Roof Installed Solar -vs- Portable Solar Panels For Your RV? Pros And Cons
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- Опубліковано 15 жов 2024
- We review my Roadtrek DIY off grid solar setup for boondocking and discuss the pros and cons of having permanently installed panels on your RV roof verses ground deploy portable solar panels.
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One other way to anchor your ground solar is sand bags. Now you can lug full sand bags if you want or. Carry empty bags and fill them with sand, dirt or gravel. When ready to leave pour them out a roll them up for easy storage. Just lay the weighted bag over the ground bar.
Awesome video. I place my portable solar panels on a 6'x9' plastic mat. I can grab a corner of the mat and just spin it to adjust for the sun. A 30' dog run cable and a padlock has served me well for security when i was in Mexico.
Good idea!
I used an Aluminium ladder to show people my roof set up...once I turned the ladder into A Pv rack which you can attach either side the Rv with latches, or lean onto anything or a tree..
BTW Tom, you really do read the comments and are terrific about responding. I’m starting to tell other channels about your channel. It is Unique!
Thanks, Jazz Man!
Just saying the truth......hard to find these days 😑
Common Sense works every time.Keep it simple makes it easier to Troubleshoot Problems Also.Great Job!!!
Great video. My life is too park and go for ground panels. Also, I am in cities a lot. So while I've considered ground panels, really the only thing that would work for how I live in my van is a roof panel.
Your growing on me, keep up the good work you are very informative.
Have the SolarSaga 60. Live in the mountains of WNC. I just pick a piece of tilted field for angle adjustment or put a couple of limbs in the right spot. Also, added a small loop of cord to the stand to put the tent peg through. Can rotate it freely without moving the peg. You can find the sweet spot for the peg first and attach the panel with a twist. Rope craft.
I find placing portable panels pointing towards the sun at NOON and using a sun dial for angle can give you a pretty good charge without having to move them all day long.
Had a chuckle over the wiring in your van, no heat shrink on your stuff, all electrical tape and romax house wire!
I have 325watt roof solar and a 120 watt suitcase solar , i still need the genset every now and then ,, I agree 100% with wat you say brother ,, great vid man ,
B.J.T 32' Elite "C" class , N.S.W Australia (east coast )
Mornin Tom and Odin, another informative installment...right on man!
I’m starting with two solar panels in series portable setup. And planning to instal a fixed on my caravan to. And indeed, the portable once are smaller but produce more , because they are always at the most ideal angel and direction. I made a junctionbox unther my caravan to plug n the extra panels
I've been watching a lot of your later videos and, because of you and Will Prowse, I now understand mobile solar much, much, better, so thank you. I do have a question that is unrelated to GENERATING energy from solar that I'd like to ask, if you don't mind. What are those huge reflective sheets that you have draped on your van. I have seen much smaller "Space Blankets" and the small, flimsy mylar "emergency blankets", but I don't recall seeing anything as large and robust as what you are using to block solar heat from entering your van. Give me the scoop!
Hi tom. My son @ l just finally finished mounting, connecting vectron control 2 - 320 w panels on my van . 750 Dometic fridge freezer. Blue tooth ,9s+ phone. REALLY cool watching the system operate..thanks for your input at RTR on what to buy!
It's about time old man! You had those panels installed back in January. Looks like you're all setup to do some mega boondocking with us at the RTR now.
> REALLY cool watching the system operate.
good clean geeky fun!
Full time RV person since97. I put my rig in shade and carried solar panels out to sun. No baking here in my rig.
That's the main benefit of portables, IMO.
Yep I'm still at the saving stage but living in Australia that's exactly what I plan to do.
& you haven't had anyone try steal them!?!
@@priscillaharber6842 how many people did you see lurking in this video trying to steal his panels?
Great information I will definitely be useing a gas genarator as a backup
Haha I love your intro and when it said hobotech all robotic I had a chuckle 😁
Got my Jackery 100 W Panels....Jackery Explorer will be here soon 😀
As always a thorough job explaining things. Added to my Solar 101 playlist to share with people and for my own reminders. Thanks for the add days ago also to the Fedbook group!
