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Upgraded Solar

Vintage465
Explorer III
Explorer III
So Here is what I've done with my solar:
Added a third panel, moved the passengers side panel to the edge to free up room in the middle of the roof for things like the combiner box and a Fantastic Fan(when I get around to it).

I got the combiner box off Ebay. Exterior UV tolerant and all that stuff. Put a positive and a negative post at opposing corners to gather up the PV conductors. Fused each positive from the panels, though some say not necessary and some say yes. Put a 40a switch type breaker in the middle so I can shut off the power. Couldn't find a straight up switch that fit as well as that one does. Used all heat shrink type crimp connectors mainly for stability and longevity

These little goodies came from AM Solar. They fit a special #10 Duplex conductor that is UV Rated.

This is the #10 Duplex. Good for 300 volts if I recall. It's a real nice product and is real flexible for winding around in the combiner box.

My controller is a 30a Samlex PWM surface mount type. I moved it from over the bed to the pass thru on the drivers side. I made a housing of plexi-glass to fit it into. I drilled some holes to ventilate it. I had to do some heating, forging and filing to get the #4 copper connectors into the housing to get to the controller terminals. I came down from the combiner with #4. Out of the controller with #2 to the batteries(actually #4 to the breaker, then #2 to the batteries. Same with the Negative.....no way was #2 going get into that little 30a PWM.

This is what it came out looking like under the pass thru. I put a switch to shut off the PV Line and the 30a breaker is also a switch.

This is the conductor that came from the existing Zamp Combiner. The installer just coiled up the 8' piece it came with to go 2'to the controller.(the controller was in the cabinet over the bed) Then ORV used 22' of #8 wire to get to the batteies. I now have 15' of #4 welding cable from the combiner to the Controller now in the pass thru. Then about 6' of #2 to the batteries

We are heading to the desert for Thanksgiving and hope to give it a good boon docking trial. We've always made it a week in the past with our various setups, but I think we'll be real good now.
450w Solar
4-6v GC batteries-465ah
V-465
2013 GMC 2500HD Duramax Denali. 2015 CreekSide 20fq w/450 watts solar and 465 amp/hour of batteries. Retired and living the dream!
8 REPLIES 8

icanon
Explorer
Explorer
Nice installation. Thanks for posting give me some ideas.
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gatorcq
Explorer
Explorer
I use the Plug and Play methode.
1 in 2 connectors or 1 in 4 connectors. No longer need a combiner box.
Resettable circuit breakers are located next o solar controller
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austinjenna
Explorer
Explorer
Nice job! Looks good - hope it serves you well

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Vintage465
Explorer III
Explorer III
So we spent a full week in the high desert in California and the temps were in the 20's to 40's day and night. 4" of snow. The new set up I revamped by adding an additional 150w panel, to make 450w. Running #4 conductor down to the new controller location near the battery bank(4 each 6v GC) worked out great. Able to run the furnace at night to keep the frosties away and charge during the day. And the days weren't all sunny either......Each night after the surface charge fluffed off I had 12.8 volts.
V-465
2013 GMC 2500HD Duramax Denali. 2015 CreekSide 20fq w/450 watts solar and 465 amp/hour of batteries. Retired and living the dream!

Vintage465
Explorer III
Explorer III
doughere wrote:
Great looking work. Similar to my plans for new trailer on order (should have been here now; dealer/manufacturer messed up order, arrived with incorrect options: second is on order).

Where did you source the switch/circuit breakers. I'd like to use them.

