Portable Solar Panel WARNING! Don’t Make This Potentially Deadly Mistake!

People, I had no idea how dangerous these portable solar panels could be.

Until now.

For your own protection, I have a little story to share with you…

I recently remembered a childhood saying that my parents used to use on my sister and me. It’s called a ‘B-no’.  A ‘B-no’ is short for ‘Be no’. A ‘Be no’ is a rule. I will give you an example:

‘Kelly don’t put that key in your ear.’ ‘That’s a B-no.’ (A rule.)

Or, more recently:

‘There will B-no walking around the RV outside at night in the dark without a light source.’

Pictured here, a very ‘uncool’ but viable (and common with RV’ers) light source on my head. This would have sufficed quite nicely on the night of this story. But noooooo, too much effort to put on? You tell me, after reading this dark tale.

The latter example is not JUST an example. It IS a new rule for the safety of my body and life.

I was coming out of my Rv at night. I was boondocking in the middle of nowhere, in a large open spot. I had my hands full. There was not a full moon on this evening.

(Scene set.)

My little brain is only capable of thinking of or believing so much at once. On this evening, my silly little brain said, ‘Yeah, sure, the only stuff around you is the Rv and the truck.’

Stupid brain.

In fact, there was a fairly big something else out there. Something very hard to step over or to recover from once the process of falling has begun. It was my very loved, constantly used portable solar panel. It charges my batteries for free! No campground hookup necessary. (Hallelujah 1)

Out of ALLLLLLLL the space around that was free land, my goofy brain somehow chose the route with my solar panel smack dab in front of it.

Look at all the open space! Look at it! Hell, my solar panel is in stealth mode even in this photo. It’s to the lower right side of the front of the Rv, just over Gizmo’s right ear. Looks like a shadow. It gets moved around during the day to follow the sun. It was on the other side when I walked through it.

I fell so hard that my sandals both flew off. Each one landed a county away. My poor solar panel ended up on its face. It DID NOT break!

So I sailed through the clear night air and landed hard, my left elbow taking the brunt of the fall. I was quite surprised that I did not break my arm.

 

Ego damaged, drink spilled everywhere (Yes, captain and coke.) ( No, that’s not why.) and other items finally gathered, I picked my arse up and dusted off.

Giggles ensued.

I was very fortunate I did not need a hospital because the nearest one was about 50 minutes away. That wouldn’t have been a pleasant drive! I was very thankful for that.

My Renogy solar panel? It’s fine. It’s not QUITE the same aesthetically as it was before I tried rearranging my teeth with it, but it but it still gets the job done! Points for my Renogy!

Here’s the only real damage. This little bend causes the Renogy to open up a little TOO far, similar to someone who can hyperextend a joint.

My Ego? Fine. It’s funny to me now. Hell, it was funny when it happened. I do s*** like this all the time. I am not a very careful being, I’m lazy. I just go. Or do. And then I pay. It’s been about 3 weeks and my left elbow is still sensitive. (Boo hoo.)

And sometimes I pay. It’s been about 3 weeks and my left elbow is still sensitive. (Boo hoo.)

Here you can see how my Renogy panel now ‘hyperextends’. The bar and rocks are to keep it from flipping over during high winds. I don’t have solar on top of my RV. Yet. 

Lesson learned- well, at least I am now SUPER aware of where my solar panel is. And being the not so careful being that I am, yes, I have walked outside again without a light source.

Usually, though, I use one. It’s my nature to be lazy that way. In the back of my goofy brain, I do usually at least think of my new rule and it probably has saved me since.

That’s it. Walking around your Rv outside at night without a light source? Just say no.

Having a portable solar panel to charge your batteries if you boondock? A hell yes! Why pay for campgrounds?

I do highly recommend the Renogy 100 watt solar panel. Many of my boondocking friends also use it. Mine survived Kelly drama, so kudos there for sure!

It folds flat and stores easily. Best $200 I have spent in RV accessories!

Feel free to click the solar panel below to purchase. If you have questions about it feel free to comment and I will happily answer.

If you choose to follow my crazy stories, you can rest assured that usage of your email address will NEVER be used besides sending you blog posts. I promise! And I don’t write all that often so I won’t be ‘spammy’. See ya!