Connecting SOLIS Solar Tonneau Cover to Main Battery

[flyct]

My observation is that solar farms are designed for where they are installed. By us, most solar panels face south. Some solar farms have various panels at slightly different angles. Not one tracks anything.

We were in Vermont in April. Most of the solar installations I saw (which were smaller than around here), including residential ones, were setup to track the sun. Likely because they were so much further north, and the terrain is steep.

The solar farms I see here in Florida seem to track the sun. Depending on the time of day I drive by them they are ALL appear to be aligned at the sun.

https://www.heraldtribune.com/pictu...e-clean-power-with-solar-plants/71220427007/#

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[Runaway Tractor]

The site says they can generate up to 650 watts. I don’t see how that is possible. If they had 100% coverage on a 4’ x 8’ box they’d still only have an output of ~500 watts. So they’re claiming about 30% great efficiency than the best pv panels on the market today. Based on the images on their website, they don’t have 100% coverage.

That's beauty of selling vaporware. The product does not exist at all. The whole thing is a work of fiction, selling pre-orders to gullible people who don't know any better. When something doesn't actually exist and is just play make believe, you can make up any specifications you want!

 

[FloridaMan655321]

Seeing a lot of hate on these, but I think this might be one of those things that is very expensive right now, imagine if they become popular and others come in and compete. What if the price was $1500 vs a $1000 regular cover? I think that would be kind of nice.

 

[Runaway Tractor]

Seeing a lot of hate on these, but I think this might be one of those things that is very expensive right now, imagine if they become popular and others come in and compete. What if the price was $1500 vs a $1000 regular cover? I think that would be kind of nice.

Did you literally not read any of this thread at all?? The price has nothing to do with it. The problem isn't the price and nobody is hating on this. The problem is that what they are selling is a non existent scam pre-order. The problem is a small solar array the size of a truck bed cannot charge an EV. So no, I wouldn't buy this non existent scam for the lower price of $1,000 either.

 

[FloridaMan655321]

Did you literally not read any of this thread at all?? The price has nothing to do with it. The problem isn't the price and nobody is hating on this. The problem is that what they are selling is a non existent scam pre-order. The problem is a small solar array the size of a truck bed cannot charge an EV. So no, I wouldn't buy this non existent scam for the lower price of $1,000 either.

I did read. If it’s a scam, obviously then that is one thing. I was more pointing/mentioning competition where it wouldn’t be a scam and thinking how technology can change. I guess I should have been more specific.

 

[Runaway Tractor]

Well if you want to buy a $1000 solar panel that puts out enough energy to charge a cell phone and pretend it is charging your truck, go for it.

 

[Alex in Silver City]

Appreciate this thread (not so much the angry posters) and wanted to throw out a scenario:

Just got done rafting the Middle Fork Salmon in ID, 6 nights on the river. Lightning was parked at lot in Stanley for 7 full days (sunny, high elevation) with my tonneau cover on. Got back wondering “what if I could’ve added some miles to my range during that time?”

A few folks mentioned the issue with different voltage. That seems like a real hurdle. But if someone could address that and package it in a tonneau, I’d be in!

 

[tearitupsports]

If you could park your truck on a 20 degree hill so that the cover faces perfectly S from sunup to sundown every day of the year, including the weekends, then this item would produce about 910 kWh of electricity per year (in Houston). If you could do this for 10 years straight and this item cost only $1000.00, then you cost per kWh produced would be a reasonable 10.9 cents.

Wait you can only park on flat ground? Well that is going to lose about 40% of your efficiency.

Wait you can't possibly park so the cover is in full sun every day? Probably losing about 50% at least to non-work days, or shading, or going to lunch, or parking the wrong direction, etc.

Wait this doesn't cost 1000? It costs over $3000? Oh thats a 66% hit.

Wait you won't have this truck for 10 years? This is only going to last 3-5 years?

Lets re-do the math.

910 kwH/year * 5 years * (0.6 due to flat parking) * (0.5 due to no way you are parking in perfect full sun all year) = 1365 kWh total.

