Portable solar kit

[BrucePerens]

The LED panels I bought on eBay are $18 for 10, work really well inside of the trailer and stick inside the fixture with double-sided tape, and aren't excessively bright for the application (which some of the more expensive ones will be). I put a photo below, you can find one eBay seller here. These work just fine.

You may, however, find it necessary to replace your converter if you have an old one. The old one had poor regulation, and this tends to make some LEDs go out or blink. If you buy expensive lamps with built-in-regulators, and they really work, they might not have that problem. But I had electronics that would be more sensitive than the LEDs, and the same bad regulation tends to cook your battery.

I put 400W of panels on the rear of my TM and have room for 200W in the front. This is rather extreme, but the truth is that in many cases you get 1/4 of the rated power without obstruction, if you are heavily shaded you 5% of the rated power, and I'm a ham radio operator and have a use for the power.

[flipflop]

Originally Posted by tentcamper

Congratulations on your new panels. If you install LED lights I think they shoud work well for you. . . . . .

My PWM controller is at the panels.

Well, got the 100W suitcase, ordered a 40A MPPT controller separately. https://www.renogy.com/renogy-40-amp...#tab_prd-specs

Did not realize there was such a size/weight difference between the MPPT and the 30A PWM that would be preinstalled inside the case. MPPT 6.39lbs, PWM .6lbs.

The MPPT will fit inside the suitcase and it will close, but my plan to use Velcro to mount it inside may not work because of the weight.

Has anybody Velcro mounted an MPPT???

[scrubjaysnest]

Originally Posted by flipflop

Well, got the 100W suitcase, ordered a 40A MPPT controller separately. https://www.renogy.com/renogy-40-amp...#tab_prd-specs

Did not realize there was such a size/weight difference between the MPPT and the 30A PWM that would be preinstalled inside the case. MPPT 6.39lbs, PWM .6lbs.

The MPPT will fit inside the suitcase and it will close, but my plan to use Velcro to mount it inside may not work because of the weight.

Has anybody Velcro mounted an MPPT???

Unless you ordered the remote temperature sensor, the CC needs to be mounted as close to the batteries as possible or you lose any benefit gained from the mppt.

[flipflop]

Originally Posted by scrubjaysnest

Unless you ordered the remote temperature sensor, the CC needs to be mounted as close to the batteries as possible or you lose any benefit gained from the mppt.

Thanks for the info, didn't know about that remote sensor. I suppose for $10 I'll order one. I'll have the panel right by the tongue battery box though, we're never in shaded areas. About three feet away, maybe.

I AM a little worried about rain getting to the MPPT unit being mounted on the back of the panel. I believe the PWM is waterproof, the MPPT is not? Correct?

Well, here's what I have planned. I plan to get the 10AWG quick disconnects for the battery connection as was discussed here a few minutes ago http://www.trailmanorowners.com/foru...t=11065&page=6

The MPPT end of the quick disconnect will be a bare wire screwdown connection as you can see here https://www.renogy.com/renogy-40-amp...oller-w-mt-50/

I'll use dielectric on all of the screwdown connections. Three 2" strips of Velcro should hold the 6lb CC on the back of the panel.

I'll put plumbers strap from the panel frame to the CC's top mount holes to make sure it doesn't fall off if the Velcro fails for some reason.