Wheeling my solar array out of my garage every day

[Bryanbr]

I'm a complete newbie to DIY Solar. I recently bought an Electric Vehicle.

I have this crazy idea of wheeling a 1000W solar array out of my two car garage every day to charge my car. I would mount the panels to some type of frame with simple wheels. Who knows, with real efficient panels I could do 2000W. My HOA has crazy insane rules about solar allowed on the roof.

Obviously I wouldn't be able to fully charge my car. But a solid 7 to 14 Klw of charge would be worth the effort, or at least just for build it for the fun of it side of this project.

Has anyone ever done something like this?

Is this idea too crazy?

There wouldn't be any permitting issues because the array is not fixed to the ground, right?

 

[jasonhc73]

7 to 14 kWh out of a 1 kWp array is very ambitious.

But moving a 4-panel array in and out of your garage might be the real challenge. You are looking at somewhere near 500 lbs of "structure", panels, and inverter, plus a battery.

Here is basically what you have in mind, just on a cargo trailer already.

Another Cargo Trailer setup.

This is now officially a legitimate sickness. My 4th off-grid system: The players: This setup is actually cheaper than going with a PWM Hybrid all in one unit 48V unit. I have AC input to charge the 48V batteries with shore power. (The 21.99 charger) A way more than I will use MPPT battery...

diysolarforum.com

I bet your HOA doesn't allow parking outside the garage, does it?

Permitting is entirely local, just check with your city or county.

 

[Texas-Mark]

You are looking at somewhere near 500 lbs of "structure", panels, and inverter, plus a battery.

I see no reason the inverter and battery could not stay in the garage. I also don't think the "cart" needs to be that beefy. Might even be able to make it out of PVC.

 

[Bryanbr]

7 to 14 kWh out of a 1 kWp array is very ambitious.

But moving a 4-panel array in and out of your garage might be the real challenge. You are looking at somewhere near 500 lbs of "structure", panels, and inverter, plus a battery.

Here is basically what you have in mind, just on a cargo trailer already.

Another Cargo Trailer setup.

This is now officially a legitimate sickness. My 4th off-grid system: The players: This setup is actually cheaper than going with a PWM Hybrid all in one unit 48V unit. I have AC input to charge the 48V batteries with shore power. (The 21.99 charger) A way more than I will use MPPT battery...

diysolarforum.com

I bet your HOA doesn't allow parking outside the garage, does it?

Permitting is entirely local, just check with your city or county.

That's 7 to 14 Kwh of total daily power drawn from the panels. Maybe my math is off. I didn't seriously study that calculation, and I'm a solar newbie.

I can park wherever I want in my driveway. I just can't park on the street.

500 lbs? How did you arrive at that?

A 200 watt mono panel only weighs 20 lbs. I think the big 400 watt panels are only 60 lbs. The aluminum frame and wheels wouldn't weigh much at all.

The battery and inverter would all stay in the garage. I think something simple like AC200 Max would work. Although I think that All in One might be limited to something like 900W to 1200W of input.

 

[Wellbuilt]

Just mount the panels on a low trailer , roll it out , roll it in .
Just roll the panels out buy them selves on the trailer .
I was thinking about using the trailer for the winter on bad days I can keep the panels in side
so they don’t get covered by snow .

 

[jasonhc73]

That's 7 to 14 Kwh of total daily power drawn from the panels. Maybe my math is off. I didn't seriously study that calculation, and I'm a solar newbie.

I can park wherever I want in my driveway. I just can't park on the street.

500 lbs? How did you arrive at that?

A 200 watt mono panel only weighs 20 lbs. I think the big 400 watt panels are only 60 lbs. The aluminum frame and wheels wouldn't weigh much at all.

The battery and inverter would all stay in the garage. I think something simple like AC200 Max would work. Although I think that All in One might be limited to something like 900W to 1200W of input.

Panels are about 45 to 65 lbs each.

I had it in my mind's eye something you wheel out that looks like a carport. However there is no reason it needs to be very big, they gather photons on the ground just fine also! I've had several "waiting to be installed panels" hooked up leaning on the fence in the yard.

Check out this build idea:

A “little” hand truck system...

Partially setup for sizing...

diysolarforum.com

 

[Bryanbr]

Just mount the panels on a low trailer , roll it out , roll it in .
Just roll the panels out buy them selves on the trailer .
I was thinking about using the trailer for the winter on bad days I can keep the panels in side
so they don’t get covered by snow .

