Solar Charge Station

Michigan_Mike

I just posted this information up today in the Little Guy forum area but felt that some of you might be interested as this is a viable project and is worthwhile for those of you interested in solar energy and that will allow you a means of keeping your trailer battery charged when in storage and not in use.

I finally have completed to within about 95.5% my solar charge station on my garage.  I mounted my 50 watt Renogy monocrystalline solar panel on the side of my garage, but need to install one "L" bracket at the base of the panel to make it sturdy and allow me to change the position of the panel.  I just received my new charge cables too (Battery Tender brand), as I ordered a fused charge cable that attaches to the solar controller and allows me to either use the 12' extension cable (to attach to my Little Guy trailer) with quick disconnect capability or the clip-on battery style terminals that I can use to charge individual batteries (e.g., lawn tractor, boat battery, vehicle battery, etc.).  I am very happy with the outcome of this project as it will allow me charge capability from the sun for years to come.  

 

I mounted the panel up high enough that someone will have to work hard to get it or at least will require them to have a ladder and tools to remove it.  I purchased three "L" brackets from Home Depot and secured them to the studs inside the garage.  I was able to drill two small starter holes through the vinyl siding and used a box cutter knife to minimize damage and provide the correct slot to insert the L-brackets into the garage.  I also had ordered Renogy Z solar panel mounts, mounted them to the panel, along with a hinge on each side, that will allow the panel to pivot at the top and allow me to change the sun angle as needed.  The photo doesn't show the L-bracket at the base and this set-up is temporary as I still need to mount the additional bracket and will have an arm with holes and a wingnut to allow for sun angle changes.  It was raining the evening I hung the panel, so one more chore to complete!  



This is the 30 amp PWM Renogy solar controller I mounted inside the garage and is also a temporary install until warmer weather arrives.  I do have an LED digital meter on order that will arrive this week and I will incorporate it into this set-up so that I can get a real time read on  battery voltage, as opposed to using my trailer LED meter.  The thing I am happy with is that the panel is charging on cloudy days and I am keeping the trailer battery charged up nicely!  These shots were taken yesterday and we haven't seen the sun here in Michigan for the past week, but nonetheless I am tapping the sun's energy and am very happy that this problem has been put to bed.  



This is a shot of my LED digital meter that I have in the trailer galley and that shows the reading I was getting while the panel charged yesterday, under cloudy skies.  You can actually see the charge rate fluctuating and rising and the battery is near full charge, even with the parasitic drain encountered.  



I have two quick disconnect Zamp solar ports, one on each side of my tool box that allow for optimum solar panel positioning during trips and allow me to plug the trailer in while stored in or outside my garage.  The cable shown is the 12' Battery tender extension cable that arrived yesterday via UPS.  

Obviously this project isn't for everyone and I have about $150 into it.  But I looked around and researched the smaller panels and settled on a 50 watt Renogy monocrystalline panel and solar controller as it is a heavy-duty  installation, I was able to locate the controller in a convenient, remote location away from the solar panel and this provides me easy access and a location that I can charge the trailer or any battery 365 days a year and off the grid for as long as I want.  

TabyDD

Great narrative, thanks.  So will you take your solar panel with you when you hit the trail?

Michigan_Mike

I have an 80 watt Zamp panel always onboard when I travel and use it frequently to supplement my power needs when away from home.  It has worked well for me and keeps my battery charged up when I am in fixed locations.