Hood Solar Panel Owners Thoughts

[AndySpill]

Some of you own solar systems from @Cascadia4x4 https://www.cascadia4x4.com/collections/vss-system-hood-mounted-solar and Lensun solar https://www.lensunsolar.com/Products/Hood-Solar-Panel that mount on Wrangler hoods and charge the starter batteries. I'm curious to hear your thoughts on such product's long term use.

I'm not here to disparage those systems. I've never owned one or heard anything bad about them. And hey, why not use hood space, sitting there doing nothing, to counteract the effects of battery parasitic and time based drain, make your batteries able to run ESS events if you have that option and want to, and even reduce hood glare with the black colored solar panel that sits there. To be fair, I've included Cascasdia 4x4 in the dialogue.

My issue lies with videos like this, granted from 2018, where a well known solar (especially vehicle solar) guru with his own forum on this subject addresses concern over the longevity of such flexible panels that comprise these systems.

Perhaps the technology has improved since 2018. Perhaps the comparison to fixed/rigid solar panels isn't entirely fair as you can probably install either above on a vehicle roof or roof rack, but not on a vehicle hood. Perhaps this video, just one, is alarmist.

TIA

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[Ratbert]

My primary concern would be related to the minuscule wattage produced, at least for the Rubicon version.

Note that Wil| Prowse is an exceptional self-taught expert in that arena.

 

[teedublya]

This more recent video seems relevant at the 1:36 mark:



I remember trying to find out if Cascadia or Lensunsolar uses CIGS technology when I was setting up a way to keep my starting battery charged with solar. I ended up going a different route but a friend has had good luck with his Cascadia panel. Seems high quality.

 

[AndySpill]

My primary concern would be related to the minuscule wattage produced, at least for the Rubicon version.

Note that Wil| Prowse is an exceptional self-taught expert in that arena.

I'd have to agree John that the Rubi's unique mounting surface, smaller than it is for other Wranglers and vehicles, and its 30 Watt limit, https://www.cascadia4x4.com/collect...diator-jt-vss-system-30-watt-hood-solar-panel would even be, for a more expensive MPPT (maximum power point tracking) solar controller that seeks to maximize the power (watts) of a solar panel through adjustment of volts and amps (over a cheaper PWM (pulse width modulating) less efficient controller), still probably is only enough to trickle charge the battery/ies under the hood, not replenish them from appliance loads with the engine off.

 

[Bayrat]

If Your concern is battery drain while camping, a portable setup might do what you need, and produce more energy.

 

[AndySpill]

If Your concern is battery drain while camping, a portable setup might do what you need, and produce more energy.

Absolutely DA. Such an approach would allow for more efficient, more time tested non flexible panels.

 

[Old Jeeper]

I have had a lot of luck with small solar panels, 12 v, 16.5 in x 12 in on my Jeep. I used them to power LED lights, the kind you wrap Christmas trees in, the little ones. They will work all night on my camping trips. I connect the panel to a spare 12 v auto battery.


My main gate on the ranch is powered by Solar 50-watt panel 20x20 in, hooked to a 12 v auto Wal Mart battery. Saved me $3000 bucks on day 1...estimate to run 110v electric cable from my well house to the main gate...11 years later its still working great.

Solar works best in small applications. Solar farms on the other hand are NOT efficient vs small.

 

[AndySpill]

I have had a lot of luck with small solar panels, 12 v, 16.5 in x 12 in on my Jeep. I used them to power LED lights, the kind you wrap Christmas trees in, the little ones. They will work all night on my camping trips. I connect the panel to a spare 12 v auto battery.


My main gate on the ranch is powered by Solar 50-watt panel 20x20 in, hooked to a 12 v auto Wal Mart battery. Saved me $3000 bucks on day 1...estimate to run 110v electric cable from my well house to the main gate...11 years later its still working great.

Solar works best in small applications. Solar farms on the other hand are NOT efficient vs small.

Agreed Don. The very process of effecting a fixed installation of solar panels on a vehicle, parallel to the sky, may knock as much as 50% of the productive capability of the solar panel, were overengineering and lowered expectation of wattage make for people less upset with their installs.

 

[Ratbert]

@AndySpill, what problem are you attempting to solve? Is parasitic draw a significant issue for you?

As you've said it won't be getting direct sun very often. You'd also probably have to keep moving it in camping scenarios.

 

[AndySpill]

@AndySpill, what problem are you attempting to solve?

I seek to answer the question as to whether these hood mounted solar setups still work (well) 12 - 18 months after installation and beyond given the fickle nature of most flexible solar panels, as per my first post.

As someone with a body mounted roof rack with up to three panels like these available to me, but rarely all used, https://lodoffroad.com/products/jk-jl-destroyer-roof-rack-aluminum-floor-kit-2-panels-per-kit- (I use LOD's great panels with a DIY roof rack) I have the luxury of keeping the rear most roof rack panel in place even when the JL isn't hauling anything else on the roof rack, with a 100 watt fixed solar panel on it to charge a parking mode dash camera battery, and a 30 watt fixed solar panel there as well to trickle charge my dual AGM batteries.

I don't have parasitic draw issues, thanks.

 

[JP29]

I think @Caliguy has one of these on his hood. I've thought about installing one myself.

 

[Old Jeeper]

Agreed Don. The very process of effecting a fixed installation of solar panels on a vehicle, parallel to the sky, may knock as much as 50% of the productive capability of the solar panel, were overengineering and lowered expectation of wattage make for people less upset with their installs.

My next project is solar to drive my water well. Working on how much battery I need as I am pulling water at 728 ft and pumping into a 3500 gal cistern.

This my main gate, 16 ft, on average opens/closes 6 times per day. Pole has 50 watts at the top and at the base is the battery, wired to the gate mech. 11 years of working, the total cost including the gate motor was about $450 and I installed it myself.

Originally I had my very old 40-watt Jeep solar panel atop the pole and I had used it on my Jeep for 10 years before I put it on my gate. It began to fail in long periods of cloudiness after about 3 years so the total life was about 13 years. It still produced wattage but it needed full sun almost every day.

Its something to consider. I would recommend a 50 watt panel for the Jeep and if its a hard top, mount it there, if not then the center of the hood will work. I used my setup when going off road, I was often gone for up to almost a month. That is why I carried a battery dedicated to the panel to run my led lights at night.

 

[Caliguy]

I think @Caliguy has one of these on his hood. I've thought about installing one myself.

yep Iv had mine on for over a year now, one of the best mods Iv done. Always have a full battery, and no wear and tear issues.

I have some power step rock sliders that used to drain my battery and I would get my aux button warning to drive a little before they would work which now are both a problem of the past.

Trying to install on everyone of my cars from here on out but currently don’t know where to Install on a c8 corvette hard top convertible .
10/10 Youll love it

 

[rcadden]

Serious question: given the generation restrictions of solar, and the fact that our Jeeps move, most of the time, would it be too ridiculous to affix a row of small wind turbines to the roof, not unlike one of the many light bars, but with fans instead of KC lites?

With a row of them, you could have them be pretty small I'd assume.

Wouldn't this be more efficient?

 

[Ratbert]

I don't have parasitic draw issues, thanks.

You explicitly mentioned parasitic draw in your first post, so it seemed fairly obvious that parasitic draw could be an issue for you.

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