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Date:         Fri, 9 Apr 2010 21:57:00 -0700
Reply-To:     Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: solar question
Comments: To: Jonathan Poole <jfpoolio@gmail.com>
In-Reply-To:  <y2z2cb866ef1004092032ud360bcd4v1337edf85a4cdd41@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

I have my solar panel seperate, not mounted to the van, so that I can park where ever the situation dictates and put the panel into it's best possible orientation. I use a cigar lighter plug...Right now it comes into the van through a window or door and plug into one of my power point outlet. I should put one or two outside..maybe I will get around to that.

My panel is set up with two peices of 1/4" plywood and some piano hinges. When deployed it forms a triangle, with one of the plywood 'covers' under, the panel and the other one forming an "A" shape. Puts the panel at a good angle almost all day and I can move the whole 'structure' around to follow the sun or avoid shade during the day. When I move, I fold up with the two sheets of ply covering the face and the back of the panel, wires inside and controller inside, mounted on the rear of the panel. A little handle on one edge of the "box" it forms... Pretty easy to stow, though I do have some ideas for fixing a way to clamp it onto my bike rack when I travel..in the future sometime. Low priority, since when I move around, my alternator takes care of my charging needs. Takes maybe a minute to deploy my panel when I get camped. I also have one of those adaptors with a female socket that branches out to two aligator clamps...I can charge up other stuff with that, or use the panel around the house for stuff. Works good for me..

Don Hanson

On Fri, Apr 9, 2010 at 8:32 PM, Jonathan Poole <jfpoolio@gmail.com> wrote:

> Hey Mervyn, > > With an efficient fridge and enough amp hours in your battery bank you > should be really happy with a 130 watt. I get by with my old 70 watt but > am > watching the prices drop and watts go up and will be upgrading soon. > > When considering any wiring run for a solar panel the shortest route is > always best as you probably know. Further more put the controller as close > to the battery or batteries as you can, use big enough wires etc. > > I tried to figure out a good way to minimize work should I want to > remove the panel on my van. In the end I ran the wiring for the panel > through a hole that I drilled in the fiberglass top. I was already > drilling > mounting holes for the panel so adding a small hole for the wires wasn't a > big deal in my opinion. Good cleaning soap then water then acetone and the > appropriate goop like Boatlife's Life-Caulk and you shouldn't have to worry > about the wire hole for a long time. If you put the wire hole under the > panel then it is protected from branches etc. and the goop from sunlight. > > I oriented my panel with it's wiring close to the back of the pop-top so > that the wires don't need to have too much excess for the opening/closing > of > the top. A long staple (not too tight) holds the wire to the corner of the > top ceiling so that it doesn't hang loose for snagging toes in the > night. From there the wires run down near the rear corner of the canvas to > the underside the top bunk's matress. I drilled a hole under the mattress > into the front-passenger corner of the hangup closet. From there the wire > goes down and forward until it makes it under the bench seat near the front > of the water tank. I kept the wire in the cabinet corners for > protection/clean running etc. My panels controller is under the bench seat > near the aux battery on the passenger side. If I lift the seat rear seat I > can easily see the indicators on the controller, not that I check them > often. > > One of the great things about solar is that once it is setup all you have > to > do is remember to park in the sun. No on off, plug unplug or anything, it > just works. I spend most of the year in my camper and the solar panel is > probably the best upgrade that I have made to my van. It's great to be > able > to rarely need to worry about battery power. Led lights, and other changes > definitely help though. > > Jonathan Poole > '83 AC Westy > > > > From: Mervyn Readman <themervino@GMAIL.COM> > Subject: solar question > > I am thinking of buying a 130 watt panel for my van. I am also thinking of > buying a portable refrig/freezer (not the cheapie kind) that that panel > will > help power. My question is how are folks with panels routing the wire into > van. I was thinking the air intake at the rear of the van. Any one have any > ideas? Also if anyone has any experience with the $400 to $600 > refrig/freezers(ones shaped like a regular cooler)I would love to hear pros > and cons. Thanks Merv >


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