I Installed a GIANT Solar Panel on My 4X4 | BougeRV 400W 10BB Mono Panel

Why and how to install a giant roof mounted solar panel on an off-road 4X4. Thank you BougeRV for sponsoring my solar roof project.
20% off 400W 10BB Mono Solar Panel: TK20
Link to the product: www.bougerv.com/products/400w...
20% off 200 watt CIGS solar panels: TK20
16% off 100 watt CIGS solar panels: TK16
How to get fast car/alternator charging for power stations: • Power Station For Your...
The rest of my overland power system (affiliate links):
EcoFlow Delta 2 Max (2kwh): us.ecoflow.com/collections/de...
Victron 12/24 20A DC Converter: amzn.to/3SYT4DB
XT60i Cable: amzn.to/48W4mzr
40A Circuit Breaker: amzn.to/3SWhnSl
Support me by checking out the products I designed: tinkererdesign.com/

[@chopperpl]

You should use some rubber padding with your solar brackets. Those rigid panels may develop some micro cracks when they are under constant stretching forces.

[@bubbalo3388]

I kinda thought the same about if it was rigidly mounted that minor body flex or something may cause issues later.

[@mikeandroi2698]

Forget about the specs or power. It is the BEST looking roof solar I've ever seen on an suv! Nicely done

[@BobTheBrogrammer]

I’ve been planning a build that will allow me to work remote from anywhere with my GX 460 and th biggest hurdle for me to tackle was power. This series has been a HUGE help in me learning and planning my build for what I need. Thank you so much!

[@westypoprocks772]

High output alternator and a few hundred ah of lifepo4

[@Ngcarson1337]

If you’re working remote, I would recommend a folding setup that allows you to stack multiple panels on top of each other during transport. When you park, you can unfold them and spread them out; supporting the ends sticking off the vehicle with canopy support poles. You can then get adjustable angles, depending on the complexity of the brackets/joints and how much space you have up top. Estimate 800-2000W of panels with this configuration.

[@FourLowAdventures]

A laptop that charges from usb c is really handy for this. But a 100ah lithium battery will charge a laptop many times too. I do this as well and have found that for it to work longer than a few days then I need to stay in hotels or a motorhome for privacy and comfort.

[@1GREATDANE]

Inserting Rubber Neoprene Washers should also Help with Off Roading Vibrations and Wind Gusts generated at Highway Speed.

[@alekrolle7063]

I have 400w of solar on my pickup. Mounted on a roof rack I made for my single cab longbox (8ft) F150. I mounted 4 panels 3 years ago and they are still going strong! They are wired to 4 battle born batteries. I built a stealthy truck bed camper set up in the back. The whole setup consists of electric heat, ac, induction stovetop, lights, tv, starlink, fridge, and a kettle. The setup has run great since installed! I went overkill and it paid off. I do like the single panel idea for simplicity in the future.

[@michaelchownyk5255]

I have a 2007 Chevrolet Uplander and I have a 230 watt solar module bolted to the roof. It has been on the van for four years now. I installed it because it was easier than replacing the alternator. My alternator is burned out and it’s in a very difficult location. I also have 6 kilowatt hours of lithium batteries connected to a DC to DC converter and then it is in parallel with the 12 V battery which is being supplied 14 V I also have a 1200 watt sine wave inverter and a 2000 W sine wave inverter that powers any equipment that I need to run. I have a remote property and I can easily parallel more solar panels two more charge controllers. I’m a very much impressed with how well the system works . I supported my panel with three wooden ribs with silicone to hold them in place to negate the vibration. I’m glad to see that you’re pretty smart guy. Cheers.

[@hamiltonharper]

That's an interesting solution

[@jjlanotte]

I upgraded my alternator to a mechman 250ish amp output. I used a step up converter to step up the voltage coming off my battery to 58v and have it going directly to my Bluetti. With that, I charge my AC200MAX at almost 900w while I'm driving. Its an awesome setup and I dont need solar. It charges up pretty quickly

[@walijosh945-km1kx]

What vehicle that you have, upgraded the alternator? Are you DIY for this upgrade or a shop did that for you?

[@jjlanotte]

@@walijosh945-km1kx Mechman is the brand, they're highly reputable.

[@deserttortoiseoff-road7285]

Can you explain more on what you use to step up voltage and charge the bluetti? I have a very similar setup and would like to do something like this.

