Engineers / Inventors Advice Please Fitting Solar Panels to High Top Van

by Mark Andrews Banned

Posted: 12 years ago 20 replies

OFF TOPIC

A shot in the dark but you never know... one of might just have the solution I'm looking for?

I've got a high top stealth camper van, identical to one of these...

Now I need to fit some solar panels up top on the roof.

That line you see above the side windows is the roof rack metal fixing gutter (both sides) running the full length of the van.

Now, solar panels - I was thinking about buying 3x 80w solar panels to go on the roof lying flat. But then the efficiency of the solar panels to generate free electricity for my 2x deep cycle leisure batteries is greatly diminished with the solar panels not facing directly towards the sun.

So the idea is to fix each of the solar panels to something like an LCD TV swivel wall mount so I can periodically swivel the panels to achieve maximum solar energy and 12v battery charge. This is important as I need constant power for my laptop inside.

Since the efficiency is greatly improved with the solar panels facing the sun directly as opposed to lying flat on the roof, I thought I could save some money by buying just 2x 80w solar panels instead of 3 lying flat.

What solution would you come up with?

Any ideas please?

I don't mind manually swivelling the panels. It's not important to install for example an automatic sun tracking system.

Ideas on a postcard?

How would you fix these so they can be taken on and off the roof in-between traveling to each new location daily? I don't want anything up there permanently as the wind drag will also affect the MPG I get on a run, currently 35mpg.

Solutions? Ideas?...

Thanks,

Mark Andrews

ThomM 12 years ago

This is just of the top of my head.
You could mount the panels to removable frames and use a plug for your wire connections.
Mount the panels to the frame with those lockable hinges.
Then you could raise each corner of the panel separate from the others allowing you to angle the panel 4 different ways.
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- ThomM 12 years ago
  
  Scratch the hinges.
  Use telescopic legs in each corner.
  Also what formula did you use to determine how many panels to use.
  
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  Kay King 12 years ago
  
  Mark -
  
  Visit some of the authority sites for campers (usually US sites in this case) and you'll find a lot of suggestions for how to run your van with solar. A lot of campers are doing this now and they've come up with some unique applications.
  
  kay
  
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  Mark Andrews Banned 12 years ago
  
  Just wanted to let you guys know how much I appreciate the time you took to reply to this thread - thank you very much indeed!
  
  I've worked it out how to do it.
  
  Just looked on eBay for other products looking at what could be adapted for this purpose and found my answer. And at a very low cost too.
  
  In fact solar panel mounting kits by comparison cost an arm and a leg but the solution I just located is as cheap as chips (British expression) and funnily enough... I'm not seeing anyone else using these for this purpose.
  
  You know, I reckon I could buy a ton of these and make a bloody good profit simply by repositioning these products in the marketplace. Give them a new description and the price goes up about ten fold lol.
  
  Lovely jubbly - you guys rock!
  
  Mark Andrews
  
  Thanks
  
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MoneyMagnetMagnate

12 years ago

A little high-tech as of yet...
But have you heard what they are doing with solar paint and flexible solar panels?

A guy, in India, if I recall, is developing a solar reflective paint - big white van = big white solar panel. Of course voltage and storage in a moving object is always going to be a problem...see how that crew in Australia got their solar car to overcome that...

There is also the parabolic dish collector...

Thanks
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Kurt

12 years ago

Originally Posted by MoneyMagnetMagnate

Actually...After about a year and a half of waiting on my brother, in the next few weeks I'll be going to visit him and we'll be creating all sorts of Youtube videos where we'll experiment with parabolic dishes, solar troughs, arrays, and solar cells.

I can't wait...I've been looking forward to this for so long!

Thanks
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Mark Andrews

Banned 12 years ago

Thanks you old bint lol. You're forgiven. Mark grins infuriatingly.

Thing is Kurt, it's a stealth camper van that is... low profile. Where I park up, always free of charge - I need to not be noticed as much as possible. Staying for one night in each location only and leaving absolutely no footprint behind me at all.

There's enough plastic pig campers out there in their modern motorhomes causing enough problems for the real continental traveling community as it is, winding up the locals, causing a nuisance, leaving litter etc.

I like to blend into the scenery as much as possible. I'm all for self sufficient low impact living.

Kindest regards,

Mark Andrews

Thanks
1 reply

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Kurt

12 years ago

Originally Posted by Mark Andrews

There's no difference between moving panels or moving reflectors, as far as remaining "stealthy" goes, other than reflectors weigh much less and don't have wiring.

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ThomM

12 years ago

Originally Posted by Kurt

Let us know when they're on youtube, I'd like to check them out.

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Kurt

12 years ago

Originally Posted by ThomM

Let us know when they're on youtube, I'd like to check them out.

Will do...My primary focus is on distilling sea/salt water using solar power.

Good drinking water is a major problem around the world, and many people in need live close to an ocean AND the Equator.

I want to try to come up with the cheapest, easiest way these people can distill ocean water. Then work backwards...If you can distill salt water, pasteurizing water is a snap.

There's all sorts of problems to work out...For example, talking with Dr. Mani, you really can't use copper tubing as condensing "worms", because copper is a "precious metal" in many areas and will just cause the owner to be robbed.

Also, if people can cook using solar, they can save on wood and the time it takes to collect wood. So we want to come up with ways to make solar cookers that are cheap and easy. Same for camping gear.

Solar panels aren't the only way to exploit solar energy...A good parabolic mirror can cook a meal any time the sun is out, without using any fuel, and there's a number of ways to heat water using solar, things Mark should think about.

