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Old 10-15-2020, 09:49 AM   #1
ehidle
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Installed my solar panels!

Finally got around to putting my solar panels up. I used some strut track and angled solar panel mounts to attach to the roof. I finished just too late yesterday to see how much I would get out of them and of course it is cloudy and dark today, so I will have to see the results this weekend, but it's done!

These are two Newpowa 200W, 24V panels in parallel feeding an Aims Power 30A MPPT charge controller. I have 465Ah of battery storage in total and a 1.5kW low frequency inverter feeding the pre-wired solar circuit. The OTG pre-wire option on the rig made this so much easier than it could have been.





Here's a pic of the 400Ah battery I built for the rig. This is in parallel with the crappy lead acid on the tongue that I can switch to if this dies.

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Old 10-15-2020, 12:49 PM   #2
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Looks good, can you adjust the panels to lay flat while in transit?
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Old 10-15-2020, 02:38 PM   #3
ehidle
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Looks good, can you adjust the panels to lay flat while in transit?
Yep, those tilt mounts are adjustable (with enough work). They lay down pretty flat:

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Old 10-15-2020, 02:42 PM   #4
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You reckon when it rains the water will be rolling over your awning (if closed) and soak whoever pops out the door?
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Old 10-15-2020, 02:44 PM   #5
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Perfect. Happy
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Old 10-15-2020, 04:02 PM   #6
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You reckon when it rains the water will be rolling over your awning (if closed) and soak whoever pops out the door?
That's a good point.. luckily I can move them up a notch on the mounting brackets if it becomes an issue. I think there's enough space for the water to make it into the rain gutter instead but we'll see.
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Old 10-15-2020, 04:07 PM   #7
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That's a good point.. luckily I can move them up a notch on the mounting brackets if it becomes an issue. I think there's enough space for the water to make it into the rain gutter instead but we'll see.

Looks like a clean install; I might have put the wires atop your roof in some wire loom from the auto parts store to keep them from getting snagged/damaged.
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Old 10-15-2020, 04:12 PM   #8
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Looks like a clean install; I might have put the wires atop your roof in some wire loom from the auto parts store to keep them from getting snagged/damaged.
I have a big roll of it sitting on my front porch for those and all the cables in the passthrough for the battery, inverter, and solar controller. Just need to find another hunk of time
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Old 10-17-2020, 01:53 PM   #9
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They look wonderful. I did the same installation as you, but I used the Renogy. Happy camping
Thanks! I looked at Renogy but their only 24V panel was 300W and too wide to fit where I have these. Generally I think their stuff is pretty good though. I've been happy with these - I finally got some full sun today and they were close to saturating my charge controller - ~27ish amps into the battery.
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Old 10-19-2020, 06:20 AM   #10
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Nice job! I have 2-100 watt Newpowa panels on a custom power tilt system on my rig, going to an Epever 20A MPPT controller charging 2-6V deep cycle batteries. We are always camping off grid and we never run out of power. Solar is a godsend for us as I don’t like listening to a generator when I’m in the bush. I have a small 1000 watt generator that I don’t bother bringing anymore as the solar system I have works so well, there’s no point!
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Old 11-16-2020, 04:31 AM   #11
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Tore out the Capital Grill - Big Battery Upgrade

I posted the picture of my giant battery earlier in the thread, and last week I finally got around to ripping out the Capital Grill from the ODK (this is free to good home if anyone in the upstate of SC, NEGA, or WNC wants it) and permanently installed the inverter and giant battery it its space.

I like this location better than the passthrough storage for a number of reasons.

First, the cabinet for the outdoor grill is right behind the electrical panel where 12V is distributed. I was having big issues with the long run of #6 they used from the tongue battery to the system causing large voltage drops when loads were drawn. Putting the battery and inverter right behind the electrical panel solves this problem completely.

Second, it moves about 150lbs off of the tongue area (100lb battery and 50lb inverter) and over the rear axle of the rig. I could get another 50lbs off the tongue by removing the lead acid battery but it's nice to have a backup up there.

