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11-14-2015, 11:24 AM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 692
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18 Watt Solar Panel
5th Wheel all winterized for this year (sigh..) Every other year, we have just left the unit plugged in with an extension cord into our garage. I do not wish to remove the battery, at times going into the unit during winter and being able to extend the slides is necessary. This year, not wanting to deal with the cord under the snow across the driveway anymore.... I've purchased an 18V solar panel with charge controller. It's been plugged in for over a week now and working out fine. With the propane detector and other parasitic drain, I don't believe the battery would last more than a couple of weeks (we don't have a battery cutout). Over the past week I've checked it a couple of times, in the morning, the battery has 12.4/5 volts. In the afternoon, the battery is reading 12.6/7 (AGM 55Ah Deep Cycle). I'm sure I'll need to ensure the snow does not cover the panel periodically, however seems like this is going to work out fine. Only about $79.00 cost, worth it to me to not have the unit plugged in all winter.
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2011 F350 DRW 4X4
"The Beast"
2011 Cougar 325 SRX
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12-01-2015, 07:52 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Commiefornia/Casper WY
Posts: 569
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Which solar panel or kit did you get?
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2010 Fleetwood Discovery 40X
2009 Hummer H3
2011 English Bulldog (Tilly)
2009 Club Car Golf Cart
2020 Ram 3500 Dually
(Reserved for new trailer)
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12-02-2015, 01:25 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 692
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Panel
Quote:
Originally Posted by hoffbrew
Which solar panel or kit did you get?
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http://www.homedepot.com/p/Coleman-1...8033/203241551
__________________
2011 F350 DRW 4X4
"The Beast"
2011 Cougar 325 SRX
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12-10-2015, 02:32 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2011
Location: forked river nj
Posts: 314
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very nice- did you hard wire and mount the panel or do a temporary job for the winter?
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2011 F250- gas- 4 star tuner- k&n intake
2011 Cougar 325srx
2015 KTM 350 exc-r
KTM 300 xc-sold
ktm 450 exc-r
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12-10-2015, 02:01 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 692
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Install
Quote:
Originally Posted by dave-g
very nice- did you hard wire and mount the panel or do a temporary job for the winter?
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The panel is just placed next to the driver side (south) next to the propane door, duck tape, on a piece of plywood. I have ordered a panel bracket for mounting on the ground on a plywood base, just under the storage compartment. The wire goes in through the bottom of the propane compartment, hole drilled through to the front battery compartment. The wires connect to the battery with eye connectors, then tail to the removable plug. Charge controller is screwed to the compartment wall.
__________________
2011 F350 DRW 4X4
"The Beast"
2011 Cougar 325 SRX
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12-10-2015, 05:40 PM
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#6
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Site Team
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Gaylord
Posts: 26,981
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Be careful with that duct tape on the painted door surface. With the sun beating down on it for any length of time, the adhesive will yellow the paint on the door and you're going to have a permanent stain that you won't be able to buff out and without a complete paint job, you won't be able to remove.
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John
2015 F250 6.7l 4x4
2014 Cougar X Lite 27RKS
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12-11-2015, 02:02 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 692
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Tape
Quote:
Originally Posted by JRTJH
Be careful with that duct tape on the painted door surface. With the sun beating down on it for any length of time, the adhesive will yellow the paint on the door and you're going to have a permanent stain that you won't be able to buff out and without a complete paint job, you won't be able to remove.
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Thanks for that. Should only be a few days and the bracket for the panel will be here. Appreciate the tip.
__________________
2011 F350 DRW 4X4
"The Beast"
2011 Cougar 325 SRX
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12-14-2015, 07:53 AM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: On the road - FT
Posts: 129
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Curious as to what bracket you ordered for the panel?
Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk
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2013 Raptor 300 MP, MORryde 8K IS, Kodiak disc brakes, 940 watt solar system, 630 ah battery bank, Magnum 2000 watt pure sine wave inverter/charger, ME-ARC, ME-AGS, ME-BMK.
2005 Freightliner Century Class S/T, 14L 60 Series Detroit, 10 spd Ultrashift, w/3.73, Trailer Saver TSLB 3 bag hitch.
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12-14-2015, 02:28 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 692
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Bracket
Quote:
Originally Posted by DMK
Curious as to what bracket you ordered for the panel?
Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk
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I'll post a pic when it arrives and I get it installed, it's simply two pieces for the ends. It's supposed to arrive tomorrow.
__________________
2011 F350 DRW 4X4
"The Beast"
2011 Cougar 325 SRX
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12-14-2015, 04:55 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Arrey,
Posts: 2,368
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jje 1960, Howdy;
Notice you mentioned you have an AGM battery. Here's some supplemental
info in case you may not have been aware.
http://batteryuniversity.com/learn/a..._glass_mat_agm
hankaye
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Striving for a less complicated life since 1949 ...
Home: 2008 Cougar 278 RKS
T.V.: 2004 F-250 4X4, Level III BulletProofed , Detroit Tru-Track Differential (915A550)
Dog: 2006 Border Collie (Rascal) aka Maximum fur dispersal unit. (08/04/2006 - 12/16/2017) RIP.
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12-15-2015, 02:04 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 692
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Agm
Quote:
Originally Posted by hankaye
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Thanks for the link, much the same 'all over the map' as I researched before moving to AGM. I really love not having to worry about checking the water level.
__________________
2011 F350 DRW 4X4
"The Beast"
2011 Cougar 325 SRX
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12-20-2015, 10:15 AM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 692
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Bracket Arrived
Works nicely. With it slid just under the trailer, the sun hits it enough in the afternoon for green light to show topped battery.
__________________
2011 F350 DRW 4X4
"The Beast"
2011 Cougar 325 SRX
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