On my van solar I went with panels that were long enough to go across the vehicle, (130 Watt Renogy). I could fit more onto the roof that way. I put in 960 watts of them. I went with parallel. When wired in series you will only get out what the lowest panel produces. If one panel gets shaded, you lose the other two as well.
Maybe I didn't hear you talk about this issue - the remote panels are on the ground, out away from the van. In almost any campsite, that puts those panels at risk for being driven over by people who have rigs with poor visibility backing up (most RVs). My suggestion is to add a short pole with an orange flag to the remote panels, so they are more visible.
I put my orange cones out if I think people are going to run into them. You can see this on several videos this year of me boondocking.
Great overview of your solar system(s). Each one has its purpose and pros and cons. Well explained.
My van doesn't have much electrical load. I changed the florescent lights to led. My frig, stove and heater are gas except the heater fan which is 12V. I only have one lead acid RV battery to keep charged. I pack around an old battery charger and a high priced Renogy suitcase 100W unit. Gets me by ok.
I have to stay with the solar unit so it doesn't get ripped off. But I like the ability to maximize the angle of incident and solar direction to get the most watts out of it rather than a fixed panel.
I would like to add AC but that would change everything bigtime.
@KenDroid66 why? My propane tank lasts me 7months cooking and partial heating...
Awesome video! Thank you for that very thorough explanation.
Tom~ you have the best ongoing info for the full time AND part time RV'ers out there. Hands down. Can't think of any other RV vlogger out there that has compared what you have compared in this video.
Thanks!
Very much Agreed!
I use furring sticks, cheep at lumber store, in a triple H-block configuration for tilt and tent pegs / re-barb for hold downs. The h-block has legs long enough to keep panels several inches off the ground. Some cord to fasten the stakes to the panel block.
In another configuration, I have an EMT pipe and a T-fitting for a two axis pan and tilt. I suppose a bigger pipe T fitting would work as well. For 12-volt wires out to the ground panels, I use an extension cord with a pig tail plug on both ends to wire. Thou shout obey ohms law to avoid the "magic smoke."
Thanks for the great video! You rock explaining things 😉
I agree, he's very articulate.
Panel anchorage! I think you should have a piece of L1.5x1.5 angle that comes out past your panel frame with a round hole. Now you can drive a round pin with a hammer freely. And with a round hole, now you can rotate the whole panel assembly throughout the day! I am about to purchase Renogy suitcase panels for my camper.
LOL !!! "I don't have to be wearing pants.. no one would know..."
Thank you for the thoughtful videos!!
Air hugs to Heidi and your kitty!!
Excellent information and very well put. I would be sweet if you got a show on the Science Channel.
good information on the pros/cons of both types of solar... well done
I have 6 giant panels on my RV roof 1000 watts with a lift jack and a ten inch tall frame to hold everything one inch above my Air conditioner. .One switch takes them up or down and I can stop at any angle .Mppt and 600 amps of lithium batteries they shade 60 percent of the Rv
Shame that you don't have a video of your set up as I'd really like to understand the set up..
How about using a tv wall mount for your roof panels? just a thought. Also- facing your panels either west or south (west is best) at the latitude you are at is best solar! The midwest is 55 degrees latitude, so tilting the panels at 55 degrees will give you best sun! Just a couple of random thoughts!
Another drawback to portable panels would be something that I would probably do. Forget about them and drive off only to realize what I did at my next stop when I find two broken nubs of wire hanging off the back of my rig. Of course, you can't fix stupid, so I guess that really isn't a drawback of the panels themselves.
R B Sounds like us!
I would have to make myself take-off and setup checklists. I've seen some folks go so far as to have several labeled hair clips that go on the steering wheel and are removed as the task is completed before the unit is driven away.
Thanks for all your videos the very informative I appreciate all your reviews on certain products. I’m currently building a Cargo trailer camper I have on there right now the Renogy 400watts solar kit with four panels and I have a 200 amp hour lithium iron phosphate battery. I like what you did in this video with having the portable solar panels to move around, I was curious how you have it wired or how to wire a plug-in port so that if I wanted to add an extra 100 or 200 W panels that I could move around on the outside of my trailer to plug into the system as well. Any info would be great thanks again.
