Solar: Would you install a port on roof/side?

[TerraCrawler]

I am wanting to add solar to my setup. I have dual 100aH AGM batteries. The alternator probably doesn't do the best job of keeping things charged, so solar would be a big help.

I don't want to run wires through windows, and I am concerned that the thickness of the solar wires may be too much for my boot over my hatch.

So the thought is, cut the metal, either on the roof or the side, and install a legit solar port. What do you think?

I have two options, I can do roof or side of vehicle:

 

[tigger]

I mounted up the item in the second picture to my cowl. I drilled a hole in the plastic near the drivers door and screwed it in there. Then ran the wires under the plastic shield on the fender to the battery.
It also worked for my trickle charger/battery maintainer.

 

[TerraCrawler]

I mounted up the item in the second picture to my cowl. I drilled a hole in the plastic near the drivers door and screwed it in there. Then ran the wires under the plastic shield on the fender to the battery.
It also worked for my trickle charger/battery maintainer.

I think you mean you ran it to your solar controller.......hooking a solar panel directly to a battery is not a good idea. Trickle charger would be fine, it is "smart", but panels are generally unregulated. Do you have pics?

 

[tigger]

I think you mean you ran it to your solar controller.......hooking a solar panel directly to a battery is not a good idea. Trickle charger would be fine, it is "smart", but panels are generally unregulated. Do you have pics?

My solar controller was wired to the back of the solar panels. (brief case style) So yes, I did mean I ran it to the battery.

I just went and checked but for some reason I never did take any pics of that set up.

If you are considering that location, the panel just pops right up. You will have to trim a fin or two underneath. Just make sure you get it centered in a good spot. There isn't a lot of room to work with on that panel.

 

[TerraCrawler]

My solar controller was wired to the back of the solar panels. (brief case style) So yes, I did mean I ran it to the battery.

I just went and checked but for some reason I never did take any pics of that set up.

If you are considering that location, the panel just pops right up. You will have to trim a fin or two underneath. Just make sure you get it centered in a good spot. There isn't a lot of room to work with on that panel.

I am still not sure I understand what part you are talking about. Are you talking about the black plastic trim between drivers and passenger doors?

 

[FinntheT4R]

I am still not sure I understand what part you are talking about. Are you talking about the black plastic trim between drivers and passenger doors?

I believe he is talking about the cowl between the hood and windshield. If you look, there should an accessible and easy spot to drill out to put the solar plug on the drivers side nearby the hood hinge. See link: http://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-g...-power-fridge-alternative-dual-battery-3.html

 

[jayhat]

On a related topic, anyone use one of the GOAL ZERO Guardian 12V Plus Charge Controllers?

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1260850-REG/goal_zero_gz_03589_guardian_12v_plus_charge.html?

I already have a GZ panel and the plug and play nature of this setup is really nice.

 

[007Tacoma]

since i no longer have the stock head unit, I have toyed with the idea of removing the roof mounted GPS/XM shark antenna and putting in something for roof lighting and a solar connection...

...then again: if I ever run VHF or UHF antennas the same way, I might not want to deal with the interference. :shrug:

 

[jhguth]

I have my on-board charger 120v port on the plastic cowl in front of the window, i made a little cover so it doesn't fill with water in the rain when it's plugged in (although it has before and didn't seem to impact anything)

it will get water in it if you put it there, so you'll be limited when you use the panel or will need to make some kind of cover or get a weathertight connection. i installed mine knowing it wasn't the perfect location, but it's a really cheap part to replace if i ever change my mind and i couldn't find any vertical surfaces that were similarly cheap to replace that didn't require opening a hood or door and weren't somewhere that was going to get really muddy

On a related topic, anyone use one of the GOAL ZERO Guardian 12V Plus Charge Controllers?

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1260850-REG/goal_zero_gz_03589_guardian_12v_plus_charge.html?

I already have a GZ panel and the plug and play nature of this setup is really nice.

anything goalzero you can get better and cheaper if you look around (there solar panels are like 4x normal cost for example). they used to be worth it for the battery packs because at the time there weren't any good off the shelf consumer grade equivalents but even for battery backs that's not true anymore (and i'm someone who has multiple GZ products). that charge controller doesn't look very good based on the few specs they give you, the renogy wanderer is probably a better basic PWM charge controller for 60% the cost

 

[tigger]

I am still not sure I understand what part you are talking about. Are you talking about the black plastic trim between drivers and passenger doors?

As stated above, there is a black plastic piece of the cowl, between the hood and windshield that touches the drivers side fender. It just pops off.

