Fred,
I'm about to install (hopefully this weekend) an 85-watt panel on the roof of my 20'
Avion, plus a 75-watt panel on a ground mount with a 30-ft cable, to put out when I'm
parked in the shade. I'll be using the BigFoot roof mounts from RV Solar Electric
which adapt to curved roofs.
The controller will go into a cast iron project box mounted externally next to the
battery. I found some cool quick-connectors for the ground mount panel which have
unexposed terminals to reduce the chance to get a shock from either the battery or the
panel. They come pre-wired with 8 gauge pigtails, so they should be more than
adequate for the application.
You might want to consider roof mounting a single panel on each of your coaches, plus
a third panel that can be added to either one with a quick connector.
I'll also be installing a Link-10 e-meter which should be arriving in the mail any
day. I'll be looking very closely at Jim D.'s description of his installation to see
what I can apply to mine.
You're welcome to drive down and see the results when I'm done, or I can offer you
some free pizza if you come and help me with the installation :>). Will post photos
on my web site when it's installed.
Don
'63 Avion T-20
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
> In a message dated 7/19/00 8:05:03 AM Mountain Daylight Time,
[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
>
Jim:
Before answering the questions below, please refresh my memory by
identifying the year, length and model of your trailer, as well as the number
of vents on your roof. That will help me decide whether your solution can
be applied to my trailer. Here goes.
Just exactly where did you mount the two 75 watt solar panels on the roof
of your Airstream? Are they side by side with their long axis parallel to
the long axis of the trailer? Are they mounted along on the top center of
the roof, or off to one side (curbside or streetside)? Or are they mounted
end to end parallel to the long axis of the trailer? Or side to side across
(perpendicular to) the trailer? Can you tilt them for winter use?
I ask because I am facing a solar panel installation challenge. The 45"
distance between the three vents spaced evenly along the top center roof on
my 22 foot 1956 Flying Cloud is too short to fit a 75 watt solar panel
between any of the vents. I am considering mounting mine end to end along
the street side of the roof just to the outside of the vents, but am looking
for imaginative alternative solutions. When you mentioned you just installed
solar panels, a lightbulb came on, hence this inquiry.
My smaller 1950 18' Clipper has only 2 roof vents with 52" between them,
so I could easily fit two 75 watt solar panels (typically 48" long) mounted
side by side between those two vents. I could downsize my trailer ambitions
to this earlier smaller trailer, but I like the comforts of the 22 footer for
longer trips, so that one is my first choice for going solar. Thanks in
advance for your reply.
Fred Coldwell
Denver, CO.
WBCCI #1510