[@jjlanotte]

@@deserttortoiseoff-road7285 To add, you really need to know about the electrical side to safely power it up, but I plugged it into my PV side of my bluetti and I have an on/off switch in the cab to control the charge. I dont reccomend it without having an alternator capable of pulling the additional amperage.

[@jaredr91]

what converter are you using?

[@Baby.OffRoad]

I'd like to see your electric camp setup and appliances!

[@Switchback_Outdoor_Safety]

Flying stones- rocks kicked up from vehicles in front. Great video and look forward to more information on how it holds up overtime.

[@AK-zt1pe]

I don't know if you do requests, but your video reminded me of something I have been curious about for a while. Can you make a video addressing Load Capacity. Myths, facts, and how all these overlanding rigs have full armor, racks, tents, and bumpers, but we never hear about them being a thousands pounds over capacity?

[@basscannon762]

Bump to the top

[@Switchback_Outdoor_Safety]

Many vehicles are beyond load capacity. Overloading by adding weight to the vehicle beyond its load rating you begin to diminish the life of components, reduce handling, reduce mpg, add wear and tear to common components such as steering racks, etc… Teaching off-road driving we cover these topics when talking about driving techniques, hazards such as changes to handling, and vehicle recoveries. In this video, Tinker talks about the rooftop weight and how different the vehicle handled after removing items. (There’s a roof load rating too!) Lots to consider when outfitting a vehicle. If your gear needs exceed the vehicle’s capacity you likely need a bigger vehicle. I’m sure tinker can do a banger of a video on it.

[@TinkerersAdventure]

Thanks! That is a good topic. I'm sure a lot of people are overloaded but have been "fine". This is because design factor/safety margin exists. So seeing actual failure is still a low occurrence event, but that doesn't mean we can justify playing with fire. Engineering reliability involves a lot of statistics, which I feel is the least intuitive type of math. I will try my best making it more intuitive and making more people respect it.

[@AK-zt1pe]

@@TinkerersAdventure awesome! I look forward to it! thanks for the reply

[@snakeo99]

This has been a pretty big topic in Australia for the last few years, so would definitely be interested

[@Samhain2323]

Absolutely awesome !!! You are the living embodiment of "Work smart" !!! I rarely enable the bell notification but for your channel I will !!! Thanks for sharing your knowledge !!!

[@oci464]

I’ve been rolling with a 100w on top for months. Keeps the bouge rv cooler working 24/7 :)

[@GardeningwithDave]

We bought a bougRV fridge for a road trip and it’s been holding up great (1 year later). I am using it upstairs as a personal fridge. Great video!

[@GardeningwithDave]

By the way, I think this panel would be perfect for my greenhouse. Love from California brother.

[@josephdonnaway5755]

Excellent presentation and installation. I installed 2 x 169W thin film CIGS flex panels on my RAM 2500 rooftop and bed cap to charge my Ecoflow setup (Delta Max with 2 Extra Batteries). Although one panel experienced delamination and had to be replaced (under warranty), I still prefer the lower weight and negligible wind resistance of the thin panels vs glass.

[@TobyCostaRica]

I thought those CIGS panels were supposed to be bulletproof! Have you seen the Obsidian panels by Zamp?

[@brettlynch2707]

perfect timing on this video as i just installed a dual battery system in my 4r today with a redarc bcdc. i will definitely be using that discount code. thanks for your effort to provide real life data in your videos. you continue to put of some of the highest level toyota edits on the tube. for anyone else reading this his shift knobs are the best on the market. most are just generic rebranded blobs.

[@bikesbeersbeats]

I have 500w of solar panels on my van. Its game changing to be able to have starlink, fridge/freezer, lights, music, laptops all running with basically no battery drain. My battery is topped up during the day and used in the evening.

[@deadbrother5355]

Roof-top tier video as always. Thanks Kai.

[@candidcapture]

I put 4 B-RV 9BB 100watt on top of my GX470. 2 X 2 in series then parallel. The main goal is to run an A/C on hot days for the dogs. It currently goes to a Bluetti AC200Max and an Ecoflow Wave2. I have a foldable panel to add on those extra draining days. And... I run a trickle charger to the car battery to be sure the beast starts when its time to head out. The GX470 does some constant discharging when the key is in the ignition and any doors open, so it provides a margin of safety.

