I created 4 suitcases using (8) 100W panels. I did the same using the Prop Rods and nylon spacers. I used hinges with removeable pins. To keep them from folding when open, I used a third hinge on the back side flush with the top. When the suitcase is open I put the pin back in the hinge. To keep them closed I used a piece of strap from an old backpack and jean snaps. Also, I put rubber on the bottom edge to keep it from sliding when erected on brick or concrete.

@TKCL

20 күн бұрын

Nice work!

This vdo is very helpful! It gave me a better idea of doing a portable panels to use on my barn. Hey… I saw the “I’m I a sellout?” vdo. I appreciate what you do, the work you put into it to help people like me. We are going into ‘hard times’… how to learn to help to survive will always do well. As far as the solar… I’m fearful of energy companies going up because of inflation, or terrorist attacking our grid or they (grid) are getting too old and I believe there will brown/black outs. We must prepare for IT WILL HAPPEN! I have learned so much watching your show… keep going, keep it up… You are ONE OF THE BEST! And thank you for reading and responding as you do, you have a faithful follower. God bless you! Ryan Guilbeau.

Great video. 🫠

Man, those turned out pretty dang good!! They’re going to work perfect for my situation. I appreciate you adding the “TKCL” tweaks to what was already a great idea. I’m impressed with the output of those Renogy panels too! Another excellent video Andrew!

@TKCL

28 күн бұрын

Hope you enjoy them, although that means you'll be in an outage 😒

Nice build and great pointers for other DIYers. You seem to have a huge land in use. What are you growing?

@TKCL

23 күн бұрын

Timber for agriculture reasons, firewood sales, pasture for future cows ect.

Love the solar content!!!! Take care Andrew.💪🏼🇺🇸

@TKCL

28 күн бұрын

Thanks, you too!

Nicely done! Two questions: Why not use a third extension leg in the middle instead of the bracing bar? Then you have no loose parts. And how do you keep the legs from folding out when carrying the suitcase around?

@TKCL

27 күн бұрын

Because a bolt head would be on the outside of the frame where both would fold open together. The kegs rubber cap tucks unter the frame of the panels.

This is exactly the situation I have. Thanks for putting out this Video 👍

@TKCL

28 күн бұрын

Glad it helped

Very nice!

Sweet portable setup. Guessing it’s quite a bit cheaper than the premade ones. Nice job Andrew.

@TKCL

28 күн бұрын

By several hundred

Great job.

@TKCL

28 күн бұрын

Thanks!

Cool beans! Thanks for the parts list and video!

@TKCL

28 күн бұрын

You bet!

very useful video, thanks Andrew!

@TKCL

28 күн бұрын

Thank you for watching!

You're so on the mark. At this time. I wish I could afford most of that stuff but where we are dealing with car issues. Love you Andrew! See you this Sunday

@TKCL

28 күн бұрын

Got to have priorities, a car is a must have for most people.

Great job, and love the simple design. It follows the KISS philosophy of design.

@TKCL

28 күн бұрын

Glad you like it!

Hi, Andrew! Great video! You are helping soooo many people.

@TKCL

28 күн бұрын

Glad you think so!

Good video but please get rid of the clamps with aluminum channel. Disassemble the hinges and add another pole. Also, Florida has a law that trumps all HOAs when it comes to solar panels. They cannot impede the homeowners in any way.

Nice simple design. Performance looks great too. Be nice for power outage or even to take camping/to a cabin for a weekend. Thanks for the vid Andrew.

@TKCL

28 күн бұрын

Agreed, thanks for watching.

Fantastic little build there! What would the total cost be if we were to go on Amazon and buy the components?

@TKCL

20 күн бұрын

About $450 per set.

@auburnaviator6167

20 күн бұрын

@@TKCL thanks

You can also put a dowel in the end of the leg where the bolt goes into it for more sturdiness.

Really nice setup, Andrew. I'm sure the owner will be very pleased. Fingers crossed, he doesn't need them much.

@TKCL

28 күн бұрын

I hope he doesn't either, but this years storm predictions are not looking good.

@dougdavis4439

28 күн бұрын

@TKCL It's definitely been active in the southeast so far. I hope the predictions are wrong.

