Which Solar Panel kit to buy?

[zidaro]

Been running a 100W panel from AM Solar and their Mounts for 2 years on the top of my Northstar popup. Love the panel and mounts too. We have beat them up on hundreds of miles of off-road and theyve seen crazy desert high winds at highway speeds without ever giving any issue. Not to mention 2 Winters of Sierra snow loads and monster pinecone drops.
I also run a Morningstar sunsaver MPPT 15L charge controller that has never let me down.
Lights, ARB fridge, Stereo, h20 pump, whatever we want- if we have sun our battery is charged.
AM Solar is great, check the prices at http://www.solar-electric.com/ for charge controller stuff too

[dags]

is it worth buying a solar panel tilt system for the roof?

[timber]

Make it removable so you can pull it down and track the sun if you are base camped for a couple days, easier and more efficient than a movable roof mount. Plus you can park in the shade and put the panel out in the sun.

[dags]

Thanks to all for the great advice!!!!


Anyone got roof photos showing the location of their installs for a FWC or ATC?

I was thinking of putting a 125W panel at the front of the camper on the cabover part

[Pest]

Thanks to all for the great advice!!!!


Anyone got roof photos showing the location of their installs for a FWC or ATC?

I was thinking of putting a 125W panel at the front of the camper on the cabover part

The best place to locate a panel is where you will have the shortest amount of cable between the panel and charge controller or battery. Longer cables of equal wire gauge will produce a small voltage drop. You would have to get larger gauge wire or just shorten the distance for the best performance.

[bobDog]

Hmmm.....this is great info for me so I have a question I have never seen asked ......what about hail? from my LS670 using Tapatalk 2

[dwh]

Tempered glass. Pretty tough to break. Takes a really serious hail to do it.

[pods8]

I was thinking of putting a 125W panel at the front of the camper on the cabover part

Plan for gas shocks to help lift the roof if you don't already have them with a panel hanging out there, probably will weight about 30lb.

[dags]

Plan for gas shocks to help lift the roof if you don't already have them with a panel hanging out there, probably will weight about 30lb.

I will probably end up getting the Gas shocks - i did however put 27lbs of weight on the roof, was not too bad to pick up.

[Jeff Wanamog]

What year is your camper? The reason I ask is the later campers already have the cables run to the roof and with your id#, FWC can tell you exactly where to drill to find them. That is why almost all of your FWC & AT campers have the panels mounted in front of the roof vent.
FYI, I am running a 125 watt panel with a Blue Sky MPPT controller on my Eagle. But, I also have two 80 amp hour batteries. I have never had any problems and my isolator between the truck and camper has never worked so I do not charge off of the truck.
Here is a shot of the trailer I am building so you can see the mounting.IMG_0256.JPG

It is as simple as attaching 2" X 2" X 1/8" aluminum angle to the perimeter of the panel and then locating the roof supports of the camper.
Use sealant under the angle where you will be attaching to the roof and then on top of the screws.

Jeff