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Mar 7
A role out PV awning for charging in driveway or parking lot.
Thin film flex Pv is a reality now.
Why not a role-out awning 4 xtra PVamping?
A role out PV awning for charging in driveway or parking lot.
Thin film flex Pv is a reality now.
Why not a role-out awning 4 xtra PVamping?
4 comments
Issue is where to store.
circular bumper?
internal frame tube?
I like your idea of extending the use of solar power. I think in your case of PV camping, flexible solar panels can just be rolled up and stored inside the car. One can purchase any amount of panels they want (within reason). I would like to use external panels on the car instead of having them cover the vehicle. Both of these example would just require an external jack to input the power into the charge controller. Very few people have access to shadow free sunlight for 8 hours a day whether it be on the street, driveway, or yard. Plus the angles of the panels on the car body may require moving the vehicle during the day to get the optimum angles. I would prefer to place three 100 watt panels on a roof better angulated to the sun and free from trees or adjacent building's shadows and run a lighter weight DC charging line to the car. It would also allow me to park the car in a car port or garage to better protect the car from the elements, vandalism, and theft. It will also help in trying to cool down a hot interior that has been sitting in the sun for hours and extend my range by not having to use the air conditioning as much. As you EV owners know, air conditioning and heating can reduce your range by up to 10%. The other option would be to have rear hatch solar panels on a flat tonneau cover (which can also hide cargo) level with the headrest height. This will allow use of the rear window. It too can be removed and rolled up when this cargo space is needed. Flexible roll-up solar arrays are commonly used in the boating industry and are quite reasonably priced.
yes the cooling effect is a definite plus and original an motivator toward idea.
A bumper protect roll out over the car would shade the car from the sun in hot parking lots. In the Aptera case, with PV then it competes, but just pull the solar in a different direction for more power than an aptera surface can provide.
another cool idea would be door skins PV that folded or opened up when not driving. Side Pv is only 20% on average of roof or hood. But if movable when not driving that changes.
We usually just take a Jackery 1000 lithium solar generator with fold up panels whenever we go "glamping". It provides all the AC (sine-wave) and DC power we need. We can take 100 to 400 of the modular folding panels depending upon our estimate of the power needs and whether we have overcast skys. I would prefer that system over something built into the car for camping purposes. Both folding and roll-up panels can be connected.