Phase II is up and running, baby!!
Phase I basically got me a working system - but I soon realized that I needed more storage capacity. So, this year I added an AGM battery that I can keep inside my tow vehicle. It's hooked up to the panel on the roof and can charge while I'm traveling or any time I'm parked in the sun. This will be especially handy when I'm camping in the very shady pacific northwest - during the day, when I'm off doing touristy things the AGM can charge up. Then when I return to my campsite, I can plug the AGM into the trailer and have 2 12 volt batteries of capacity for a total of about 175 amp hrs.
It still looks a little sketchy, but it all works! I can run the furnace all night and barely notice the battery drain.
Here in Death Valley (Stovepipe Wells), the nights have been getting below 30, so I'm very pleased to be able to dry camp and still use the furnace.
My angling device for the panel even works! Although, I wouldn't trust it on a very windy day.
My angling device for the panel even works! Although, I wouldn't trust it on a very windy day.
So, in order to use your solar panel you have to take the kayak off of the top of the car?
ReplyDeleteOh no, I just didn't bring the boat on this trip - it typically rides on the passenger side and the solar panel sits on the drivers side. The only thing I changed was to put a bike rack on the back of the trailer rather than use a roof rack (solar panel took the place of the roof mounted bike rack) - and that worked out well as my hybrid bike is quite a bit heavier than my old road bike, so I wasn't enjoying trying to host it up onto the roof anyway! Gotta have room for all my toys - I even keep a few sport kites in the bathroom of the trailer!
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