Bushwacker Solar on roof?

[tanglemoose]

Our daughter has a little Bushwacker teardrop camper and we would like to get her a solar panel for your roof for Christmas. Doesn't need much.. just enough to charge her battery. Anyone do this solar, a flexible panel?

 

[Ex-Calif]

How many batteries does she have? If she has one I would probably get a 100W system. For 2 batteries I would consider 200W.

I like the looks of this Renogy kit. It's not flexible but rigid is cheaper and has the option to set it up a bit away if the trailer is parked under trees. Check out the bundle price that includes an inverter!

The kit also has a monitor/PWM controller. MPPT is better but for a small application PWM should be fine.

They also make a 200W kit with the same stuff, and interestingly the briefcase is the same size.

100 Watt 12 Volt Monocrystalline Foldable Solar Suitcase with Voyager

Renogy 100W Portable Solar Suitcase with Waterproof Charge Controller allows you to collect and store power anywhere. This folding solar panel also offers an ideal backup power solution for emergency preparedness. Free shipping. Call or Order Online Today

www.renogy.com

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Doesn't need much.. just enough to charge her battery.

That's not necessarily a small amount. Even if she has just one typical RV battery, a Group 24 size 12v marine/RV type. That holds about 80 amp-hours (AH) of power and a typical daily recharge might be anywhere between 10 and 50 AH, depending on her power usage. If she uses only 10 AH per day, she could probably wait until she gets home to charge it up again, so I'm guessing more like 20-50 AH per day. You & she really need to get a handle on how many amp-hours per day are needed.

A solar panel that can add back even 20 AH per day isn't trivial, unless perhaps she camps exclusively in the desert sun. A 50 watt panel can add back about 3.5 amps/hour when it's in full sun, which in many regions is only 3-4 hours per day. So maybe 14 AH? And a few more AH while the sun is below peak? That would suggest at least a 100W panel, and there are flexible solar arrays that can do that.

For suggested equipment, I'll yield to those with more solar experience than I.

 

[tanglemoose]

She just has one battery, i think a 12 volt. Just wants to keep it charged without having to remember to plug it in at home! Montana sun will keep it charged. But doesn’t want to mess with setting up panel..

 

[Frank B]

She just has one battery, i think a 12 volt. Just wants to keep it charged without having to remember to plug it in at home! Montana sun will keep it charged. But doesn’t want to mess with setting up panel..

A note on the fridge at home to plug the trailer in is cheaper.

 

[Isaac-1]

Given the relative cost, I would suggest at least 200 watts worth of panels if there is enough roof real estate. Flexible panels have really improved in the last couple of years, having said that you want one with half cells, PERC, and bypass diodes.

 

[TonyL]

Whilst a panel mounted on the roof is fit and nearly forget compared to a portable panel, I have to say that when parked on a lot of USFS campgrounds a portable panel with an extended lead is much more useful in charging the battery.
We managed for the first year just with a 160 watt portable panel charging 2 then 4 batteries, before adding a 200 watt panel on the roof.
We still use the portable panel especially when the van is shaded.

 

[tanglemoose]

A note on the fridge at home to plug the trailer in is cheaper.

yes, but no electric while boon docking out in mountains. Tired of having to run generator while camping!

 

[Frank B]

yes, but no electric while boon docking out in mountains. Tired of having to run generator while camping!

Sorry. Only charging at home was mentioned in the thread.

I agree on the benefits of solar when Boondocking. We Boondock almost exclusively when we travel. I have a Honda generator, but hate to use it. Our solar array on our 30-footer provides more than enough for our needs.

 

[tanglemoose]

Sorry. Only charging at home was mentioned in the thread.

I agree on the benefits of solar when Boondocking. We Boondock almost exclusively when we travel. I have a Honda generator, but hate to use it. Our solar array on our 30-footer provides more than enough for our needs.

I wasn't clear on her needs! Yes, she could plug in at home, but seems to forget. Ends up having to buy new battery yearly, think solar would be cheaper...
We have solar on our 30' and love it, never have to worry about battery!

 

[Frank B]

I wasn't clear on her needs! Yes, she could plug in at home, but seems to forget. Ends up having to buy new battery yearly, think solar would be cheaper...
We have solar on our 30' and love it, never have to worry about battery!

Got it.

The portable or suitcase arrays that others have suggested thus far would probably work well on a small rig. We started off that way with a 23-footer that we had, and it worked well enough for modest loads.

If a portable panel kit was used while boondocking, and then a reminder was put somewhere at home to plug the trailer back in again when being stored, might that solve both issues?

 

[WME]

Well for the can't remember to plug-in installation. A flex panel on the trailer and a small controller would be best. Of course a 600w pure sine inverter would be a nice add-on. Black Friday deals are in effect now so get going
Here is a review of a CIGS panel, its a bit abusive.