Mobile solar power

rollandelliott
rollandelliott Solar Expert Posts: 834 ✭✭
For some reason I think mobile solar products are really neat. However economically they are hard for me to justify because I live so close to grid power and have so few camping trips a year, there really isn't a need for me to use it often. But for those of you on the go here is a list of cool products from small cell phone charges to gigantic trailer rigs for portable solar. Now my one question is if I wanted to make my own portable solar is it possible to cut up a Unisolar thin film flexible panel and some how solder connections to the cells? Do they have a nice beefy bus wire that can be soldered onto?
It would give me 15v, with a 108" long piece. I might have to cut into thirds and do some fancy wiring to fit on top of my car roof. Not really practical I know, but cool for the few camping trips I'd use it for and cheaper than a commercial made solution.

Fold-Up PV Modules

PowerFilm
60 W Solar ChargerPower rating: 60 W
Price: $1,000
Weight: 3.19 lbs.
Size: 13.25 × 7 × 2 in. (folded);
51.5 x 47.5 x 0.125 in. (unfolded)

PowerFilm
60 W Solar ChargerPower rating: 60 W
Price: $1,000
Weight: 3.19 lbs.
Size: 13.25 × 7 × 2 in. (folded);
51.5 x 47.5 x 0.125 in. (unfolded)
Courtesy PowerFilm Solar


GoalZero
Guide 10 Plus Adventure KitPower rating: 7 W
Battery capacity: 10 Wh
Price: $160
Weight: 1 lb.
Size: 6 × 9 × 1 in. (folded); 17 x 9 x 0.1 in.
(unfolded)

Global Solar
SunlinqSeriesPower rating: 2 – 62 W
Price: $100 – $1,000
Weight: 0.25 – 3.2 lbs.
Size range: 9 × 5 in. to 8.5 × 14.5 in. (folded);
9 x 14 in. to 30 x 52.5 (unfolded)
Courtesy GoalZero
Courtesy Global Solar

Courtesy Portable Solar Power Biz

“Pocket Panel” PortableUSB Phone ChargerPower rating: 6 W
Price: $100
Weight: 13.2 oz.
Size: 7 × 4.52 × 1.37 in. (folded);
7 × 21.65 x 0.12 in. (unfolded)

portable power
GoalZero
Guide 10 Plus Adventure KitPower rating: 7 W
Battery capacity: 10 Wh
Price: $160
Weight: 1 lb.
Size: 6 × 9 × 1 in. (folded); 17 x 9 x 0.1 in.
(unfolded)


SunlinqSeriesPower rating: 2 – 62 W
Price: $100 – $1,000
Weight: 0.25 – 3.2 lbs.
Size range: 9 × 5 in. to 8.5 × 14.5 in. (folded);
9 x 14 in. to 30 x 52.5 (unfolded)
Courtesy GoalZero
Courtesy Global Solar
Courtesy Portable Solar Power Biz
Portable
Solar Power
“Pocket Panel” PortableUSB Phone ChargerPower rating: 6 W
Price: $100
Weight: 13.2 oz.
Size: 7 × 4.52 × 1.37 in. (folded);
7 × 21.65 x 0.12 in. (unfolded)

Solar-Powered
Backpacks


Array Solar Laptop ChargerPower rating: 10 W
Battery capacity: 60 Wh
Price: $389
Weight: 5.5 lbs.
Size: 18 × 14 × 8 in.
Suitable for charging: Portable handheld electronics,
MP3 players, laptop computers, digital cameras


Shawn Schreiner
Innovus
Designs
Eclipse Solar BackpackPower rating: 4 W
Price: $180
Weight: 2.5 lbs.
Size: 18 × 14 × 8.75 in.
Suitable for charging: Portable
handheld electronics, smartphones
Courtesy Innovus Designs

PV Carts

Universal
Power Group
Ecotricity Eco 1800SInverter power rating: 1,800 W
Battery capacity: 720 Wh
PV module rating: 90 W
Solar-charging time: 12 hrs.
Price: $1,595
Weight: 120 lbs.
Size: Modules—42.75 × 24.5 × 1.37 in.;
generator—19.5 × 8 × 11.5 in.
portable power

Universal Power Group
Ecotricity Eco 1800SInverter power rating: 1,800 W
Battery capacity: 720 Wh
PV module rating: 90 W
Solar-charging time: 12 hrs.
Price: $1,595
Weight: 120 lbs.
Size: Modules—42.75 × 24.5 × 1.37 in.;
generator—19.5 × 8 × 11.5 in.

Xantrex
XPowerPowerpack1500Inverter power rating: 1,350 W
Battery capacity: 612 Wh
PV module: Not included
Price: $400
Weight: 60 lbs.
Size: 15.8 × 11.9 × 14.8 in.

