Solar Panel deal

[Wavery]

Originally Posted by MudDog

The MC-4 connectors seems pretty sturdy and seem like they would handle fairly frequent connecting/disconnecting.

They sell ends that you can attach to your own cable - for those you apparently need a special tool to make the connection water-tight.

For the pre-made cables they just click together. To release you squeeze a couple of tabs in and the connection comes apart.

I could actually probably get another 15-20' extension and use it to put one of the solar panels on a portable ground mount if I found myself someplace where there was too much shade on the roof.....hmmmm...

The connectors that I purchased don't need a special tool. Although, I did solder the actual wire connector onto the end of the wire before assembling (instead of just crimping it).

There is a nut that you put on the wire first. Then you solder the wire connector to the wire, push the connector into the housing. Then screw the nut onto the housing. The housing has a special seal that tightens against the wire as you tighten the nut.

[MudDog]

I took the TM out of the garage today to install a Xantrex LinkLite battery monitor and took a few pictures of the solar install.

First picture shows where I installed the Solar Controller Remote Display and LinkLite.

Second picture shows where I installed the controller (looking down into the dinette storage area)

Third picture shows the panels on the front shell. Will take another picture closer up when I fold it down later today.

[Wavery]

Beautiful job........

Originally Posted by harveyrv

If anyone is thinking of solar panels, this is a GREAT deal:
http://cgi.ebay.com/80-Watt-solar-pa...item335aaf4bcb

I purchased 2, of these same panels from this seller (@ $240 each) and I can't say enough about them. At @ $209 (incl S&H) they are a steal.

I just purchased two 80W panels from same seller (I think/hope) and my total price including S&H is 426.66.

I just installed the panels and the MPPT controller. My first experience with them is that my LinkLite reported 9A going into the battery. Success!

I can't wait to go camping at Pt. Mugu to see how it works in a non-driveway situation. Thanks to harveyrv and MudDog for all of the information. (I copied a lot of MudDog's configuration.)

[Wavery]

Originally Posted by M&M Hokie

I just installed the panels and the MPPT controller. My first experience with them is that my LinkLite reported 9A going into the battery. Success!

I can't wait to go camping at Pt. Mugu to see how it works in a non-driveway situation. Thanks to harveyrv and MudDog for all of the information. (I copied a lot of MudDog's configuration.)

We go to Pt Mugu a lot. When are you going?

Originally Posted by harveyrv

We go to Pt Mugu a lot. When are you going?

We haven't been there before. We had reservations over Christmas last year but kids got sick so we didn't go. We are finally getting our chance beginning 7/16.

[Wavery]

Originally Posted by M&M Hokie

We haven't been there before. We had reservations over Christmas last year but kids got sick so we didn't go. We are finally getting our chance beginning 7/16.

We have plans for that week-end.......grandkids....

We love Pt Mugu........ That's where we met MudDog the 1st time.

[MudDog]

Originally Posted by M&M Hokie

I just installed the panels and the MPPT controller. My first experience with them is that my LinkLite reported 9A going into the battery. Success!

I can't wait to go camping at Pt. Mugu to see how it works in a non-driveway situation. Thanks to harveyrv and MudDog for all of the information. (I copied a lot of MudDog's configuration.)

Mark - Great news!

We've been real happy with the panels (Thanks Wayne!) and have been enjoying doing more 'primitive' camping without giving up some of the creature comforts.

Point Mugu should be a good place to exercise the panels. We've been a couple of times and I think both times we and Wayne were fully charged by noon.

Last time he put an anameter on his setup and then mine and it showed I was getting about 20% more amps to the battery - likely from the MPPT controller converting some of the extra voltage the battery couldn't use to amps that it could. Not sure Wayne is a full believer yet....

As mentioned earlier in the thread, Point Mugu is literally right down the canyon from my house...so may come down and say hi, or who knows, you may see a TM with a similar looking solar setup pull in for a day or two

I may have mentioned this, but on the inverter install be sure to get enough 1/0 guage cables. I started off with just two (one for the + and one for the - connection) and was getting low volatge warnings when running high-load things like the microwave. Wayne helped diagnose it as the small guage cable between the two 6 volt batteries. Replaced that cable and it's a bit better now, but still get the warning if the microwave is on for 30+ seconds.

I realized I have at least one more weak link....because of the Linklite I wired the 1/0 guage negative to the shunt, but still have the smaller wire from the shunt to the battery negative. I think when I replace that segment with a 1/0 guage wire I should be OK.

Originally Posted by MudDog

Mark - Great news!

Point Mugu should be a good place to exercise the panels. We've been a couple of times and I think both times we and Wayne were fully charged by noon.
.

Good luck...June gloom seems to have extended way into July this year. Let us know if you get any sun...