New thin framed 100 watt panel available

[Gr8ful]

Look at the specs on Home Depots site & it says they weigh Panel weight (lb.)
8# so someone is wrong. They come in boxes of 2 as someone mentions in the review so I bet the confusion is there.

[rvpopeye]

Sounds right , prob good guess !


That would have made my array 25# instead of 50 !
My renogy 100 poly are ~15# IIRC. And about the same 16# for the 19 yo Siemens 75w.

Like I said , they'll be popular , probably so much that all the other companies will cut theirs down too.

[TWIH]

    . Pic to left shows the frame is 3/4” thick.

I had also ordered a cheap $20 PWM 10 amp Renogy Wanderer charge controller and some premade 12 gauge stranded copper wire, and a group 31 Cammco $12 battery box.  The controller and wire come tomorrow, I got the battery box and panel today.

Still don’t have a battery.  I call every few days to the Interstate distribution center thats 25 minutes away to see if they have any returned warranty deep cells in, not yet. They recharge them and sell for $65 for a group 31 (12v marine I think). The guy said many are out of date/too old stock to sell as new.

Panel packaging was fine, included a thin piece of cardboard on the ft and back of the panel within the shipping box.  I was surprised that the cables included were 5’ long with mc4’s on each end.

I got a couple 8’ 2x2’s and had a small piece of 1/4” plywood so I made a frame for it to set in. I’m still in the house so its not going on the Edge roof.

I will try and post a couple pics, never been good at the sizing part.

   

[TWIH]

Ordered a 35 amp hour Mighty Max AGM deep cycle off of Amazon for $63. No core charge and the same size battery at the local Harbor Fright was $69.99 plus core, Tractor Supply was $74.99 plus core.

This will have to do. The 100 watt panel and PWM controller can’t recharge it very fast anyway so no sense in over-batterying it size-wise.

Once the battery comes in, about May 23-25, I can move forward with hooking it up. At least with the AGM I can eventually use it in the Edge if need be.

[Blacktank]

now i dont use much electricity,a couple led's,fan or two and laptop,when there are clear skies my 100 watt panel get the 100amp hour battery full,yes 300 watts would be much better,that sun thing is my biggest factor

[Texjbird]

I HAVE FOUR OF THESE PANELS SAVED TO MY CART AT HOME DEPOT.  

NOW I MAY BE WRONG ABOUT THIS. HOWEVER I'M THINKING THAT DUE TO THEIR LIGHTWEIGHT I MIGHT BE ABLE TO COBBLE TOGETHER A FRAMEWORK OUT OF PVC PIPE THAT I COULD HANG THEM ON AND LEAN THEM THE WAY I NEED THEM FOR THE SUN EVEN LEANING AGAINST THE EYELINER OR THE SAFARI I COULD ALWAYS USE A CONCRETE BLOCK OR A COUPLE OF BRICKS AS STABILIZERS ON A BOTTOM SECTION OF THE FRAME THAT WOULD BE ON THE GROUND.  OR MAYBE USE TENT STAKES AND ZIP TIES

I REALLY SEMI MESSED UP MY LEFT HAND THE OTHER DAY MORE THAN THE USUAL ARTHRITIS, CARPAL TUNNEL, AND DIABETIC NEUROPATHY THAT I DEAL WITH DAILY IN BOTH HANDS.  WITH AN ARM FULL OF CLEAN CLOTHES I STUMBLED STEPPING UP INTO MY APARTMENT AND REACHED OUT AND GRABBED MY DOOR HANDLE.  THESE ARE NOT REGULAR ROUND DOOR KNOBS THESE ARE BELIEVER L EASTER L E E Z E REALLY, L E E A V E R  HANDLES.....NOPE NOTHING WRONG WITH MY TALK-TO-TEXT FEATURE.  .  I thought I had fractured my hand between my thumb and my wrist which is where all my weight landed on the door handle.  THE X-RAYS SAY NO HOWEVER THERE IS NO PADDING IT SEEMS LIKE IN MY HAND BETWEEN THE BASE OF MY THUMB AND MY WRIST.  THANKFULLY THE ANTI-INFLAMMATORY AND PAIN MEDICATIONS I'M ALREADY TAKING DUE TO MY NECK AND BACK AND BASICALLY NEARLY EVERYTHING EXCEPT MY TWO ELBOWS AND MY ANKLE THAT I HAVE NOT INJURED SO FAR . THE PAIN ISN'T THAT MUCH MORE TO DEAL WITH.