[@harler1263]

I am running an off-road trailer with Echoflow batteries and 4-100 watt Zamp solar panels. I installed a DC to AC 1000w inverter to charge 600w (upgraded HO alternator) with my solar and it works great. I wanted to thank you for the video you did testing your EF with a DC/AC inverter. Without seeing that, I would not have been able to achieve the charging times I am getting.

[@LimitOfN]

Top tier content here. Thanks for sharing, this really opens doors for the rest of us.

[@4WDisLife]

best videos to watch during lunch break!

[@TomFJC]

Love it. Excellent video, like always. Thank you.

[@MrWinger1951]

Ingenious....gave me some ideas for my truck.

[@tt4569]

Outstanding video , seriously really enjoyed it keep killing it man

[@marksmith6634]

Thank you, good information for my future plans.

[@thomaslam6821]

Wow! Love your FJ man! 🥰

[@sirdavidalot]

Fill the roof up would be my advice for solar. I put 800w on my RV roof and the panel cost was 5% of my total system install (lithium, inverters, etc.). I think the mounting hardware cost as much as the panels. I also like that you have more wattage than almost every sprinter van I've seen.

[@thewilltejeda]

Love this setup

[@petersmee7283]

I've had a450w panel on my roof for a year now. Works great with the caravan with a matching panel and mppt charge control large enough to take both into 280Ah of lithium

[@natebaird]

Currently popping 4 405W rigid Q-Cell panels on my van. They were like two hundred and 40 bucks new from A1 Solar. Had 8 on a bus I built out 2 years ago, produced about 22kWhs a day. Panels are half the price today then they were when I built my bus a couple years back. It's an exciting and affordable time to considering vehicle solar :)

[@nightfall22]

Beautiful setup! Subbed!

[@curtturtle]

Love the 1 sec clip from Aussie Arvos when showing a solar panel. Damn good channel.

[@WolfOverland]

Another great video. Thanks 😊

[@revmotor]

Very clean and very cool.

[@eimkeith]

great vid, as usual. I went with the BougeRV cigs for our RTT (haven't installed them yet - still laying out in the shop waiting on me.)

[@thetrailoutthere]

I have a 400-watt setup on my ZR2 Colorado. It runs through a solar charger controller and an AGM battery. When I go camping or "overlanding," I hook up a 1,500-watt inverter, and that powers everything I need. The main thing I use it for is to keep my dual zone fridge running 24/7 because I used to run out of juice on a portable power pack I had. I installed the panels on some adjustable 90-degree brackets in case I need to aim them at the sun as the sun moves while I'm stationary. I'm not big on RTT's due to the weight, so like you, solar was the best option for the rack in terms of handling and weight. I use a quick setup/tear down tent (Gazelle t4) to sleep in, and it's just as versatile as a RTT.

[@davesantimaw5413]

Love your channel as I’m building out my 2012 FJ TTSE!

[@ivoted7199]

Well done Sir.

[@RobertsAdventure]

Great video as always! The point about maximizing the size of the panel depending on your needs, because you will always only get a % of ANY panel you have installed, is a good one, I think a lot of people are disappointed in solar performance because they fail to take that into account. Just FYI - I just checked out BougeRV and it looks like the discount code you mention just works for CIGS or the solid panels you mention, not the cheaper Arch flexible fiberglass panel. Not complaining, just to let you know.

[@kriskeilman2087]

Nice setup. I have two 100 watt Sunpower flexible solar panels and one 100 watt CIGS BougeRV panel on my Ford F-150. I am replacing the two 100 watt Sunpower flexible solar panels with 3 new 110 watt Sunpower flexible solar panels. I will have 430 watts of total power. I attached the Sunpower panels with heavy duty outdoor velcro. The CIGS panel already had tape on it. I have driven over 20,000 miles with the flexible solar panels on the cap of my truck. I am planning on getting an induction cooker like you use.

[@litnoregrets7551]

Great video. I have a solar panel on my RAV4 for camping and love it. I do want to upgrade to a larger output panel that maximizes my power like you wanted. In any case, it is great to make power while my vehicle is sitting at the trailhead and I am off having fun. Thanks for sharing this.

[@jameslewis1179]

Love your videos!! Surprised I've never seen you in the Philly area.

[@BigLate]

Just wanted to say that you was really great in ‘UP’.

[@madxmaxxine6552]

Looks great and re-purposing of the roof structure to house the panels looks efficient. Not my priority now but would love to try something like this in the future.

