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RE: Solar questions
Ok thanks!
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Teleman
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03/11/22 11:52am |
Tech Issues
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RE: Solar questions
Btw, what kind of screws did you use to afix the brackets to the panel frames?
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Teleman
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03/11/22 08:29am |
Tech Issues
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RE: Solar questions
I appreciate the advice. I will get this done before our trip later this month.
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Teleman
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03/10/22 11:10am |
Tech Issues
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RE: Solar questions
OK thanks.
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Teleman
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03/10/22 11:03am |
Tech Issues
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RE: Solar questions
Chris said extend the bracket from the roof vertically to the side on the panel. Insert a horizontal screw below the cells to secure the panel.
Those brackets are tiny. The Z brackets are a bit less than 4" W and 1" D.
Those were just an example. 4" wide L-brackets work great. You can find them at home depot. For some reason their search feature is not up so I can't send you the exact ones.
The beauty is that you don't need to remove the panels to add more of these L-brackets.
Good luck!
Chris
Yes I found 4" brackets on Amazon. I ordered them and barrel nuts. Thanks for the tip.
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Teleman
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03/09/22 08:50pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Solar questions
These look good ithink.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08GS36NM4?smid=A2ETYISML7MBJ7&ref_=chk_typ_imgToDp&th=1
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Teleman
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03/09/22 03:46pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Solar questions
Chris said extend the bracket from the roof vertically to the side on the panel. Insert a horizontal screw below the cells to secure the panel.
Those brackets are tiny. The Z brackets are a bit less than 4" W and 1" D.
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Teleman
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03/09/22 03:40pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Solar questions
Chris said extend the bracket from the roof vertically to the side on the panel. Insert a horizontal screw below the cells to secure the panel.
Ah ok I understand now. Ty
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Teleman
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03/09/22 03:30pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Solar questions
Well I used 4 brackets with VHB tape and reading the more recent comments it seems less than ideal. Options are cabling the panels to a solid anchorage point like the roof AC frame. Prying the panels off and redoing them with 6 or 8 brackets. Or?
I wouldnt take anything off now that there on, maybe just add a couple in stratigic locations to stiffen it up. if you have a diagram where you braced it, I could easily give you my opinion on where to add brackets.
Steve
SIMPLE! Get some L-Brackets similar to these but tall enough to get to your solar panel side framing:
https://www.lowes.com/pd/ReliaBilt-RB-1-5-IN-BL-W-CORNER-BRACE-4-CT/5001634683
Then, if you want your panels to be more secure than they are now just add 1, 2, 4, etc to each panel (again with VHB tape) and the panels will be guaranteed to be held down better than they are now.
I have 3 RVs and I am in the process of putting solar on the newest one (I've got solar on the other two already). I put 4 brackets bolted/screwed in (EPDM roof) as well as VHB tape. I felt good about them so I Dicor'ed everything. Then, my safety 1st brain told me, "Let's make them a little stronger" so I just added some L-brackets for bonus strength.
The best part? You can add more brackets in less than 20 minutes.
Good luck!
Chris
The problem is I have to remove the panels to do that. Ugh!
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Teleman
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03/09/22 01:37pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Solar questions
I'm not planning on removing them but it's good to know how. How would you get the tape residue off the roof?
dont use it in the first place haha.. seriously though the tape is not nessasary but if it makes you feel its more secure then what the heck. on my roof it wouldnt have done anything as I have a solid aluminium sheet roof that is hardly atatached to the wood underneith at all, and in some places there is no wood under it, so I hade to find studs to run screws into and such.
Steve
My roof is fiberglass so tape is the recommended method.
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Teleman
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03/08/22 10:38am |
Tech Issues
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RE: Solar questions
I'm not planning on removing them but it's good to know how. How would you get the tape residue off the roof?
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Teleman
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03/05/22 09:22pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Solar questions
I went up on the roof today to see how I could add brackets. The Z brackets I have require nuts and bolts on the bottom surface of the frame and there is almost no clearance to get to them. But frankly those panels are really on there! I pulled up on them pretty hard and they aren't budging. How would you remove them if you needed to? Painstakingly cut the VHB tape off the bracket with a razor blade?
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Teleman
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03/05/22 07:42pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Solar questions
Well I used 4 brackets with VHB tape and reading the more recent comments it seems less than ideal. Options are cabling the panels to a solid anchorage point like the roof AC frame. Prying the panels off and redoing them with 6 or 8 brackets. Or?
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Teleman
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03/02/22 11:21am |
Tech Issues
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Solar questions
I'm mounting three 210 watt Newpowa panels on my 30'Class A motorhome. I'm using Renogy Z brackets to mount them to my fiberglass roof. The panels are pre drilled to accept 8 of these brackets. Do you recommend 4 or 8 brackets per panel? Also I'm using the MPPT controller in my Redarc 40A DC to DC charger which has an input voltage of 9-32V. I need to run the panels in parallel to keep the voltage low enough but that means I need to use 6ga wire to run from the point of parallel conection. Do they make connectors that will fit 6ga wire? Or do I need to splice the cables? Thanks in advance.