Frater Mus- Thank you for suggestion and observation; as a solo traveler I was hoping that solar/batteries had advanced to where propane would not be required and the Revel is designed without propane. The 3 AGM’s are under the coach and subject to winter temps which makes lithium problematic- I discussed an upgrade with Battle Born and they recommend a 30 watt heat tape on each battery which kind of defeats the purpose. Maybe a Yeti 1400 in the coach for appliances is a viable workaround- I do have an appointment to have a Winnebago dealer double check batteries and wiring as I still suspect that something is not quite right.
How does a heating blanket for the batteries defeat the purpose? They only run when needed, and they likely only require a few Ah to run. 30 watts isn’t as bad as you are thinking it is.
The 3 batteries are separated so to boondock below freezing it is going to be 90 watts pretty much continuous; that’s 7 amps or 168 Ah each day. If you draw down the lithium to where they shutdown, the heat tape fails and you could void the warranty and trash the batteries. If I were to go lithium, I would want them inside the coach where the diesel esbar keeps them up to temp with no electrical draw. The Battle Born rep was pretty clear that they don’t really recommend the heat tape approach per se- it’s just better than having them outside the coach with no protection. All comments are appreciated- I am still trying to understand how the Revel can be a 4 season coach (per Winnebago) when the lighter draw on a summer night already marginalizes battery capacity for a pot of coffee in the morning.
David Keller yeah that’s one of the reasons (of course the other reason is $$$) that we went DIY. I have yet to see a commercial build with an adequate electrical system suitable for consistent boondocking.
Sand bags work great for stability...
Thanks Tom great info 👍
Thanks I'm Very VERY New to Solar and I'm saving up to buy some Solar Needs for my Bug0ut Trailer I'm building. I'll check out your stuff in Amazon list you made here👍🏽
Hey Tom, Jaime from Enigmatic Nomadics is over at A1 mountain. I think that may have been who you were referring to in your last video. But you may consider going over and meeting up...
The mc4 wire on the ground are at risk of rodents chewing on them (I know this from experience) so to remedy this I put a lite film of vaseline on the wires however the Vaseline will collect dirt, sand and whatnot but you can run a shop rag on the mc4 wires before you put them away.
In 2.5 years of full timing I have never had mice chew my MC4 cables. I have had cows tramp on them though. Do you have a remedy for that?
@@HOBOTECH
Winchester .30-30 and a bag of charcoal.
@@MikeAndNary LOL ... I wish! But usually it's an entire herd and I ain't that hungry!
We've obviously never met in person :-)
I have 800 watts on my RV roof (36' class A) and 400 watts on the ground, each with their own MPPT charge controllers.
I do not have tilt ability on the roof solar, however.
I thought I was the only one that figured out both are needed :-)
1200w sounds about right for a class A of that size, particularly if using microwave, induction cooking, etc.
Question , I have a Class A Motorhome with a 45 amp converter. If I plug my motorhome into the sportsman generator to run some lights and maybe a fan, will it hurt the converter or the generator? Thank you . keep the videos coming.
It won't hurt anything. Worst case scenario you draw too much power and the Sportsman will shut off. To get around this try to top your batteries up first either with solar or a larger generator so the converter won't draw as much power when you use the Sportsman.
I hope to meet up with you when I get out west so you can explain that to me all over again!! Lol. I'm a little thick when it comes to solar. Ty xo
THANKS TOM ! TAKE CARE..
I have @ 375 ah usable AGM storage 200w solar panels and mppt controller. I'd like another 200w panels. Mine are not attached. 2000w inverter. I think I will try series next time I connect them. Thanks for the advice.
So how do you connect the two portable panels into one to run to your vehicle? Are there connectors you can buy? Yours is the first system I've seen on UA-cam who had done this. I'm so glad because I live in Australia and shade in summer is essential. Extra panels in winter would be helpful too.
They are MC4 connectors.
Nice external heat shields 👍. All I'm looking to power is a refrigerator, Nintendo switch and a DS and a battery powered tv. And maybe a small standing fan🤔. I think with one of my rocket boxes off the top of my van. I can fit three to 400 Watts up there.
