 ga plug in adapters and wire made for exterior applications as well. Post up your system intentions,lots of us find this very interesting! ------------- FOUND OUR NEW-RETRO TEARDROP!!! |
Posted By: fwunder
Date Posted: 01 Aug 2014 at 10:18am
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Hi Inge, Here's a pretty good discussion on some flexible solar panels. Yeah, their RV fridge is just a little larger than ours but it's a pretty good look. http://www.gonewiththewynns.com/flexible-solar-panels-rv - http://www.gonewiththewynns.com/flexible-solar-panels-rv fred
------------- 2014 RPod 178 => https://goo.gl/CV446f - MyMods and Buying Habits 2008 4Runner Limited 4.0-liter V6 Yes, those are wild ponies dining on grass while dumping tanks! |
Posted By: CharlieM
Date Posted: 01 Aug 2014 at 11:32am
I can't say because I don't have one. Perhaps someone with a solar 182G can jump in. However, I doubt you are so equipped because 2011 was pre-solar. ------------- Charlie Northern Colorado OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD |
Posted By: hogone
Date Posted: 01 Aug 2014 at 11:50am
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i have pretty well stayed away from the solar discussion as i guess i thought since i didnt have the hook-up, it was not an option. i haven't read all the posts, but what im hearing i think is i could very easily hook up a solar system for my 2013 177 right? hogone ------------- Jon & Pam 2013 RP177 2023 F150 2017 HD Streetglide CHEESEHEAD |
Posted By: Hayduke
Date Posted: 01 Aug 2014 at 11:59am
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I have something very similar to this: http://www.amazon.com/SunGold-Power-Portable-Folding-Module/dp/B00CJLVVB0 The vendor I bought it from is unfortunately no longer carrying them, because it was much cheaper from them. Just open up the panel, place in the full sun, and attach the alligator-style clips to the battery(ies). The charge controller is included with the panel. My panel also has the same connectors as the 'zamp' plug on the newer pods. It's just a 2-pin SAE connector, zamp doesn't have anything special. ------------- 2012 177 HRE 2017 Tacoma Double Cab |
Posted By: CharlieM
Date Posted: 01 Aug 2014 at 11:59am
Jon, The short answer is yes. The long answer is also yes. Camp on! ------------- Charlie Northern Colorado OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD |
Posted By: Hairy Podders
Date Posted: 01 Aug 2014 at 12:24pm
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we bought an 80 watt Zamp solar panel from a seller on Ebay. It was new in the box for the same price that Forest River is selling the 40watt panel for. We used it a couple of days dry camping. It never had any problem keeping our single battery fully charged. That said, I have no idea why I would add a second battery. The expense & weight of an extra battery. Plus the upkeep & hooking up the second battery, make the solar panel seem like a no brainer at this point. ------------- Darryl, Julie & Lindsey Cooper & Libby- Devoted Canines 2014 RP178 2006 Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon |
Posted By: hogone
Date Posted: 01 Aug 2014 at 12:55pm
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very good, just looking at potential options for my future retirement!!!! ------------- Jon & Pam 2013 RP177 2023 F150 2017 HD Streetglide CHEESEHEAD |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 01 Aug 2014 at 1:31pm
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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 ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual 
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Posted By: Inge
Date Posted: 01 Aug 2014 at 1:51pm
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Doug: Could you post the link to the Wind Sun Forum? ------------- "Bommel" - r-pod 182 G " Franzi" - Toyota Tundra 2007 http://blog.picturingtheamericas.com |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 01 Aug 2014 at 4:39pm
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http://forum.solar-electric.com/forum.php - http://forum.solar-electric.com/forum.php
------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
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Posted By: Inge
Date Posted: 02 Aug 2014 at 1:17am
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Thanks much! ------------- "Bommel" - r-pod 182 G " Franzi" - Toyota Tundra 2007 http://blog.picturingtheamericas.com |
Posted By: koukla1812
Date Posted: 18 Aug 2014 at 12:26am
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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 ------------- PJ |
Posted By: Inge
Date Posted: 18 Aug 2014 at 12:30am
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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 |