81 replies to this topic

[Vic Harder]

KISS?  Park the truck with the nose facing North and only leave the front popped up when you leave it for the day.  More sun and rain/snow slide off easier.

[Wallowa]

Vic,

 

Ha, that is an excellent example of a KISS process that helps with the solution...never thought of that...pointing the truck North may be another issue...but doable. 

 

I will assume that a snow load on a partial raised roof will not cause structural damage to the roof [bowing it and causing permanent distortion]?

 

Phil

[Vic Harder]

Dunno Phil, the snow is light and fluffy here

[JaSAn]

 . . .

I will assume that a snow load on a partial raised roof will not cause structural damage to the roof [bowing it and causing permanent distortion]?

 

When the roof is up it is supported along the two ends by the lift panels.  I don't see what would be different: one end is supported up across its width by the lift panel and the other end is supported across its width by the camper wall.

 

If you are sleeping up there I would add another support for the roof on the overhang (I do that anyway).

[Wallowa]

Just talked to FWC service department asking about the use of Overland panels and not Zamp...cost [to who?]; lighter weight and better capture of solar energy even when cloudy..said flexible panels also a plus [weight?].

 

Why would the Overland panels be more effective during low sun conditions?  Not just the brand of cells used but why are these cells more efficient?

 

FYI...FWC only sells and installs [OEM] 160w Overland panels.

 

Call/email into AM Solar here in Oregon on the purchase and install of either a Zamp or Grape Solar panel as my second panel.

 

Phil

 

Ps...  Jasan...  Snow weight or even high wind on a tilted roof [back end down] would seem to me to put a load on front panels in two directions; vertical and lateral...I think they would not take kindly to a lateral load....but I always wondered how the advertised maximum roof load of 1,000 lbs. could be supported by the thin front and back panels....

[wicked1]

Hi, I just got back from a week in the forest.  Love my camper .

 

About Overland being better in low light (or any new panel w/ the sunpower gen 3 cells)...

You'd have to do some googling for the technical descriptions, but they are bottom contact wafers, which avoids having wires over the top of the cells.  Also the way they built the anode and cathode is different.. It allows them to drop to a lower voltage before they cut off completely.  I think they were just the most recent to release a new cell technology.  I'm sure another manufacturer will release something better soon, as solar is developing fast at the moment.

 

I can say from my last weeks trip, my overland portable panel produced power for a couple hours at the beginning and end of each day, when my 100w Zamp panel was not making any.  I was doing a lot of testing (Unplugging each of the panels, one at a time, all throughout the day, while monitoring the voltage and current. Just to see how they were performing)

[Wallowa]

Hi, I just got back from a week in the forest.  Love my camper .

 

About Overland being better in low light (or any new panel w/ the sunpower gen 3 cells)...

You'd have to do some googling for the technical descriptions, but they are bottom contact wafers, which avoids having wires over the top of the cells.  Also the way they built the anode and cathode is different.. It allows them to drop to a lower voltage before they cut off completely.  I think they were just the most recent to release a new cell technology.  I'm sure another manufacturer will release something better soon, as solar is developing fast at the moment.

 

I can say from my last weeks trip, my overland portable panel produced power for a couple hours at the beginning and end of each day, when my 100w Zamp panel was not making any.  I was doing a lot of testing (Unplugging each of the panels, one at a time, all throughout the day, while monitoring the voltage and current. Just to see how they were performing)

 

 

First good to hear you love your rig!  Thanks for insights and informative look at construction of panels.  Will investigate "Gen 3" cells.

 

You say the the Overland portable [100w?]  was more effective than the Zamp 100w.  Could the difference have been that you were orienting [moving] the Overland toward the incoming solar and the Zamp [assuming it was a fixed panel] was not repositioned and therefore not facing the sun during AM/PM low light?

 

Take care,

 

Phil

[wicked1]

 

You say the the Overland portable [100w?]  was more effective than the Zamp 100w.  Could the difference have been that you were orienting [moving] the Overland toward the incoming solar and the Zamp [assuming it was a fixed panel] was not repositioned and therefore not facing the sun during AM/PM low light?

 

Take care,

 

Phil

No, the day I was doing these tests, I had them both laying flat.  The portable was on the ground, but the sun situation was the same.  The overland portable is 130w, but I don't think that is what made the difference.  I was getting zero output from the Zamp.. it just didn't work w/ the level of light.  It was about 9am before it started making .1a on its own.  Overland was making that at 7am, and 1a by 9.  At mid-day their output is about the same..  Overland a bit better, but it is a 130 watt panel.  So, the benefit really was at low light conditions.

[Wallowa]

Zeroed in on what panel I am going to buy and how I will mount it.

 

Talking with Rodger at AM Solar was not only very informative but he was very helpful.

 

Getting a quote hopefully this week or next for the Zamp 170w panel, 4-mounting brackets for that panel [L feet 35mm rocker mount] and Sikaflex 221 sealant.  Brackets use 3M VHB tape; and, 221 is insurance.     

 

Wiring is standard Zamp SAE, so all I need is a splitter with dual SAE female plugs leading into a male SAE to plug into the single female FWC SAE plug on the roof of the Hawk.

 

Voltages and watts of panels all "fit" and will of course be in parallel.  This array will give me 330w and about 18a  input.  If needed I still have my Zamp 80w portable to plug into Hawk back wall SAE outlet.

 

Rodger said that the phones have been ringing off the hook since March and the 25 employees are swamped.  Perhaps, just perhaps, folks are beginning to 'wake up' and wanting to be more self-sufficient.

 

Phil

[wicked1]

 

Rodger said that the phones have been ringing off the hook since March and the 25 employees are swamped.  Perhaps, just perhaps, folks are beginning to 'wake up' and wanting to be more self-sufficient.

 

Phil

 

That's definitely the case.. Tons more people going out because they don't want to fly w/ Covid around, etc..  That's good because more people learning to enjoy the outdoors and take care of themselves is great.   But, OTOH, there are some complete a-holes just destroying nature out there.  Every camp site I've seen this year has poop and TP just sitting on the ground 10' from the fire ring.  There's graffiti on rock formations.  Trash everywhere.   I understand people not knowing what to do, and maybe that excuses the poo and tp close to camp, but the trash and graffiti, and just destruction of nature..  WHY!?!?!??!???  I guess they don't understand there is no one out there to clean up after them..   Those rock formations weren't built and can't be replaced. 

 

I just bought my first camper this year because of Covid.  (But I've been a lifetime backpacker and have been renting truck campers out west for the past 10 years).