new R-Pod owner

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   I got a 100w panel with a control/charger yesterday.  I would appreciate input on how you connected yours.  I normally would connect straight to the batteries, but don’t know if that would backfeed and hurt anything in the camper.  Also, dosent the camper have a battery charge indicator?  I still need to familiarize myself with the controls in it.  My last camper was a good bit older with no electronics.  On another note, can I get a pdf manuel for my model somewhere?  Or a hard copy?  Thanks

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Brent S Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 25 Sep 2018 Location: SE USA Online Status: Offline Posts: 21	Topic: new R-Pod owner Posted: 26 Sep 2018 at 5:15am
	I got a 100w panel with a control/charger yesterday. I would appreciate input on how you connected yours. I normally would connect straight to the batteries, but don’t know if that would backfeed and hurt anything in the camper. Also, dosent the camper have a battery charge indicator? I still need to familiarize myself with the controls in it. My last camper was a good bit older with no electronics. On another note, can I get a pdf manuel for my model somewhere? Or a hard copy? Thanks

offgrid Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 23 Jul 2018 Online Status: Offline Posts: 5290	Posted: 26 Sep 2018 at 6:54am
	Brent S, you can connect your solar charge controller output directly to the batteries if you want, no problem with backfeed. The solar input connection on the rRods is just a connection to the battery anyway. so its the same thing, just adds a longer wire run so more voltage loss. It would be a good idea to connect it through an inline fuse in case you ever get a short in the line to the solar module/controller. Batteries put out a lot of current into to short, solar modules don't, so the fuse should go at the battery end. There is a battery indicator, should be the lowest button on your indicator panel, just below the ones for the water tanks. Not really very accurate but it gives you some idea. You should have gotten a basic manual with the rPod. Forest River has those online as well. If you're looking for a full blown manual with things like actual schematics, there aren't any AFAIK. I don't think anyone on this forum has ever found anything like that but if they have I'm sure we'll hear suggestions later on today.
	1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold

Brent S Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 25 Sep 2018 Location: SE USA Online Status: Offline Posts: 21	Posted: 26 Sep 2018 at 9:55am
	Thanks. After I posted I went out and saw the battery indicator on the wall by the door. I also tested the outside lights and have brake and turn, but no running lights. One more thing to work on before taking it out. Good idea on the fuse in the line. I’m an electrician so would probably have done that anyways, but I’m the first to admit that I don’t know DC or solar systems well. I haven’t looked at the panel inside the camper yet, but like the idea of installing a coupler outside at the batteries. Once I weld a new battery mount, to handle two batteries, I will post some pictures of what I did for it and the solar connector. I’ll look around for a Manuel but don’t believe I got one. Will also check their website, thanks. I noticed the jacks are pretty low on this trailer. I wonder if anyone has ever lifted theirs to avoid hitting them on bumps while going down the road?

offgrid Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 23 Jul 2018 Online Status: Offline Posts: 5290	Posted: 26 Sep 2018 at 10:25am
	Brent S, its great that you are an electrician, you already know all about faults, ampacities, overcurrent protection, and conductor voltage drops. As an electrician you are already no doubt very familiar with the NEC. Take a look at Article 690 sometime, that's the article on solar PV. I actually helped write that article back in the day. Really there is no major difference in most of the requirements for DC and solar and conventional AC circuit design, except for two things. In solar you have to be thinking about current sources coming from both directions. And in solar the current from a shorted solar array is only about 10% greater than its normal operating current on a summer day. So, solar generally can't produce the current needed to clear a breaker or fuse in the event of a fault. Batteries of course can. The other thing is like any other 12V circuit, voltage drop is much more likely to drive what size conductors you use than ampacity. So for example your 100 watt module will not put out much more than 6A so a 10A fuse will do, but if you're going to want to place your module out in the sunshine say 50 feet from your trailer you will need probably 10 AWG conductors to keep the voltage drop down to something reasonable. Many people find it easiest to buy a heavy duty extension cord and cut the ends off to do this. Not sure what you mean by lifting your jacks but for sure crank them all the way up when you're towing. I've never bottomed out on mine.
	1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold

