Community Forums

Pianotuna · 04-22-2013, 07:53 AM

Hi,

I'm wanting to put solar panels on the sides of my RV. I want to be able to tilt them up. I hope to motorize the tilting mechanism so that with an east to west RV orientation I could raise the panels on the north side enough to have a good sun angle.

The system would not be used while the RV was in motion.

Design ideas?

Doggy Daddy · 04-22-2013, 11:29 AM

Why not the roof, it is more secure. I would be concerned more about inviting theft.

Pullin' Chocks · 04-22-2013, 12:09 PM

Interesting idea... you could install them over windows and they will act as shade awnings for your glass.... just like grandmas house had. Possibly some sort of rail mounted high up on side(s) of rig where hinges could attach and provide flexibility for moving laterally and/or adding more panels later. Stumped on auto raise/lower motion... don't want cables over top potentially casting shadow on panel(s). That leaves a solution behind the panel... how about a linear actuator mounted at the rear of your rig. For winter month tilting you want ~30 degrees off the vertical side of your coach; summer months probably want 60 degrees or more from the vertical side of your coach. Attach the end of the actuator to the rear edge of panel, or a bar that runs behind the panel(s). Then a touch of a button extends the actuator tilting the panels away from the side of your rig... A 20 inch wide panel will take about 10 inches of actuator travel to achieve 30 degrees tilt if attached at the bottom of the panel; take only about 5 inches of actuator travel if mounted to the center line of the panel. Linear Actuator link example: Electric Actuator Linear, Linear Actuators Electric, Electric Linear Actuator, Miniature Linear Actuator, Linear Actuato

Ed-Sommers · 04-23-2013, 10:17 AM

How about this?

Pullin' Chocks · 04-23-2013, 10:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ed-Sommers

How about this?

Fantastic Ed!

az bound · 04-30-2013, 03:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pianotuna

Hi,

I'm wanting to put solar panels on the sides of my RV. I want to be able to tilt them up. I hope to motorize the tilting mechanism so that with an east to west RV orientation I could raise the panels on the north side enough to have a good sun angle.

The system would not be used while the RV was in motion.

Design ideas?

Motorized single axis tilting mechanisms for solar panels have been available for over 30 years. Google search.