Hood mounted solar panel for F150 - Lensun Solar

[LouDog]

I was doing mine this weekend but T wasn't right for panel install. I hope next weekend to get to it. I am using the vinyl. Do you have any picture of the tape job? I am considering tape and glue. EDIT: I just realized you posted the picture from the sales site. I will post all steps and lessons learned once done and convinced it does what we want

Oh wow. Stoked to see someone here took the dive! Excited to get your thoughts after install!

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[LouDog]

How about a PHEV F-150 connected to a solar tonneau cover similar to Solis & Cor? Fisker already implements this on their Ocean model.

Those are cool but I have a retractable cover and a moon roof. Really the only place I have is the hood.

 

[LouDog]

The issue is size. Let's say you're in NV or AZ and get 300 days averaging 8 hours of full sun each day. That's 0.48 kWh per day and 144 kWh per year, assuming that you use up the 0.3 kWh battery capacity (1.5 kWh nominal*(60%-40%=)20% =0.3 kWh total capacity) each sunny day at midday so that you can charge it back up with the afternoon sun. It just isn't worth it. If you could get two 400 W panels like on a camper shell and had a bigger battery, it would be worth it. A great example is the Aptera, where the car's 0.1 kWh/mile and relatively flat body means that it can generate up to 40 miles of range per day from solar alone.

I live in Western Colorado and we get roughly 325 days of sun a year. I am really looking at this to keep the battery happy when not driving, which I think 60 watts would do. My biggest concern is the charger/controller and whether it would be smart enough to treat the 12volt system right.

 

[amschind]

I live in Western Colorado and we get roughly 325 days of sun a year. I am really looking at this to keep the battery happy when not driving, which I think 60 watts would do. My biggest concern is the charger/controller and whether it would be smart enough to treat the 12volt system right.

As a battery tender, it would absolutely work.

 

[IGPDad]

I live in Western Colorado and we get roughly 325 days of sun a year. I am really looking at this to keep the battery happy when not driving, which I think 60 watts would do. My biggest concern is the charger/controller and whether it would be smart enough to treat the 12volt system right.

I have 200W on my camper shell, but you could mount it to the roof instead of the hood and you'll never know it's there. Silicone + rubber washer and it'll stay water tight for 15+ years without maintenance. (I know because I did the same thing on my 2009 Tacoma)

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