Solar on Loft?

[bobfrank12]

Forum,
I have a Hymer Loft pop-up, but no solar. I want solar to keep lithiums topped up.

With new lightweight flexible solar panels that are glued down, I think I can put them on top of the loft without any issues. It is just a big plastic clamshell. It should handle the weight without bowing.

The dealer where it was purchased is apprehensive about doing an install, not because of weight but because of cables running down to controller. Another dealer says it should not be a problem.

What's your general thoughts on:
1. weight/stress on the loft pop-up?
2. cables running down the back when either stored/ traveling and when popped up.

Suggestions?

[mkguitar]

Hi,
Welcome to the Forums


these are frameless and attached ( glued down) to the top?

cabling shouldn't be a problem, you can cover with a techflex or splitwrap such as available at wirecare.com ( I use this for concert sound systems )


I suppose you'll have a penetration for cable connector or pass through, there are all kinds of options, I'd see what is "industry standard" before bodging something together

BUT the reasons I don't have solar are

mpg ( shouldn't be much with panel glued)
the requirement to park in the sun, I park in the shade

I have an older B with propane and genny and the only AC dependent are the microwave and air conditioning

I do have a small fold out which I set out in the sun- gives me a whopping 1 amp max...which is a little more than the current draw of my added fridge fan kit...I can easily go a week without adding power from motor, genny or shore power by managing power consumption

Mike

[GallenH]

My view is similar to Mike's. The last thing that I want to do is park my RV in the sun...but we're both in the SW where hot sun cooks everything. Still, we always look for campsites with shade.

That's not a concern if you're driving, but then your alternator should be charging those batteries at a much more efficient rate.

I have a folding solar panel also. There's a place on the outside where I put a receptacle to plug the panel into. I carry various lengths of wire so that I can put the panel in the sunlight even when the RV is in the shade. It actually tops off my battery (I only have one) on days when I'm not driving. Again: That's in the AZ sun.

[LostInWoods]

FWIW, the Thor Tellaro 20AT/Sequence 20A has two panels on the loft, just like you describe. https://media.thormotorcoach.com/med...&height=263.75

I can see it being useful to handle parasitic loads if you store your rig outside, but, like the others have said, I don't think it will do as much as the UHG when you are actually camping.

[W9TR]

I recently purchased a Tellaro 20AT with SkyBunk. It has two 100 Watt thin and flexible panels on the pop up area. It keeps our fridge and all the other 12 Vdc loads running in partial sun. In the mostly shady site on our last trip the most I got out of the panels was 7 Amps, and I had to supplement with the genset on day 3. So definitely possible and useful depending on where you boondock.

A portable panel set you could align with the sun would perform much better but would be one more thing to mess with in camp, so a non-starter for me personally.

[bitman]

Don’t know about the electric lifters on the Hymer. On my Colorado Camper van top, I have two framed 100w panels. Cables run through a “port” drilled through top down to solar controller inside. Due to construction of top, I highly doubt if there is any effect on mpg, as the front of the top is higher than the panel. Never an issue with enough “umpph” to raise the roof.

Two 100w panels give me more than enough power to run my 50L ARB fridge full time when parked, and then some. My rig is pretty well insulated (DIY), so whether it is parked in the shade or sun, I’m not sure there is much difference.