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Has anyone just blapped solar on the front of their cabover / overcab?


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So on the front of most toyhomes you've got that clear window which in theory could let a lot of light in, but my thought was that it's prime real estate for a nice solar panel. On a dolphin I know it's a little bit curved and on a sunrader I know it aims forward more than out, but on the travelmaster it seems like the angle might be juuuuuust right.......

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anyone done this? have thoughts on this? 

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9 minutes ago, Pretty Interstate Machine said:

So on the front of most toyhomes you've got that clear window which in theory could let a lot of light in, but my thought was that it's prime real estate for a nice solar panel. On a dolphin I know it's a little bit curved and on a sunrader I know it aims forward more than out, but on the travelmaster it seems like the angle might be juuuuuust right.......

image.thumb.png.d84a4e5242b62b2928d2c5b0c9174422.png

anyone done this? have thoughts on this? 

I think you’d really be limiting yourself on optimal solar exposure possibilities if on the front 

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You would lose a lot of sun time because of the wrong angle.

My panel is mounted flat on the roof. Its power out goes from 2 amps 1 hr after sun rise to 15 amps around noon and starts back down to 2 amps near sunset.

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On 10/16/2018 at 10:37 PM, WME said:

You would lose a lot of sun time because of the wrong angle.

My panel is mounted flat on the roof. Its power out goes from 2 amps 1 hr after sun rise to 15 amps around noon and starts back down to 2 amps near sunset.

Definitely planning on roof units, I just thought that hey, maybe I could just have an extra there for a little bit of extra juice, perhaps even put it on a prop bar that I could lift while parked.

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If I were to ever go solar I’d get portable units so I wouldn’t have to park my rig in the sun to get the panels to charge fully! 

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  • 2 weeks later...

I just installed a 135 watt panel right behind my upper bunk hatch on my roof. Turned out great. I can open my hatch and lift the panel for better direction. keeps my battery topped off very well.

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I thought of getting rid of the front windows on my odyssey and mounting a solar panel across the front too but with some type of tilt up mount that would go from flat against front of the camper and fold up vertical so it could be adjusted for sun angle. Seems like good real estate to mount one.

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If you could mount the hinge high enough then you won't have the shading problem.

BUT unless you have a solar panel cover, there is a large possibility of a rock cracking panel.

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I think solar panel's are pretty tough I mean they are mounted on house roofs for thirty or more year's and subject to the elements and hail storms. But it would be mounted on a vehicle and subjected to the bumps and vibration of going down the road.

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