I AM USING MY HOME DEPOT CARD TO BUY WHAT I CAN FOR MY SOLAR SETUP SIMPLY BECAUSE I'D RATHER PAY A LITTLE BIT MORE IN INTEREST RATES AND KEEP WHAT CASH I DO HAVE ON HAND AND AVAILABLE.

SO WHAT I'M ASKING FROM YOU GUYS IS PLEASE CHECK OUT THE HOME DEPOT WEBSITE AND LET ME KNOW WHAT OTHER BASICS I MIGHT NEED THEN I CAN GET FROM HOME DEPOT THEY DO SHOW SOME 12 VOLT BATTERIES ON THERE. 

  I EVENTUALLY INTEND TO BE TOTALLY OFF grid AND RUNNING EVERYTHING INCLUDING A 12 VOLT FRIDGE FREEZER.  RIGHT NOW I JUST WANT TO BE ABLE TO GET SOME KIND OF SOLAR SYSTEM SETUP AND BATTERIES TO CHARGE SO THAT WHEN I GET TO THE POINT TO WHERE I DON'T HAVE SHORT S H O R E POWER AND I'M TOTALLY DEPENDENT ON WHAT I CAN PROVIDE FOR MYSELF THEN I want to  KNOW HOW TO DO IT. I DON'T WANT TO BE STRANDED IN THE WOODS SOMEWHERE OR WHEREVER I'M BOONDOCKING AND NOT BE ABLE TO PROVIDE WHAT I NEED FOR MY INSULIN IN A A N D MY FOOD AND ALSO FANS and charging running my cell phone and laptop.

I DO HAVE THAT THOUSAND WATT GENERATOR SO I'M FIGURING I CAN ALSO USE IT AT SOME POINT BUT I DON'T WANT TO DEAL WITH IT RIGHT NOW.

also lookS like I need to buy a controller so if you guys see one or home Depot you can recommend please do so.

  I MIGHT HAVE "WON" A CONTROLLER  HERE. HOWEVER I'VE HAD TROUBLE GETTING A RESPONSE FROM WHO I WAS SUPPOSED TO CONTACT ABOUT GETTING IT.  IT'S NO BIG THANG.

T J B AND THE QUEENIE DOG

[sternwake]

I cant really think of anything to add to the home depot cart, electrically related. Most of their electrical terminals/parts, at least in the stores, are sub par and are a last resort/ need it now....for me.

I have seen some 12v batteries in the stores, covered ina thick layer of dust. I imagine they welcome online orders of batteries to clear out their ancient sulfated stock.

BUy Lead acid batteries only when you are ready to put them into use. They don't keep. One wants a battery as fresh off the assembly line as feasible. A discounted battery that is old, is usually no bargain as it has lost capacity and takes longer to reach full charge od that diminished capacity, than a healthier newer battery.

Depends on how old it is and if it were top charged while waiting for a new owner, but that requires time and effort and eats into profits, so unlikely to occur.

I forget the amperage limit of the free controller you won, but 400 watts of panels might be able to exceed it.

When one leans solar panels against something, it seems to be just a matter of time before the wind gets behind to tip it over onto a sharp rock, or one's crazy dog smells a tennis ball behind it and knocks it over or tries to use it as a ramp. My opinion it its best to have at least some solar permanently mounted, and some to set out in the sun if parked in the shade. A separate solar controller for each.

Give American Nomad Patriot some time to get it to you. He seemingly only checks in on weekends with a busy schedule and perhaps limited internet access where he's holed up.

I'm not upto date on solar controller offerings

[rvpopeye]

The original post showing the controller..( it "might" not be too much panel) good idea on leaving one or two portable .
I guess TJB can put some on each roof van and trailer? (may make trailer harder to open up)

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Free Renogy Adventurer charge controller
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#1 03-26-2020, 12:29 AM
courtesy of American Nomad Patriot

Renogy Adventurer CTRL-ADV30-LCD
Voltage 12v
Current 30A
Flush mount LCD screen
4 stage PWM charging:Bulk,Boost,Float,Equalization

[Wayne49]

Maximum wattage for that model is 400W (12V), 800W (24V).
This data is from the manual.