[@DAMDIndustries]

Nice to see more PA adventurers!

[@XXXpnoysmokeyXXX]

This is great if your doing offroad and off grid travel. I might c9nsidered this setup in the future

[@lawrencedavidson6195]

That's a very nice panel. Greetings from Jamaica.

[@nicknick7052]

Nice video. Similar situation with 2x225W on a LC79 in Australia and my concern are vibrations on unsealed roads hundreds km long.

[@Luke-qs2cg]

So, there are multiple rooftop tents with built in solar, such as the new jackery with 1000w of panel. So awesome for this type of use case

[@scottv.4140]

I didn't realize you were that close to me, for some reason I thought you were out west. I have a bougerv folding panel and their fridge. So far I am liking them both.

[@Ryantechtips]

I ran a 380w commercial grade panel on my Jeep for roughly 4 years. The panel was mounted to the factory roof rails. In my install case my panel cracked on the edge after 3 years of moderate off roading. Those 3 years were filled with a lot more flexy trails vs boulder based trails.

[@GroovyVideo2]

I have been using CIGS panels daily for 4 years - ground deployed - roll up for storage - Very Rugged - Dependable - good output

[@moreclips805]

I’ve got an inspired overland rtt. It’s only 87 lbs and 4” tall. While it is a soft top, I’ve got a flexible cigs solar panel attached to it. The wedge style tent allows me to direct my panel towards the sun for optimal output. Works great and I’m in under 100 lbs on the roof. I’m running the same 1GRFE engine and average 16mpg.

[@lel3450]

I’ve thought of doing this to a crv gen 2 and realized it won’t always be sunny but think about it if it’s not sunny it’s windy. I’ve thought of installing a pole holder and when I’m camping I set up a wind turbine to get power from wind

[@kingkaiification]

bro you are living the American dream! keep it up you are an inspiration to asian community!

[@Les_Grossman]

Good video! I also can recommend as much solar as possible! I have a Syncro vanagon and have almost 600W of Solar on my roof (and 200Ah Lithium)- even when it is somewhat cloudy I always have enough power. I also cook with an induction stove- really comfortable 👍

[@dan32one44]

Nice 👍 it looks stealth ..

[@TravisTellsTruths]

I've been getting ready to do similar.

[@CncObsession]

It is how I charge my 56v golf cart. Took the plastic roof off and put a 350w panel I had laying around. I used a Genasun programmed charger.

[@cyclemoto8744]

In my opinion you've overlooked a very simple solution which is a DCDC charger to supplement a smaller panel. Your roof weight reduction was wise however I would be very surprised if the rest of your accessories haven't resulted in the FJ being over its specified gross vehicle mass. Thanks for the content. Cheers

[@cyclemoto8744]

@@ellev7237 He does what?

[@DustyReinsStories]

I have been running a full-size rigid panel on the roof of my 2001 Jeep XJ for three years now, mostly west of the Mississippi. No problems so far.

[@Eduardo_Espinoza]

I have been planning on doing this, but flush with the roof rack! :D

[@noisnet3651]

I would LOVE to see how the dual-source charging is wired!!!

[@beam3250]

Great idea. Please report as it works. The solar and electric setup overall. Would like to learn more about that

[@kayal2093]

I've had this set up for 2 years on my TrailBoss with camper

[@georgecarousos6735]

Excellent content and your truck looks too good to off road. Here is a different scenario for those that camp in one spot for more than a day. In the summer it gets so hot we always try to park the vehicle in the shade of large trees. It can get way over 100 degrees during the summer so keeping the truck in the shade makes it much nicer. But that kills the concept of a hard mounted solar panel. The portable ones are a pain, are easier to steal and really don't put out decent power unless you constantly move them to follow the sun. For our needs we find that a quality Honda EU1000 watt generator works great while we are away from camp vehicle to charge the solar generator. It can be chained to the bumper, fills the battery bank very quickly and weighs less than your 400W solar panel with mounting backbone. Since it is so quiet, it can be run in the evening if maxing out the electrical demands or if the solar generator needs a quick top off before bed. Just another option to think about for those that stay at the destinations for more than a day.

[@zxx9554]

Once you go electric you cannot go back 😂. Love the explanation of the thought process behind the mod!

[@michaelwright1602]

I installed two 220 watt flexible panels on the roof of my semi. If you are out in the bush, or out in the field working, these panels can save your bacon. I had my alternator go out while working, and those panels kept my batteries charged up just enough to get the truck to the house.

