My Homemade Solar Suitcase

Fourman110

Made a homemade solar suitcase over the last winter and finally posting about it. With the storm last week knocking out our powe (day 7 and counting...) our T@G has served as freezer, battery charging station, and news head quarters. Still have running hot water in the house so it could be a lot worse .

Parts that I can remember:

2 HQST 100 watt monochristaline panels

20 ft of black and red 10 gauge solar cable with connector

Several sections of 1/2" by 1/2 by 1/16" aluminum angle.

15 ft SAE connector cable and two pieces of shrink wrap.

Cable overbraid

Two 2" stainless hinges

Lots of rivets

Four stainless bolts to attach legs and one shorter bolt for one side of handle

Stainless nyloc nut and washers

One draw string bag to haul cables in

Double stick pads or bumpers to keep panels from clanging into each other

Several yards of small diameter cord to control leg extension.

Luggage handle

Two solar branch comnectors

Two stainless eyelet bolts

Construction Notes

1. Attach the two solar panels together with hinges and rivets.

2. Cut four 2" pieces of 1/2 by 1/2 aluminum to attach the legs. When drilling into the frame of the solar panel push a piece of wood behind the frame to prevent gouging the solar panel. Use rivets to attach angle bracket to fame. I used a stainless bolt with nylock nut and washers to attach the legs. I cut the ends.of the legs at a 45 degree angle. This keeps the leg from hitting the back of the solar panel when rotating the legs out on one end and on the other provides more surface area to contact the ground. I riveted two angle pieces towards the bottom of the legs to stabilize them a bit. To control how far the legs extend I used small diameter paracord tying a square not to the solar frame and a taught line hitch around the leg brace. This allows me to control how far the legs adjust out.

3. I drilled holes for the handle and attached one with a screwdriver eye bolt and the other with a stainless bolt. On the other solar panel bracket, I attached the other screws eye, tying a short piece of paracord to it. To keep the panel closed in just run the cord through the other eyelet and tie it off.

3 for the wiring I snipped 5" off the end of the cable and spliced an SAE cable into it using shrink wrap over the top. I soldered the wires but like the large diameter cable, it's the way I roll. You could probably crimp them together as well. Finally I ran cable overbraid to protect the wires.

I hate typing on this phone and its internet keeps fading away. Corrections and typo fixes to come...

daveandcorlene

Wonderful DIY Solar Suitcase! Hope you get power back inside your house soon!

Roger

Jay,

I'm curious as to what battery/batteries are you using?

Happy Trails
Roger

Fourman110

Two 6v golf cart batteries. I've got the battery module under my "My Mods" post. https://teardrop-trailers.vanillacommunity.com/discussion/248/my-mods/p2

Fourman110

On the controller side of the solar setup I've installed a wall style SAE receptacle in the tub. I used a step bit for the bigger hole and recommend it (and some cutting oil) for any stainless steel sheet holes. The wires run through to the Renogy Voyager controller, just follow polarity from the solar panels. I wired the panel to the battery with a disconnect switch between and have appropriate fuses along the lines as well. If I need/want to break the circuit from the panels, pull the connector apart. If I need/want to break the circuit from the battery (to drop a parasitic load when solar not needed) flip the switch. I rotated the switch 90 deg to keep the wires out of the way of the main switch. In doing so I made a small sweep hole at the bottom of the housing in case moisture got into it and then tape sealed the open end where the wires come out to limit any moisture.

(Edited for photo size. Please remember to reduce your phone photos before posting.)