This is the part I used. It includes the weather tight cover
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0031BOTFC/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Dubiousatbest]

simpsons did it

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-gen-t4rs/100058-ducmonstas-build-thread-very-pic-heavy-34.html

 

[jayhat]

anything goalzero you can get better and cheaper if you look around (there solar panels are like 4x normal cost for example). they used to be worth it for the battery packs because at the time there weren't any good off the shelf consumer grade equivalents but even for battery backs that's not true anymore (and i'm someone who has multiple GZ products). that charge controller doesn't look very good based on the few specs they give you, the renogy wanderer is probably a better basic PWM charge controller for 60% the cost

I get the GZ bashing based on price of some of their gear, but it is nice. I got a folding boulder 100 solar briefcase. Folds down and clips together conveniently. All wires are inside, neat and contained. Nice proper fitting bag to cover the outside. It's very nicely planned out product. Yeah I could have got some cheapie giant grape solar panel off amazon and had a bunch of cobbled together wires haphazardly hanging off the back.

So if I got the renogy wanderer wanderer like you suggest (which I am open to), now I have to buy a bunch of wires and different connectors to do what I want right? I think the $30 will turn into $50 real quick. I'd need alligator clips and wire to connect to the battery and some kind of adapter from the 8MM GZ connector on my panel to dual stripped wires to wire into the controller. I dont so much like the hard mounted, permanent, nature of that controller. That said I am still open to it or similar and have looked into some of their products in the past.

 

[TowMeOut]

I am wanting to add solar to my setup. I have dual 100aH AGM batteries. The alternator probably doesn't do the best job of keeping things charged, so solar would be a big help.

I've had the same thought but after several trips with my setup I'm not so sure solar is going to be the answer. I was watching a lot of the different Australian overlanding shows on Youtube and you notice lots of those guys have various solar setups. They go way, way back in the middle of nowhere for sometimes weeks. However, they're on the move almost constantly. In that case, your alternator does a pretty darned good job of running your fridge and other accessories as well as charging even AGM batteries. However, this assumes you've got something like a CTEK or other DC-DC charger that sends the right voltage (tricks the alternator) to the batteries that need it.

If you're gonna park in some spot for a few days then solar is going to be pretty awesome. However, also keep in mind where you go. Here in FL I do everything I can to stay out of the sun in camp. The amount of juice coming out of some roof-mounted panels, late in the day, under the tree shades is going to be minimal. My batteries will do much more charging while I'm driving.

Before you start punching holes in the roof do some hard thinking about where you're going, how long you'll stay there, etc. Don't discount the charging from the alternator. A 100W solar panel (that's assuming optimum sun) is only producing about 8 amps of charging current (100W / 12.5V = 8A). That panel or more take up a lot of valuable roof space and you won't get nearly that much juice if it's not pointed right at the sun.

https://smartercharger.com/battery-chargers/#CTEK D250SA

With something like this CTEK you can efficiently charge from your alternator and Solar if you decide to go that route. I'd like to go with a setup like this and then add a panel on some legs I can pop out in camp.

 

[jhguth]

I get the GZ bashing based on price of some of their gear, but it is nice. I got a folding boulder 100 solar briefcase. Folds down and clips together conveniently. All wires are inside, neat and contained. Nice proper fitting bag to cover the outside. It's very nicely planned out product. Yeah I could have got some cheapie giant grape solar panel off amazon and had a bunch of cobbled together wires haphazardly hanging off the back.

So if I got the renogy wanderer wanderer like you suggest (which I am open to), now I have to buy a bunch of wires and different connectors to do what I want right? I think the $30 will turn into $50 real quick. I'd need alligator clips and wire to connect to the battery and some kind of adapter from the 8MM GZ connector on my panel to dual stripped wires to wire into the controller. I dont so much like the hard mounted, permanent, nature of that controller. That said I am still open to it or similar and have looked into some of their products in the past.

not sure about all brands, but the renogy stuff i have came with good quality 8AWG cables

at the very least get the full specs for that GZ charger, because the specs listed on that site show a pretty low voltage for an AGM battery

 

[TerraCrawler]

https://smartercharger.com/battery-chargers/#CTEK D250SA

With something like this CTEK you can efficiently charge from your alternator and Solar if you decide to go that route. I'd like to go with a setup like this and then add a panel on some legs I can pop out in camp.

I have researched the heck out of this and I have decided against DC-DC. I have been running an isolator based dual battery setup for over a year. With solar I think I will have the system right where I need.

For anyone that thinks DC-DC is "the way", I encourage to read:

https://outbackjoe.com/macho-divert...ms-dual-batteries-solar-panels-and-inverters/

also

https://www.nationalluna.com/batter...0-years-to-launch-a-dc-dc-dual-battery-system

Almost all of the people doing overloading as more than just a hobby/weekend warrior seem to run isolator systems with solar, there is a reason for that. But I am not trying to convince anyone, its too much of a religious war, but I have settled on an isolator and solar.