Power Lift!

[JCruse]

My panel sits bolted flat to the rack and has worked well enough for the last couple years but the other day after reading again about how panel tilt bumps up the juice a bit I decided to rig up a tilt system. So I bought a set of adjustable lid stays, hinges and that was that. It's too cold to do the install now but this would have been simple, easy and plenty to hold one 100w panel at any angle. The only problem was that the cold gave me more time to think ( a bad thing) ...about how cool a motorized solar panel would be.

Hummmmmm... he-he

So now I have a 12v linear actuator with an 8" stroke, and several feet of aluminum U-channel to mount the panel a bit higher and get room underneath for the hardware. I mocked up the actuator with some scrap wood in the garage to make some measurements and get a handle on just how to arrange things, and it seems pretty simple. (famous last words)
Plus the thing is pretty loud and the movement is really slow. Making it even cooler. Like some huge array rising up out of Dr Evil's roof rack. LOL

The cost of the original lid stays was $16 - The actuator cost $60! Plus $45 for the aluminum, that wasn't needed in the first plan.

But that's ok because I'm gonna have a solar panel that goes hummmmmmmmmmmm...

 

[e9999]

cool, but did you work out some sort of leverage system so the panel can lift *more than* 8"? cuz 8" ain't much...

 

[spressomon]

Speaking of linear actuators ... have everything figured out for putting one to lift/lower the lid on my TT trailer; to make it push-button easy for both of us . Just need to pull trigger.

Per e9999: I'm curious how you're going to leverage (pun intended ) eight inches.

 

[titanpat57]

cool, but did you work out some sort of leverage system so the panel can lift *more than* 8"? cuz 8" ain't much...

"that's what she said"


I like that idea bigtime...make sure you document it with pictures and a parts list so I can steal it.

 

[Cruiserdrew]

Cool. It's over-complicated, but good. Need pics of the install!

 

[JCruse]

cool, but did you work out some sort of leverage system so the panel can lift *more than* 8"? cuz 8" ain't much...

The mock up has a 7" rod coming off the actuator hinge, mounted to the panel about 1/3rd of the width away from the panel hinges. This has the panel going damn near vertical at full throw. The actuator stays flat on the rack to minimize weight/forces on the panel frame.
And I can always make adjustments to the rod mounting point just by drilling a new hole. I may start off with a series of holes to facilitate adjustments on the fly.

Cool. It's over-complicated, but good. Need pics of the install!

Cool usually is.










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[Hiace4wd]

A very nice idea, but reading the other topic about the controller, I think your current controller might not be so good.

The difference between angled panel and flat panel, could be less than the difference between your current controller and a really good MPPT controller.

My idea was to put on a very big solar panel with the MPPT controller, that I don't have to keep it in the sun all day or have the perfect angle.
By having much more than I need in perfect circumstances, I also have enough in less than ideal situations.

Also, a 100W panel on a battery with a cooler box is normally enough, especially if you have charging from driving.

 

[JCruse]

I'm thinking of having a second 100 or 150W panel roll out from under the front of the rack on drawer slides. I basically park in the sun 90% of the time since I'm usually on the beach. Not much shade there.
I run the stereo a lot in addition to the fridge, tent fan and lights, so while I'm perfectly fine for a day or two, I could use the second panel for longer. But I think the new CC will be a big help. As I monitor it's progress and learn more about it's features I think it's better than I thought. It's been basically asleep till now. I'm going to start load testing soon to see what it can really do, especially with low sun. With just a mere ten minutes of stereo drain, the CC output jumped from 1W and 0.10 amps to 43W and 4+ amps briefly. So I don't think it lacks ability, and I know that Victron is very highly respected in the marine community.

Your system sounds quite nice and I love your van! Got more pics?

 

[Hiace4wd]

When I was camping at the beach for 4 weeks in India with our Cruiser, we had 110W of solar power (lying flat on the rooftent) with a simple Steca converter (no MPPT), and it always kept the beer cold in our compressor coolbox. But then again, I didn't use our stereo much or other stuff.

Your system sounds quite nice and I love your van! Got more pics?

Here is the whole album, which starts with the simple van, and later you see pictures of the build and bodywork and how it is now.
It is still in progress, but already much more capable off road (mostly because of raising it, the drivetrain with parttime 4x4 and low-gearing already does a very good job)

https://picasaweb.google.com/103146...&authkey=Gv1sRgCLrEqpyD4qesbQ&feat=directlink

 

[JCruse]

Speaking of linear actuators ... have everything figured out for putting one to lift/lower the lid on my TT trailer; to make it push-button easy for both of us . Just need to pull trigger.

Per e9999: I'm curious how you're going to leverage (pun intended ) eight inches.

Here's what I got to control the up/down:


It flips the poles when you push the up or down of this DPDT switch. $14 on amazon I got the kind you have to hold in because I just knew that at some point I'd get distracted and something would get broken.

It looks to be an easy fit in the vertical switch spot closest to the DS door.



It's not the inches that matter, it's how you use them.


You're right lifting the edge of the panel 8" isn't much. But what if you raise the middle of the panel 8"? With the triangular hinge the actuator stays flat under the panel, but the hinge turns upward, pushing the panel with a threaded rod.








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[RFB]

did this project ever(no pun) get off the ground?

 

[Kaveeks]

IDK but to me, all that isnt worth it. Running the actuator might negate your gains from the tilt. Then the cost of all the added parts. KISS

I do like the idea of another aux panel that can slide out from underneath when parked.

 

[JCruse]

I had to put this project on hold due to, 1 a kitchen build that is taking much longer than I thought,and 2 a crack that I found under the panel. When I finish the kitchen I will see about epoxying the crack and then get to mounting the tilt frame etc, which is 99% cut and assembled.