Removable Panels on Side of RV

[eXodus]

I think this a pretty interesting idea. But going to a permanent wall of the RV.




Just went outside to my RV and saw that I could essentially mount 2x residential panels to the side of the RV. 440-500W types.

Maybe with a heavy duty piano hinge at the top? So I could tilt them with a linear actuator.... hmmm

Advice on Linear Actuators & angles of 'lift'

The lifting roof I've built on my 110 has been very successful, except for the fabric sides which although robust & functional have proved very vulnerable on stormy days and very cold & quite prone to condensation in winter. So I'm looking at a wee bit of additional work to add rigid side...

forums.lr4x4.com

 

[chrisski]

I think this a pretty interesting idea. But going to a permanent wall of the RV.

View attachment 176528


Just went outside to my RV and saw that I could essentially mount 2x residential panels to the side of the RV. 440-500W types.

Maybe with a heavy duty piano hinge at the top? So I could tilt them with a linear actuator.... hmmm

View attachment 176529
View attachment 176530

Advice on Linear Actuators & angles of 'lift'

The lifting roof I've built on my 110 has been very successful, except for the fabric sides which although robust & functional have proved very vulnerable on stormy days and very cold & quite prone to condensation in winter. So I'm looking at a wee bit of additional work to add rigid side...

forums.lr4x4.com

I’d like to see how this turns out.

I considered permanently mounting some, but opted against it. Just don’t know enough on how to secure panels to the side of the RV. THe roof with the pressboard top is easy to find the beams on where to mount it. The side of the RV is some sort of composite cover with aluminum framing. And don’t know about the load bearing.

I find that camping in the winter months requires a much steeper panel. My Flat panels produce half the power of the side panels early in the winter. In the summer, could be just the opposite as the angle of the sun is so high in the sky. For me, 115 F summer temps are not worth setting up the RV for, but winter day temps of 55 - 85 are fine.

 

[SamDeleted]

Related: I'm really hoping someone releases a good EU3200i propane dual-fuel conversion kit... it's such a nice genset and having the extra power for charging batteries while running an AC (vs the 2200) would be great ?

Honda EU30is Bottle Mount LPG Dual Fuel Conversion Kit | Honda Engines and Generators | Gear GB

Honda EU30is Bottle Mount LPG Dual Fuel Conversion Kit |Honda Engines and Generators | Gear GB

www.geargb.co.uk

This is for the eu30i (eu3000i) so I'm not sure if it's compatible ??

,GB gear are very trusted here, fantastic customer service, they manufacturer the kits themselves in the UK ... I have a honda with one of their LPG (propane) conversions, very good workmanship .

Might be worth you getting in touch, they should be able to sort you out




(Btw I think your propane bottles have a different thread to ours in the UK, so you'd have to swap out the regulator for a US model, easy done)

 

[eXodus]

The wall at the roofline is pretty substantial..there are some large aluminum extrusions at the radius. Remember people mount giant awnings to that part of the RV.

 

[eXodus]

 

[JS43]

Funny as I just watched that video last night. I think however I would use electric actuators and not pneumatic air actuators like he did. For one air actuators do not do well in cold weather. They tend to blow lines. The plastic lines get brittle in the below zero range.

 

[Zwy]

I think this a pretty interesting idea. But going to a permanent wall of the RV.

View attachment 176528


Just went outside to my RV and saw that I could essentially mount 2x residential panels to the side of the RV. 440-500W types.

Maybe with a heavy duty piano hinge at the top? So I could tilt them with a linear actuator.... hmmm

View attachment 176529
View attachment 176530

Advice on Linear Actuators & angles of 'lift'

The lifting roof I've built on my 110 has been very successful, except for the fabric sides which although robust & functional have proved very vulnerable on stormy days and very cold & quite prone to condensation in winter. So I'm looking at a wee bit of additional work to add rigid side...

forums.lr4x4.com

I can tilt half my panels on the roof with electric actuators. I plan on heading down to AZ and TX for a few weeks in January. There is no way I'd go in the winter without some tilting panels or having some mounted vertically.

 

[eXodus]

Funny as I just watched that video last night. I think however I would use electric actuators and not pneumatic air actuators like he did. For one air actuators do not do well in cold weather. They tend to blow lines. The plastic lines get brittle in the below zero range.

he used gas-springs. The same your car tailgate uses - no lines attached

I can tilt half my panels on the roof with electric actuators. I plan on heading down to AZ and TX for a few weeks in January.

do you have a some pictures? One or two actuators per panel? I'm a bit concerned when using two that they run at different speeds and bend to panel to shattering.

 

[Santa Fe Big Sky]

TRV with Tito turned the panels into outside window shades. I think he dropped the idea on his next RV bit it was clever.

 

[chrisski]

TRV with Tito turned the panels into outside window shades. I think he dropped the idea on his next RV bit it was clever.

I considered Tito’s solar awning but two things stopped me.

1) no windows on my east and west RV side, and a single 100 watt panel sized window on the south.

2) He built those removable window awnings with pvc pipe. Not a fan.

Honestly, if I knew how to install a frame on the side of the RV, I’d use that for a detachable solar awning. Probably easy, just not ready to do it.

 

[Zwy]

he used gas-springs. The same your car tailgate uses - no lines attached


do you have a some pictures? One or two actuators per panel? I'm a bit concerned when using two that they run at different speeds and bend to panel to shattering.

Video on that system is coming. I have a frame made of aluminum unistrut and angle with actuators on each side.

Engineer friend of mine that hangs out at the shop asked one night how I intended to keep the actuators in time. Not a problem was my reply, each time the panels are lowered, the actuator runs until it hits the internal stop switch. You can hear one stop, then the other. I would not concern myself with twisting unless you plan on using the panel frame as main frame. I did not like that idea, there will be stress at the bottom of the stroke.

For now you can study the photos in this post. https://diysolarforum.com/threads/heres-my-truck-camper-setup.29488/post-354453 I can tilt up to 90 degrees. Roof air will soon be gone and 2 more panels added in the middle.

 

[JS43]

he used gas-springs. The same your car tailgate uses - no lines attached


do you have a some pictures? One or two actuators per panel? I'm a bit concerned when using two that they run at different speeds and bend to panel to shattering.

The original build on top uses the pneumatic air to slide the two panels out from under the two top panels. The two on the side use the gas springs.

 

[JS43]

The original build on top uses the pneumatic air to slide the two panels out from under the two top panels. The two on the side use the gas springs.

That's what I said ?

 

[eXodus]

Video on that system is coming. I have a frame made of aluminum unistrut and angle with actuators on each side.

Engineer friend of mine that hangs out at the shop asked one night how I intended to keep the actuators in time. Not a problem was my reply, each time the panels are lowered, the actuator runs until it hits the internal stop switch. You can hear one stop, then the other. I would not concern myself with twisting unless you plan on using the panel frame as main frame. I did not like that idea, there will be stress at the bottom of the stroke.

For now you can study the photos in this post. https://diysolarforum.com/threads/heres-my-truck-camper-setup.29488/post-354453 I can tilt up to 90 degrees. Roof air will soon be gone and 2 more panels added in the middle.

the other day I had a linear actuator on gate randomly dying. More worried about one not running at all and the other one continuing. Even when mounted to a subframe - that would give a decent deflection of the panel.



Was doing some more thinking and measuring - I like the Gas-Spring idea, I could have a solar awning to cover my windows - which like to shade anyhow.



On an old RV I had those Window Roller Awnings - they had a strap attached - which had multiple spots where you could put it in the hanger - that determined the angle of the awning.



Pretty low tech solution, also when propped open and too much wind - it would likely just snap closed

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