SunRNR
Sun110Inverter power rating: 3,500 W
Battery capacity: 2,952 Wh
PV module rating: 135 W
(expandable to 270 W)
Price: $3,800
Inverter/battery enclosure
weight: 260 lbs.
Inverter/battery enclosure
size: 28 × 15 × 30 in.
Module size: 56 x 26 x 2 in.
Module weight: 27 lbs.
Courtesy Xantrex

Sol-
Solutions
SolMan ClassicInverter power rating: 1,500 W
Battery capacity: 3,600 Wh
PV module rating: 420 W
Price: $5,000
Weight: 275 lbs.
Size: 51 × 32 × 45 in.
Courtesy SunRNR Courtesy SolSolutions



PV Trailers

Patriot Solar
Group
Andromeda2000Inverter power rating: 2,500 W
Battery capacity: 9,600 Wh
PV modules: Two 240 W modules
Price: $12,730
Weight: 2,000 lbs.
Size: 116 in. long × 62 in. wide × 37 in.
tall (with modules stowed)

Mobile Solar
Power
MS-150Inverter power rating: 3,500 W
Battery capacity: 15,048 Wh
PV modules: Three 220 W modules
Price: $19,450
Weight: 2,000 lbs.
Size: 8 ft. long × 5.5 ft. wide × 6 ft. tall
(with modules stowed)
GreenTow
GT916
Inverter power rating: 7,200 W
Battery capacity: 24,768 Wh
PV modules: Twelve 135 W modules
Price: $57,900
Weight: 4,100 lbs.
Size: 9 ft. long × 5 ft. 10 in. wide × 6 ft.
tall (with modules stowed)
*120/240 VAC output; optional onboard
diesel generator
Courtesy
GreenTow
Courtesy Patriot Solar Group


Brunton Outdoor Group
bruntonoutdoor.com 33Ecowatt
ecowatt.com 3G24 Solar Innovations
g24i.com 33Global Solar Energy
globalsolar.com 3Goal Zero
goalzero.com 333GreenTow
greentow.com 3Horizon Fuel Cell Tech.
horizonfuelcell.com 3Humless Power
humless.com 3Innovus Designs
eclipsesolargear.com 333Mobile Solar
mobilesolarpower.net 3Patriot Solar
patriotsolargroup.com 333Portable Solar Power Biz
portablesolarpower.biz 333Power Traveller
powertraveller.com 3Powerenz
powerenz.com 33PowerFilm Solar
powerfilmsolar.com 33Reware
rewarestore.com 33Sol Solutions
sol-solutions.com 3Solar Components
solarjoos.com 3Solio
solio.com 3SolLight
sollight.com 3Solutions from Science
solutionsfromscience.com 3SunRNR
sunrnr.com 3Universal Power Group
universalpowergroup.com 3V-Dimension
v-dimension.com 3Voltaic
voltaicsystems.com 33Wagan
wagan.com 33Xantrex
xantrex.com 3

Comments

  • rollandelliott
    rollandelliott Solar Expert Posts: 834 ✭✭
    Re: Mobile solar power

    found out there is a ePVL-68
    unisolar module for 12v charging (basically half the length of the long roll)
    I'll probably just use it instead of trying to cut a premade one up.
  • niel
    niel Solar Expert Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Mobile solar power

    that's good because you can't cut up one of them anyway.
  • vtmaps
    vtmaps Solar Expert Posts: 3,741 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Mobile solar power

    FWIW, I just yesterday received the current issue of Home Power (#149 June-July 2012) and the cover story "The Power to Roam" is all about mobile power. I haven't read it yet. On first glance it seems to cover all the ones you mentioned, and a few others.
    --vtMaps
    4 X 235watt Samsung, Midnite ePanel, Outback VFX3524 FM60 & mate, 4 Interstate L16, trimetric, Honda eu2000i
  • rollandelliott
    rollandelliott Solar Expert Posts: 834 ✭✭
    Re: Mobile solar power

    yeah that is where I got my list from! :)
  • mejustme
    mejustme Registered Users Posts: 17
    Re: Mobile solar power

    Hi

    Some of those are VERY expensive for what they are. Unless there is a real reason to get one of those roallable panels, I would rather use a folding panle with regulator from ebay for a fraction of the price...I should get a 80 watt folding panel today that was around $150 with regulator and case and cable.
    I already have a 50 watt one that is great for camping (I use it for cooking with a small 12 volt battery), my lights radio and camera for camping ...and at home are from a 5 watt panel, ok it is not rollable but it works well and is still not huge.

    For camping in a set place, I would take a 200 watt panel as well or if the vehicle has enough room.