Solar Panel on Crossbars?

[LivingInKaos]

I have one mounted to a bracket between the cargo bars on the roof that acts as a fairing for the RTT, but also can lay down flat if the tent isn't on .

Sponsored

 

[bigsky]

I had a solar array on my previous home. Learned to charge not batteries but my EVs directly by derating the charging rate of my Teslas to match the output of the solar array. 100% free electricity.
I never paid attention to or cared about the DC-to-AC conversion losses from my array. All that electricity flowing down from my roof cost nothing to begin with.

 

[Proxy]

I wouldn’t attach one to my Rivian since the miles lost due to drag would probably be higher than miles added. Plus the cost of a solar generator, mounting setup and wiring. The solar generator would need to be in the open bed of the pickup due to its cooling needs. I would also secure the generator to avoid it being unintentionally donated to those that believe they deserve it more than me without paying for it. Additionally one would need to religiously monitor the solar generator state of charge to know when to plug in the vehicle. Today my two 500 watt panels added 5 miles to my T but I could have added 2 more (ended up with higher charge in the solar generator than started with). This is the about the best day of the year. One panel would probably net 200-400 miles per year but aero drag would probably be more than that. If I still haven’t talked you out of it, I would use aluminum square tubing to mount it to the crossbars with minimal overhang in the front. Mounting it that far back would put it above the bed and would make the bed less useful.

 

[Proxy]

It could make sense if one were traversing a long distance at slow speed with access to the next charging infrastructure beyond the range you need. The shade would be nice!

 

[MacO512]

It could make sense if one were traversing a long distance at slow speed with access to the next charging infrastructure beyond the range you need. The shade would be nice!

That would actually make it harder to get to the next charger since the aero cost (even at 40mph) would dwarf any solar energy added.

Only way it would help is if you could setup multiple panels (1000watts+) and sit for days in one spot to add a couple % of range. Then over months you could limp along to some chargers.

EVs use a TON of electricity to move, I think sometimes people don't realize how much. Our Rivian are far more inefficient than most EVs.

Would make about 100x more sense to just haul a generator with gas cans if you really needed to add extra range between charger.

 

[bigsky]

Hey, here's a thought for ya. Buy a long trailer, stock it chockful of solar panels and haul it along wherever you go jury-rigged to the battery pack. The longer the trailer, the more solar panels, the better!!!

 

[MacO512]

Hey, here's a thought for ya. Buy a long trailer, stock it chockful of solar panels and haul it along wherever you go jury-rigged to the battery pack. The longer the trailer, the more solar panels, the better!!!

Yeah get some absurbly long trailer 20+ ft. Have 3 layers of solar so one can slide out to each side when parked. Maybe you could get 12kw of power and full 48amp L2 charging. Charge for 10 hours, drive 100 miles, and the next day repeat.

 

[HyperionMark]

Thanks for all the responses and ideas,but I definitely agree that using that energy for the truck is a bit of a fool's errand. I am mainly thinking for when I'm parked camping somewhere for a while.
Also, I tend to disagree with the sentiment that it would reduce range due to aero drag if you mounted one over the truck bed. It is a known fact that bed covers over truck beds can definitely help on range some. I absolutely agree that if it was up too high or over the cab it would destroy efficiency.

 

[docwhiz]

Not sure on the wind issue, but a 550w panel will never output its stated output. Assume 80% of that at best, so 440w max. And the charging system in the Rivian uses about 600w just to run the charging system, computers, etc (same with Tesla, so this is pretty standard for EVs). That's why the charge rate on a 120v/15amp outlet is half of the charge rate of a 120v/20amp outlet.

If you had two panels generating 440w each, you might add 1 mile of range every 4 hours. And you won't mainting 440w all day, so I'd bet you might only get 1.5 miles every 24 hours at best. And this is why putting solar on an EV to charge the EV is fairly pointless.

BUT....you could use those panels to charge a battery bank and then use that to charge the car. You might get a few miles a day into the battery that way.

His only question was about wind.
Not power output.

 

[docwhiz]

Yeah get some absurbly long trailer 20+ ft. Have 3 layers of solar so one can slide out to each side when parked. Maybe you could get 12kw of power and full 48amp L2 charging. Charge for 10 hours, drive 100 miles, and the next day repeat.

His only question was about wind, not power output.

 

[docwhiz]

I always get my hopes up, and then reality smashes them back down. If you use solar to charge a battery bank, and then use the battery bank to charge the car, I suspect the transmission loss between solar to bank, and from bank to car, would really eat into the total energy that makes it into the battery.

His only question was about wind, not power output.

 

[docwhiz]

That would actually make it harder to get to the next charger since the aero cost (even at 40mph) would dwarf any solar energy added.

Only way it would help is if you could setup multiple panels (1000watts+) and sit for days in one spot to add a couple % of range. Then over months you could limp along to some chargers.

EVs use a TON of electricity to move, I think sometimes people don't realize how much. Our Rivian are far more inefficient than most EVs.

Would make about 100x more sense to just haul a generator with gas cans if you really needed to add extra range between charger.

His only question was about wind, not power output.

 

[Dark-Fx]

I am mainly thinking for when I'm parked camping somewhere for a while.

I've got 1300W on top of our camper. Took over four weeks here in Michigan in mid-summer to charge my polestar 2 from ~20% to 90%.

If the panel is somehow replacing another panel on the vehicle, and not making you use significantly more energy while driving, it might be worthwhile. If it's not offsetting some kind of continuous drain, you're probably better off just having that additional weight as a buffer battery for your usage instead though.

At least unless you need to be unplugged for multiple weeks in a row without a place to plug in.

 

[HyperionMark]

I've got 1300W on top of our camper. Took over four weeks here in Michigan in mid-summer to charge my polestar 2 from ~20% to 90%.

If the panel is somehow replacing another panel on the vehicle, and not making you use significantly more energy while driving, it might be worthwhile. If it's not offsetting some kind of continuous drain, you're probably better off just having that additional weight as a buffer battery for your usage instead though.

At least unless you need to be unplugged for multiple weeks in a row without a place to plug in.

I'm not thinking for powering the truck at all. For powering the camper/campsite.

 

[MacO512]

His only question was about wind, not power output.

How did you read that it was only about wind - not power from this post I responded to:

It could make sense if one were traversing a long distance at slow speed with access to the next charging infrastructure beyond the range you need. The shade would be nice!

Sponsored