[@cowboy3072]

Always love your insights am thinking of adding something similar to my 4R - would you mind sharing where you got the portable awning at 2:30 into the video?

[@b97209]

We run 700w of panels and 12v 400ah of diy battery system on our F250. Similar all electric camping but with a Starlink HP also mounted and we often cook for 8-12 people. The past year was the prototype for 2024. Key things we learned. 1) Plan for a longer cycle than 24 hours due to solar obstruction. Our new window is 7 days. 2) Only plan to use 20-80% range of the batteries. We spent way too many hours slowly topping off the top 10% of the batteries during good solar hours. 3) Alternators die more quickly when charging big batteries and use expensive fuel. Disable the alternator entirely so you can use it in the middle of nowhere when everything else breaks.

[@robert5]

I am going to ad 2 solar panels to my bed cover on my 2016 Ram 2500. I am making a bed cover that opens in the center and each side pivots to a straight up position and locks in place. Going to make it so those charge my 2 batteries and also run a small heater in the cab in winter. Some times it takes 30 or more minutes to chip the ice off the cab for a 30 minute drive. I hope when it is sunny enough it puts out enough heat to keep the cab from becoming a frozen over ice box, like it does now.

[@vacantspace333]

Thinking to do the same setup on my fusion, but I will use the flexible panel with doublesided tape instead. Imho, its a no brainer.

[@eduardoedelacruz2009]

Love your videos! I am in the process of setting my own solar system. I will copy your idea, if you do not mind. Could you share the part you use to bolt the panel on the roof? Thanks!!

[@vznari1444]

I have a goal zero 3000x with the alternator charging kit and i feel like i dont even need solar anymore. but i did set up one 100w solar that cancels the power of my fridge and wifi router during the day. and ive never gone under 20% assuming im driving at least once a week and the weather is always sunny. whn my alternator gives out i might upgrade to a high output alternator. i also considering covering my whole roof rack with solar panels. i sleep inside my gx470 anyways and creates atiny bit of insulation from the sun.

[@KevinLin145]

This is amazing. Would love to eventually see a detailed breakdown of your all electric set up. I love a PHEV/EV for it's built in battery and easily having thousands of watts of power, but we are still very far away from having a complete setup for PHEV/EVs to bring off grid.

[@TobyCostaRica]

This is why I feel the hybrid landcruiser will be a game changer with its 2.4kw sine inverter. Don’t need solar if you can pump that much power into your batteries

[@KevinLin145]

@@TobyCostaRica Exactly. Don't get me wrong 4cyl hybrid have 4cyl hybrid problems. But I drive a RAV4 PHEV, and while I don't have the capabilities of a 4runner. At camp site I'm constantly flexing on everyone with my 15kwh of usable battery, and 1500w outlet. I can power anything. I can use car heater/AC all night without worrying about engine idling/running out of gas. We're still at least 1 full generation (8~10 years) away from having 4x4 with PHEV. Probably another generation away from a solid one. So 20 years away. But I can not wait until that day comes.

[@mgiraudjr]

​@@KevinLin145 you really think it's that far out? The 4xE series from jeep is already out. I'm a Ram guy now but Ramcharger isn't my thing. I'm more interested in a dual drive train from Ford, their power boost only has 1.5kwh, so I'm interested in seeing when they upgrade that battery into 15-30kwh.

[@KevinLin145]

@@mgiraudjr ​ naahh I exaggerated. But I do think it'll be a while until we figure out a solid reliable solution. And that includes figuring out how to make denser batteries so it doesn't eat into cargo room like the 4xe or the current hybrid tundra/sequoia. Toyota probably won't have PHEV for this current new generation of 4x4s. So that's at least 6-8years, if not 10 until the next gen drops. And who knows what kind of issues we'll slowly find out as we go. Wrangler 4xe is awesome. I love it. But just like most PHEV, the electric motor is married to either the engine or the transmission. And acts more like an electric assisting supercharger if you will. Basically a prius on gallons of steroids. But the con with this is you don't get all the potential benefits of EV since you don't have strong enough electric motors. And don't have enough room to put tri or quad motors to each wheel. Ramcharger is awesome too. It solves the problem I mentioned with current style of PHEV. By completely removing the engine from the drivetrain you get to fit a much larger motor/battery setup. And thus getting "real EV" performances. But as well can see with the cybertruck, figuring out a good 4x4 software for 3x electric motors can be challenging. If we can get quad motor then we no longer need lockers!! That's what I mean by it'll take 20 years and 2 generations of messing around and finding out what works best until we have a reliable system to take off grid.

