Solar Panel Install on rear shell

[scrubjaysnest]

Let me start by saying IMO you don't want to do this. That said what you have to do is remove the plus and minus wire from the converter that goes to the load you want the controller to shed. This could be power to the front shell, which is fused on our '11 2720 SL for 20 amps.
The pro...if the battery level drops to low, the controller cuts power to the front shell. You would still have lights on the back shell.

The con..... you lose all 12 volt power to the front shell.
......you will not have 12 volt to the front shell from the converter.
......additional wiring plus a double pole double throw switch is required
to get 12 volts to the front shell from either the converter or the charge controller.
I think just don't use the load shedding function of the controller.

By the way we will be adding solar to our TM within the next month. Ours will be a variation on Mr Geek.

[Wavery]

The solar panels are nothing but a "Battery Charger".

The wiring for the inverter has NOTHING to do with the solar panels.

It goes like this........

1) 2, 8-10G wires (+ & -) from solar panel to solar controller (solar panel connections). Polarity is critical.....Be sure to get + to + and - to -.

2) 2, 10G wires from solar controller (battery connectors) to battery. (same as above on polarity).

Now your solar system is wired and working. The power source to the camper is not touched. It remains as it currently is (Connected directly to the batteries).

You don't use the "Load" connectors on your solar controller for anything.....just leave them empty. They are only used for direct connections from solar to load for running sprinkler systems etc directly from the solar panel.

Now for the Inverter.

You will find that the inverter has a + and - connector. Run the supplied red cable to the positive connector on your batteries and the black wire to the negative terminal on your batteries (minimum 2G wire @ 6')) Be sure to get a 150A-175A fuse from Autozone for around $5. Put one side of the fuse on the end of the positive cable to the inverter (with a nut & bolt) and the other side goes over the positive battery post. DO NOT HOOK IT UP WITHOUT A FUSE. You are now ready to plug an extension cord into the inverter.



It is possible to hook your inverter into the 110 system on your camper but I do not advise it. If you INSIST.....I will help you with it but I would encourage you to try it with a 12G extension cord 1st.

[OneMoBear]

Thanks Wayne! Get it but can we just wire the inverter past the existing fuse and cutoff?

Malinda

[Wavery]

Originally Posted by OneMoBear

Thanks Wayne! Get it but can we just wire the inverter past the existing fuse and cutoff?

Malinda

You can if the wire to the cut-off is at least 2G. You will still need to put the 175A fuse right on the positive battery terminal. Any fuse less than 150A will just blow as soon as you hook a decent load to the inverter. A 900W microwave will draw ~100A at the battery.

What you really need to protect against is a dead short. If you have a dead short, you will have a fire that will be very difficult to extinguish and the fumes from the melting battery cables will be very toxic. All it would take is a screw driver or wrench to accidentally short across the terminals on the inverter or something funky wired wrong in the new inverter. A tool shorting across the terminals can weld itself the the terminals in a split second.

[OneMoBear]

Gotcha. I think we're good with the cable to the cutoff. We'll install that fuse on the positive terminal. One more question . . . we replaced the original fuse like you suggested when we got our new batteries. Should we leave it in place? I want to say, "Of Course!" but I've never put two fuses on the same lead before . . .

Malinda

[Wavery]

Originally Posted by OneMoBear

Gotcha. I think we're good with the cable to the cutoff. We'll install that fuse on the positive terminal. One more question . . . we replaced the original fuse like you suggested when we got our new batteries. Should we leave it in place? I want to say, "Of Course!" but I've never put two fuses on the same lead before . . .

Malinda

I would suggest running a 2G ground wire from the neg side of the battery to the frame somewhere. I would also suggest getting rid of those wire nuts. I would solder those wires and use heat shrink tubing. If that positive wire comes out of that wire nut and touches the ground terminal on the battery, things will get ugly fast.

Personally, I would just attach the inverter directly to the battery (with a fuse). The inverter does not have any parasitic draw, unless you accidentally leave it turned on. I would suggest only turning on the inverter while it is actually powering a 110V appliance. After using that appliance, turn off the inverter because it does draw amps with the switch in the "ON" position, whether you are using it or not. Most of them have a fan that runs continually while the switch is on.

[OneMoBear]

Wayne,

Thanks! I hear everything you're saying! I knew posting the picture was like turning in homework

We had an inverter on the Bounder and yes, the fan ran constantly when it was on. I would just really feel more comfortable running the feed through that cutoff switch in case it got left on somehow. Flipping the cutoff switch is pretty much auto pilot by now . . .

Malinda

[scrubjaysnest]

Yes as harveyrv said get rid on the wire nuts. There are some real nice butt splices available, not at Lowes or the depot, try an ACE or True value hardware.
Sometimes an auto parts store. Crimp the butt splice to one wire end, solder it. Slide the heat shrink tubing ove the splice and out of the way of heat for now. Crimp the butt splice to the second wire, that was under your wire nut, solder it then slide the heat shrink over your completed splice. Use a heat gun or hair dryer to shrink the tubing. Don't get it so hot you burn it. Start in the center of the butt splice and work to the ends with the heat gun. You will also have to work the heat all the way around to get the tubing to shrink right.

You can mount both fuses to the positive terminal although some people prefer a short buss bar. The buss bar should be available from a marine supply store or again sometimes auto parts stores. If you have some 3/8 or 1/2 copper tubing a buss bar can be made from that by flatting the tubing in a vice or use a hammer. The tubing will need to be long enough to drill three holes.

[OneMoBear]

We were lazy bums with the wire nuts. We were both cable splicers in our careers and know better. We just duplicated what we got from TrailManor I later installed business telephone systems and we used car batteries for backup. I still have a fairly big scar below my elbow from when I got thrown across the room because I zigged when I should have zagged during the installation of one of these. I don't think the guys ever let me touch one again. I have great respect for this issue.

Malinda

[Wavery]

Originally Posted by OneMoBear

Wayne,

Thanks! I hear everything you're saying! I knew posting the picture was like turning in homework

We had an inverter on the Bounder and yes, the fan ran constantly when it was on. I would just really feel more comfortable running the feed through that cutoff switch in case it got left on somehow. Flipping the cutoff switch is pretty much auto pilot by now . . .

Malinda

Here's the way that I wired the inverter through my shut-off switch on my older 2720:





My inverter is on the left in the 1st pic.

In the 2nd pic, the big red battery cable is coming from the battery. The black battery cable is going to the inverter. The red 10G wire on top of the black battery cable goes to my brakes (I didn't have any blue wire) it has a separate 30A inline ATC fuse. The black wire under that cable goes to the circuit breaker/fuse then to the house.

Note that I used a self-resetting breaker instead of a 30A fuse for the house current. Either one has it's pros & cons.

I have a 65A, 6-port fuse block with separate 30A ATC fuse for my house current, brakes, solar panels and auxiliary power for my air compressor (each with a separate fuse) on my current camper. That way, if I blow a fuse, I pretty much know why.

BTW.....great job on that cover for your 100A shut-off switch.......