Solar panel is hooked up and working! - Fiberglass RV
Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×


Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 04-20-2013, 04:54 PM   #1
Senior Member
 
Mike Magee's Avatar
 
Name: Mike
Trailer: 2012 Escape 19
Oklahoma
Posts: 6,021
Solar panel is hooked up and working!

I haven't made the installation pretty and have a bit to do yet, but my hookup is charging the trailer battery so I'm excited! From Solar Blvd I ordered a 75 watt panel by W Solar and a Morningstar Sunguard-4 PWM controller. They arrived in separate boxes on Thursday and Friday. Today I went out and bought a 7 pin RV receptacle (thanks to Gina and others for this idea!), some splices, and a 10' extension cord. Total investment: about $155, including shipping and tax.
Click image for larger version

Name:	IMG_0766.JPG
Views:	70
Size:	277.4 KB
ID:	57881

The wiring was super simple. 2 wires from the controller went to the RV receptacle, which I then can plug into with the trailer's pigtail. I cut the extension cord in two, and the short end got attached via butt end splices to the other 2 controller wires (3rd wire in cord is not used). The same wires in the long end got attached to the solar panel's wires.
Click image for larger version

Name:	IMG_0767.JPG
Views:	87
Size:	168.2 KB
ID:	57882

So now, when I set up at a campground the solar panel hookup is as easy as 1-2- (and maybe) -3. Plug the controller into the trailer pigtail. Plug the panel into the controller. But if the 10' cord (well, only 9' long now) is too short to get the panel into direct sunlight, I can add a 25' extension cord... or a 50'... or both. I already carry the cords. If I'm hooking to solar, that means I don't have electric hookup... so I don't need the cords for anything else!

This installation reminds me of the insurance commercial they ran on TV not long ago. It was so easy, even a cave man (like me??) can do it (Grunt, scratch, grunt).
Mike Magee is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-20-2013, 05:18 PM   #2
Senior Member
 
Donna D.'s Avatar
 
Trailer: 1988 16 ft Scamp Deluxe
Posts: 25,697
The "scratch" part is TMI

Good for you, success!
__________________
Donna D.
Ten Forward - 2014 Escape 5.0 TA
Double Yolk - 1988 16' Scamp Deluxe
Donna D. is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-20-2013, 06:52 PM   #3
Senior Member
 
Cathi's Avatar
 
Name: Cathy
Trailer: Escape 19' sold, 21' August 2015
POBox 1267, Denison, Texas
Posts: 807
Looks good. I can't wait to try such a set-up. As I recall, the longer the cord, the less benefit you will receive though. You might test that out with your cords of different lengths.
Cathi is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-20-2013, 07:19 PM   #4
Senior Member
 
Trailer: Escape 19 ft 2010
Posts: 258
Registry
Solar Solution

What an elegant and inexpensive solution. The panel is 24x38 and appears to have a durable frame, do you see issues in transporting to and storing while camped?

I struggle with charging, iPads and iPhones while camping. With your panel design I could see charging devices off my dual 6 volt batteries during the day using 12 volt adapters. All at the same time the solar is charging the batteries.

How did you settle on 75 watt? Is that a generally accepted size?
Paul Braun is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-20-2013, 08:21 PM   #5
Senior Member
 
rabbit's Avatar
 
Name: Jack
Trailer: '98 BURRO 17WB
Delaware
Posts: 2,548
What's the wire gauge on the 50' tether!

jack
rabbit is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-20-2013, 08:41 PM   #6
Senior Member
 
Mike Magee's Avatar
 
Name: Mike
Trailer: 2012 Escape 19
Oklahoma
Posts: 6,021
Cathy, certainly there can be some losses from long wire runs, and heavier gauge wire would help. But I recall reading somewhere that the most critical area to have short or heavy wires is between the controller and the battery. There I have only a very short run. Once the controller steps down the voltage, current losses from inadequate wiring can be considerable.

Paul, 75W was a relatively convenient size and weight that I roughly estimate should be able to keep my single 12v battery from running dry. My usage consists of occasional Turbo/Maxx vent fan use @ 1.4A on low, a few LED interior lights, brief use of the water pump, and sometimes a 10-15 minute blast of the furnace to remove the morning chill. I've had the battery run down after 3 days without charge input, so if I can get 25-30 amps per day from the panel I think it would keep my battery right up there. Even 10 or 15 amps should prolong my boondock time until I'm ready to hook up and go somewhere else. The panel should yield 15A in about 4 hours of full midday sun, or in a full cloudy day's worth of diffuse light.

