Solar panel hood mount

Paddy

Adventurer
Gotta pair of 50w semi flex panels that I'm hood mounting. These new breed of panel makes it very easy to mount of curves and they are strong and very thin. Tested today and they produced 2.75a ea in the sun.
 

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Meili

Adventurer
Thought about this also.

Few concerns, glare and engine heat.

Keep us posted.
 
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Basil.

Active member
Been running solar on my hood now for about 8 months, it's the perfect place. I don't get any glare, it's unused space, and I've never had an issue with road debris hitting it. It's free energy, might as well take advantage of it.

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Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Paddy

Adventurer
Your not serious?

Must be a junker truck.

Well it was at one point but I don't consider it one now. Why do you think that? I don't think I'd invest in a solar hood if it was a junker. It's a pretty baddasss truck actually. Little more complicated engine system than I prefer, but otherwise it's a burly platform for my camper build 5.0
 
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Paddy

Adventurer
Thought about this also.

Few concerns, glare and engine heat.

Kepp us posted.
Glare? You mean like a shiny gloss white car hood paint? If anything these will cut down in glare because black. Also, I've heard the engine heat theory and cutting down on solar performance but I disagree. If the engine is hot, it means I'm running it and that means I don't need solar. Solar is for when I'm parked, and in that case I believe the hood will have better heat dissipation than the roof because it's not insulated like the roof, therefore it has air behind it and will stay cooler.
 
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Paddy

Adventurer
What about glare? road debris damage?

In the places where we go the hood is the most protected place on the truck. Trees and kayaks/gear present a much bigger threat to anything on the roof, not to mention blocking the sun.
 

Paddy

Adventurer
Been running solar on my hood now for about 8 months, it's the perfect place. I don't get any glare, it's unused space, and I've never had an issue with road debris hitting it. It's free energy, might as well take advantage of it

Yeah I can't figure out why people are so hesitant to hood mount. I guess most people build these trucks to look cool in their driveways. Nice rig I love that rtt I haven't seen that one before. And the awning is tight! How big is it when stowed?
 

Meili

Adventurer
Seems like I a hit a nerve? Just asked a legitimate question. Or maybe I am misinterpreting the "tone"of your responses!

I am a function over form guy myself, look at my build. I have less in it that some have spent on rims/tires! ;)

The concern over heat is real, any solar panel effectiveness drops significantly as it gets hot. I, respectively, disagree with your theory about the hood being a good

hot sink. Yes, eventually it will cool but will actually get hotter when you park/stop, heat soak. Again keep us posted.

To me, road debris is an none issue.

My concern for glare is not based on color but a glass like surface. Maybe the flexible panels are better then a standard panel in this regard? Again, I want to know.

Real estate on my S10 is at a premium so this is a viable option for me versus a complicated hinged panel system.

Either way it's all good.
 

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rayra

Expedition Leader
Lot of heat load difference between a thin film panel adhered to the hood skin, vs a panel mounted with some standoff. But you go right ahead and continue mocking folks trying to ask helpful questions.
 

Paddy

Adventurer
Lot of heat load difference between a thin film panel adhered to the hood skin, vs a panel mounted with some standoff. But you go right ahead and continue mocking folks trying to ask helpful questions.
Is that directed at me? I dunno. Not meant to be mocking at all. I just think the hood is a good place to mount them. That's all. If y'all don't agree, well, it don't change the taste of my cherios so more power to ya. (Maybe literally ;)) I'm not too proud to admit if it doesn't work out right though, so I'll report back. But so far we got one guy who has done it and proved it's good, and a bunch of theory based on educated guesses.
I knew there would be any sayers but that's usually the case.
How is a thing film mounted to metal any different in heat gain than a glass panel mounted in a frame? Well for one thing the glass traps a lot of heat right against the cells. I don't have a IR heat gun since mine died but I'm sure I'll have a chance to check it at some point. Besides all that, I willing to forgo some efficiency in the name of convenience. The basic fact is that the hood is a surface that will always be clear of gear and likely laying in the sun a lot more than any other surface on my rig. So, short of moveable panels that you chase around the sun patch all day this is the best option for me. Btw moveable panels will always out perform any car mounted solution by quite a lot.
 
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Paddy

Adventurer
Seems like I a hit a nerve? Just asked a legitimate question. Or maybe I am misinterpreting the "tone"of your responses!

I am a function over form guy myself, look at my build. I have less in it that some have spent on rims/tires! ;)

The concern over heat is real, any solar panel effectiveness drops significantly as it gets hot. I, respectively, disagree with your theory about the hood being a good

hot sink. Yes, eventually it will cool but will actually get hotter when you park/stop, heat soak. Again keep us posted.

To me, road debris is an none issue.

My concern for glare is not based on color but a glass like surface. Maybe the flexible panels are better then a standard panel in this regard? Again, I want to know.

Real estate on my S10 is at a premium so this is a viable option for me versus a complicated hinged panel system.

Either way it's all good.
I guess my driveway rig comment may have been felt as a dig on some of you and that's my fault, didn't mean it like that. This forum is filled with the people that are actually the opposite of that group so that wasn't meant to insult.

It's true the heat soak might come up a bit after parking but again that's when the batteries should have been topped off by driving. The longer it sits it will cool off and that's when the close mounting on a white hood should actually help to remove heat rather than trap it like a roof would. Just looking to extend the useful life of the battery powering the fridge and charge cell phones so even if it doesnt keep up it should help a little, while also keeping my amps-hungry diesel in top starting shape year round.
 

rruff

Explorer
Been running solar on my hood now for about 8 months, it's the perfect place. I don't get any glare, it's unused space, and I've never had an issue with road debris hitting it. It's free energy, might as well take advantage of it.

I like it! I was thinking of putting a panel on the roof of my camper, but it's a bad place for cleaning convenience, and low hanging branches.

Did you use standard panel mounting brackets?
 

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