Solar Charger
JK Enthusiast
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 439
Likes: 1
From: Torrance, CA
The ETFE panels have a fish-eye lens of sorts that helps with the oblique light. An MPPT controller helps a lot, too. But in general, yeah, not as efficient if they are stationary ... and you have the heat factor as well.
I think the best option is to have both on and off-vehicle panels. My plan is 100W on the roof to maintain my AGM batteries with a PROPER charge at 14.7V-14.9V (e.g. above the JK's 14.4V alternator output) plus power ham radios while the engine is off. Then the portable panels for when I am overlanding.
If people want to run rigid panels, then the AM Solar Z brackets are the way to go. They let you tilt your panels, but allow you to secure them while flat and underway.
Edit: slightly off topic, but for the record I have a Noco Genius onboard charge controller to maintain the AGM batteries; the stock JK alternator just can't keep up with them.
I think the best option is to have both on and off-vehicle panels. My plan is 100W on the roof to maintain my AGM batteries with a PROPER charge at 14.7V-14.9V (e.g. above the JK's 14.4V alternator output) plus power ham radios while the engine is off. Then the portable panels for when I am overlanding.
If people want to run rigid panels, then the AM Solar Z brackets are the way to go. They let you tilt your panels, but allow you to secure them while flat and underway.
Edit: slightly off topic, but for the record I have a Noco Genius onboard charge controller to maintain the AGM batteries; the stock JK alternator just can't keep up with them.
JK Freak
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 592
Likes: 6
From: Auburn, Alabama
Good point. It is the Odyssey/former Die Hard Platinum batteries that have the ridiculous charging requirements. I'll probably go with a Northstar next time ... or spend the money on a Lithium LOL.
JK Enthusiast
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 439
Likes: 1
From: Torrance, CA
I ended up going with the Optima's because they are readily available pretty much everywhere, don't have crazy charging requirement, have a decent warranty and aren't super expensive. While the Optimas are less amp hours, on our trips with the 100 watt solar panel and the fridge running 24/7, I have yet to have an issue. Of course, we have a ton of sun here so it's less of an issue. After the misery with the Diehard Platinums, I'm over the "expensive" battery idea!
My JK is not my daily driver so I do keep it on a charger/conditioner during the week, there's just too many factory systems on the Jeep to leave them sit for a long time without running the battery down.
JK Freak
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 592
Likes: 6
From: Auburn, Alabama
Revisiting this. We've decided against mounting flexible panels to the roof. The original plan was to sand and paint much of the roof with white heat-rejecting paint (in a way that was not visible from the street) and then adhere panels to that. After seeing several reports of flexible panels failing and decreased performance in warm weather, we're going to mount AM Solar SP100 hard panels instead. They're the thinnest (1.38) and have the smallest footprint of all 100W panels I've seen, be it flexible or hard.