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Topic ClosedConnecting a 100 watt solar panel to Zamp port

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FrayAdjacent View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Topic: Connecting a 100 watt solar panel to Zamp port
    Posted: 13 Jun 2018 at 2:28am
I really loathe SAE connectors... Ugh. On one end, the exposed pin is positive, on the other, it's negative! Makes it a pain in the a** to make up your own connectors.

For my own stuff, I switched to using Anderson PowerPole connectors. You use the same connectors on either end and just rotate 180 degrees to mate with another cable. They're color coded, too. Super easy. 

On my old camper (at the moment, I still have it, picking up the R-Pod 176 this Friday), I removed the ring connectors to the battery and replaced with an Anderson connector. Then I built a couple ring connector pig tails to leave connected to the battery, so I can connect it to the camper, and have one to connect to solar. I have a flexible 100W panel and a cheaper PWM charge controller, that conveniently fits under the battery box cover when in use. I only set it up when at a campsite. 

On the R-POD, I may opt for a permanent solar install on the roof, and figure I'll drop the cable down into the cabin, I'm thinking through the antenna hole (will need to research the best point of ingress...) and mount a nicer MPPT charge controller somewhere along the panel with the other electronic bits. Then I can run cable down to the converter below it. That way the solar can be permanently hooked up. I may also wire in a cutoff switch. 

Long term, I'd like to mount a couple larger batteries (more capacity) below the rear dinette in the storage area. Maybe 4kWh or more of lithium based batteries (when prices come down), then wire in an inverter and charger. I think it will be awesome when we can get several kWh worth of lithium based batteries for reasonable prices... it will change boondocking quite a bit! 
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 Jun 2018 at 9:12pm
FrayAdjacent- I mounted a 10 watt panel on the roof with gnarly industrial grade two sided tape. Ran wires in a loom down the back of the roof anchored with a couple loom clamps screwed into the top skin and siliconed. I soldered on an sae connector and plug it right into the zamp plug that was already installed.

I installed a voltage contoller in the front storage compartment, as it's close to the batteries. The 10 watt panel keeps the battey topped off when I'm not using the trailer; all winter it stays charged. For camping, I have a 100 watt GoalZero set of panels; I unplug the 10 watt and plug in the 100 watt and I'm good to go. Easy breezy. SAE connecotrs work well. You just need to keep them straight as you wire things up. I have a volt meter so it's easy to check positive or negative voltage.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 Sep 2018 at 9:34pm
Originally posted by FrayAdjacent

I really loathe SAE connectors... Ugh. On one end, the exposed pin is positive, on the other, it's negative! Makes it a pain in the a** to make up your own connectors.

I just plugged the SAE connector from my charge controller into the Zamp port (which is really just a female SAE port) before plugging in the solar panel.  Then there's never an exposed positive pin.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Jun 2019 at 11:02am
We just purchased Thunder bolt 100 watt spark panels , but it does not fit the Port into the RPod?what do I need to do?
I’ve heard that we need to change the polarity for the SAE plug?
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Jun 2019 at 11:14am
Did you get a charge controller as well as a solar module?  If you you should, so you don't overcharge your battery. If you want you can connect your solar system directly to the battery terminals.

 If you want to use the zamp connector you can get a mating SAE connector, wire it to your charger controller and connect that to the zamp port. That way you don't have to change any wiring on the trailer. Use a voltmeter to be sure you have your polarity right. 
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