But man solar has got so much more convenient compared to 15 years ago.And the innovations low wattage refrigerators is astounding.🙀
One question though.. what do you do when you have too much power? I was kind of thinking a guy could run a Crock-Pot. Although it was solar ovens it seems kind of wasteful.
Good descriptions...(subbed) and, thanks!!
Looks like you've been in the state Arizona since the last RTR, I'd be going frickin nuts!
Wow 13 k views. Congratulations Bob does questions and answers live and one a month is solar. I bet you could do a video a month. You're good at it and so many people want to know. A video like a top 10 solar question you get. The two funniest and the most popular how much solar do I need? And can I run an AC in my van using solor. You need a bigger van with more rooftop then you need a bigger air conditioner then for you need a bigger van with more rooftop Infinity
You could up grade your alternator to a 100 amp and install a switch to charge the van starting battery or the solar batteries for night or gain days and cloudy days . Ask a truck parts counter man about the alternator .
Roadtrek installed a 120 amp and isolator from the factory. Only does me any good once a week when I drive into town.
Here is my idea
So slide out the racks
At the end pin in the himejoint or ratch joint deploy the telescoping leg this sets the up or down angle
Roof mount sliders like draws/equipment racks
Will replace your awning
Offseting cost
Use tractor trailer Dodger
So wind nose not an issue when
N driving .
Make post adjustable
So you can angle panel's
USE
connection like lawnlounge chair.
RAtcking joint or himejoint
For tilt use small motor on bike cogs chain solor panel's
Mounted to rod or round stock
Good morning Tom !! I watch a lot of your videos very interesting but never commented. I know this video is a year old hoping you can answer a question. I have been a tent camper for years bought a goal zero set up works great for my uses then , just bought a RPod camp trailer it is solar ready has solar on the side can I use my 100 watt suitcase panel if I get the right connections wires and if so what wire connections would I need. 🙏
Where can I get some of them insulation blankets you have hanging on the side of your van 😊
Tom- I have a new Winnebago Revel with 3 AGM batteries with total of 315 AH capacity, 200 watts solar on roof, 140 watt Zamp portable panel.
On first recent trip, with batteries completely topped up (13.6 V or higher) at 9:00 p.m. and only load for 8 hours the 12V dc Novakool fridge pulling maybe 3-4 amps for 8 hours intermittently,
At 5:00 a.m. a 500 or 750 watt load through the inverter for coffee pot or toaster (never both) for even a minute would drop the voltage to between 11.9 or 12.1 and the battery condition from green to yellow. After turning off inverter, the volt reading would recover to 12.3 or 12.4. This was a consistent pattern over 4-5 days. I use a Jackery 440 for phone, tablet,usb fan, so fridge and maybe CO2 and smoke detectors are only nighttime load. This just seems off/weak for a brand new system; based on your experience does this seem plausible or should I be getting the batteries and/or 2000 watt inverter double checked? Your best guess based on your experience with AGM’s and loads/typical SOC drawdowns would be much appreciated. Thanks for the continuing educational content.
That's lead acid for you. When you draw a big load like that, the batteries take a beating as lead acid usually can only handle about 0.2C draw (about 20 amps per battery or 60 amps in your case). As long as they recover to normal voltage after you have nothing to worry about. It sounds like you may have a weak and or inefficient inverter though if you're only pulling 750w and seeing that kind of voltage drop. If you upgrade to lithium this problem goes away as they are designed to draw much higher amps than lead acid (1C or 100 amps per battery).
@@HOBOTECH or insufficient wire gauge between inverter and battery bank.
Not trying to be funny, but there's a reason why propane dominates cooking and coffeemaking duties.
Great info on all your vids. I'm new to this solar/battery power stuff, so this is probably a dumb question: Is it possible to run a battery trickle charger off an AGM 100Ah battery. If so, could you use the battery to charge itself through the trickle charger?
No. That breaks the law of conservation of energy.
Good stuff! Thanks for info abt the trials of solar management! Shalom! Got you a sub.
Very informative video. You sure have your setup working well for you. I did enjoy your video.👍😃🇨🇦
Parksguy Agreed and he has been great with all his other modifications as well. Our saved video list from this guy is HUGE.. since we are a similar rig to renovate!
