Zamp 45w Solar Panel

[meaz93*]

I've got a 2018 Keystone Outback 328RL. It came with the Furrion 10amp Solar Socket/Plug on the side of the coach.
When the Furrion/ Zamp Adapter Plug is plugged in..the solar panel red fault light is illumined? Blue charging light flashes, as well as the green full charge light?
Long story short I went through battery; battery shut off switch, breaker/fuse inside coach, change in line fuse from solar panel to Furrion/Zamp Adapter Plug, etc...
Nothing.
So I disconnected the Furrion/Zamp plug and plugged in the battery clamps that came with the solar kit.
Works fine. All I can figure is that their is an underlining issue with the Furrion/Zamp adapter plug? Thing is it fits; plugs in tight and when taken apart looks perfect?
Called Zamp directly and spoke with a tech. Said he would send all my info to the warranty department....so I'm curious to see what happens.
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[flybouy]

My first guess would be a polarity issue. Haventested/confirmed that the polarity is not reversed?

[JRTJH]

I agree, probably a polarity issue. If I remember correctly, the ZAMP connector and the Furrion "adapter" are opposite polarity connections... Change the wiring on one or the other and it should work.

[meaz93*]

Yeah....I would hope that the Furrion/Solar socket wasn't installed wrong from the factory?
I mean my Furrion Plug & Play Backup Camera setup on the back of the TT works fine.

[meaz93*]

The thing is that their is only one way to plug the adapter plug to the solar panel wire harness & than into the trailer?

[Canonman]

Look at where the Furion adaptor connects to the leads from the battery (distribution block). Reverse the wiring from the adaptor there. Should work. I understand it's a Zamp thing somehow. I installed ours from scratch so there was no question where positive went:)

[flybouy]

The thing is that their is only one way to plug the adapter plug to the solar panel wire harness & than into the trailer?

One way to plug it in doesn't mean the polarity is correct. You stated that using the battery clamps it works so what is the difference? Easy enough to check out with a simple voltage meter.

[meaz93*]

I guess when it comes down to it....doesnt really matter. Zamp Solar Panel works with the supplied positive negative battery clamps.
But....when the TT comes with a factory Solar Port, I would rather use that-lol
I'll get it figured out!
Thanks for all the suggestions[emoji106]26168

[flybouy]

I guess when it comes down to it....doesnt really matter. Zamp Solar Panel works with the supplied positive negative battery clamps.
But....when the TT comes with a factory Solar Port, I would rather use that-lol
I'll get it figured out!
Thanks for all the suggestions[emoji106]26168

Isn't the trailer set up Furrion and the unit you are plugging in Zamp? Are they not 2 different companies?

[meaz93*]

Isn't the trailer set up Furrion and the unit you are plugging in Zamp? Are they not 2 different companies?Yes different companies but Furrion doesn't manufacture portable RV Solar Panels....just the plug in-as far as I know. Lot of other companies/solar kits made to plug into the Furrion plug.

[JRTJH]

Yes different companies but Furrion doesn't manufacture portable RV Solar Panels....just the plug in-as far as I know. Lot of other companies/solar kits made to plug into the Furrion plug.

The point we're trying to make is that NOT ALL GM SPARK PLUGS WILL WORK IN FORD's....

ZAMP and FURRION are two different companies and their plugs are not standardized. Plugging a ZAMP plug into a FURRION receptacle will cause a "polarity reversal" because the two companies do not use the same "polarity standard" It has NOTHING to do with Keystone or with FURRION. It has to do with you "choosing a different plug (ZAMP) with a different wiring polarity and YOU (not Keystone) trying to plug it in "backwards" from what the manufacturer of the plug intended....

Don't blame it on Keystone, blame it on GM not having standardized spark plugs that fit all FORDS......

[meaz93*]

I appreciate you trying to "dumb it down" for me-lol
I'm not sure about the GM sparkplug for a Ford sparkplug analogy?....all good though.
Again....their is an actual approved adapter plug that is made to plug and play with the Zamp / Furrion /Keystone setup.
I'm not flaming one or the other company.
I suspect that Zamp will send me a different adapter....than we will see if the one I currently have is defective.26170

[meaz93*]

No worries....Zamp is sending a new adapter ASAP- no charge!2617126173

[meaz93*]

And finally- in case this were to happen to anyone else.26174

[Canonman]

Easy Fix! Kudos to Zamp.
They've treated me very well also. Real stand up company

[ObiRich]

The thing is that their is only one way to plug the adapter plug to the solar panel wire harness & than into the trailer?

You can buy a gender changer for the Zamp socket (it's just a standard SAE plug). They do come with reversed polarity (my Hideout is the same way).

[bbells]

You may need a solar charge controller. Most built in plugs don't have them. The charge controller adjusts the voltage coming from the panel to a usable level. 12v panels are 15 to 24 volts. FYI, 45watts would just be a trickle charger. It probably would take a week of full sun to charge the battery. My rv uses about half that just sitting.

