I'm building out a 7x12 cargo trailer camper. I want to be able to run a 5k btu window ac (455 watts) during the day without drawing the batteries down. Nights in Idaho are not really an issue because it cools way down at night. I can get 4 - 250 watt panels on the roof, and for some extra "ooph", I'm thinking about mounting a hinged panel on each side of the trailer. Pluses - more wattage, awning over windows for shade. Minuses? Would bifacial panels be good for the side mounts? Trailer is white. Thx
Mount Panels On Side Of Trailer
- Thread starter jwh92020
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chrisski
Solar Boondocker
- Joined
- Aug 14, 2020
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- 5,560
Awning can work. Did see it in a YouTube video for an extreme off grid build.
I could not mount something on my trailer so made it removable.
When I set them up now, I just lean them on the side of the RV instead of 30 minutes of mounting each trip.
Majority of my boondocking is on the winter so another bonus is the wall is better for production with the lower sun.
I've seen a couple of YT videos where folks mounted panels on the side. One guy mounted 3 or 4 on each side of his bus. He used strap hinges bolted through the roof. Kind of crude, but they worked. Power & shade - win win.
HarryN
Solar Addict
This might give you an order of magnitude of the idea.
I have a small off grid workshop. Very simple but fun for me to get away.
It is completely solar powered from this setup.
- A metro shelf rack on wheels
- 1 each ~ 150 watt, 24 volt panel on top facing "up".
- 2 each, ~ 150 watt panels wired 2S for nominally similar "24 volt" style ( Vmp ~ 36 volt )
- Feeds a battery pack of 4 each, Lifeline 100 AGMs
- 2 kW inverter, etc.
I use it to run a couple fans and my power tools, lights.
It has been ~ 100 F at the shop, so the fans struggle to keep me cool, but pull about 70 watt each.
At the end of a typical day, the battery pack has been mostly full or full.
The clamp meter indicates ~ 150 watts average are generated from fairly early in the morning until late in the day ~ 7 pm. I don't use the fancy graphing setups so it is just measuring occasionally for fun.
The side mount solar panels make a very significant contribution to the total power collected each day. This is Livermore, CA to give you some location perspective of how it might work where you are. About 5 pm PST.
I have a small off grid workshop. Very simple but fun for me to get away.
It is completely solar powered from this setup.
- A metro shelf rack on wheels
- 1 each ~ 150 watt, 24 volt panel on top facing "up".
- 2 each, ~ 150 watt panels wired 2S for nominally similar "24 volt" style ( Vmp ~ 36 volt )
- Feeds a battery pack of 4 each, Lifeline 100 AGMs
- 2 kW inverter, etc.
I use it to run a couple fans and my power tools, lights.
It has been ~ 100 F at the shop, so the fans struggle to keep me cool, but pull about 70 watt each.
At the end of a typical day, the battery pack has been mostly full or full.
The clamp meter indicates ~ 150 watts average are generated from fairly early in the morning until late in the day ~ 7 pm. I don't use the fancy graphing setups so it is just measuring occasionally for fun.
The side mount solar panels make a very significant contribution to the total power collected each day. This is Livermore, CA to give you some location perspective of how it might work where you are. About 5 pm PST.
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0truck0
New Member
From Sept to March, esp further North in America lower 48, could be better on a wall, more direct. In summer moths is better to lay flat given two choices of flat or vertical. Of course aiming directly is the best, but we are talking about flat or vertical.
Simple. Any angle of the sun that is less than 45 degrees then put on wall. Anything over 45 degrees then lay flat. You can know by standing in the sun and pointing to the sun, if your arm is less or more than 45 degrees angle then that is your answer.
Wall mount will be better in early morning or late afternoon and flat better at high noon generally. The sun changes daily so you have to decide based on where you are and what time of year. There is no magical answer.
It could be that you have trees and you only have direct sun in the morning, and you have shade in afternoon and no options after noon. In such a case put on wall facing east.
Simple. Any angle of the sun that is less than 45 degrees then put on wall. Anything over 45 degrees then lay flat. You can know by standing in the sun and pointing to the sun, if your arm is less or more than 45 degrees angle then that is your answer.
Wall mount will be better in early morning or late afternoon and flat better at high noon generally. The sun changes daily so you have to decide based on where you are and what time of year. There is no magical answer.
It could be that you have trees and you only have direct sun in the morning, and you have shade in afternoon and no options after noon. In such a case put on wall facing east.
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