I think so too. I think I have watched nearly every video. He is definitely my favorite guy who explains fixes and updated so well. My van is also much like Hobtech's.
Parksguy we just bought a new to us 1999 Roadtrek Versatile 190.. so ALL his upgrade videos are in our saved videos!! He is like the Roadtrek Upgrade Expert!
Watching him gave us the confidence to buy a fixer upper! Amazing! ;-)
Justin & Christina, congratulations on your purchase a Roadtrek is a great campervan. Are you going to make videos of all your fixes and upgraded? It would be great to fallow your progress.😎🇨🇦
Parksguy yes.. we just started our Very Newbie RV Life Vlog... sooooo much to do and learn. It feels like our first season will primarily mods, renovations and remodeling... we are Nowhere near Hobotech’s level... but we are kind or dorky... So you may laugh.
Our fur Baby Angel is the star of the Show.
Some things we are soooo getting done by experts, like metal work... too much for us.
What is great about UA-cam is the community.
The encouragement and advice in the comments is AMAZING!!
Thanks for asking.
Good information. Thanks
Hey ... The SUBS are "adding UP" now Tom :) :) :) .... Keep it going buddy !!
You seem to have a lot of space on top of your van for panels. I need to get up to check mine out with a ruler, but I think the contour of my conversion top will prevent me from using std sizes. Need long skinny panel(s) to fit. So I got a suitcase instead. But I found a custom panel yesterday, if I have 14 inches in the contour...
My roof is odd shaped as well, and I have no ladder to get to the roof to maintain, nor do I want to carry one or invest in installing one, plus I'm not sure how long I plan to keep this van..now with the soft semi flexible lighter folding portable panels that r coming out I'm much more likely to go with those..once i have a vehicle i know I'll be keeping for sure, i may consider both✌
Great Video! Are you able to run and portable AC unit with your set up? If yes, how long can you run it for ?? Thank you....
Great vid. I appreciate watching your vids and listening to your knowledge. I did try to get the 100w solar saga panel by Jackery but your link to Amazon said "Currently unavailable. We don't know when or if this item will be back in stock."
Dang it, I am always too late! But keep up the good work and thank you for making these videos.
Apparently, there was an attack on the Jackery Amazon store and all products became unavailable. The problem has been resolved and the SolarSaga 100 is now available.
I just tried again. You are right, it is available. From your knowledge, can I plug it into an Inergy APEX, to give some charge? Will it help at all do you think.
With the right adapter, yes.
HOBOTECH ok. So I gotta find an adapter. Thank you 👍
Great Video. Can you make a shorter one just explaining how you hooked your ground solar panels together, how you wired in your MPPT controller and how that works, and how you hooked the wiring to the battery? We were thinking of buying a 200w suitcase but it's definitely way over $500 and then we need to spend another $70-80 bucks to have a body shop install solar plugs on the outside of our RV which would wire into the battery. Would your setup work with 6V golf cart batteries?
Well, I did explain I wire everything in series and showed the wiring of the controller so not sure what else to show? I do have a video I did of the original install of the MPPT controller back in 2017 in long winded detail if that will help. You can check my solar playlist for that. Yes, you can use 6v batteries setup in series for 12v if you don't mind the extra wiring complexity and the downsides of that.
You forgot to mention that the roof panels shade the roof. I have 1200 watts at 12 volt on my Airstream and they made about a 8 to 10 degree difference inside just from shading the roof.
Very true. I did forget to mention that. Most of the heat in my RV comes from the sun beating on the sides and windows. That's a lot harder to block.
great video , throw in a good dc2dc charger then you only gotta run your engine for an hour depending on high you go in amps
Wish it worked that way. Even with my 120 amp alternator @ 13.6 volts I only get about 300 watts of charging from running the engine. That would take 8 hours from dead to charge.
@@HOBOTECH , thats what a 12v to 12v or dc to dc charger will do . boost your alternator up to around 14v plus so hence you dont need to run your engine for long to get 24 hours worth of charge providing you get a high amperage charger 40 maybe . more amps more money to purchase .
