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mle View Drop Down
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Joined: 11 May 2017
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Posts: 8 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: Solar Questions
    Posted: 19 May 2017 at 1:54pm
What solar controllers are you using? Did you get the recommended Zamp or are you running different brands? Any preferences on controller and/or panels? 

Did you get an inverter too? 
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john in idaho View Drop Down
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Posts: 611 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 May 2017 at 2:45pm
The Zamp came ready to go, and since i am not an electrical engineer, It works fine.  Amazon had them on sale for 600.
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sailor323 View Drop Down
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Posts: 281 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 May 2017 at 8:54pm
The question is, 'Do you want "plug and play" or do you want something else?"  I have installed 280 watts of solar power on our Pod for much  less than the cost of Zamp.  There are alternatives that fit everyone's needs
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Posts: 2629 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 May 2017 at 12:54pm
I'm very familiar with DC solar systems. I have been building my own for remote communications facilities for over a decade. 

I presume the zamp connector on an R-pod is connected directly to the battery (or batteries) with probably a fuse in between? If that's the case, then any external solar controller would probably work fine.

I've got a few spare solar panels laying around, and they are all nominally 24V panels (they actually put out between 30 and 37 volts, depending on manufacturer and load, etc).

My intention is to use one of my 150 watt panels, and connect it through a small MPPT controller set for a 12V system.
bp
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StephenH View Drop Down
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Posts: 6288 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 May 2017 at 3:28pm
Mine came with the wiring, but the connections were lacking. There are two wires, positive and negative that connect to the Zamp connector, but were never connected to the battery terminals. They were just wrapped with electrical tape. As far as I know, there is no fuse inline. If they are connected, the panels would need to have a charge controller. Your plan to use a controller is sound.
StephenH
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lostagain View Drop Down
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Posts: 2587 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 May 2017 at 8:46am
I put my controller for my solar panel in a little plastic tool box that can sit right on top of the battery boxes when in use.  I've got short pigtails off the battery to connect to short pigtails off the controller with mc4 connectors.  I put circuit breakers on the + from the panel to the controller and from the controller to the battery, per Windy Nation instructions.  The last three things I need to do are to drill some vent holes in the box, adjust the controller, and sacrifice a chicken.  
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Posts: 6 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 May 2017 at 3:00pm
Add bbq sauce to chicken and grill to desire. Then it's a win win.
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mle View Drop Down
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Posts: 8 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 May 2017 at 12:23pm
Originally posted by sailor323

The question is, 'Do you want "plug and play" or do you want something else?"  I have installed 280 watts of solar power on our Pod for much  less than the cost of Zamp.  There are alternatives that fit everyone's needs

Either is fine with me, I'm fair with electrical work. In the pod we are getting it has the camper friendly package; which apparently now a days that means it has a plug on the back and the wires that run to the battery. That's it. The dealer said, when I asked about the controller: "We don't have them anymore, but you can get them from other places pretty easily." Confused

I'm looking at the Renogy 200w (two 100w panels) with the Renogy wanderer controller. Will probably add in a fuse to that, and wondering if I should get an inverter too. I saw a really nice motor home setup in some of the Amazon reviews. But I'm a n00b when it comes to solar. Car wiring, I'll grumble but get it done.. Solar is new fangled stuff to me. Big smile LOL

Something like this: https://www.amazon.com/Renogy-Monocrystalline-Solar-Starter-Wanderer/dp/B00BCRG22A/
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mle View Drop Down
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Posts: 8 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 May 2017 at 12:32pm
Originally posted by GlueGuy

I'm very familiar with DC solar systems. I have been building my own for remote communications facilities for over a decade. 

I presume the zamp connector on an R-pod is connected directly to the battery (or batteries) with probably a fuse in between? If that's the case, then any external solar controller would probably work fine.

I've got a few spare solar panels laying around, and they are all nominally 24V panels (they actually put out between 30 and 37 volts, depending on manufacturer and load, etc).

My intention is to use one of my 150 watt panels, and connect it through a small MPPT controller set for a 12V system.

When I looked at the wiring in the pod we are getting, it had an input plug on the outside, two wires that went in (prob about a foot long) and those connected to two other wires and were covered; I assume those are to go into the controller, no fuse. The other two wires went across the back of the trailer (behind the wood panel that covers the taillight wires), and ran around the side to the front, up to the batteries. Pretty simple setup. 
To be honest, I was kind of annoyed that they called this 'Solar Ready' and I was told by one of the sales guys that all I needed was the panels multiple times. Then to see how the wiring actually was, it was pretty irritating. Glad I found it before we brought it home though. Embarrassed
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GlueGuy View Drop Down
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Posts: 2629 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 May 2017 at 12:32pm
Originally posted by mle

I'm looking at the Renogy 200w (two 100w panels) with the Renogy wanderer controller. Will probably add in a fuse to that, and wondering if I should get an inverter too.
The r-pod has an inverter for all the stuff that needs AC, including all the convenience outlets. You should not need another one.
bp
2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River
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