I need HELP!!!: solar hookup

Print Page | Close Window

solar hookup

Printed From: R-pod Owners Forum
Category: R-pod Discussion Forums
Forum Name: I need HELP!!!
Forum Discription: Perplexed/need help with a problem - ask here
URL: http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=13152
Printed Date: 13 May 2025 at 6:42pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.64 - http://www.webwizforums.com

Topic: solar hookup

Posted By: mford4
Subject: solar hookup
Date Posted: 01 Sep 2019 at 12:44pm

I have used solar before with one 12 volt battery. But we recently bought another used R-Pod 2017 model 177 with a Go Power 120 Watt hookup with two 6 volt batteries. Can someone tell me how I should hook these up to the battery (batteries)?

Thank you all!

-------------
Marlene & David
Adventure is our game!

Replies:

Posted By: podwerkz
Date Posted: 01 Sep 2019 at 12:57pm

Hook up the gopower positive and negative clamps or clips from the controller to the two batteries in series.

There will be a heavy cable between the positive and negative of the two 6 volt batteries. Ignore those.

Use the other two terminals, the ones that are feeding the camper itself.

-------------
r･pod 171 gone but not forgotten!

Posted By: mford4
Date Posted: 01 Sep 2019 at 1:16pm

I know letting people like me out in the world to do stuff like this is crazy but here goes....I see the two batteries. the positive (red) is first on left....next is negative (black) hooked also to other battery and what looks like the power to the camper....then on battery two is positive (red) also hooked to battery on left and line that goes into the camper then black (negative) on right which is hooked to negative on the battery on the left. So if I understand you the positive and negative terminals that already have the added connections and the one being sent to the camper is the one I should attach the solar power to.

Is that correct?

-------------
Marlene & David
Adventure is our game!

Posted By: mford4
Date Posted: 01 Sep 2019 at 1:19pm

I wish I could take a photo to help explain myself.

-------------
Marlene & David
Adventure is our game!

Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 01 Sep 2019 at 6:48pm

Sounds like maybe you have two 12V batteries in parallel rather than two 6V batteries in series.

If the two battery plus terminals are connected and the two battery minus terminals are connected then they are in parallel.

If one of the battery plus terminals is connected to the other battery minus terminal then they are in series.

Either way, if you connect your solar plus terminal to the battery plus terminal that is also connected to the trailer and the solar negative terminal to the battery negative terminal that is also connected to the trailer you should be OK.

-------------
1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold

Posted By: podwerkz
Date Posted: 01 Sep 2019 at 8:43pm

Lets rewind and go back to basics.

Count and describe the openings, covers, or caps on top of the batteries. Post your answer here.

-------------
r･pod 171 gone but not forgotten!

Posted By: poston
Date Posted: 01 Sep 2019 at 8:59pm

Originally posted by podwerkz

Count and describe the openings, covers, or caps on top of the batteries. Post your answer here.

Picture!

-------------

--
Jim
Virginia City, Nevada
2016 R-pod 180
2015 Nissan Xterra Pro-4X

Posted By: podwerkz
Date Posted: 01 Sep 2019 at 9:36pm

Pictures, sure...but that's a lot of extra steps on this forum.

If the OP comes back and says 'I see 3 round plastic yellow caps on each battery', we know we have two, 6 volt batteries.

If they see 'two rectangular black caps' or '6 round white caps' on each, then we have two 12 volt batteries.

(these are examples, no literal meaning about cap color is inferred)

I'm trying to keep this BASIC.

If the reply is something else, we will go to plan B.

-------------
r･pod 171 gone but not forgotten!