solar panel roof space

[Mountain Man]

Some of the coaches I am looking at have very busy roofs. One of the things I would want to do is add around 400 watts of Solar, to which ever newell I buy. Are there certain models/years that have a "less busy" roof than others? Anyone who has added solar, what issues did you have with it?

Thank you for your time,

Mountain Man

[folivier]

I put 4- 60watt panels on my 39' 1993. Had plenty of space with the basement airs. No problems mounting them or running the wires. I used a pvc square waterproof box to combine the wires on the roof then ran 2 heavy gauge wires through the air scoop on the end of the the rear cap down into the engine compartment where I mounted the controller on the forward firewall.
Haven't decided yet if I want panels on my '98. Running the wires might be a bit more difficult but I haven't looked at it yet.
So a coach with basement air conditioners would give you a larger space for mounting.

[rellick]

Here is a video of flex solar panels I found interesting http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M00EcZ1a7Lg

[Neweller]

Great share Keith. This really give folks an idea of how to install flexible solar. There are a few manufacturers making this sort of product and I like the Flex Power Mat by Uni-Solar probably the best. Higher efficiency and no junction boxes to worry about.

[Randy J]

That flex solar panels are pretty neat.

[folivier]

Since one of the enemies of solar panel power output is heat I wonder how these flex panels are affected by heat buildup on the roof?
Standard panels usually are mounted with a couple inches of air space which helps keep the panels from overheating.

[Neweller]

Forest that is is an interesting question. Back in Colorado we installed thousands of panels on various kinds of roofs and we had entertained the idea of going with Uni-Solar flexible panels but decided not to do to 1) it being the newer technology and 2) everything we were doing was with PPL's making it too risky for investors..

There were a couple of companies pushing the product down in Arizona where it gets much hotter and I think that would give us a pretty good answer dependent on their results. I will have to dig up some information from my old constituents and see how things turned out.

[rellick]

That is a good point Forrest, I just stumbled across them a couple of years ago when I was researching some wind and solar options, there was a company making these solar panels on a large scale printing press which made them alot cheaper to make plus making them flexible ill see if I can find what company that was. I think it was a German company then they were making them somewhere in the US also.

[folivier]

I'm not trying to downgrade these flexible panels. I think it's a great idea and hope they are as or more efficient as other panels.
Right now I'm trying to decide what would be the better upgrade: solar panels (which would have to be 1000 watts or more to be effective); or lithium ion batteries which would save a lot of weight and space. The major benefit with lithiums are the much shorter recharge time. They can be fast charged to 100% where lead acids can be fast charged to 80% then have to be slow charged to finish to 100%. That would be a major savings in generator run times.
Ain't technology great?

[Neweller]

:dito: another great point. Now the combo would be even sweeter, but we know $$$$. I would think the biggest negative more than the heat factor with the flexible panels is that most are Amorphous and not Crystalline so efficiency is not going to be there. But the technology is advancing everyday.

[prairieschooner]

Forest, did you win a lottery?

[folivier]

Selling the house was like winning a small lottery.
With the money the house was costing us each year that'll pay for our living expenses so it will be a bit cheaper. Plus where the heck can you invest the money and have as much fun as in a Newell?