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Dave Patterson

12 years ago

Originally Posted by Kurt

Maybe this will give you some ideas...The Watercone

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Kurt

12 years ago

Originally Posted by Dave Patterson

Maybe this will give you some ideas...The Watercone

Thanks Dave...

I'm very familiar with the Water Cone. It was actually what got me thinking about all this solar distill stuff.

The "problems" with the water cone are that it costs $60 and it's "passive". Passive is great for some applications, but I want to try to come up with something that will destill water much more quickly and at a cheaper price, even if it takes someone to watch over it.

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MoneyMagnetMagnate

12 years ago

Originally Posted by Kurt

I'm not sure where I saw it recently, but this fellow is developing a water collector that get moisture out of the air - it is based on that desert beetle that collects water from it's shell...pretty cool idea on a larger scale for extreme arid areas -
When I read it and saw the video, I was wondering how it could be applied to salt water distillation...have you seen this?

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Kurt

12 years ago

Originally Posted by MoneyMagnetMagnate

Yeah I've seen it...I even posted a thread about it awhile back.

Unfortunately, there wasn't much interest in the topic:
http://www.warriorforum.com/off-topi...ve-planet.html

Just off the top of my head, Dyson's idea is better suited for where this is no water at all...I "think" it would be faster to use solar stills in areas where there's sea water and sunshine.

The water dome Dave brought up above is an inspiration for what we'll be trying, for sure. But we're trying to come up with something faster and cheaper.

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Mark Andrews

Banned 12 years ago

Originally Posted by ThomM

Scratch the hinges.
Use telescopic legs in each corner.
Also what formula did you use to determine how many panels to use.

Originally Posted by Kurt

Instead of making the panels "swivable", I'd consider making them stationary and instead use reflectors made of mylar and some lightweight material that are movable.

Mylar is about 10 cents per square foot in the US and you can mount it on just about anything, styrofoam, cardboard, etc. The downside to mylar is it will fog if used outdoors, so you'd probably have to replace it every year or so.

In theory, you could create enough reflectors to simply reflct the sun throughout the day and not have to move anything.

This is actually the solution I'm going for. Reflecting light back onto the solar panels to increase their efficiency.

Now got all the solar panels I need. 3 x 80w. Bought them off a guy selling them in Germany on eBay.

He was selling them for less than £90 ($145 USD) each including shipping and with Germany being a part of the EU there was no import duty or customs duty to pay.

A fantastic deal and the build quality is superb.

eBay - The UK's Online Marketplace

Just need to buy a couple more 10amp solar regulators now.

Mark Andrews

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Kurt

12 years ago

Originally Posted by Mark Andrews

Actually Thom the most cost effective way of doing this is to use the telescopic struts off a hatchback car boot (trunk). These only cost about £1 each ($1.60) each from a vehicle dismantlers / car scrapyard.

Ideal for raising or lowering the solar panels to the angle of the sun.

This is actually the solution I'm going for. Reflecting light back onto the solar panels to increase their efficiency.

Now got all the solar panels I need. 3 x 80w. Bought them off a guy selling them in Germany on eBay.

He was selling them for less than £90 ($145 USD) each including shipping and with Germany being a part of the EU there was no import duty or customs duty to pay.

A fantastic deal and the build quality is superb.

eBay - The UK's Online Marketplace

Just need to buy a couple more 10amp solar regulators now.

Mark Andrews

That's an excellent price! Way below $1 a watt. Plus, the Germans make the best solar cells, assuming the cells themselves are German. They should work for the next 20-25 years if they don't get broken.

Solar regulators? Do you mean charge controllers? You don't need a blocking diode if you use a controller.

Also, are most batteries for solar over there 12v?

BTW, don't forget to check out my hillbilly clothes washer...You should be able to power it from your solar cells:
http://www.warriorforum.com/off-topi...aundromat.html

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Mark Andrews

Banned 12 years ago

Originally Posted by Kurt

Basically the same thing Kurt. The blocking diode is inside the wall mounted solar regulator to ensure the power generated can only go to the 12V batteries and not leak back out the way the power came in.

As for clothes washing, I just use a large bendy plastic garden trug filled from the nearest stream and a big stick. Works a treat. Nothing fancy here lol.

Solar panels were made in Taiwan I think but the build quality looks excellent - very good indeed. Really quite impressed with them.

Kindest regards,

Mark Andrews

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Christopher Fox 12 years ago

Figured I throw this link out there:

Expedition Portal Forum

If you haven't already come across this site, it is filled with modifications, tips, tricks, etc., that you might be able to use to enhance your experience. I have a 4x4 ambulance I have converted into a stealth camper, well, it is not really stealth as it is a 12,000lb vehicle, but it sure doesn't look like a traditional RV.

Sounds like you got your setup pretty dialed in, but if you are struggling with some ideas about certain ways to do things, there are all kinds of threads of how fellow travelers have pimped out their rides there.
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- Mark Andrews Banned 12 years ago
  
  You're a bloody star Christopher - thanks for the link. Appreciated!
  
  I'm shortly heading off on my own expedition so this will come in highly useful.
  
  THANK YOU!
  
  Mark Andrews
  
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Kurt 12 years ago

Instead of making the panels "swivable", I'd consider making them stationary and instead use reflectors made of mylar and some lightweight material that are movable.

Mylar is about 10 cents per square foot in the US and you can mount it on just about anything, styrofoam, cardboard, etc. The downside to mylar is it will fog if used outdoors, so you'd probably have to replace it every year or so.

In theory, you could create enough reflectors to simply reflct the sun throughout the day and not have to move anything.
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Engineers / Inventors Advice Please Fitting Solar Panels to High Top Van

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