Thanks,
Doug


I got the switch type breakers off E-Bay. Amazon has them too.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/USA-AMP-Marine-Car-Circuit-Breaker-Waterproof-12V-24V-Panel-Mount-Reset-30A-Blk/352840062645?_trkparms=ispr%3D1&hash=item5226e816b5:g:S-sAAOSwuJFdvAun&enc=AQAEAAACUBPxNw%2BVj6nta7CKEs3N0qUqFvlCWvBnan1Jny3LxX0ctTsTcFhSmwOCXQ1JQiKoK7D2brWE%2F55HaxdW9QogBOai46v3P6OFVA4nd%2BidgUMFpvmQXp06pgF%2FMHBh3Abi0qUxVMDR8FvoyMnMpPuN%2FadWlvfcAlBLWl0BrlGMlUjx9KaYkSuOISNj6sCFX6odz%2F%2BA6kocLAETEZ9OkCW2FvqeOU8H4IvcLtxhjF1ECV0KLkFPyX44MNg8EIrcUsJaKYW7QkKR6UgP66Y5Lv1VlfxdI73rd3Ntq6jvknAcnPXywyRHYGTNVYgR2vixtqZSGCbhL4VeidoUxTXTTD2pQ%2BYUquWSiwRgM%2FPfiSPp0bBGZnukszSnnDLbJOuGdgaXrEXwIJ%2F7OJldbQFGfgqeJcQaD%2BBjC1xHoAl11A3pwRmbfTrWp2Gnay15ylEiZafgpVZiQAEhmaMNcmr4DyuKhNkadHwXZJMImjMhUdI8H%2FFNiw8FnkVaLoX5F8fP5irdxLvhk3wn05BpHqztKBTLzi65bOD%2F%2BinqRSa91yunpNAWIdTsLDA3kfW0W6Ud%2FewKny8%2FHe84BIh3GEV3GlOk8pFCEHoKsXj%2FBmwbsBnq5GxKQJ%2BWZNAw1ulBrHY%2BGBtFZbsjx8FoLStkUpZ5pih4bpzGhDj8Io6xsznbT7ym1LWqemYKOg0R7e2vaKfTqHyzoiP%2FiZDwkH5AkhtYUjj5wLcmiqGfZxBigmVVxEh%2FB5l8iSvRx0yykoYFxRkXkZCkrAh7K8pGkpYKK82I2RnVoqI%3D&checksum=352840062645ab1646fb454c41fdbaa9fb08638dc42b&enc=AQAEAAACUBPxNw%2BVj6nta7CKEs3N0qUqFvlCWvBnan1Jny3LxX0ctTsTcFhSmwOCXQ1JQiKoK7D2brWE%2F55HaxdW9QogBOai46v3P6OFVA4nd%2BidgUMFpvmQXp06pgF%2FMHBh3Abi0qUxVMDR8FvoyMnMpPuN%2FadWlvfcAlBLWl0BrlGMlUjx9KaYkSuOISNj6sCFX6odz%2F%2BA6kocLAETEZ9OkCW2FvqeOU8H4IvcLtxhjF1ECV0KLkFPyX44MNg8EIrcUsJaKYW7QkKR6UgP66Y5Lv1VlfxdI73rd3Ntq6jvknAcnPXywyRHYGTNVYgR2vixtqZSGCbhL4VeidoUxTXTTD2pQ%2BYUquWSiwRgM%2FPfiSPp0bBGZnukszSnnDLbJOuGdgaXrEXwIJ%2F7OJldbQFGfgqeJcQaD%2BBjC1xHoAl11A3pwRmbfTrWp2Gnay15ylEiZafgpVZiQAEhmaMNcmr4DyuKhNkadHwXZJMImjMhUdI8H%2FFNiw8FnkVaLoX5F8fP5irdxLvhk3wn05BpHqztKBTLzi65bOD%2F%2BinqRSa91yunpNAWIdTsLDA3kfW0W6Ud%2FewKny8%2FHe84BIh3GEV3GlOk8pFCEHoKsXj%2FBmwbsBnq5GxKQJ%2BWZNAw1ulBrHY%2BGBtFZbsjx8FoLStkUpZ5pih4bpzGhDj8Io6xsznbT7ym1LWqemYKOg0R7e2vaKfTqHyzoiP%2FiZDwkH5AkhtYUjj5wLcmiqGfZxBigmVVxEh%2FB5l8iSvRx0yykoYFxRkXkZCkrAh7K8pGkpYKK82I2RnVoqI%3D&checksum=352840062645ab1646fb454c41fdbaa9fb08638dc42b
V-465
2013 GMC 2500HD Duramax Denali. 2015 CreekSide 20fq w/450 watts solar and 465 amp/hour of batteries. Retired and living the dream!

doughere
Explorer
Explorer
Great looking work. Similar to my plans for new trailer on order (should have been here now; dealer/manufacturer messed up order, arrived with incorrect options: second is on order).

Where did you source the switch/circuit breakers. I'd like to use them.

Thanks,
Doug

profdant139
Explorer II
Explorer II
Great job on both the project and the report -- thanks for posting this!!
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Lwiddis
Explorer
Explorer
Nice, clean installation. One panel might get some shadow early or late in the day but the other two are clear.

450w Solar 4-6v GC batteries-465ah? That will do it IMO.
Winnebago 2101DS TT & 2022 Chevy Silverado 1500 LTZ Z71, WindyNation 300 watt solar-Lossigy 200 AH Lithium battery. Prefer boondocking, USFS, COE, BLM, NPS, TVA, state camps. Bicyclist. 14 yr. Army -11B40 then 11A - (MOS 1542 & 1560) IOBC & IOAC grad