Yeah, something like this:

It's amazing that you can buy a trailer off of amazon for 200 dollars. I could never build it from parts for that amount.

Amazon.com: Cerlingwee Metal Trailer, 1 Set RC Assembly, Two-Axle RC Accessories 4-Piece Wheel 4/Axial Scx10 for Traxxas : Toys & Games

Amazon.com: Cerlingwee Metal Trailer, 1 Set RC Assembly, Two-Axle RC Accessories 4-Piece Wheel 4/Axial Scx10 for Traxxas : Toys & Games

www.amazon.com

 

[Bryanbr]

Yeah, something like this:

It's amazing that you can buy a trailer off of amazon for 200 dollars. I could never build it from parts for that amount.

Amazon.com: Cerlingwee Metal Trailer, 1 Set RC Assembly, Two-Axle RC Accessories 4-Piece Wheel 4/Axial Scx10 for Traxxas : Toys & Games

Amazon.com: Cerlingwee Metal Trailer, 1 Set RC Assembly, Two-Axle RC Accessories 4-Piece Wheel 4/Axial Scx10 for Traxxas : Toys & Games

www.amazon.com

Oh, wait, that's a RC trailer.

LOL.

 

[Bryanbr]

Panels are about 45 to 65 lbs each.

I had it in my mind's eye something you wheel out that looks like a carport. However there is no reason it needs to be very big, they gather photons on the ground just fine also! I've had several "waiting to be installed panels" hooked up leaning on the fence in the yard.

Check out this build idea:

A “little” hand truck system...

Partially setup for sizing...

diysolarforum.com

Or this super cheap, $129, little guy from Harbor Freight.

10 cu. ft. Trailer Cart

Amazing deals on this 10Cu Ft Trailer Cart at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

It might be best to just buy a used low trailer, or one of those new low trailers from Harbor Freight for $500.00.

 

[sunshine]

But a solid 7 to 14 Klw of charge would be worth the effort,

Put that in $ and decide if it is worth the effort. $2/day ave?

I have used a kids swingset to hold 4 panels. Using one of Byranbr's RC trailers under each leg would save you pushing!

 

[eabyrd]

I carry these 8 250s out from the basement well when the weather is nice. I currently run them as a single string into a LVX6048. I got the panels as commercial recycling $50 a pop and made the frames with PVC pipe. Each panel with frame is right at #50

 

[feo]

 

[eabyrd]

What does that cost? The outer wings make me nervous with the lack of support

 

[Bryanbr]

Put that in $ and decide if it is worth the effort. $2/day ave?

I have used a kids swingset to hold 4 panels. Using one of Byranbr's RC trailers under each leg would save you pushing!

I have no illusions about the cost efficacy of this project. It's very much a "build it for the fun of it project" combined with a "build it to flip the bird at the HOA poject".

But now that I've considered the engineering side it, I think the panels could potentially expand out from the low trailer. I could then build something like a 2400W array. Maybe 6 400W panels.

Consider an A Frame like structure. Both sides of the A would panels. When deployed, the panels fold out from the vertical storage position to take up more horizontal space. Simple wheels on the bottom of the panels in tracks. A vertical locking mechanism in the center of the A Frame.

I would need to push the array into my side yard so it doesn't take up the entire driveway.

But that's all too much. I need to start simple with version 1.0 of the trailer.

 

[Bryanbr]

Nice! I knew someone already dealt with this problem.

 

[eabyrd]

Nice! I knew someone already dealt with this problem.

Wow $1300 Plus delivery

 

[Bryanbr]

What does that cost? The outer wings make me nervous with the lack of support

Hmm, on second thought, I might like the trailer idea better. I give up more garage space. But deploying it in and out of the garage is seconds versus minutes, and there is no unscrewing and lifting and tilting.

 

[Bryanbr]

Consider an A Frame like structure. Both sides of the A would panels. When deployed, the panels fold out from the vertical storage position to take up more horizontal space. Simple wheels on the bottom of the panels in tracks. A vertical locking mechanism in the center of the A Frame.

That A Frame idea is probably too complicated. The approach from the video is better. A four panel system and two of the panels just fold out from the center.

 

[Q-Dog]

How about a frame sort of like a pergola on wheels that fits through the garge door and the car could still park under the frame inside the garage.

 

[Wellbuilt]

I think you need a larger trailer 4.5 wide and 8 ‘ long
my trailer is 5’x10’ you don’t want it blowing away