[@KevinLin145]

​@@mgiraudjr btw check out Edison Motors. They make diesel electric semi trucks. (same tech as the Ramcharger) They're not in the 4x4 world, but still interesting to see how this hybrid tech can take over the semi truck industry.

[@4X4DMAN]

AWESOME.

[@willng34]

Great video! technical question, when you turn on the victron 24V converter is it wired in parallel with the solar panel? if so, won't 24V damage the solar panel?

[@IndependenceOverland]

Look out for those falling stones my friend! Your electrical setup is pretty unique man! I’ve considered switching to electric kettles but I have trust issues for some reason, which is totally unwarranted. The microwave is taking it next level though!

[@TinkerersAdventure]

Haha thanks dude. The microwave is my favorite camping gear now. I was having steaming warm Tennessee BBQ in the Ozark trails under 1 minutes! Unthinkable!

[@alishabab3]

On my camper trailer's rooftop tent i got 3x200w shingle perc panels that are custom made to my specs.. with solar on roof it could be better if your voltage was high.. like my 300w portable panels are 70v which normal solar portable are around 24v so in cloudy conditions a 24v will get maybe down to 13v which the wattage would drop to around that 20w off a 400w panel.. but with a high voltage at 70v it will drop to around 45v-50v so when I been camping with the 300w in full cloudy conditions I still get 180-190w.. The 3x200w in series will be 120v so even on a flat surface it should still get really good output at that high voltages.. I plan to make a custom made portable 800w 190v solar also

[@CanadianSledDog]

I learned the same things on a miniature scale when I went bikepacking with a 5w solar panel lol.

[@issues420916]

I have a Tacoma with 400w solar on OEM racks over the cab running into a SmartCap Evo and connected to a Bluetti EB240 200ah battery pack. I ran a 120v plug into my wheel well with a IP65 rated cover. I also run a Dometic CFX 55IM cooler and just about anything else I need. This all goes with my Thule RTT and 270 Awning.

[@drewwagner7985]

Good information. Have you considered mounting a dial indicator above the panel to get a feel for how much deflection is occurring in the panel with and without the center support?

[@TinkerersAdventure]

Thanks. It was deflecting very noticeably, probably more than 3/8". Enough to make me uncomfortable so I didn't even measure it.

[@kromey111]

Did you look at shingled panel ? Apparently charge better if covered by a portion of shade

[@tfcooks]

Is the panel taped/glued down to the crossbar in the middle? If not I'd use som 3M double sided tape to keep it from vibrating at highway speeds. At speed I bet there's enough pressure to push the pannal up away from the bar and cause some vibrating/slapping which could cause damage over time. Cheers.

[@bstahl333]

Great videos! If the Ecoflow 2 uses the same charging port (based on your previous video) for both solar and dc charging, how are you charging from both at the same time? Do you have both charging cables wired together and then the converter just powers on from your switch panel?

[@Tom-Travels]

I'm in Texas. I jack my front end up on jackstands to get a better sun angle; if I'm going to be parked for a while. I average 321 watts.

[@ericyotaman9060]

Hi Kai. Another great video. Please tell me tho how you are charging your Delta 2 from the solar panel and DC converter at the same time to achieve 700 watt?! the Delta 2 has only one DC charging port shared by car charging and solar. i thought the max solar input was 500 watt. if the alternator input is "simulating a solar panel" how do you get around the 500 watt max solar input? Thanks

[@RogerCampillo]

As always great work and interesting and inspiring video. So you’re another one removing the rtt. I’m still researching the perfect rtt for me. But I don’t buy anything because my main concern is the vehicle handling, actually how much the rtt + 270 awning would impact he vehicle performance off-road. How much body roll I would have. Braking performance… Maybe you are interested on to make a video testing the same vehicle behavior with and without the rtt. No one has done it before.

[@sleepii15]

This freaking cool

[@jdesigns7239]

Did it effect mpg? Great video as usual!

