200 W solar mod
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Forum Name: Podmods, Maintenance, Tips and Tricks
Forum Discription: Ask maintenance questions, share your podmods (modifications) and helpful tips
URL: http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=8043
Printed Date: 23 Jun 2025 at 6:49am
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Topic: 200 W solar mod
Posted By: JandL
Subject: 200 W solar mod
Date Posted: 28 May 2016 at 10:13pm
I posted pictures on my original removable single100 watt roof mounted solar panel, at “Podmods, Maintenance, Tips and Tricks - List Your Mods - Posted: 02 Aug 2015 (Page 39)”. But on 8 Apr 2016 johnmaci posted “Topic: Home depot Sale: 100-Watt Solar Panel $100”. I had been thinking about a second panel and this motivated me to get one. I checked at Amazon because a lot times they have the same item at the same price. I ordered another a Grape Solar “GS-Star-100W”, 100 watt panel for $100. I had to also order a 15 amp Bussmann panel mount circuit breaker, my original one was 10 amps, 2 Branch Connectors Solar MC4 Y Connectors and 2 more IRWIN Tools QUICK-GRIP Handi-Clamp, 2-Inch. I added an aluminum angle to attach the vertical C channels because I had to rotate the panels 90 from how I mounted the single panel. When I travel I carry one in the bathroom and the other one goes into a neoprene bag on the bed. I have installed foam strips to the frame of the panel so it won’t damage the roof or edge molding.
2 Camco Party Light Holders super glued together to so I could attach the cam from a “Parent Units 2 Pack Topple Stop Furniture Strap" 
Branch Connectors Solar MC4 Y Connectors 
 ------------- JandL 2013 Honda Ridgeline 2012 177 2 Paynes in a Pod |
Replies:
Posted By: john in idaho
Date Posted: 29 May 2016 at 9:03am
| Just thinking about solar panels. From the photos, it looks like you are in some shade. Will the panels still work in dappled shade like that? |
Posted By: sailor323
Date Posted: 29 May 2016 at 9:07am
| Very nice installation. |
Posted By: sailor323
Date Posted: 29 May 2016 at 9:09am
Even a small amount of shade, dirt and debris on the panels, will have a significant negative effect on the amperage. The panels might produce enough power to keep fully charged batteries topped up but they won't produce enough to recharge batteries. |
Posted By: JandL
Date Posted: 29 May 2016 at 9:15am
|
Will the panels still work in dappled shade like that?
They do not do very well in the shade. I set the panels up late in the afternoon after arriving. If I had left them on the ground I could have moved them into to sun. I wanted to get pictures to post of them mounted on the trailer. Later that night it rained and was overcast the whole weekend, I was surprised the panel put 1/2 - 1 amp with the cloud cover. If they were in full sun it would be more like 8 -9 amps ------------- JandL 2013 Honda Ridgeline 2012 177 2 Paynes in a Pod |
Posted By: sailor323
Date Posted: 29 May 2016 at 3:31pm
|
Check this out for the effect of shade on solar panel output. Remember, that voltage is not the consideration when charging the batteries, amperage is determining factor. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzzB1i1w_kM http://www.solarchoice.net.au/blog/partial-shading-is-bad-for-solar-panels-power-systems/ While shade can drastically reduce a panel's output, some panels work better in shade than others. Better (more expensive) panels are wired with bypass diodes so when part of the panel is not producing power, the power produced by the rest of the panel is delivered to the controller. When this is the case, the panel's production is greatly reduced, but not completely lost. Panels equipped with bypass diodes can work in partially shady conditions but we are talking about shade that covers a very small part of the panel and even then, it depends on which part of the panel is shaded. If only a tiny portion of each string of cells is covered, the bypass diodes are of no use. By the way, the folks at altE are very helpful and their prices are very good |
Posted By: JandL
Date Posted: 29 May 2016 at 3:54pm
|
When the picture was taken, with the shade on the panels, I was getting no output. The next day when it would stop raining and the cloud cover was not as thick, enough light was getting thru the clouds to charge the battery's at around 13.6-13.8 volts and when I checked with my amp meter I got between .5 to 1 amp. The voltage from the panel has to be high enough to force current back into the battery so voltage has to be taken into account. ------------- JandL 2013 Honda Ridgeline 2012 177 2 Paynes in a Pod |
Posted By: WillThrill
Date Posted: 29 May 2016 at 4:31pm
That's why I'm not a big fan of mounted solar panels on an RV, at least for us. We typically use our Pod in the summer, and we have a big preference for shaded campsites, but this does not work well at all with solar panels. I put my single 100 watt Renogy panel on a 15 ft. cord so I can move it around to the brightest spot. ------------- "Not all those who wander are lost." Tolkien 2014 Hood River 177 2005 GMC Envoy XL |
Posted By: JandL
Date Posted: 29 May 2016 at 4:54pm
|
"That's why I'm not a big fan of mounted solar panels on an RV, at least for us."
I installed my panels with clamps so when need I can remove them and place them on the ground and point them toward the sun. The cable is about 12' long so I can move it to any side. The big advantage of clamping them to the roof is I hope they are a little harder to keep from walking away  ------------- JandL 2013 Honda Ridgeline 2012 177 2 Paynes in a Pod |
Posted By: sailor323
Date Posted: 29 May 2016 at 6:52pm
True enough, but remember, volts X amps = watts. 1/2 amp at 18.8 volts is 9.4 watts, a tiny fraction of the output that a 100 watt panel should produce. The controller is what adjusts the current and voltage delivered to the battery. A one amp current is probably enough to keep fully charged batteries topped up. |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 29 May 2016 at 9:14pm
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I hope you weren't hitting 18+ volts, at most a 12 volt system should see around 13.5 volts with a normal charge, and up to 15 volts during an equalization charge. ------------- 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: JandL
Date Posted: 29 May 2016 at 9:55pm
|
I wish I could go back and edit the post it should have said 13.6-13.8 volts, the 18 was a typo ------------- JandL 2013 Honda Ridgeline 2012 177 2 Paynes in a Pod |
Posted By: WillThrill
Date Posted: 30 May 2016 at 12:13pm
That's true. However, until pawn shops are willing to accept solar panels, I doubt that there is a big risk of theft of solar panels. The reason that Honda and Yamaha generators get stolen so often is because any pawn shop will take them in a heartbeat. That being said, I don't typically leave my panel out when we're going to be away from the Pod for hours unless I really need the battery to be recharged. ------------- "Not all those who wander are lost." Tolkien 2014 Hood River 177 2005 GMC Envoy XL |
Posted By: JandL
Date Posted: 30 May 2016 at 1:51pm
|
It's not the pawn shops, they are somewhat regulated, the problem is the online sites like Craig's List. There is a lot on Google about theft of solar panes from the roofs of homes. ------------- JandL 2013 Honda Ridgeline 2012 177 2 Paynes in a Pod |
Posted By: WillThrill
Date Posted: 30 May 2016 at 4:34pm
Well if solar panels are getting stolen off people's rooftops, then those on your RV haven't got a prayer. This makes an even stronger case for movable panels that can be moved into storage when you aren't present. ------------- "Not all those who wander are lost." Tolkien 2014 Hood River 177 2005 GMC Envoy XL |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 30 May 2016 at 8:50pm
You should be able to edit your own post until someone else quotes it. I think that is the cutoff. I could edit it but I'll leave it so my post makes sense.  ------------- 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: JandL
Date Posted: 30 May 2016 at 9:05pm
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I didn't now I could edit once I had posted, I just corrected the voltage. Thanks for the information ------------- JandL 2013 Honda Ridgeline 2012 177 2 Paynes in a Pod |