@@HOBOTECH google that shit dude
Hey man I'm curious how you route your solar cables through the back door. Does this mean the mc4 connectors can fit through in order to put the cables away as well as run them back out?
Excellent presentation. Thanks so much. Havagudun !
Good info I built a similar system in a Promaster but have not yet bought the extra panels as we will be fully retired this February. Then will begin longer boon docking. By the way for your information I unsubscribed a while because I didn’t like being called a peep.
Well done, sir.
Really enjoyed this video. I have been looking at solar alot lately. I ordered 4 of the BougeRv 170 watt panels you recommend. Can the BougeRv be run in series?
Yes, of course.
Thank you..great video..😎
Outstanding material.
Thank you for the information.
"Why do I have both?"
Because MOAR POWER!!!!
Hobo I had a question on Amazon from young lady. She wanted to know if Jackery 1002 could power her 50 watt fish tank heater? I responded that the Jack 1002 only has 935 USABLE WATTS ( PER YOUR TEST) so take 935 ÷ 50 = 18.7 hrs. Are my calculations correct???
Bingo!
Do you think the Eternabond 2 sided tape would hold roof mount solar panels? Asking for a friend..😁
Nice setup!!
I keep picturing a roof mount that combines a boat seat swivel to get rotation while parked with fixed brackets to travel. Not sure how it could be made strong enough to withstand wind, though.
Outstanding shipmate.
Question for @Hobotech himself or the community.
When connecting the extra solar, are there DO's and DONT's? I presume it's fine but can I just quick connect the ground solar while exposed to the sun?
I intend to run a dual battery setup for my SUV using a flat panel designed to sit on the hood + a panel similar to those in this video attached to the roofrack but detachable so that I can run a longer cable and place the roofrack panel wherever I need. My kit cones with a Redarc 1225 (I don't think that'll be an issue but figured it's worth mentioning).
Just curious, sense you don't have the recommended 3-5" gap under the solar panels, do they continue to put out the same watts when it gets really hot?
Leaving Montana end of aug see you in quartzite..
Are you bringing any Pygmy Ponies from the Dental Floss Farm??
Hello. I just bought the explorer 500 and want to hook it up to my renergy suitcase kit 100 watt with the PWM voyager controller built on it. I bought the MC4 to 8 mm cord but the panels state that they aren’t connected to a battery and the jackery does t do anything at all. I thought it was a bad cable so I bought another one and still nothing. Any ideas?
When is the "Big Jackery" coming out?
The 1500 is later this year.
You know what else you can do you can get a dc-to-dc charger booster voltage from your vehicle will give you that 14.5 vts
Yeah, I remember when solar panels used to be something no one knew the value of. One of the downsides of solar power getting popular is now people know what it's worth and you can't leave something like that around anymore. Back in the day people actually thought solar was impractical so nobody would touch them much.
You know, thinking about it also, a ground deploy array is superior to a fixed array in that you can get those puppies out of a hail storm before it gets there if you stay on your toes
I have considered a lot of the things that you have discussed. One of my thoughts is probably not practical due to weight and bulk but an aluminum frame that mounts to the top of the van that can be slid off. That way when you're driving it is fixed and when you get to where you want some shade and you're sitting you could deploy the entire rack and of course tilt it. I also considered because it is cheaper to do non pure sine wave for the items that are not picky. Pure sine wave only for instance on television and computer this would be a smaller unit with less loss and I would supplement with a cheaper one. I figure I would not have to run a large pure sine for everything because when you turn it on you produce a 10% loss automatically. With two you turn the inverter on that you need at the time
So you're saying climb up on a ladder and try to remove a bulky aluminum frame full of heavy solar panels by yourself? What about all the cabling too? Would you be able to secure this removable rack to the roof without it rattling? Far too complicated IMO. And you do want pure sine for things like microwaves and induction stoves. May as well just pay a bit more for something that will run everything.
Now what you can do is get a cheaper/lower wattage pure sine for the main stuff and run small dirt cheap modified sine for individual stuff. This way you don't produce as much loss. Smaller inverters of either type produce less loss than a larger model. My 1500w pure sine wastes 12w when it is running while my tiny 150w Foval modified sine barely loses 1 watt. Most of the stuff I charge boondocking is with the 150w.