The panel came in a cardboard box with a styrene foam sheet on the glass side, so I'm saving it and using it for transport. I'll probably put it behind the back seat, standing up in the footwell area. Although under the bed would work also. It's only 15 lbs.

I think my 12v battery is about 90 amp-hours, something like that. This setup would work the same if I ever upgraded to a larger battery, or to 2 6v batteries.

All the supplies wires on the controller and the solar panel were plenty long. Between my 9' of extension cord and, oh, about 4' of panel wires, I can stretch the panel out about 13' before even needing to add an extra stretch of extension cord.

Since the photos I've covered the splice areas with electrical tape. I foresee no problems doing the connections this way since the setup will not be subjected to high wind forces that could stress the connections or drive rain into them; the setup will be stored inside while driving. I suppose soldered connections would be stronger and perhaps might transmit current somewhat more efficiently, but for my power needs I expect the crimped splices and tape to work fine.
Mike Magee is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-20-2013, 08:44 PM   #7
Senior Member
 
Mike Magee's Avatar
 
Name: Mike
Trailer: 2012 Escape 19
Oklahoma
Posts: 6,021
Quote:
Originally Posted by rabbit View Post
What's the wire gauge on the 50' tether!

jack
I think my extension cords are 16 gauge wire.
Mike Magee is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-20-2013, 09:13 PM   #8
Senior Member
 
rabbit's Avatar
 
Name: Jack
Trailer: '98 BURRO 17WB
Delaware
Posts: 2,548
Mike, 16awg is too small a conductor. At 25' you may be able to use # 12 or 10 but fifty feet of #16 will produce a lot of resistance and an appreciable voltage drop.

jack
rabbit is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-20-2013, 09:50 PM   #9
Senior Member
 
Mike Magee's Avatar
 
Name: Mike
Trailer: 2012 Escape 19
Oklahoma
Posts: 6,021
Quote:
Originally Posted by rabbit View Post
Mike, 16awg is too small a conductor. At 25' you may be able to use # 12 or 10 but fifty feet of #16 will produce a lot of resistance and an appreciable voltage drop.

jack
Yes, at 50' it should lose 1.6v, going from 17v to 15.4v, a power loss of nearly 10%. If it took my battery 6.5 hours to top off instead of 6 hours, I don't think that will ruin my camping trip. Realize that I would only use 50' if it were absolutely the only way to get into a sunny spot, in which case any losses will be more than made up for by higher production from the sunny spot. But most likely I'll try to choose a campsite with open sky anyway, in which case I won't need any extra cords. I just think it's nice to have the option.
Mike Magee is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-20-2013, 10:09 PM   #10
Senior Member
 
Byron Kinnaman's Avatar
 
Trailer: Scamp
Posts: 7,056
Registry
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike Magee View Post
Cathy, certainly there can be some losses from long wire runs, and heavier gauge wire would help. But I recall reading somewhere that the most critical area to have short or heavy wires is between the controller and the battery. There I have only a very short run. Once the controller steps down the voltage, current losses from inadequate wiring can be considerable.

Paul, 75W was a relatively convenient size and weight that I roughly estimate should be able to keep my single 12v battery from running dry. My usage consists of occasional Turbo/Maxx vent fan use @ 1.4A on low, a few LED interior lights, brief use of the water pump, and sometimes a 10-15 minute blast of the furnace to remove the morning chill. I've had the battery run down after 3 days without charge input, so if I can get 25-30 amps per day from the panel I think it would keep my battery right up there. Even 10 or 15 amps should prolong my boondock time until I'm ready to hook up and go somewhere else. The panel should yield 15A in about 4 hours of full midday sun, or in a full cloudy day's worth of diffuse light.

The panel came in a cardboard box with a styrene foam sheet on the glass side, so I'm saving it and using it for transport. I'll probably put it behind the back seat, standing up in the footwell area. Although under the bed would work also. It's only 15 lbs.

I think my 12v battery is about 90 amp-hours, something like that. This setup would work the same if I ever upgraded to a larger battery, or to 2 6v batteries.

All the supplies wires on the controller and the solar panel were plenty long. Between my 9' of extension cord and, oh, about 4' of panel wires, I can stretch the panel out about 13' before even needing to add an extra stretch of extension cord.

