Community Forums

astrnmrtom · 04-19-2020, 11:20 PM

I just finished putting a coat of paint on the fiberglass roof of my rig and I tilted my solar panels up on their mounts so I could get under them. My wife saw the panels up, and said she had a question about leaving them tilted. She asked if it was ok to leave them tilted up when it's windy, and would I leave them tilted up if I knew a rain storm was coming, or would I climb up and set them down? She then asked if I'd leave them tilted up if we were going to be away for the day while boon docking or in an open campground. She said people suggest you put in your awning before leaving just in case it gets windy, would I do the same with the panels?

For those who tilt their panels, what would your answers be? I thought they were a good questions. They are solidly mounted and have a tilt strut on both ends, but a wind hitting the side of the panels could put quite a bit of pressure on the mounts.

Unplanned Tourist · 04-21-2020, 08:56 AM

I don't have tilting panels, but other than forgetting and driving away, I see no reason you can't leave them up.

Happy Glamping.

DeWat · 04-21-2020, 09:07 AM

I don't think my panels are tilting either, but if they were, I would closely examine the mechanism that allows them to be tilted and the stops. If the mechanism and/or stops that keep them from going too far when tilting are week, then I would be concerned that wind could get up under them and force them too far causing damage. An example would be an arm on one side that limits how far they can tilt. If that arm is only on one side and wind gets up under them, it can twist them by pushing on and flexing the side that does not have an arm. Some probably are made to tilt for better sun exposure, but again, I would it think all depends on the hardware.

GyroGypsy · 04-21-2020, 10:03 AM

The best answer - "It depends"

Strength - how thick are the structures? Are all components flat or angled (two perpendicular surfaces)? Wind is not likely going to deform angled structures.

Forecast wind speed - of course

Design - Due to the large solar panel surface area, most are designed with supports on all four corners. Assuming yours is like this, just give it some good tugs and see if anything moves enough to be worrisome.

Roof access/your agility - especially if only gone for a short while this may be the real deciding factor - is it worth it?

R Cabesa · 04-21-2020, 10:11 AM

Secured well they can stand quite a bit of wind. I have left this up when I would not leave the awning up and had no problem so far.

That being said, if strong gusty wind was forecast, I would not leave it up

No climbing to do so

Podivin · 04-21-2020, 10:31 AM

To ME the answers are 'no' all the way around.
We all know that wind can tip over a semi (or an RV), uproot trees or destroy a house.
Whatever it is those panels are mounted with won't stand up to a big wind. Here in Florida popup thunderstorms with LOTS of wind, for 20 minutes, is a normal thing in spring and summer - so that's what I think about. If the wind comes from the 'under' side of the panel gets a good 'hold' on it then something is going to give, someday. If you're lucky it's the panel mount and the panels just fold over. If you're unlucky the mount pulls out of the roof and now you've got holes in your roof (and if you're REALLY unlucky your solar panels are the side of the RV next too you).
I realize I'm leaning towards worst case scenarios, but to me the answer is clear. Leave the panels down. OR if you tilt them up then put them down any time you bring in your awning.
Do that enough times and you'll get tired of getting up on the roof and you'll leave them down all the time.

The panel shown in the pictures above is better protected than yours. 'Up' it's almost horizontal, so much less area for the wind to grab - more like yours when they are down.

GyroGypsy · 04-22-2020, 10:00 AM

R Cabesa - that's a sweet-looking and flexible setup. Are those other PV panels on the roof? What's your total watts? (NPI)

Podivin - you bring up a good point. Many times RV'ers are camped in unfamiliar territory, or don't have access to forecast weather. Better safe than sorry is often true. But RV'ers are generally adventurous types, and don't like staying safely at home.

Of course right nowww...

Stay healthy!

R Cabesa · 04-22-2020, 12:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GyroGypsy

R Cabesa - that's a sweet-looking and flexible setup. Are those other PV panels on the roof? What's your total watts? (NPI)

Podivin - you bring up a good point. Many times RV'ers are camped in unfamiliar territory, or don't have access to forecast weather. Better safe than sorry is often true. But RV'ers are generally adventurous types, and don't like staying safely at home.

Of course right nowww...

Stay healthy!

Thanks, Gyro. There is 600w fixed on the roof and the 195w on the tail end running through three Victron Smart controllers. That rear panel is also deployable within 50'. It's out there cooking along mid day

Started the day down 220Ah and should be 100% and floated before dark.

About the weather, it's always best to get some local input and better safe than sorry on leaving something like this up.

