My Alpine solar

[mmiille]

My camper has a receptacle where you can plug in a solar panel. The wires inside aren't connected as far as I can tell. I believe there isn't a solar control panel installed and I believe it would need one. Does anyone have something like this on their camper? The guys where I bought it aren't a lot of help.

[chuckster57]

The solar port on the side of the trailer is for a portable solar panel, and they typically have a built in controller. As a rule the wires are connected diretly to the battery or in the case of a "giggy box" they are connected inside the box. You can use a Volt/Ohm meter to test the port.

[mmiille]

Originally Posted by chuckster57

The solar port on the side of the trailer is for a portable solar panel, and they typically have a built in controller. As a rule the wires are connected diretly to the battery or in the case of a "giggy box" they are connected inside the box. You can use a Volt/Ohm meter to test the port.

That makes sense. I bought a panel and controller that I want to mount on a structure close by. Glad to confirm that there is no controller already installed. I couldn't find one, but wanted to make sure.

Thanks!

[chuckster57]

You need to be careful how many amps/watts you put through that wiring. IIRC 10 amps is the limit.

[mmiille]

I have a 180 watt panel that's rated at 10 amps. All 10 gauge wires. I'll monitor amps and volts at startup and periodically. The control panel is digital.10 amps also. 2 - 12 volt lead batteries.

[chuckster57]

With 2 batteries, I prefer to put the trailer leads on opposite batteries and the solar leads on the other opposite posts.

[mmiille]

Originally Posted by chuckster57

With 2 batteries, I prefer to put the trailer leads on opposite batteries and the solar leads on the other opposite posts.

For what purpose?

[chuckster57]

Originally Posted by mmiille

For what purpose?

If the trailer leads are on 1 battery, the load will drain the battery they are hooked up to before draining the other one, causing uneven “wear” solar charge leads on the other posts just because that’s the way I was taught.

[JRTJH]

Originally Posted by chuckster57

...
solar charge leads on the other posts just because that’s the way I was taught.

I was taught the same thing "waaaaaaay back when"....

The "rationale for that rule" as I was told in the 60's, was that if you install multiple ring terminals on a single post, there's a chance that the rings may not make good "physical contact" with each other and you could end up with a loose terminal or with arcing and corrosion between the rings. So, install, if possible, only one ring terminal on each post. That way you are more likely to attain a good electrical contact and eliminate any corrosion between the ring terminals.

Is that still the "preferred method" ?? Who knows, but it's still the way I do it, so you're not alone in the way you connect the terminals to batteries.