$3000 / 1365 kWh = $2.19 / kWh.


Just for reference, the same solar, that could be in an ideal location/orientation 365 days/year at your house would probably cost around $400 or less in a DIY setup. This comes out to under 4 cents / kWh over 10 years. If you really worked for it, you might even be able to get down to half that cost.

Skip the solar bed cover and learn to DIY some solar for your home.

 

[Lytning]

Just for reference, the same solar, that could be in an ideal location/orientation 365 days/year at your house would probably cost around $400 or less in a DIY setup. This comes out to under 4 cents / kWh over 10 years. If you really worked for it, you might even be able to get down to half that cost.

Skip the solar bed cover and learn to DIY some solar for your home.
[/QUOTE]

Wait. I drive only about 5000 miles per year. My Lightning BEV saves me about $1250 per year in gas over my previous SVT Lightning. At a purchase price with accessories and extended warranty at $105,000, I would break even on my Lightning BEV purchase in about 84 years.
Wait. I am glad I did not do such analysis before the purchase.

 

[RLXXI]

Just for size reference, this is 1600W in my backyard, on the best days it produces 11kWh. Standard size privacy fence in suburbia. The tonneau cover might be ok to recharge a cell phone, or laptop, not so much an ev.

 

[Scorpio3d]

The most efficient solar panels are 22+ percent efficient! So until they get closer to 100% efficient, it is probably not worth the cost for a vehicle.
When AI takes over in the next few years, it will probably create a highly efficient solar panel so that it can power itself so I think the answer is just around the corner

 

[Athrun88]

The most efficient solar panels are 22+ percent efficient! So until they get closer to 100% efficient, it is probably not worth the cost for a vehicle.
When AI takes over in the next few years, it will probably create a highly efficient solar panel so that it can power itself so I think the answer is just around the corner

I've seen that movie before.. They'll just turn on us and we'll have to blacken the skies to eliminate their energy source.. Then they'll enslave humanity and turn us into duracells.. Then we'll have to resist both in a virtual and physical battlefield..

In seriousness, I think these solar tonneau systems are being used for the wrong purpose. I imagine these keeping a backup pack powered so we can use it as an 'energy jerry can' that we can plug into when the main pack is dead. Maybe a 10kwh pack with an inverter or some DC to DC connector that is topped up and we can plug into it when we need it? In other uses, the 10kwh pack can be used to power other accessories or trailers.

 

[SpaceEVDriver]

I carry a 5 kWh auxiliary battery / power station that I charge with solar. I plug in my L1 EVSE midday after the auxiliary battery is fully charged by the sun. I discharge down to about 20% (4 kWh added to the truck). It gives me an extra several tens of miles when camping. People who dismiss this are only thinking with a single perspective.

 

[Runaway Tractor]

I carry a 5 kWh auxiliary battery / power station that I charge with solar. I plug in my L1 EVSE midday after the auxiliary battery is fully charged by the sun. I discharge down to about 20% (4 kWh added to the truck). It gives me an extra several tens of miles when camping. People who dismiss this are only thinking with a single perspective.

It's not being dismissed. It's just very limited usefulness. If it works for your very specific purpose, great. However, do not expect anyone to be impressed with that limited use case adding a whopping 4 whole kwh.

 

[Athrun88]

I carry a 5 kWh auxiliary battery / power station that I charge with solar. I plug in my L1 EVSE midday after the auxiliary battery is fully charged by the sun. I discharge down to about 20% (4 kWh added to the truck). It gives me an extra several tens of miles when camping. People who dismiss this are only thinking with a single perspective.

This is the kind of use case I was thinking. Just a slight reserve to get you to a charging station if you happen to run out of juice or something. Solar tonneau cover can keep the reserve topped up and you can tap into it when you need it.

My perspective is that solar, in its current state, isn't enough to deliver the amount of juice to keep the main pack from draining or charging fast enough when parked. Refer to the movie, the Martian, even the main character there needed to spend nearly the full Martian day to charge his rover to go any significant distance. Why would we expect anything more than that right now?

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