[@nicotrial]

i also have a 350w house solar pannel on my toyotas rack i had it for 3 years now.. i also solved the problem of putting things on the rack by putting two wood 2x4 on the front and back to take my kayak on the roof on top of the pannel and have it connected directly to my car battery.. keeps my battery always charged when im not using my truck..

[@tiny_the_200]

My ultimate setup would be an internal cage for safety, but also for structural rigidity since I would cut the roof out and do a full solar roof that wouldn’t be visible from the side. #slicktop Reinforced with carbon fiber, of course 🤓 It probably isn’t as efficient, but I love the translucent solar roof of the #fisker. I wonder who makes that for them 🤔

[@richarddmogg1]

I have a 160 watt panel in the base of my roof cage and it runs my 80 litre upright fridge and simultaneously charges the 120 amp hour lithium battery even when it's cloudy... It was designed and built by me usung cheap components and It's been the only source of power for over a week with intermittent cloud and the battery only got down to 80%. Because it's supported by the cage I can put things on it and don't have to worry about the weight. It's been there for six years now without a problem. I also run a 20 amp DC-DC charger for when I'm cruising. The whole system workes amazingly. My advice KISS. Keep It Simple Stupid.

[@simon359]

I’m thinking of putting up 450 W panel on my pickup camper shell. 😝

[@fusiontechrd]

You should use a roop wind fairing to reduce wind noise and aerodynamic drag.

[@thewilltejeda]

How are you handling the switch between alternator and solar on the ecoflow? I have a delta 2 and a 100w roofmounted eco flow solar panel but don't have a switch yet

[@NpackT]

This video is a great analysis. I love your content, the quality is unmatched. If you had 4x 100-Watt panels in parallel instead of the one 400-Watt wouldn't it generate more electricity for your specific use case? I thought that if any part of a solar panel is in the shade the output of the panel is drastically reduced so if you have more, smaller panels, running in parallel you will generate more electricity under shady circumstances like overlanding through a forest or driving along a highway with some trees. I could be totally wrong about that which is why I am asking haha.

[@TinkerersAdventure]

I think you are right. 4 pieces in parallel should perform better. But I chose 1 single piece because of the overall form factor that fit on my roof.

[@joshsmolensky]

​@@TinkerersAdventure this was going to be my question for you. As an engineer I'm surprised V=IR did not motivate you to go the multiple panels in series in lieu of one panel (effectively several panels in parallel). For slightly more real estate you gain more VOLTAGE per watt of panel by running in series. I agree that 4x 100w panels in parallel would be over all less efficient use of space than one 400w single panel, but two 200w panels in SERIES will give you more voltage for the same solar load. I run two panels one on top of the other but mounted on a slide. While driving along or offroading the upper panel is locked in place (I'm primarily running alternator charging) but when I am camping I can deploy / slide the upper panel over my hood and gain access to 2x voltage. I live in the PNW where every watt of solar charge matters.

[@kriskeilman2087]

Have you noticed that your panel gets more watts input when driving? After driving through rain my Sunpower flexible solar panels have actually brought in more than the rated capacitiy. I think the air cools the panels when driving.

[@franzdemesa5663]

Awesome video! A hood mounted solar panel could probably help add more juice. I can see you already have a vinyl sticker on the hood.

[@TinkerersAdventure]

Thanks! May consider that down the road!

[@denvera1g1]

I've been wanting to get those wafer thing CIGS pannels and mount them to my limo. Maybe glue them but preferably not, but glue would add no extra wind resistance. Can get about 1KW out of the available roof area, doesnt sound like much until you realize that this thing only uses ~6kw to cruize down the highway at 55MPH(with extra power used for accessories like brakes, AC, power steering etc.)

[@denvera1g1]

Of course i wouldnt just install solar, i've also been trying to find a hub motor that can handle the weight so i can convert this to an AWD PHEV. I found a good source of reletively cheap LiFePO4 cells that are large enough to easily directly manage with a BMS instead of using cell banks like in many other EVs. 28kWh worth of battery and BMS is around ~$4200, right now i have 14kw and it has worked great for home battery backup. I've had this limo since 2015 waiting for pannels, batteries, and hub motors. Now that pannels and batteries are available, i'm getting a bit ants-y, and might just fabricate a rear differential cover that allows me to drive one side of the axel with a 20kW motor. I'd go 50kW but the motor would be the size of the differential, and to offset it properly, it would either be hanging lower than the axel, or i'd have to hammer out some space in the gas tank, neither of which i'd like to do.