Home made Solar Panel Rack

[MOAK]

For the first month or so I simply had the 150 watt solar panel bolted upon the racks. I had been scouring the local RV stores and the internet for a panel mount that would deploy to a 45 degree angle then fold flat for travel. I think I remember finding only one. It was a full frame version, very heavy and would have lifted the panel several inches from the rack base while in the flat position. It operated much like a the back of a patio lounge chair. It also cost several hundred dollars. I needed to build something light that would easily deploy and retract. My wife suggested gas struts and the video explains the rest.

 

[reidbailey]

Clicking on the link it says YouTube video not found. I’d like to see what you came up with. Any pictures?

Edit: Nevermind. It was a Tapatalk issue. Works fine in a web browser.

Great idea!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Eric Haltom]

Very cool solution. How do you like it now that you've had a chance to get it out on the trail?

 

[Mike W]

I plan on doing something very similar for my setup, only I want to be able to leave it up when driving and have it act as a faring in front of the ~14" high pelicans and jerry cans on my rack.

Great stuff.

 

[MOAK]

I plan on doing something very similar for my setup, only I want to be able to leave it up when driving and have it act as a faring in front of the ~14" high pelicans and jerry cans on my rack.

Great stuff.

I thought about doing that but my concern for the errant stone chip at highway speeds convinced me to let our gear bags take the hits.

 

[MOAK]

Very cool solution. How do you like it now that you've had a chance to get it out on the trail?

Excellent, 8400 mile round trip including White Rim Trail, Elephant Hill, including Bobbys Hole, Beef Basin routes to the south, Grand Staircase, Mohave Desert, then up north to PNW then home, I'd say it held up really really well.. not one single loose nut, bolt or strut..

 

[MOAK]

Clicking on the link it says YouTube video not found. I’d like to see what you came up with. Any pictures?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Have you gotten it? Try my channel if not

 

[Eric Haltom]

Excellent, 8400 mile round trip including White Rim Trail, Elephant Hill, including Bobbys Hole, Beef Basin routes to the south, Grand Staircase, Mohave Desert, then up north to PNW then home, I'd say it held up really really well.. not one single loose nut, bolt or strut..

That's really awesome. I might have to do something similar... eventually.

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[Mike W]

I thought about doing that but my concern for the errant stone chip at highway speeds convinced me to let our gear bags take the hits.

That is certainly a risk. I am looking at a Renogy 100 watt, says Withstand high wind (2400Pa) and snow loads (5400Pa);.. but i dont know what that means for chip resistance. Maybe a 3m film would work (But it would have to let all the UV through... )

My roof rack is high enough that I wasn't thinking about stone damage honestly.

 

[MOAK]

That is certainly a risk. I am looking at a Renogy 100 watt, says Withstand high wind (2400Pa) and snow loads (5400Pa);.. but i dont know what that means for chip resistance. Maybe a 3m film would work (But it would have to let all the UV through... )

My roof rack is high enough that I wasn't thinking about stone damage honestly.

I wouldn't give it a thought either except I did drive an 18 wheeler as a career and used to get stone chips up high on the windshield all the time.. a new windshield was an annual event.