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Teleman
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02/17/22 06:14pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Redarc 40 amp DC to DC Charger issue
Forgot to mention this previously. Something that needs to considered when electing to turn on a dc to dc charger based on ignition voltage (vs. alternator output voltage) is potentially reduced current to the starter while starting the engine. As soon as the ignition is turned on, a 40a dc to dc charger could be drawing as much as 60a from the battery. On some vehicles that 60a reduction could impact starter performance---especially in extreme cold/hot weather conditions.
As I recall there is a delay from when the ignition is activated to when the charger passes current.
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Teleman
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01/22/22 11:05am |
Tech Issues
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RE: Redarc 40 amp DC to DC Charger issue
Using the battery isolator didn't work. It didn't shut down so we connected the ignition wire and now it turns off with the ignition. Don't worry, even if there wasn't a warning beep when the ignition is on until starting the motor it's not something I'd forget.Did you happen to check voltage at the battery isolator with the engine not running? If the BI didn't shutdown the dc to dc charger that suggests your BI was defective or it was receiving >13.3v when the alternator was off-line. A fully charged automotive, lead-cell battery can only produce a max voltage of 12.7v-12.8v when the alternator is off-line (even with the ignition on). In any event, if you're ok having your dc to dc charger active with the ignition on and the engine not running, that's certainly your call. Good luck with everything.
I don't leave the ignition on with the engine not running. Like I said it was just an experiment.
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Teleman
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01/21/22 05:12pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Redarc 40 amp DC to DC Charger issue
I would disconnect your blue trigger wire and see if it will work sensing the alternator voltage, less chance of drawing down your starting battery.
Again that was the original configuration and it didn't work. The charger stayed active.
I'm constantly monitoring my battery shunt and I have power pack to jump start the battery, generator, erc. It's fine.
Ok no problem, I would check again. On mine it takes 30 sec to 60sec to turn off after the ignition is shut off. It freaked me out at first because I thought it was not turning off. I I think takes a little bit for it to sense the voltage drop.
It's in the shop now but I'll do some more experimenting when I get it home.
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Teleman
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01/21/22 11:37am |
Tech Issues
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RE: Redarc 40 amp DC to DC Charger issue
I would disconnect your blue trigger wire and see if it will work sensing the alternator voltage, less chance of drawing down your starting battery.
Again that was the original configuration and it didn't work. The charger stayed active.
I'm constantly monitoring my battery shunt and I have power pack to jump start the battery, generator, erc. It's fine.
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Teleman
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01/21/22 10:59am |
Tech Issues
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RE: Redarc 40 amp DC to DC Charger issue
I only turned the ignition on to measure the current briefly out of curiosity before I started the motor. The charger activates with a signal from the ignition. The output current is about 43A at higher rpms and 48 at idle like I said.I prefer using a battery isolator because it requires >13.3v to activate the dc to dc charger. Zero chance of inadvertently discharging the starter/TV battery—ignition on or off.
I was hoping it was your input current fluctuating. Very unusual for charge current to fluctuate like that based on alternator rpm/output. The whole purpose of a dc to dc charger is to stabilize the charge process.
Using the battery isolator didn't work. It didn't shut down so we connected the ignition wire and now it turns off with the ignition. Don't worry, even if there wasn't a warning beep when the ignition is on until starting the motor it's not something I'd forget.
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Teleman
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01/21/22 10:46am |
Tech Issues
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RE: Redarc 40 amp DC to DC Charger issue
. . . Input current to the Redarc gets as high as 54 amps with the ignition on without starting the motor . . . Any particular reason you would allow your dc to dc charger to be on-line when the alternator is off-line? Most use a battery isolator or trigger wire (found on most dc to dc chargers) to prevent the dc to dc charger from inadvertently discharging the starter/TV battery when the alternator is off-line for any reason.
Output current stays about 43 amps when driving and climbs to about 48-49 at idle.Are you saying the output or input current climbs to 48-49a at idle?
If the output/charge current climbs to 48-49a at idle, I'd have to agree, it's definitely out-of-spec. How high did the input current go?
If you're referencing input current to the dc to dc charger, then 48-49a would seem perfectly normal with the alternator operating less efficiently at idle (higher voltage drop forces higher current).
I only turned the ignition on to measure the current briefly out of curiosity before I started the motor. The charger activates with a signal from the ignition. The output current is about 43A at higher rpms and 48 at idle like I said.
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Teleman
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01/20/22 07:55pm |
Tech Issues
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