86rader Posted February 23, 2007 Share Posted February 23, 2007 I would like to add a solar system to my sunrader, mainly because it seems like a good way to keep a trickle charge on the batteries. Also, I plan on converting the black water toilet to a composting type which means having a small 12v vent fan running for extended times. My question is, do I spend the bucks on a complete system or do I cobble stuff together from seperately purchased parts on ebay. Seems like there is a pretty good supply of pv cells cheap on ebay. Ofcourse, that may be because they are junk or not sturdy enough for a mobile application. I am an electronics tech and jack of all trades (master of none). I know my way around a solder iron and wiring pretty well, so that part shouldn't be a problem. One of my biggest questions is pv cell mounting. Do I bolt it to the roof or use a more portable set up. Seems like the portable set up might be best as you can locate the cells for optimum sun exposure. I am not concerned with the ability to run the solar system while on the roll as there is this thing under the hood that does that pretty well. Also, a stowable pv array wouldn't be as susceptible to being damaged while driving. Any experience with this would be appreciated. thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gulfstream Greg Posted February 23, 2007 Share Posted February 23, 2007 I think most mount them on the roof. Storage and theft are the biggest reasons. I would not want to have set them up every time nor do I have the room to store them. So on the roof they will be when money allows. Go to www.costco.com and do a search for solar. I think they all come with some sort of mounting system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
86rader Posted February 25, 2007 Author Share Posted February 25, 2007 greg, thanks for the costco link. there is a setup on there that looks pretty good for around 300 bucks. I think I might do better buying individual components though, because buying a complete system would be a bit redundant as they come with an inverter. If I was to tie into my existing system, I would think that all I need is a pv array and a voltage regulator. The regulators on ebay seem to run pretty cheap. i'd rather put the dollars into a higher quality array which has better efficiency and lifespan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keitholivier Posted March 18, 2007 Share Posted March 18, 2007 Try the following link: http://www.backwoodssolar.com/Catalogpages2/solar2.htm These guys LIVE with their alternative energy solutions.. Keith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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