@TKCL

28 күн бұрын

@@dougdavis4439 me too, I don't want anymore storms.

Drill a hole in the top of each panel and put a dowel or quick pin to hold them from collapsing in. Excellent video.

@TKCL

28 күн бұрын

Great idea

thats a very handy idea! that would work well with 4 smaller sized panels and stick them in your vehicle for camping or outing events you need power!

@TKCL

28 күн бұрын

Agreed!

I have lot's of experience with expandable rods/poles like these. My golf ball retrieval tool. LOL

Deborah & Clark: Andrew on the handle, I would recommend bolt and nut that way the handles won't have a change to become loose after a lot of use. Great Video as Always...

@TKCL

28 күн бұрын

Thank you for watching

I’m probably going to do this with a couple of 100w renogy panels

@TKCL

28 күн бұрын

I love my 100 panels, they produce very well.

For the angle bracing my first thought was riv nuts or j nuts on thw frame maybe even in an existing hole and a thumb screw. Would be much smaller than rhe clamps. Could also use riv nuts on the inside where the hinges are if yoy wanted to do a 3rd leg in the middle. Use a stud and some permant loctite or a jam nut on the "backside" of the rivnut. Sorry couldnt think of a better way to explain that thought.

some of the velcro straps will feed throough themselves so you dont loose them(ie cord straps) also add a couple of small wheels to one of the panel sides , all they have to stick down a couple of inches and you can just roll them out rather than carry them. stick the power station on a cheap dolly and roll it too, or put them both on a better / wider dolly!

Now, here's Aunt's advice: there are silicone bag handles used on grocery bags to protect your fingers , these would be ideal to put on the panels for carrying.

@TKCL

28 күн бұрын

I'll have to look into that.

So you could put a sliding door latch on back of the panel . Stand it up slide it over and latch .. just a thought ..

@TKCL

28 күн бұрын

I see what you mean 🤔

That's awesome idea. Just wondering, Couldn't you use sliding latches that you use on closet doors or bathrooms? The old style ones are like the gates. Or on your storm shelter. Latche Would it make a lot Easier. saying?

@TKCL

28 күн бұрын

Great idea! If I make more I will try something like that.

Lol I remember when you totally poo pooed solar because you had generators and power was so cheap in North Florida. It wouldn't be worth it. 135k followers later it is content content content.. Love watching your stuff. Be here since Daniels shout out.

@TKCL

28 күн бұрын

I give the people what they want.. Thanks for watching!

350 watt minomum for each sode wpuld make it worth our time.

@LorenTedford

28 күн бұрын

KB solar makes 450 watt panels out of North Carolina MODULE-KBS450-MONO-BF that would be great they cost about 225 a piece if you buy them in groups of 10 panels at a time.

@TKCL

28 күн бұрын

That would start getting very large and heavy. Not what I would call a portable setup. I don't think I'd want any more weight than the two 200 watt panels.

@LorenTedford

28 күн бұрын

@@TKCL Yeah you would almost need a dedicated dolly just for the panels. at 51lbs each.

@LorenTedford

28 күн бұрын

@@TKCL kzread.info/dash/bejne/g3xkxNypdJDKd5c.htmlsi=ozZw0Z6ITfNDUsb3

Good day to all, peace.

@TKCL

28 күн бұрын

Good evening

Andrew, I think if you used pop rivets instead of screws - they would stay secure longer and better.

@TKCL

28 күн бұрын

I need to get a rivet gun.

@deano641

28 күн бұрын

@@TKCL I think a more robust hinge would have been better with rivets - otherwise love your 'Bob the Builder' attitude...

Are you having any trouble with any of the ECOFLOW DELTA, PRO OR ULTRAS? I just purchased a EF DELTA MAX for my barn. Just nervous about them being good the long haul.

@TKCL

28 күн бұрын

My oldest Ecoflow unit is 3 years old and still kicking. I actually use it often for little jobs. My Ultra has also been used several times recently due to power outages. So far so good, they are known to make some of the best products in the industry. With that said, I suppose there's always risk of something not working. Same goes for generators, I've got two down right now.

A piano hinge would work well for this

@TKCL

28 күн бұрын

Yes it would

Would a 3rd leg work?