[Texjbird]

THANKS FOR YOUR INFO ON HOME DEPOT WIRING ETC. 

I FIGURE I'LL START WITH ONE PANEL HOOKED UP TO 1 OR 2 BATTERIES.  I THINK I CAN DO THAT  WITH WHAT I'VE LEARNED FROM YOU AND OTHER MEMBERS  HERE.  I MIGHT EVEN BE LUCKY ENOUGH TO HAVE SOMEONE AROUND WHO KNOWS SOLAR WHEN I GET TO THE POINT OF MULTIPLE PANELS AND BATTERIES.

  SO FAR  I'VE TAKEN OFF ALL THE PLASTIC SURROUNDS ON THE BACK DOOR WINDOWS.AND THE SHADES ON THE REAR DOORS TO THE SAFARI SO  I CAN INSULATE THE WINDOWS BETTER.  NOW I HOPE I CAN SEE ANY WIREING IN THE DOOR BEFORE I START DRILLING ANY HOLES.  I ALSO PULLED THE LOWER  UPHOLSTERD DOOR PANELS OFF.  I'VE DONE THIS HOPING I MIGHT START WITH A SOLAR PANEL MOUNTED ON THE DRIVERS SIDE REAR DOOR.  I'M THINKING ONE PANEL + ONE CONTROLER + ONE BATTERY TO START WITH  IS LESS FOR ME TO SCREW UP IN MY IGNORANCE IN HOOKING UP SOME SOLAR.  AT LEAST I KNOW MY LIMITATIONS, UNLIKE SOME FOLK WHO COULDN'T POUR PEE OUT OF THEIR BOOT UNLESS SOMEONE ELSE HAD WRITTEN THE DIRECTIONS ON THE BOTTOM OF IT.

THE ALINER HAS FRONT AND REAR CARGO CARRIERS.  I'VE BEEN WONDERING IF A PORTABLE FRAME  MADE FROM PVC PIPE THAT WOULD TILT COULD BE ATTACHED TO A CARRIER WHEN THE ALINER ISN'T BEING TOWED.  OR HOW ABOUT A FRAME MADE FROM ELECTRICAL CONDUIT?


Give American Nomad Patriot some time to get it to you.  He seemingly only checks in on weekends with a busy schedule and perhaps limited internet access where he's holed up.

YOU KNOW  IN THE LAST PIC OF DAVID AKA A.N.P THAT I SAW HE WAS WEARING A LARGE BILLED CAP WITH HIS T SHIRT SLEAVE CUT OFF AND PULLED DOWN OVER HIS FACE.    I FIGURE THE SLEAVE SHIFTED AND HE HASN'T SEEN MY CONTACT INFO SO FAR

TJB

The original post showing the controller..( it "might" not be too much panel) good idea on leaving one or two portable .
I guess TJB can put some on each roof van and trailer? (may make trailer harder to open up)

THE SAFARI HAS A "TURTLE TOP" WITH NO LARGE FLAT SPACES.  I'M NOT SURE ABOUT THE ALINER ROOF.  I KNOW IT HAS BEEN DONE ON YOU TUBERS SLIM POTATOHEADS ALINER.  MINE NEEDS NEW HEAVY DUTY BUNGEE CORDS AND MAYBE ROOF SPRINGS TOO.  THEN IT WILL BE EASIER TO RAISE.

YOU TUBER "DYLAN MAGASTER aka FLORB"  HAS A ALMOST IDENTICAL FULL SIZE CONVERSION VAN NAMED GLADYS.  HIS 2 VIDEOS ON HIS BUILDS OF IT JUST CRACK ME UP.  ESPECIALLY WHEN HE STARTS DRILLING AND CUTTING HOLES OR INSTALLING SOMETHING ON THE VAN.  HE'S NOT VANNING NOW DUE TO BEING ON LOCKDOWN ON HIS SAILBOAT IN THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA.  

TJB