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Rvlegaleagle · 06-18-2019, 10:00 PM

Read up on two (2) strings in parallel it will minimize the shade effect instead of all in series but your question is similar to asking how well will a flashlight work with your hand covering it...lol

rarebear.nm · 06-18-2019, 10:35 PM

Reread Post #8. While all solar panels are tested at a standard test condition (STC) the real world results will vary greatly from one make to another. Some panels produce usable power outputs in low light conditions. Again, consider how bifocal or double sided panels work. And they do. Some panels are being designed for use indoors.

Not all panels are created equal. If you go with some of the most common panels sold for RVs you will get the same results as many report, poor production in low light. If you want something different you'll need to exert some effort and study about other panels. They're out there and improving all the time.

vsheetz · 06-19-2019, 12:17 AM

Amply sizing your PV array, using good MPPT controller(s), and having some panels made portable to set out away from the shade are ways to mitigate low sun situations.

We often dry camp in the winter desert season of the southwest. Flat panel mounting plus low winter sun angle can reduce production by upwards of 50% - with no shading.

astrocamper · 06-19-2019, 09:08 AM

I have enough battery capacity (400 amp-hour LiFePO4) to go several days if required. My batteries get charged going down the road and I don't expect to camp in a heavily forested area for more than a few days. I also have the option of firing up a Honda EU2200 if I had too. I have only needed to use the generator if I wanted to run air conditioning for several hours.

Smitty77 · 06-19-2019, 09:40 AM

I'll join the crowd with panels that can still yield some power in partial shaded areas.

We oversized, and admit wish I'd added a 6th panel, with 5 panels for 1250W. High Efficiency Panasonic 240W panels. We also went with Lifeline's AGM's, as they do charge a bit faster then standard wet cells. This was about 8 or so years ago now, and I decided to not go the LiFePO4 route at that time. Today? That would be the way to go for your camping situation. As they charge that much faster then both wet cells and AGM's. And yes, to a portable panel being a good way to augment while boon docking in shaded areas...

I do feel the price point for Lithium have dropped to an area where the do make economic sense on longer term payback. And more importantly, better performance and ease of life over wet or AGM's, via the faster recharge rates, and less weight is a nice benefit too... But for those who just do not have the funds to cover the heavier costs upfront, AGM's is reasonable, and IMO, still provide a ROI via ease of use and overall costs. Those not planning to hold onto an RV long enough for the ROI to be realized, would be better off staying wet cell or AGMs - as most buyer's are not going to come up high enough on a purchase of a used RV, to recoup the costs of LifePO4's

! (And most, especially new and uninformed, will not even know the benefits of AGM's too...).

Best to you and all,
Smitty

Unicorn Driver · 06-20-2019, 09:51 AM

Thanks all for the replies.

If I ever go roof top I will be sure to oversize the system:-)

Rvlegaleagle · 06-20-2019, 07:43 PM

BTW how is that 2012 Jeep Wrangler Sahara JKU as a toad?

weredoingit · 06-23-2019, 01:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Unicorn Driver

Thanks all for the replies.

If I ever go roof top I will be sure to oversize the system:-)

Read up on Mono crystalline vs. Poly crystalline panels The latter is worse in the shade My 400 watts of Mono do very well in indirect sunshine. We just got back from a week of camping at the ocean. It was very thick fog everyday and we were parked under trees. We watched movies from the I-pad streamed to the T.V. every night plus used lights and cell phone chargers. Batteries never got below 12.5 volts and we only ran the generator one time for 4 minutes for some microwave popcorn. Also ran the heater furnace in mornings for about 10 minutes to take the chill off. Now that's not to say that we don't try and camp in sunny spots when we can, but the solar panels will work in shaded areas even with heavy fog.

rarebear.nm · 06-23-2019, 02:13 PM

I also selected monocrystalline panels for their better performance in shaded areas and indirect light. In Alaska with low sun angles and camped under trees we never had problem recharging the batteries. Usually by 9-10am after a night of furnace and regular use patterns. Only once in four months did the recharge time go past noon. That was under trees with 1/4" snow on the roof.

Not all panels are created equal. Those that like to yak that solar has to have full sun to work do not know the current technology options and are stuck in the past.

richard5933 · 06-23-2019, 02:22 PM

We have three 180w portable panel sets which we carry in a basement bay. They feed through a Victron 150/85 controller and can provide over 30 amps to the batteries on a sunny day, even in northern Wisconsin in May.

We went with the portable panels for a simple reason - when we are needing solar it's because we are not plugged in and don't want to run the generator. That means we're not going to be running the a/c units. That means we REALLY don't want to be parked in the sun.

We have a 50-foot cable which connects the ground-deployed portable panels to the bus. Each of the three panels is made up of two smaller panels connected in parallel, and to minimize the size cable we needed we then connected the three sets in series to the controller, which resulted in higher voltage but not higher amperage. This is why we went with the larger controller than would otherwise have been necessary - so that it could handle the increased voltage.

We stay cool parked in the shade, our panels soak up all the sun they can up to 50 feet from us. Another benefit of this setup is that we can continue to rotate and better tilt the panels through the day to get as much from the sun as possible. Can't do that so easily with roof panels.

One day we might add a few panels to the roof as well, but so far have not found the need.

tundranurse1 · 06-24-2019, 09:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by weredoingit

Read up on Mono crystalline vs. Poly crystalline panels The latter is worse in the shade My 400 watts of Mono do very well in indirect sunshine. We just got back from a week of camping at the ocean. It was very thick fog everyday and we were parked under trees. We watched movies from the I-pad streamed to the T.V. every night plus used lights and cell phone chargers. Batteries never got below 12.5 volts and we only ran the generator one time for 4 minutes for some microwave popcorn. Also ran the heater furnace in mornings for about 10 minutes to take the chill off. Now that's not to say that we don't try and camp in sunny spots when we can, but the solar panels will work in shaded areas even with heavy fog.

What you use your solar for is typically what we use, just streaming on tv and charging cell phones and iPad. We are looking right now for when we retire in a few years. We really don’t need solar now, but plan on doing a lot of boondocking then.

How many batteries do you have, and type?

weredoingit · 06-24-2019, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tundranurse1

What you use your solar for is typically what we use, just streaming on tv and charging cell phones and iPad. We are looking right now for when we retire in a few years. We really don’t need solar now, but plan on doing a lot of boondocking then.

How many batteries do you have, and type?

4 interstate 6volt golf cart batteries, my setup is in my signature. It's not a lot My next set up I think I'll go with 600 watts on my roof, since we are starting to go for longer trips and we prefer to boondock. Although what we have is performing very well for us.