What have you done to your 5th Gen 4Runner today?

I've been following your posts on this topic for a while. How many total (max) Watts of solar panel do you have? What range of actual captured power do you typically see?

 

Added a cover to the center console.

 

Nice where did you buy that?

 

Bet he bought it at 4Runnerlifestyle.com

 

Thanks for the inquiry, but know that I have no idea what I am doing (as another forum member pointed out in an unrelated post, "Darwanism." ) and simply throwing things together to see what sticks, as I am using this work opportunity to figure out the kinks and mishaps before a major trip to Alaska next year, 2024, and sharing here with others.

If unaware, I have a 400ah battery bank and use the AC through a 3k-watt inverter, and the AC is 8k BTU at 1800w. For solar, I am using a total of 800 watts. Two 200w panels, one permanently on the roof and the same one on the ground in the picture--to be installed permanently on the roof as a slide-out later, and another 400w as a portable folding set. The latter, the portable set, if I had the foresight I would have gotten two of them (for a total of 800w) for the current scenario of sleeping during the day while working at night instead of the extra rigid 200w panel, as the portable set is much easier to remove and store than the rigid 200w panel--it's a pain. That said, the 200w panel is much easier to deploy once I get it out of the back. However, the 200w rigid panel ($219 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XQ18PW4?ie=UTF8&th=1) is less expensive than the portable ($699 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BG6ZTJB2?ie=UTF8).

Using this online watts:amps conversion calculator https://www.rapidtables.com/calc/electric/Watt_to_Amp_Calculator.html 800w = 67amp, which is double what the RedArc RedVision BMS can manage at 30amp max. While not certain, I did not think 800 watts of solar panels would harvest all 800w or 67amp. However, I knew the BMS does not permit more than 35amps, evident by the BMS' manual and the vehicle's alternator accepted loads at ~33-35amps max. Nonetheless, I got 800w total knowing the Monsoon season cloud coverage would affect the efficiency of the harvest. And because I am sleeping during the harvest I would not be adjusting the panels to improve their efficiency. Unfortunately, to your question, I cannot be certain of the actual harvest as I am inside when I check the monitor and was unaware if there is cloud coverage affecting the harvest or not at the time I checked. What I did know, correlating with the weather app, was the surrounding weather where I was parked and noted thunderstorms and rain nearby (~1-5miles away) but not where I was parked (sleeping), thus likely some, if not all, the harvest time might have been affected by cloud cover. Nonetheless, at its highest, I recorded 27.7amps (~330watts) with an average range of 20-25amps the times I looked the last two days, which is pretty close to the BMS' max accepting amps. Most important that the AC is not draining the battery when I need the AC.

Hope that helps.

As a side note, this current scenario is not the normal use/intent, as I am parked and using the bulk of the energy during the day without a recharging source at nighttime while parked, again, at work. For most, the battery is charged while driving during the day (or night) and then depleted at night time with its use, and solar panels are used as a supplement to the alternator charging and not the primary source of charging. However, as I learned in the winter because I use an electric heater then, most of the battery, winter (to stay warm heater) or summer (to stay cool A/C), is used between dinner and breakfast, when the solar charging is unavailable. Come winter, it's not likely I will use the heater to stay warm during the day in Arizona but I will be consuming energy to heat the shower water (12v 300w https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0176DVBRE?ie=UTF8&th=1) while I am sleeping and will need to continue to use all 800w as the sun will be lower and the panels less efficient then. Because of the battery use at nighttime, I will be adding another 400ah battery for 800ah total before leaving for Alaska (maybe sooner) as I have learned that the battery is less efficient in the winter and is drained by the heater use then. On another note, despite the availability of summer sunlight as I move north, I am not sure about the rooftop solar panel harvest efficiency vs the horizon of the summer sunlight, thus having another 400ah might be beneficial.

Pardon the dissertation. Hope that helps and thanks for asking. I would like to share more if you have other questions, although with a grain of salt as I have no idea what I am doing, and maybe you have better knowledge to add. Thanks.

 

Yes, I ordered it from 4runner lifestyle. They finally got it back in stock.

 

4runnerlifestyle.com. The logo is on the cover.

 

Thanks. Was just checking their site out.

 

Thanks for the details. What you're getting seems not too different than what I've seen in my very limited testing, considering conditions. I have a 1000 Ah Jackery unit with two nominal 100W panels (200 total max). On the sunny afternoon I tested (while our power was out), I got at most 127W, with 25-80W more common later in the day, with passing clouds and tree shadows.

No doubt the last few weeks have been tough for you with ongoing heat wave. Stay cool!

 

Detailed her up.

 

Have a direct link to this? I was searching their site & didn't see it. (Might have overlooked it).

 

https://www.4runnerlifestyle.com/co...sole-cover-for-4runner?variant=43876104012021

 

Thanks!

 

My sleeping platform is all the way done. Next up is final assembly of my freshly-painted rooftop basket.

 

Pics of the new Dobinsons and Dr KDSS

 

Looks great.....that's in my future as well.

 

Excellent work man!

 

New Cleats
Fuel Vectors

 

Did the second application of New Hampshire oil undercoating this past weekend. I did the first application in November, 2 1/2 years into the 4runner. I think I’ll hit it Again in December and then start a once a year program. It’s looking good under there!

 

Sorry to duplicate the posts but this is important IMO hence posting here as well-

https://www.4runners.com/threads/factory-tires-on-orp.30625/page-2#post-475755

 

Lol!

 

My 1st, small & very simple mod today. Blacked out my badge’s.

 

Aw yeah so much better!

 

This is a little silly, but anyone want to sacrifice their entire roof rack for 440W of hidden solar?

 

How much is that?

 

Eh, its a prinsu rack, a solar panel, and bars/brackets stuffed together. Hard to keep track since its not a product and I'm still smoothing things out .

 

Sounds like a perfect idea to utilize the roof area if I didn't have a dog having to buy a roof cargo box. I could have use that solar to charge some sort of portable battery connected to a fridge that keep drinks and ice cream cold. Also wish 4runner can run the fans off the solar panel just like in Prius with solar roof package. I think newer Prius solar roof charge the battery and even run the air conditioning. Haven't search on the new one but even old Prius Solar roof function it really awesome to have in our 4runners.

 

Went wheeling! First time in deep water first time for this 2021 Limited on a Rock obstacle.. removed the bumper plastic so soon to see a post where I add a high clearance metal bumper.

https://youtu.be/tpOFBogJWlE?si=dvpxvsLVV60OPQfB

https://youtu.be/xMtGOORqem4?si=EKIRqF66TlbgfXNS

 

Dooood, that looks like a lot of fun! I have to ask how everything held up post-water crossing. I noticed the water went above the bottom of the door, any water get into the interior or electrical stuff? With all the electronics everywhere I’m always scared of damaging something electric/computer with a deeper water crossing, but I think I’m just being too scared and missing out on fun like you. Haha.[/QUOTE]