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mattd
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# Posted: 26 Oct 2020 10:02pm
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We just got our first camper. Was getting a solar maintainer for the battery and started day dreaming about a full solar set up.
It’s prewired for solar, and when you look close it says to only use one brand. And With a quick look, that brand has the controller built into the panel.
At the cabin solar is easy - panel, controller, battery. Controller takes care of bat - not too much charge, not too much discharge.
So the prewired plug is useless without that one brand of panel. UNLESS....there might be some form of controller already there I’m not aware of. Like maybe inline w the wiring.
Otherwise, outside of solar, I could easily fully discharge the battery. Or when it’s plugged in to 120v overcharge it.
Seems like there has to be some sort of controller, even if it’s more dumb then a typ solar controller.
Anybody know?
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Nobadays
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# Posted: 27 Oct 2020 08:33am
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You might try DIYSOLAR ... not that someone here might be able to help, but more information about the camper/solar recommendation might help as well. I do know my BILs trailer is pre-wired and he used a 100w panel with a small SCC and plugged that int the pre-wired cable.
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Nobadays
Member
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# Posted: 27 Oct 2020 09:49am
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Just searching around and wondering if this is what you have... the picture is of an adapter so standard MC4 cables can be used.
The Furrion solar port.... is a rare two pin port, not found on most solar panels. You can probably imagine why they would do this (hint: they make proprietary solar panels that use this port).
A link to the article. HERE
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razmichael
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# Posted: 27 Oct 2020 10:09am
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This was my thought as well - no magic, just a means of trying to sell their own products. Nothing wire cutters can’t fix. Spend some time understanding how the whole thing is wired. Most (at least when I had anything to do with campers) assume primarily a 120AC hookup and only shorter periods on battery. Most run lights etc on 12v through a Converter and only some include an inverter. Boondocking (extended battery use only) is well covered in numerous RV forums and you may want to head to these for advice.
Once you have a better idea how your camper is wired you can decide to optimize it for your use. I modified our Pop-Up (used prior to the cabin) for boondocking with a couple of deep cycle batteries, portable panels and a generator on occasion. This included adding an inverter with auto switchover and smart charger while bypassing parts of the converter system.
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mattd
Member
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# Posted: 27 Oct 2020 12:07pm
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I guess a better way to ask my question, is there anything in the wiring system that protects the battery during 120v use (preventing over charge), or when boondocking (preventing over discharge).
It seems like those things are critical, but I can’t find anything to suggest they exist in any camper.
If the battery was protected in those scenarios, then I could see how just plugging a panel in to the solar port would work, as the battery has the protection already from the camper factory.
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Brettny
Member
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# Posted: 27 Oct 2020 02:52pm
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Most RVs will have an onboard charger if they in fact do charge the house batteries when plugged into 120v. That will have adequate protection not to over charge them.
As for any existing system with the plug alreaty on your RV...100w is a pretty small system and may only have enough juice to run the lights for a weekend. Then with 100w and prob not being in very good sun it may take days to fully charge a set of batteries.
You really need to go out to your RV with a pen, paper and google.com to starting figuring out what your current system has. Then you can build a system for your needs.
Pannels on an RV roof may seam like a nice feature but they dont give you any angle options and you have to park it full sun. A ground pannel setup with some long proper gauge wires may actualy be more useful.
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gcrank1
Member
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# Posted: 27 Oct 2020 04:52pm - Edited by: gcrank1
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Imo the 'only this solar set up will work' is a hustle to make you buy theirs.
The details are important though, such as the panel(s) they say to use have an integrated charge control. You need to find out what the output is from that system to the plug-in then you can find/build up your own system c/w a proper CC that meets the need with the same output and match the plug if you can. If you cant match the plug you will have to cut it off/remove it to wire with a plug you can work with, or direct.
This really isn't too different than hooking up trailer lights to a tow vehicle with differing plugs.
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ICC
Member
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# Posted: 27 Oct 2020 05:41pm
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If this is a recently built RV it should have a battery charger/converter that will not overcharge the house/coach battery. I am not certain when the mfg improved on what they used for chargers/converters, but maybe 20+ years ago the better mfg changed. Old RV had really crappy charger/converters.
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