I think I'm good on my engineering (for a carpenter) It is all 6000 series aluminum and I have figured for 70MPH wind loads, 40x on all shear loads and 25x on fastener pull-out. Hell, I can pull big block engine one ONE of the pivot bolts.
My weakest link is the cheap aluminum paint poles for the kickers. I'm working on that

GyroGypsy · 04-23-2020, 07:44 AM

Awesome. I was also thinking that it would be good to be able to rotate to the side for when the sun is abeam your rig. Do your top panels tilt for that?

I also saw this expanding system which may be in my future.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nKCH-whO2A&t=534s

But as good as I can push electrons and program, I am not a mechanical engineer. You could have helped me design this collapsible crane used to mount the 100 lb rotor to my gyrocopter. I am sure the aluminum is much thicker than necessary. I am using a wireless remote winch at the top for lifting, although it does not have good fine motion control for aligning the bolt holes. It's kinda heavy for assembly with my old-man arms.

R Cabesa · 04-23-2020, 10:28 AM

Well, I have no idea how to screw two electrons together

Your cherry picker looks good structurally. Could you mount the motor maybe on your vertical and gear down the winching speed to your pick point?

No, my roof panels don't tilt. I had seen the video you posted above and had considered doing the same but it just seemed like to much BS and moving parts, actuators, etc. Plus, being a typical RV, there is AC, skylight, fan TV all scattered so hard layout

I'm pretty happy with my 795 watts with the 195 watt being deployable.

Yesterday my harvest was 3.39kWh

R Cabesa · 04-23-2020, 03:14 PM

We had some moderate winds in the overnight and they stayed put

GyroGypsy · 04-24-2020, 10:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by R Cabesa

Well, I have no idea how to screw two electrons together

Your cherry picker looks good structurally. Could you mount the motor maybe on your vertical and gear down the winching speed to your pick point?

I assume you mean by block and tackle style of reduction? I think that would merely lengthen the time to assemble/disassemble because of threading the nylon line. I have considered using a high power 12V buck converter and simply decrease the voltage to the winch when doing the final bolt-hole alignments. I initially built from less expensive, easily welded 1/4" box wall steel, but raising the assembled vertical with boom and winch attached was only just barely physically possible. Next year's decrease in muscle mass would make impossible so I rebuilt in aluminum.

Quote:

Originally Posted by R Cabesa

I had seen the video you posted above and had considered doing the same but it just seemed like to much BS and moving parts, actuators, etc. Plus, being a typical RV, there is AC, skylight, fan TV all scattered so hard layout

Agreed. I was concerned that a few hard rock jolts might cause damage, but their rig looks like it sees rougher terrain that I would ever take my Navion. The real proof of ruggedness will be after a couple years of abuse.

Quote:

Originally Posted by R Cabesa

I'm pretty happy with my 795 watts with the 195 watt being deployable. Yesterday my harvest was 3.39kWh

That's a pretty good harvest. Still looking into increasing my solar more and decreasing A/C load such that my two Tesla batteries with 10kWh can run the A/C overnight. Works very well for about 4-6 hours of A/C use, but then you better begin charging.

Is your Pleasure Way Ford or MB powered?

astrnmrtom · 04-24-2020, 11:21 PM

I posted this question in the going green section but got less replies than I thought I would, and the thread quickly went off the rails into completely new subjects

so I'll try here. Here's what I asked:

I just finished putting a coat of paint on the fiberglass roof of my rig and I tilted my solar panels up on their mounts so I could get under them. My wife saw the panels up, and said she had a question about leaving them tilted. She asked if it was OK to leave them tilted up when it's windy, and would I leave them tilted up if I knew a rain storm was coming, or would I climb up and set them down? She then asked if I'd leave them tilted up if we were going to be away for the day while boon docking or in an open campground. She said people suggest you put in your awning before leaving just in case it gets windy, would I do the same with the panels?

For those who tilt their panels, what would your answers be? I thought they were a good questions. My panels are glues and screwed to the roof and have a tilt strut bolted through the panel and the mount on both ends of each panel, but a wind hitting the underside of the panels could put quite a bit of pressure on the mounts.

Now chances are I'm only going to tilt them up in the wintertime when boondocking, and I have a weather radio to monitor the weather as well as internet (I hope) and certainly won't leave them up if I know strong winds are coming - but the other question about leaving them up while away is a good one.

LJowdy · 04-25-2020, 08:07 AM

In a sense, you've answered your own question (in a round about way)

Do you really trust the weather report? During the winter months, I go to the Imperial Sand dunes also known as Glamis to drive my off road dunebuggy. If I leave camp, I batten down all the hatches because regardless of the weather report, high winds can materialize in a fraction of a second. The same holds true when you're camping.

In my opinion, if your panels are tilted, then when you leave camp, i'd "un-tilt" them.