Since the photos I've covered the splice areas with electrical tape. I foresee no problems doing the connections this way since the setup will not be subjected to high wind forces that could stress the connections or drive rain into them; the setup will be stored inside while driving. I suppose soldered connections would be stronger and perhaps might transmit current somewhat more efficiently, but for my power needs I expect the crimped splices and tape to work fine.
You did the right thing by using crimp connections. Solder is not a good electrical conductor. It's used a lot but if you look around your tow you won't find any solder connections or in your computed (the traces on a printed circuit may look like solder but there's copper and gold below the solder).

I made a simple aluminum stand from hardware store angle aluminum and flat aluminum strips. Pop rivets hold it together and to the aluminum frame around the solar panel.

I can go forever is I get about 4 hours of sun every 3rd day. That's with a 65 Watt.

Congratulations on joining the solar world.
__________________
Byron & Anne enjoying the everyday Saturday thing.
Byron Kinnaman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-20-2013, 10:19 PM   #11
Senior Member
 
Byron Kinnaman's Avatar
 
Trailer: Scamp
Posts: 7,056
Registry
Quote:
Originally Posted by rabbit View Post
Mike, 16awg is too small a conductor. At 25' you may be able to use # 12 or 10 but fifty feet of #16 will produce a lot of resistance and an appreciable voltage drop.

jack

16 Awg is just fine.

1. The wire is between the solar panel and the controller. Solar panel voltage is above 20 volt out put.
2. 16 Awg has a resistance of .004016 Ohms/foot which equals about 0.1 ohms for 25'.
3. His solar panel has a maximum output of 4.35 amps, which equates to a .435 volt drop. The controller has to take 20+ volts and bring it down to 13.9 volts maximum. That .435 drop don't mean anything.

Mr. Ohm and law are king.
__________________
Byron & Anne enjoying the everyday Saturday thing.
Byron Kinnaman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-21-2013, 08:45 AM   #12
Senior Member
 
Mike Magee's Avatar
 
Name: Mike
Trailer: 2012 Escape 19
Oklahoma
Posts: 6,021
Thanks Byron. It's nice to hear from someone with a similar size panel.

You know, I think I still had a wrong thought in the back of my mind. I was envisioning that the controller would take the higher voltage and translate it into a current boost as it stepped the voltage down for the battery. But PWM controllers don't do that, do they? Only MPPT controllers do that. So yeah, as long as the long cords from panel to controller deliver at least 14.1V (set point of this controller is 14.1, not 13.9), the voltage loss they cause is pretty much inconsequential.

Reading up on my Interstate group 24 battery, it appears to be rated at 58 amp hours @ a 5A load. My loads are probably half that, so I guesstimate that I may get about 70 amp hours in warm weather. If I have any problems running out of juice with this system, my next change should be a larger battery.
Mike Magee is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-21-2013, 10:05 AM   #13
Senior Member
 
rabbit's Avatar
 
Name: Jack
Trailer: '98 BURRO 17WB
Delaware
Posts: 2,548
Is the location of the controller the prime consideration in determining the conductor size required, Brian?

jack
rabbit is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-21-2013, 10:43 AM   #14
Senior Member
 
Kevin K's Avatar
 
Trailer: 1983 13 ft Scamp
Posts: 3,082
Registry
SOLAR Controller should be as close to battery as possible, but NOT, in the battery compartment.
Kevin K is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-21-2013, 10:53 AM   #15
Senior Member
 
Thomas G.'s Avatar
 
Trailer: No Trailer Yet
Posts: 5,112
If you have any connectivity problems, it will be at the crimped connectors.

Keep an eye on them, as they tend to not like being bent, wet or tugged. I always use soldered connections with shrink tape over to insulate and distribute the stress.

Rail on Byron.
__________________
UHaul and Burro owners, join the UHaul Campers on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/groups/529276933859491/
Thomas G. is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-21-2013, 11:04 AM   #16
Moderator
 
Frederick L. Simson's Avatar
 
Trailer: Fiber Stream 1978 / Honda Odyssey LX 2003
Posts: 8,222
Registry
Send a message via AIM to Frederick L. Simson
Exclamation Point : Counter-point

Quote:
Originally Posted by Byron Kinnaman View Post
You did the right thing by using crimp connections. Solder is not a good electrical conductor. It's used a lot but if you look around your tow you won't find any solder connections or in your computed (the traces on a printed circuit may look like solder but there's copper and gold below the solder).
Quote:
Originally Posted by Thomas G. View Post
If you have any connectivity problems, it will be at the crimped connectors.

