| Author | Message | ||
| Ron in SD (12.167.162.2)
Rating: N/A |
I was doing something about coach power and inverters and I started thinking about solar cells. I think that someone should make an awning made of flexable solar cells. You can roll up and store it for travel but roll it out for shade and power. You may be able to create enough power for a A/C unit or use the solar "heat" to power an ammonia style RV frig. Just thinking out loud.... | ||
| Mark (65.40.225.193) Rating: N/A |
Sure! I'll take a 26 footer!... | ||
| R.C.Bishop (128.123.221.201)
Rating: N/A |
Great Idea......and could do the same thing in window awnings. Flex is the key. Then, just don't park under the trees...  RCB '64 Crown HWC | ||
| Phil Dumpster (12.230.214.167) Rating: N/A |
They already use something like that on satellites launched into orbit. They go into orbit with them rolled up, then they unroll when in microgravity. Problem is they are too expensive for RV use unless you're Bill Gates. | ||
| Ross Carlisle (Ross) (66.238.216.158)
Rating: N/A |
"Problem is they are too expensive for RV use unless you're Bill Gates. " Exactly...I wonder how many people would buy a $20,000 RV awning Ross | ||
| CoryDane RTSIIIL (66.155.188.218) Rating: N/A |
The FOE to this idea is the Flexible part. Even in todays technology, you can only make something flex a set number of times, then something is going to break. I had thought that maybe the panel can fold down on the bus wall for travel or a moveable area in the middle might let it fold in half as it hugs the side or, if enough room, slides over the roof. The satilites can get away with it because they only get folded and unfolded once. I cant think of any heavy traffic patterns or low tree branches that a satilite would have to roll them back up to gain passing clearance. The idea is not unique, the experimental all electric solar cars place solar cells on every available space of the car bodies to make electricity to keep the car moving and extend the battery life. Obviously, these cells never get put away but remain on the surface full time. might find some info on these by searching "Solar Powered Cars". As for enough to power the AC, with my panels, I would have to cover the entire bus roof to power the ac. That is in a perfect world with nothing else on the roof but solar panels. But I think there has to be a substantial battery backup also to cover the low output when the clouds pass overhead, overpasses, trees, etc. In my opinion, solar is a young science (even though it has been around for a long time) but the use of solar cells is still in a learning stage. Its ideas like this that advance the technology and work out the problems that make things move forward for everyday use. "Imagine Your Dreams" cd | ||
| Ron in SD (12.167.162.2)
Rating: N/A |
I remember seeing a show that talked about that the military currently has PV flexible sheets that they unfold and lay on the ground for power. The sheet was about the size of an awning. During my short research, I found a article that talks about UC Berkeley created a new may to make PV cells and the article stated: "The beauty of this is that you could put solar cells directly on plastic, which has unlimited flexibility," It states that efficiency is a issue with this new panel. Here is the link to the article. http://abcnews.go.com/sections/scitech/CuttingEdge/cuttingedge020404.html I know that costs are may be out of line but cost should never be a part of the creative part of thinking. | ||
| Brian James Houk (Brianmci96a3) (65.40.157.236)
Rating: N/A |
Okay, I don't want to throw a wet blanket on the idea, but I can just hear me now saying: "Hey, this is a nice RV Park you've got here; Do you have any campsites with an East-West orientation and an unobstructed view of the southern sky that will accommodate a 40 coach, available??" Honestly, my PLAN is to utilize the 40'x 8' expanse of the roof of my 96A3 and have enough hard panels overhead to at least run both of my basement ac units. Now that's the plan, and if I'm lucky it won't cost an arm and two legs! Brian | ||
| Tom Caffrey (Pvcces) (64.114.233.80)
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It looks like it might take $10,000 in photovoltaic panels to run one air conditioner according to my calculator. I'm using $5 per watt. For what it's worth. Tom Caffrey PD4106-2576 Suncatcher | ||
| FAST FRED (67.75.103.55) Rating: N/A |
Should cost lots more than that as most solar sites only put out max power for 2.5 to 3 hours a day. If you have to make enough juice & save it in batteries to last even till sunset , the solar requirements get HUGE!!! FAST FRED | ||
| Brian James Houk (Brianmci96a3) (65.40.145.115)
Rating: N/A |
Okay, so it's a little bit pie in the sky at the moment... or maybe a LOT pie in the sky, but there is one site selling high watt output panels at $2.79 a watt. With the advances that are continually made in panel efficiency and output(who remembers when 50 watt panels were state of the art and 14% efficiency was unheard of?)as well as the continued reductions in cost per watt, I am hoping that in a few years solar will be affordable and efficient enough for us all to utilize... just before I retire and hit the road fulltime. ::grin:: | ||
| Tom Caffrey (Pvcces) (64.114.233.52)
Rating: N/A |
Brian, you're not alone! Tom Caffrey PD4106-2576 Suncatcher |