GlueGuy Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 15 May 2017 Location: N. California Online Status: Offline Posts: 2628	Posted: 26 Sep 2018 at 10:55am
	You can use smaller gauge wire if you locate the solar controller next to the batteries. Then the solar panel(s) can be higher voltage, which will result in lower current, which means smaller gauge wire. Almost all the panels we have been using have an open circuit voltage in the 35-40 volt range, which needs to be stepped down to work with a 12VDC system (if you're only using one). The arrays we use on our remote solar sites are usually connected serially, so we see open circuit voltages in the 300-500 volt range, and run them through an MPPT controller which will step down the operating voltage to whatever you need.
	bp 2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River 2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost

offgrid Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 23 Jul 2018 Online Status: Offline Posts: 5290	Posted: 26 Sep 2018 at 10:58am
	Oh, and I forgot to mention it, but dual GC2 size golf cart batteries in the appropriate plastic cases should already fit in your battery rack. That give more than 200 amp hours battery capacity.
	1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold

Brent S Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 25 Sep 2018 Location: SE USA Online Status: Offline Posts: 21	Posted: 26 Sep 2018 at 11:21am
	Normally I would have gone for 2 6v deep cells, but I got 2 12v AGM marine batteries on a good sale from sears. They are 92 amp hrs each, but are slightly larger than the ‘golf cart ones’. Together they are about 3/4” too wide to fit between the tongue like the original battery rack is. I will cut it off (it’s pretty corroded anyways) and just weld a new one onto the top of the tongue arms. I have a large miller welder but also a small Lincoln wire feed that is great for small jobs like this. My plan was to get this to play with, but first I need to do a few things to get it going. Same thing with the gas tank rack, I will just cut off the old one and weld the one double one I just got from amazon onto it. With moving the batteries forwards an inch or two it’s fairly tight but will all still fit.

Brent S Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 25 Sep 2018 Location: SE USA Online Status: Offline Posts: 21	Posted: 26 Sep 2018 at 11:30am
	Luckily we have plenty of spare wire in our shop here. My son and I have a small electrical company together. I hadn’t even done the math for voltage drop yet but wouldn’t consider less than 10ga anyways. SO cord is really flexible and long lasting, very similar to a good heavy extension cord. The jacks just seem kind of low, and one of mine in the rear is different allready, so I imagine the original owner hit something with it. There are shackle extensions that you can bolt onto where the leaf springs mount to give a couple inches more height. I will probably add them down the road. Loosing a jack is one thing, but I’d really hate to loose some plumbing under there. The jacks are all the way out to the corners though, at least the plumbing is closer to the axle and is more protected. Probably not much to worry about but caught my attention when I noticed one had been replaced allready.

Brent S Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 25 Sep 2018 Location: SE USA Online Status: Offline Posts: 21	Posted: 26 Sep 2018 at 11:33am
	Really good to know about just hooking up the solar panels anywhere in line with the batteries. I was a little worried about frying something in the camper.

offgrid Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 23 Jul 2018 Online Status: Offline Posts: 5290	Posted: 26 Sep 2018 at 12:20pm
	Try to keep your voltage drops to about 0.5 or 0.6V max which is about 5%, same as you would for a 120V branch feeder. That can be hard to do at 12V. I know some folks with a big 12V solar system a long way from their cabin that spent as much on their copper as they did on the solar. SO cord is perfect for the application, fine stranding, good stuff. Got any extra laying around? Ah, sounds like you want to lift the whole pod. rPods use torsion axles, but there is a riser kit available. Lots of folks here have lifted theirs. One little nuance on the 12V batteries. You're going to parallel those of course. When you do, take the pos from one batt and the neg from the other. That keeps the conductor resistance the same so the two batts always take the same charge and discharge currents and stay in better balance.
	1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold