Best flexible solar panel for the 100 hood? (1 Viewer)

[willoCo]

So I'm working on my 24v aux system and have been eyeballing solar panels. In particular, I'd like to take advantage of that big open hood space.
I figure I could easily add a pair of 100 watt panels, each would cross the aero shapes of the hood.
Apologies for not adding hood dimensions here, I can add them when it's light out.

I have extra reasons for wanting the hood setup. In the winter, I'm good about clearing my hood off. I do tend to clear off the roof racks, but not thoroughly enough for solar in the winter.

I'm sort of liking this one:

High-Efficiency Solar Panels at Competitive Prices | NAZ Solar Electric

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It's 45.4x31.9, which I think would fit on the 100 hood very nicely.

Renogy has a similar one at 160W
Amazon product ASIN B079HJQBVWThat one is 59.1x26, which is pretty long.

For my build, it's particularly compelling as it had a higher voltage output, which would make less work for the controller with the 24v power bank.
I'm not in a rush since I'm in the middle of snow season in the mountains, but it's a good time to plan.

Either way, I'm figuring on using a Victron solar controller:

Victron Energy SmartSolar MPPT 75/15 Solar Charge Controller 12/24VDC at 15 Amps

Part Number: SCC075015060R

www.solar-electric.com

That should handle all the panels I'm likely to add to the cruiser. My trailer will get a bigger controller, the 15A is only about $10 more than the 10A, so it seems to make sense.

Anyhow, I figured I'd kick this around on the forum for any fresh ideas.

 

[Mike6158]

I don't have an RV but I watch a YouTube creator that does a pretty good job of explaining the various solar panels and controllers that he uses. He has flexible panels on the roof of his RV.



Solar panels that point straight up are not very efficient.

 

[95Fantasma80]

When i researched this i was thinking of going with inexpensive option Renogy with good reviews on YouTube from users to mount on roof.

Amazon product ASIN B07BMNGVV3
Then was also looking at their compact suitcase, for a quick kit to deploy at camp with all that is needed:

Amazon product ASIN B07FWDHP6B
still haven't pulled trigger...

 

[willoCo]

I'm definitely doing a hood mount, but I will say a cool idea I've run across was a hard panel that slides out from under the roof rack. Would take a moment to deploy at camp if you wanted out of the way.

 

[stevenjj71]

What is the minimum one needs to mount one of these Renergy panels? - I have zero in the way of a roof rack (no bars or anything) on my LX470.

I'm assuming I need to purchase something to physically attach it too - but I'm not looking to spend a 1000 or more to get one of those full roof racks everyone in the build threads seem to have!

 

[95Fantasma80]

What is the minimum one needs to mount one of these Renergy panels? - I have zero in the way of a roof rack (no bars or anything) on my LX470.

I'm assuming I need to purchase something to physically attach it too - but I'm not looking to spend a 1000 or more to get one of those full roof racks everyone in the build threads seem to have!

some folks just tape to roof, you might think of a way to add a barrier to roof and solar panel which means finding a way to glue some sort of barrier to protect solar panel from roof radiating heat onto solar panel which lowers efficiency if solar panels gets too hot..

I've even seen someone on this forum tape to hood where you sometimes see folks add a black glare vinyl shield, so you get 2 birds with one stone... solar + glare shield.

 

[87warrior]

I used 3M's Automotive Very High Bond (VHB) foam tape to secure a 100w flexible panel over the inoperable sunroof of my 100. There is A LOT of that VHB tape under the panel, about 50% of the panel is being adhered to the roof. I borrowed the mounting idea from @CORunner who hood mounted a flexible panel.
Solar Battery Tenders

100w Rich Solar flexible panel.

I have a waterproof Renogy charge controller tucked under the hood. This keeps my dual battery topped off.

 

[Ramathorn15]

I used 3M's Automotive Very High Bond (VHB) foam tape to secure a 100w flexible panel over the inoperable sunroof of my 100. There is A LOT of that VHB tape under the panel, about 50% of the panel is being adhered to the roof. I borrowed the mounting idea from @CORunner who hood mounted a flexible panel.
Solar Battery Tenders

View attachment 2328365

This is a much better idea than on the hood. Heat pretty much ruins efficiency of panels. Best setup is a hard panel with airflow underneath. Next best is flexible or hard secured directly to a cool surface. Worst, by a lot, is hard or soft secured directly to a hot surface.

 

[Otter]

The great thing about VHB tape is it works great and almost certainly won't fail.

The bad thing about VHB tape is it almost certainly won't fail. 3M says it's permanent and has no advice to give for removing it. If you remove the panel (it will eventually go bad), you will destroy whatever coating the tape is adhered to before you get it all off.

I used VHB and Sikaflex for the panel on my Alu-cab RTT. When my panel goes bad and I eventually replace it, I'll get a bigger panel and just use Sikaflex. I'll do what I can to get the old one off, and cover up the remainder with the bigger panel. Sikaflex is easier to remove.

 

[Juno]

I went with a Renogy 160 watt flexible panel mounted to the roof. The rear cross bar shades the panel a little. Not too worried about it. It will be remounted after I get a roof rack installed. The panel is connected to a Redarc charger under the hood.

 

[diego355]

100W Renogy solar panel with dual battery controller mounted under the hood.
Charges my 2 batteries and maintains my fridge going with no issues.
I had music playing for about 5-6 hours with the fridge running and both batteries aways stayed above 12.6V.
The panel is removable if I need to use the front tray, 4 bolts, an anderson plug and goes to the top of my storage system.

 

[SoCal_80]

I have a Renogy mounted on my FrontRunner rack and have no issues running freezer, etc. Dont think I would ever want to mount anything to the hood!

 

[Travis Bickle]

I've been thinking of doing a suitcase style, that way you can park in the shade and put the panel in the sun if possible. Downside is a wind gust can blow it over.

 

[stevenjj71]

I went with a Renogy 160 watt flexible panel mounted to the roof. The rear cross bar shades the panel a little. Not too worried about it. It will be remounted after I get a roof rack installed. The panel is connected to a Redarc charger under the hood.
View attachment 2328839

How is your panel attached...the VHB tape, or some kind of drilling, or...?

 

[stevenjj71]

I used 3M's Automotive Very High Bond (VHB) foam tape to secure a 100w flexible panel over the inoperable sunroof of my 100. There is A LOT of that VHB tape under the panel, about 50% of the panel is being adhered to the roof. I borrowed the mounting idea from @CORunner who hood mounted a flexible panel.
Solar Battery Tenders

100w Rich Solar flexible panel.
View attachment 2328365

I have a waterproof Renogy charge controller tucked under the hood. This keeps my dual battery topped off.
View attachment 2329771

How much/many rolls of what size tape did that take? Getting 50% coverage looks like it might cost more than the panel - is this the right stuff?

Amazon product ASIN B007Y7H84S

 

[87warrior]

How much/many rolls of what size tape did that take? Getting 50% coverage looks like it might cost more than the panel - is this the right stuff?

Amazon product ASIN B007Y7H84S

3M VHB is the right stuff. Be sure to shop around on the tape width and length to get the best deal. I already had most of a 1" roll of the VHB tape and bought a couple extra to install the flexible panel. I also taped the panel down front to back so that a little air could flow between the panel and cruiser.

 

[Robert Clark]

We glued the Renogy flexible solar cell onto the top of our tent trailer. The 100-watt unit was more than adequate to keep our battery charged. We used an electric water pump, fan, lights, and gas heater with a fan, and never saw our voltage drop over the week. This is an excellently constructed solar cell and performed as advertised.

 

[suprarx7nut]

TLDR: Avoid soft panels adhered to painted metal like the plague they are.

Detail:

Strong word of caution on the soft panels: you can ruin paint (and often corrode the base metal) if you glue the panel to the paint. Trapped moisture is an awful thing.

I had to completely repaint my entire roof because of a silicone'd solar panel from the PO. The metal underneath had begun to fail and required extensive repair work. If a shop was doing this work, that would have been thousands in damage.

If you can run a hard panel, please do. Soft panels directly adhered to paint should be an absolute last resort only done if you consider the panel of the vehicle near scrap already. Your glued solar WILL ruin the paint and likely substrate.

After panel removal, showing a few bad spots with some odd orange texture over the entire roof where the panel was.

Initial sanding revealing corrosion of the base layer EVERYWHERE under the panel.

Roof sanded and prepped before rust-remediation treatment:

Final paint and hard panel installed:

 

[nsaladin]

I have been having this advertised to me a lot recently. Land Cruiser 80 & 100 Series/Lexus LX450 & 470 VSS System™ 90 Watt Hood Solar Panel

 

[suprarx7nut]

I have been having this advertised to me a lot recently. Land Cruiser 80 & 100 Series/Lexus LX450 & 470 VSS System™ 90 Watt Hood Solar Panel

I've also seen those recently. They must be advertising a lot.

Note that they offer a vinyl protective sheet to install on the paint before mounting the panel. I would get that protective sheet.