@@HOBOTECH that is exactly what I was thinking. I hate the idea a firing up a big pure sine inverter when it is not necessary.. as far as Deployable solar panels... I was considering the idea of a roof rack with a ladder and panels mounted it. It was attached is simply as a ladder to the top of the van and it would slide off just as easy as a ladder. I am devising ways to do Rainwater catchment also. For example the homemade tarp awnings have the annoying puddle in the middle I have a simple idea to install a drain. Solve two problems at the same time. Look up water catchment with a tarp. On the internet there is rain calculators 1 inch of rain on a 8 by 10 tarp is substantial. Simple matter of adjusting two legs closer to the van creating a valley one higher on the end to create a slope 99.9% clean water except for possible dust residue that can be filtered out with any filter worth its salt. Landscape lights with the top removed gives you a small panel battery and light for under cabinet lights. Place on the ground during the day or in the dash while you're driving . I'm not on the road yet but listen very closely to the problems and try to come up with a remedy. In a attempt to stay out longer. Generator yes if I am going to have cloudy rainy days not going to sweat it I'll be collecting water so I can stay out longer. I don't have to worry about Muddy roads and no water if I took advantage of the situation. Out of propane rocket stove and down twigs. I'm giving away all my video ideas LOL
@@weswalker1208 Yes you are giving away video ideas but hey do your videos and someone will copy/compete anyway. LOL I like the water catch idea. I had a plan but yours is much better. And the light idea wow. I get those as scrap throwaway stuff quite often and they still work! Great idea especially for me who gos as cheap as possible and does a lot of DIY. Fair Winds and Smiles.
@@CaptainJackScrapper thank you Captain
I can see solar panels for tiny homes and van dwellers everywhere.. micro farm collective where we grow real food, fresh water, and forest gardens.. enhoying the outdoors once again..
I know this is off topic -but you've had your Cooper Discoverer AT3 tires for a little while now and am wondering how they're holding out. Kinda trying to decide between your Coopers and Michelin Defenders.
Awesome.
newbie here, got some great idea from your video. i read the roof solar panel is not good idea when the heat will lower solar reception? besides wouldn't that create heat penetrates down into the RV even if the ceiling is well insulated???
The solar panels actually create shade and there is an air gap between them and the roof. They don't overheat and they don't transfer heat to the roof.
@@HOBOTECH i have a DIY teardrop and plan to set the 100 W and 200 W on the rooftop. would you advise put the 100 W on top and 200 W below on the slanted roof? should i connect the 100 W to the 200 W downstream since i plan to do it in parallel that will give me 12 V?
I ve had solar on the roof and ground for over five years
In a previous, recent vid you showed an 80% solar tarp? It was draped over your van. Where did you get it? My searches are coming up empty. Thanks.
I know I sound like a broken record: hobotech.tv/amazon
Ever look into miniature wind generators?
Go back about a year and a half and I show my failed wind generator. Useless technology unless you carry around a 50 foot pole.
Can I connect a roof panels to a pecron s1500 what size recommend? I'm from Puerto Rico recently huracanes Fiona passed by thanks for the help.o if you recommend other solar power station.
have you considered a wind generator? Would that be beneficial to your application?
Did a video on that last year. Wind generators don't work well so close to the ground. I ended up getting rid of it.
Just got my Explorer 500!!! Tom, do I need an Mmpt controller for my Jackery System? Thanks Bud😀
The controller is built into the Explorer. You can plug a solar panel directly into the input.
Thanks very much!
how do you charge your E-bike? I've been trying to work out a system to charge mine directly from a solar panel
using a buck converter but the low efficiency means it will take forever.
I get asked this question a lot so I'll do a separate video on it. Basically, I either use my Jackery Explorer (see my video on 10 uses for the Explorer 500 to see my 300w charger) or I charge from 110v using my van's pure sine inverter. You need a proper battery charger designed for lithium that provides the proper amps at the voltage of your battery. I wouldn't mess around with trying to do a direct DC charge with one of those $10 voltage regulators. I had two fail on me and one fried a new computer.