That's my approach. I don't find setting up the panels in the sun and
moving them about to follow the sun a chore, or difficult, and I
actually enjoy it as a camp task. LED lighting keeps the inside bright
and appealing, and uses trivial power. I will listen to a bit of music
-- very softly (besides, I never camp near others) only if the battery
has been topped off by the panels and the forecast for the following day
indicates more sun.

--
Jack "Rocket j Squirrel" Elliott
1984 Westfalia, auto trans,
Bend, Ore.

On 10/09/2013 09:39 AM, Miguel Pacheco wrote:
> It's really very simple....Reduce your needs, use LEDs and an efficient
> refrigerator and controller, then do the math and give yourself three to
> four times the storage required.
> No stereo or TV. Just an ocean view and the sound of the pounding waves.
>
> Miguel
>
>
>
>
> On Wed, Oct 9, 2013 at 9:51 AM, mark drillock <mdrillock@cox.net> wrote:
>
>> So the answer to the inadequacies of solar is to buy ever more of it and
>> cover the roof, then carry some extra panels to spread around the camp
>> on long leashes? Then put a couple hundred pounds of battery in the
>> interior storage spaces, and do the solar panel shuffle every day to try
>> to make the best of things? Kinda makes one long for a 3 way fridge again.
>>
>> Mark
>>
>> Barry Cotter wrote:
>>
>>> I agree with Neil...
>>>
>>> Having a 150w or 200w panel fixed to your roof and then a second mobile
>>> 50w to chase the sun when necessary seems like a good solution.  If using
>>> an MPPT controller, I'm told it won't properly function with two panels of
>>> different size, but apparently will function at least as a PWM controller.
>>>
>>> If time permits, my winter project is to fix a 190w panel to the roof and
>>> then a quick connect port elsewhere for the mobile panel, possibly at the
>>> city water hookup entry as I don't use it any more.  I've got 2x6v AGMs
>>> under the back seat and panels much smaller are going to struggle in the
>>> PNW... Maybe in the open of the Baja but not here.  If I bring my batteries
>>> down to near 50% it can take my shore charger a couple days to get them
>>> back up to full charge.
>>>
>>> I've seen folks mount and dismount a 150w panel to their roof and attach
>>> aluminum struts to provide an angle to the sun and though it was a cool
>>> solution, it also looked like a chunk of work for short stays, specially
>>> for a short guy!  Longer term it might make sense and all that would be
>>> necessary is wing nuts instead of lock nuts or the like.
>>>
>>> That's my $.02...
>>>
>>> Barry
>>>
>>>
>>>   On Oct 8, 2013, at 10:20, "Neil N" <musomuso@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Not to complicate things but.....
>>>>
>>>> In hindsight, especially for PNW conditions, (cloudy) if I had two
>>>> panels I'd be tempted to hard mount one then use one as a roaming
>>>> panel to chase the sun. That would all depend on size of panels, draw
>>>> etc.
>>>>
>>>> Neil with 150 mono single panel, cheap 10 Amp PWM controller,
>>>> Truckfridge, 100 AH battery.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On Tue, Oct 8, 2013 at 9:39 AM, Rocket J Squirrel
>>>> <camping.elliott@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>   I have a Vitrifrigo and two 55W panels. The refrigerator's overnight
>>>>> usage consumes between 19 to 25 amp-hours, depending on ambient temp.
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>   I don't put the panels on the roof as I usually camp in areas where
>>>>> there are trees and I must move the panels frequently to keep them in
>>>>> full sun.
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>