Keep an eye on them, as they tend to not like being bent, wet or tugged. I always use soldered connections with shrink tape over to insulate and distribute the stress.
Byron and Thomas, Thank you for your input.
Just a reminder about the Community Rules
Quote:
Originally Posted by Community Rules
Voice your opinion respectfully and then let it go.
I hope this is 'nuff said.
__________________
Frederick - The Scaleman
Frederick L. Simson is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-21-2013, 11:13 AM   #17
Senior Member
 
rabbit's Avatar
 
Name: Jack
Trailer: '98 BURRO 17WB
Delaware
Posts: 2,548
I don't see how the information at Basic Tutorials: Wires and Cables for Solar Energy Systems
can be taken as other than a contrdiction of Brian's views and Mike's choice of conductor between panel and controller? Looks like a Tevye situation to me. What am I missing?

jack
rabbit is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-21-2013, 11:34 AM   #18
Senior Member
 
Name: Steve
Trailer: 2018, 21ft escape— 2019 Ram 1500 Laramie
NW Wisconsin
Posts: 4,500
Solder

Quote:
Originally Posted by Thomas G. View Post
If you have any connectivity problems, it will be at the crimped connectors.

Keep an eye on them, as they tend to not like being bent, wet or tugged. I always use soldered connections with shrink tape over to insulate and distribute the stress.

Rail on Byron.
I agree with Thomas , in my forty years as an electrician I have seen many crimped splices go bad especially where moisture or vibration is present.
I make a western union splice , solder the splice and cover with shrink tube listed for wet & underground locations . Also there are two types of crimping tools * T&B indenter style costing $40.00 and the common home improvement store model costing $10.00 . I prefer the T&B for splicing and the other style for cutting screws which is all it's good for
steve dunham is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-21-2013, 12:35 PM   #19
Senior Member
 
Thomas G.'s Avatar
 
Trailer: No Trailer Yet
Posts: 5,112
Quote:
Originally Posted by rabbit View Post
I don't see how the information at Basic Tutorials: Wires and Cables for Solar Energy Systems
can be taken as other than a contradiction of Byron's views and Mike's choice of conductor between panel and controller? Looks like a Tevye situation to me. What am I missing?

jack
This site is pretty conservative, although it is best to err on the side of bigger wires to minimize losses. I use a chart like this:
Electrical Wire Gauges to determine total resistance (50 foot cord is 100 feet of wire) then calculate voltage drop or power losses (I^2*R) .
__________________
UHaul and Burro owners, join the UHaul Campers on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/groups/529276933859491/
Thomas G. is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-21-2013, 12:54 PM   #20
Senior Member
 
Mike Magee's Avatar
 
Name: Mike
Trailer: 2012 Escape 19
Oklahoma
Posts: 6,021
I am absolutely certain that I could have done some things differently to improve the setup, but I am not that particular about small losses. If I ever have problems with the crimped connections (someday), I'll re-do them. Anyone who is a perfectionist, please turn your eyes away from my solar setup so as not to aggravate yourself. Fact is, I'm happy with it.

About crimped connections: the 7 pin receptacle's hidden backside consists of 7 terminals (of which I used only 2) with screws. When the wire is inserted between the two pieces of plated steel and the screw is tightened, it crimps down on the wire and holds it in place. Is this not a crimped connection? Yet this common receptacle, used on thousands and thousands of tow vehicles, is designed to function this way... and they do! Methinks crimped connections must work reasonably well.
Mike Magee is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
solar


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Solar Panel Set up Question - Grounding the panel? Anne H Electrical | Charging, Systems, Solar and Generators 2 09-07-2012 04:48 PM
solar panel h.mike Care and Feeding of Molded Fiberglass Trailers 4 07-17-2012 09:01 AM
solar panel Judith Kennedy Problem Solving | Owners Helping Owners 2 10-29-2009 11:30 AM
solar panel help Maggie Electrical | Charging, Systems, Solar and Generators 9 07-18-2006 04:38 PM

» Upcoming Events
No events scheduled in
the next 465 days.
» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 12:49 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.