[meaz93*]

I purchased the 45W Zamp Solar Panel solely for the purposeof keeping the single 12v battery charged when not in use . Being in Arizona obviously their is plenty sunshine[emoji106]
Everything is working perfect now. Battery is staying fully charged.
26817

[daynawide]

Yes different companies but Furrion doesn't manufacture portable RV Solar Panels....just the plug in-as far as I know. Lot of other companies/solar kits made to plug into the Furrion plug.Furrion does make a portable panel.I have one it’s a 95 watt solar suit case panel.

[meaz93*]

Well, I stand corrected! I was combing the Web and couldn't find one-guess I didn't do my due diligence before opening pie hole-lol?
How do you like it and what all does it power?[emoji106]26832

[mikz86ta]

Have you followed the wires from the Furrion plug to the battery/disturbution block/etc. and are certain Keystone actually connected the wires? Or even connected them polarity correct?

They don't always check before leaving factory accessories like that.
They don't always leave the factory with a battery from what I hear. Dealer PDI does some of that stuff.
And they don't always have their best genius hooking up stuff.

[meaz93*]

I did discover that the wire/inline fuse from the Furrion Solar Outlet on my 2018 Keystone Outback had not been connected to the positive side of the battery.....it was pushed down in some wires coming off the frame by the battery box? Overlooked by either the Factory or Dealership....who knows.
In my case the Zamp Adapter Plug was faulty.
Got it replaced and all is good.26962

[JRTJH]

I did discover that the wire/inline fuse from the Furrion Solar Outlet on my 2018 Keystone Outback had not been connected to the positive side of the battery.....it was pushed down in some wires coming off the frame by the battery box? Overlooked by either the Factory or Dealership....who knows.
In my case the Zamp Adapter Plug was faulty.
Got it replaced and all is good.26962

I would suspect that it's a "wise and prudent" move by the factory and the dealership NOT to connect any wires to the battery that "serve no current (no pun intended) purpose and are not "connected to a live circuit"...

If, the "factory installed solar system" is "inactive until the trailer owner buys additional equipment to connect to the system" then connecting those wires to the battery would make "a disconnected plug with no function" a live part of a circuit that isn't used....

That's sort of like Ford or GM adding an extra wire to the positive terminal on your truck battery and putting electrical tape on the other end so nothing shorts out...

If the wiring isn't being used, it shouldn't be connected and carrying live power.

[mikz86ta]

I would suspect that it's a "wise and prudent" move by the factory and the dealership NOT to connect any wires to the battery that "serve no current (no pun intended) purpose and are not "connected to a live circuit"...


Good point. BUT, either or both.....the dealer during PDI and demo, should be aware of this as a normal practice. Thus letting the new owner know that the wire is there and not connected & the reason why. The manufacturer should place a placard on a string in the RV near the control panel that states this fact and what you need to do make the circuit active. Car manufacturers place these on leather seats letting you know the quality of the leather you have, or a airbag notice hanging from the glovebox. And RV manufacturers already place stickers, clings and placards all over bragging about their features. So why not assist on something useful? Lol

[JRTJH]

Good point. BUT, either or both.....the dealer during PDI and demo, should be aware of this as a normal practice. Thus letting the new owner know that the wire is there and not connected & the reason why. The manufacturer should place a placard on a string in the RV near the control panel that states this fact and what you need to do make the circuit active. Car manufacturers place these on leather seats letting you know the quality of the leather you have, or a airbag notice hanging from the glovebox. And RV manufacturers already place stickers, clings and placards all over bragging about their features. So why not assist on something useful? Lol

You do have a valid point. Maybe you should contact Keystone and suggest that they develop those decals and include the "teaching points" on the PDI recommendations....

Keep in mind that so far, most PDI orientations done by dealerships typically fail to provide the location of the dump valves, the water pump and the black tank anti-siphon valve... So, information overload and time allotted may have more to do with what's skipped than how important an owner may find any particular feature.

If Keystone and the dealerships "covered everything" it's likely we'd never have a "one day PDI/orientation" again.....

Honestly, for most people, decals and tags 'remain invisible"... I can't begin to count the number of owners who post, "Do I need a battery installed to operate my slides?" There's a 3"x3" RED decal located directly beside the slide switch that says, "WARNING, do not operate slides without a fully charged battery connected to the trailer wiring system".... Hmmmmm another "tag hanging in the way" ???

[flybouy]

How many people have read the tags/stickers on their pillows, mattresses, clothing, hair dryers, toasters, clothing irons, cell phone chargers, can opener, ........
Ya, thought so.

[JRTJH]

How many people have read the tags/stickers on their pillows, mattresses, clothing, hair dryers, toasters, clothing irons, cell phone chargers, can opener, ........
Ya, thought so.

The very FIRST thing I do when I uncoil a new extension cord is "vocally cuss the Guvment and manufacturer" as I cut off every damn one of those 15 metalized plastic tape tags that prevent my from using my "new extension cord" …

As for reading those tags??? Do they have words on them or "just the Approved by UL" label ???

[flybouy]

The very FIRST thing I do when I uncoil a new extension cord is "vocally cuss the Guvment and manufacturer" as I cut off every damn one of those 15 metalized plastic tape tags that prevent my from using my "new extension cord" …

As for reading those tags??? Do they have words on them or "just the Approved by UL" label ???

How would I know!?:lol: