Please insert your The front system I built in 2003 and sold the unit to my customer last year at this time. The one in the background is the most recent. It came on line last July and my customer is satisfied. However, the desire for more charging power is always the hunger. Thats why I will rewire the array in the foreground from 24 to 48 volts and combine the two arrays for 1280 watts of power.

Here is a photo of two mobile solar systems.

The front battery charging system uses eight, 80 watt solar panels, wired for 24 volts, a DR3624 power inverter to make AC power and has eight, VRLA, sealed, 12 volt batteries at 140 amp hours each. All wired for 24 volts. All of the panels tilt out at the bottom and pivot at the top. The front pair swing back across the front of the trailer and the rear pair swing about 270 degrees into the trailer for travel. There is room behind the insulated battery box and inverter cabinet to carry a generator for complete charging during extended cloudy days or large load requirements. It can also get shore power from the power input cord. A Trace C40 charge controller, regulates solar power to the batteries. A standard 30 amp, interior service panel provides breakers for a pair of receptacles.
This unit has run a radial arm saw. lamps, drills, grinders and of course the ever present television. A light bar is in position for illumination in the evening.

The rear, solar battery charging array has the solar panels pivot on an axle that extends under the center line of the array and affords an easier way to set the angle for the sun at the expense of floor room for a generator. Two, large U-bolts hold down the axle and two clips on the trailer railing anchor the bottom edge of the array.

Power equipment is in a custom made cabinet that only goes to the center line of the array and does not cast a shadow at anytime on the face of the array. Input boxes are on outside at the end of the cabinet. A twist lock plug for a 220 volt generator input, is in a weather proof box and a receptacle for 120 volt shore power input, is also in a weather proof box. The output boxes are on the back of the cabinet. The service panel and receptacles with GFI are on the left of the service panel and a 50 amp, receptacle in a weather proof box is to the right of the service panel. It provides 30 amp, 120 volt, pure sine wave, inverter power through a heavy cable that runs to the house.

After the ice storm last year, the decision was made to provide independent power to the home in anticipation of the climate changes that appear to be gaining strength. A 5500 watt generator is scheduled for purchase. Power input and power output receptacles are different so no cross plugging can occur causing costly repairs. The power inverter has a plug inside the cabinet that will insert into either the shore power receptacle for down stream critical load power or battery charging. The power inverter plug can also be inserted into the generator balancing transformer receptacle for battery charging and powering of downstream critical loads.

There are eight, Sharp 80 watt panels for 640 calculated watts of out put. In actuality it has put out 520 watts max. The array is wired for 48 volts. Two strings of four panels each.
I sold my customer another system like this last year. I will combine the two systems together in the combiner box and a total of 1280 calculated watts will feed the batteries.

There are eight, 140 amp hour, sealed batteries for the battery bank. They reside in an insulated box with a rubber membrane liner. The outside is skinned with corrugated building tin

An Outback VFX3524 mobile Power Inverter is installed for household current. 30 amp continuous output. Pure sine wave. The interesting thing about the mobile rated inverter is that the three pole transfer switch uses one pole for charging at 20 amps max. One pole for grounding and one pole for the neutral. In use, when not connected to shore power, the neutral and on board ground are separate. When shore power is connected, the transfer switch connects to the shore power ground. This provides a secure ground while utility power is connected to the system. Unfortunately the maximum charging rate is only 20 amps. An indoor, regular inverter will use all three poles on the transfer switch to charge at 20 amps per pole for a total charging rate of 60 amps. This extends the charging time for the batteries to build up to max capacity but provides a level of safety with the secure ground connection.

A generator balancing transformer is used between the inverter and the generator. The generator is hooked up with its 220 volts output to the transformer. This allows the generator to run at full power and not have one leg running hot and the other not used at all. Longer life on the generator is gained by this set up.

An MX-60 charge controller is used with the system. It has the Maximum Power Point Tracking algorithm that is all the rage now and the ability to convert the 48 volts that the array is wired for into 24 volts that the battery bank requires.

A Mate-2 and Hub are connected to the system for programing and monitoring.

A light bar tips up for use and has two, 90 watt, compact fluorescent bulbs rated for outdoors screwed into the lamp holders. A metal cabinet holds the lamps while traveling. The top opens and the side has a removable panel that allow the mast and lamps to safely stow under cover, then be secured.

The array rack is secured by two large u-bolts I forged from three quarter inch all thread rod. This allows the array to move about 220 degrees. Its handy for working on the battery box and cleaning the top of the solar array. The bottom of the array is held to the railing of the trailer with brackets and bolts.

The equipment cabinet was custom built for the trailer. Its a tight squeeze but it all fits. A full width vent is at the bottom in the back. Two full width vents are at the top on the ends of the cabinet. One and a half inch foam board is covering the interior and two inch foam is in the roof. The door is lockable.

This has been a good project for Oak Grove Fabrication.

I just thought I would let you know what is going on out here in the Flint Hills.