Cascadia 4x4 VSS System

[Reinen]

I have the Cascadia 4x4 hood solar panel and run with a fridge.
You will be far better off powering the fridge with a portable lithium battery, charging that battery at its maximum rate when the engine is running. The fridge also needs to run after the sun sets, the hood isn't always perfectly oriented to get the full 30W, plus clouds and tree canopies exist. While the solar panel is great for keeping your AGM batteries at 100% there will be long stretches where the solar panel can't keep up with a fridge and your AGM batteries won't handle that nearly as well as portable lithium. Plus it completely eliminates the possibility of your fridge making your Jeep unable to start.

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[Wraith]

I have the Cascadia 4x4 hood solar panel and run with a fridge.
You will be far better off powering the fridge with a portable lithium battery, charging that battery at its maximum rate when the engine is running. The fridge also needs to run after the sun sets, the hood isn't always perfectly oriented to get the full 30W, plus clouds and tree canopies exist. While the solar panel is great for keeping your AGM batteries at 100% there will be long stretches where the solar panel can't keep up with a fridge and your AGM batteries won't handle that nearly as well as portable lithium. Plus it completely eliminates the possibility of your fridge making your Jeep unable to start.

Thank you for the input! Sounds like the panel would be good for trickle charging the main battery but not necessary if not drawing from it while off. Just need to figure out which portable power station now. Thanks again!

 

[Reinen]

Thank you for the input! Sounds like the panel would be good for trickle charging the main battery but not necessary if not drawing from it while off. Just need to figure out which portable power station now. Thanks again!

I have the hood solar panel primarily for when my Jeep sits for days on end. If it's in the sun I know my batteries will always be topped off and I'll have enough juice to start the engine.

I charge the portable lithium battery when the engine is running and with a folding 100 watt solar panel when I'm sitting put. The only time I had trouble keeping up with the fridge was in the Monument Valley area with 110F temps. The hood panel isn't big enough for a fridge.

 

[Ratbert]

2.5 amp hours (if it was 100% efficient and in perfect sunshine) sure isn't much.

 

[yarmo]

I have the hood solar panel primarily for when my Jeep sits for days on end. If it's in the sun I know my batteries will always be topped off and I'll have enough juice to start the engine.

I charge the portable lithium battery when the engine is running and with a folding 100 watt solar panel when I'm sitting put. The only time I had trouble keeping up with the fridge was in the Monument Valley area with 110F temps. The hood panel isn't big enough for a fridge.

I've got the same panel on my rubicon. Have you had any issues washing the hood with a pressure washer? I'm afraid to get too close to it with the self wash sprayer hoses at car washes. I'm sure it's probably fine, but I'd like to avoid pulling up the adhesive as much as possible.

 

[Reinen]

I've got the same panel on my rubicon. Have you had any issues washing the hood with a pressure washer? I'm afraid to get too close to it with the self wash sprayer hoses at car washes. I'm sure it's probably fine, but I'd like to avoid pulling up the adhesive as much as possible.

No adhesive problems whatsoever. I did make sure the hood was completely clean when applied, that's important. I also try to avoid blasting the pressure washer under it and asking for problems. But normal pressure washer use has been no problem.

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