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Kathleen-
Oh, you HAD to put that image into my head. Now I can see the mini version of the "War of the Worlds" tripods coming. I'll have to take a circuitious way home and make sure to use heavier security chains, to make sure it can't follow me.
If there's time, and if there's one more day of "don't go out, it's so sunny and bright you'll catch fire" then I'll try to get one more run, either the early or late hours of the day to check the output in those times, as well as the max under "incineration" lighting. I suspect those hours are just icing on the cake, we already know:
1-The rotation and angle make a 10% plusplus difference
2-The MPPT controller makes a huge difference, 10-20% plus.
3-The bumpers need to move off the panels and out onto the trim.
4-Brian needs to come out with a "Solar Stik Jr." that's not bombproof, but is sized more for smaller craft. Although I guess there's a limit to how light you can make the mast, and still securely support those two panels under wind loads. And....
5-This really is as good as it gets.
Frankly, I never thought the test panels would show up. (Come on now, how many folks thought that would EVER happen?) And while all the numbers haven't quite matched some of the optimism, I give him great credit for being willing to just drop off a rig and let the numbers come as they may.
The output I've seen, given the more northern conditions I'm under, has been about as good as it gets. The "who knew?" about MPPT controllers being more efficient, and PWM charging batteries to a better depth faster, and angling the panels....Been a real education to me. I'm betting that when PS comes out with their review, they'll also make similar comments. This is no miracle--but it is as good as solar gets.
If anyone has a friend in the "stainless tubing and towers" business and can get them to run up an estimate for a similar rotate-angle-support tower, I've got a feeling the SolarStik is actually a bargain once that metalwork is figured in. I never expected that, either. Even in inch-and-a-half stainless, I don't think anyone would like the fabrication bill for anything the could come close.
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