@TKCL

28 күн бұрын

Yes but the bolt head would interfere with the two panels opening and touching each other.

@HalfPint75

28 күн бұрын

@TKCL yeahh, I see that now. Definitely a cool build.

Wouldn't the adjustable legs mounted on the inside of the panels make more sense? This way it holds the panels correctly without the added angle iron (brace)

@andrewford80

28 күн бұрын

Bingo

@TKCL

28 күн бұрын

Yes but the bolt heads sticking out the side would interfere with them opening and making contact with each other.

@kg4gav

28 күн бұрын

@@TKCL you could drill a hole in the opposite rail for the bolt head to go into.

Put a single leg in the center and then you won’t need the clamps and angle iron.

@TKCL

28 күн бұрын

Problem is the bolt head sticking out between the panels.

@blakebeckywahls7585

28 күн бұрын

good build, enjoyed the simplicity. I was thinking the same about 3 rd leg. would a carriage bolt be thin enough between? keep up the good work

@kylebryan1

28 күн бұрын

@@TKCL go from the top of the frame. You have that extendable pole so going to the top of the frame should be an issue. Also, you could shim between the hinge and the frame to get you a little more standoff to fit a carriage bolt in case you still wanted the mount the pole to the hinge side of the frame. Just a couple ideas.

Total build price?

@TKCL

28 күн бұрын

If you catch the panels on sale right now your talking about $900 for both sets at 800 watts. That's almost half what a quality set of fold up panels cost from the big name brands. However those fold up panels are more compact and transport better.

How much yo build me a small system???? I got money 💰 well some money 💰 lol

@TKCL

28 күн бұрын

You got my number, sadly the shipping is going to be outrageous.

@peace-is-happy7046

28 күн бұрын

Lol @Cash 😆🤣, no shipping 😮

@5150cash

27 күн бұрын

@@TKCL hmmm 🤔 I wonder if they will allow as a carry on 🤔

@TKCL

27 күн бұрын

@@5150cash sure 😂

The panels look good. The Hurricane season forecast though is nonsense. They forecast the worst season ever every year and yes one year they will be correct but they have not been correct for the last 10 to 15 years.

@TKCL

28 күн бұрын

Lol I don't disagree with you, but it's still best to be prepared. We've already been experiencing crazy storms and outages this year.

@davva360

28 күн бұрын

@@TKCL I agree, we always prepare with extra food, generators, water etc. Even one storm can be bad if it hits you the wrong way. I just get tired of hearing the long term predictions from the clowns at NOAA. They can't tell me where a storm is going a few days out but they expect me to believe their prediction for the next 6 months. It can go both ways. We could have an extremely active season but no storms hit land. Or we could have a very low activity year and 2 or 3 major impacts. We just don't know 6 months out.

UNO

@robertmalis4493

28 күн бұрын

Don’t Think so, buddy I think I was first lol

@5150cash

28 күн бұрын

@@robertmalis4493 ?????

@PJ-uv9fr

28 күн бұрын

@5150cash I have to laugh when you type UNO. Of all the channels in different languages - your comment is the only one that asks afterward "Translate to English" 😆🤣🤣

@5150cash

28 күн бұрын

@@PJ-uv9fr lmfao 😆

@5150cash

28 күн бұрын

@@PJ-uv9fr what is up with that? 🤷🏽‍♂️

Forget the video. For the first time. It's based on the manufacturer's information. You have to run your house or accommodation. Everything else doesn't matter!!! YOU must live and survive. www.youtube.com/@TKCL Stop selling a “patent” for extreme situations. Not everyone has the money and the tools. Sorry. I like your channel, but this can lead to sacrifices. Especially in a tornado situation.

@PJ-uv9fr

28 күн бұрын

Not meaning to be argumentative, but exactly what's your beef? All Andrew is promoting is an easy panel setup build for those who ARE capable, but may not have the greatest of engineering skills to decipher it for themselves. I think it's commendable for him to always be sharing his innovative creations. I don't have money for this type of setup, but if I did...I could build it by watching his videos!

This is exactly the situation I have. Thanks for putting out this Video 👍

@TKCL

28 күн бұрын

Glad it helped