diy solar

diy solar

500ah LFP, 480 w folding panel, Multiplus 12/3000, Sprinter system. PIC HEAVY.

Sipma02

New Member
Joined
May 27, 2020
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141
Yep, another Sprinter electrical system. But I thought this one was kinda neat, being that I custom designed & built a system for folding the panels up. They are 160 w Newpowa panels. 160 watts is stationary, but the other 320 watts folds upward. Please note that the primary reason behind the panels folding up was so the client could have additional deck space to go up and relax—NOT for extra solar harvest. Now, I'm sure that early in the day, it could increase output. But the panels are at much too steep of an angle for it to be worthwhile most of the time.

Here it is!
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The rest of the install:

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I didn't get great photos of it, but there is roughly 120 CFM of forced air through the box, activated by a thermostat.
 
Do you have links to the hinges and the sliding locking bolts that you used on the panel mounts? Looks very nice.
 
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I really like your panel design & implementation. Do you have any concerns with wind catching the backside of those panels while deployed? The support brackets don't appear to be overly sturdy in the picture, but I could be mistaken.
 
Nope, not really. For better or worse, when I was installing them there was a pretty stiff wind. It held up fine. I wouldnt say that the setup would be safe with more than about a 20-30 mph wind—which at that point, you should be putting the panels down anyway.
 
Nope, not really. For better or worse, when I was installing them there was a pretty stiff wind. It held up fine. I wouldnt say that the setup would be safe with more than about a 20-30 mph wind—which at that point, you should be putting the panels down anyway.
Fair point that, but storms can roll in quickly sometimes. Anyway I love the setup, and if I may ask one more question, is that simple aluminum L channel you used to connect the panels together?
 
Yep, just aluminum L channel. 1/8", but I think you could be fine with 1/16".
 
Thanks man, I've been toying with this as a way to reduce the footprint of my current ground-mount "portable" array. Currently I have 8 separate PVC mounts, If I could turn them 90-deg, double them up, then tilt them my wife might look at me a little less hostilely.... Maybe
 
This install wasnt for our van, but let it be known: for our personal van, my wife gave this the go-ahead ;)
 
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