I had to modify the cabinet somewhat to get the battery in. It was about 1/2" too tall to fit through the opening where the grill was.

Anyway, here's what it looks like. I wish they had put the 120V hookups on the other side on the inverter... I want access to that 120V plug from the outside so I will have to live with having those there. Once I get some loom on them it won't look so janky.

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Old 11-16-2020, 04:41 AM   #12
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Nice looking install!
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Old 11-16-2020, 05:41 AM   #13
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How much heat does that inverter create when in use? I'd think you'd need to have that open when using?
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Old 11-16-2020, 06:42 AM   #14
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How much heat does that inverter create when in use? I'd think you'd need to have that open when using?
It's ~90% efficient so when I'm making coffee it'll be throwing off about 100W in waste heat for a few minutes. With the Cougar OTG package there is only one circuit held up and the only things I have on it are the TV/PC and the coffee maker.

Just sitting there idle it's about 30W so not really anything to write home about. If it gets too hot it will let me know.
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Old 11-16-2020, 06:52 AM   #15
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I like the inverter Connecticut with 2 Romax wires . Are connected directly to the breaker box? I used the same size wire plugged into my inverter it made it easer because the Rinky-dink wire connections on my aims inverter are to small .
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Old 11-16-2020, 07:09 AM   #16
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I like the inverter Connecticut with 2 Romax wires . Are connected directly to the breaker box? I used the same size wire plugged into my inverter it made it easer because the Rinky-dink wire connections on my aims inverter are to small .
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Old 11-16-2020, 07:27 AM   #17
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I like the inverter Connecticut with 2 Romax wires . Are connected directly to the breaker box? I used the same size wire plugged into my inverter it made it easer because the Rinky-dink wire connections on my aims inverter are to small .
The inverter input is downstream of a 15A breaker in the panel, and then the inverter feeds the branch that used to be on that breaker. In the OTG package, that breaker goes first to a box in the passthrough where you can cut the wire and insert the inverter there. Then the wire continues to the outlets in the camper that are on that branch.

Here's what it looks like:

50A Service -------> Breaker Panel -------> 15A Breaker -------> Inverter -------> Circuit

The only things in the camper I lose when I don't have main hookup are the A/C units, the microwave, and the electric fireplace. Everything else runs on either 12V or the backed-up circuit on the inverter.
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Old 11-16-2020, 08:12 AM   #18
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Good thinking not using he converted for whole camper light up . I used 2 breakers one happened to be the refrigerator . I have to watch my refrigerator making sure it’s on gas while using the inverter . I’m right on the mark 450 watt panels and 330 AH AGM batteries. In Quartzsite next year I may look into another 200 watt panel having more watts on a cloudy day would be nice or sunny day .
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Old 11-16-2020, 10:35 AM   #19
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Good thinking not using he converted for whole camper light up . I used 2 breakers one happened to be the refrigerator . I have to watch my refrigerator making sure it’s on gas while using the inverter . I’m right on the mark 450 watt panels and 330 AH AGM batteries. In Quartzsite next year I may look into another 200 watt panel having more watts on a cloudy day would be nice or sunny day .
Yeah I am still not sure my 400W worth of solar are going to be enough. I have enough space on the roof for 6 total panels so I could get to 1200W, but we'll see how this pans out. I am going to a local campground next week and plan not to hook up to electricity and see if I can make it the whole 3 days without it. The site is right on the lake shore and has perfect morning to early afternoon exposure to the Sun so it will be a good test.
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Old 11-16-2020, 11:52 AM   #20
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Here’s what I did the other day... still need to vacuum and I’m going to mount the inverter on some standoffs for clearance to carpet or mount it on a spacer plate. I added the xantrex gfci so I would have a outlet in the basement that is a full 20 amp if needed. Otherwise it goes to the otg three outlets on a 15 amp breaker before and after the inverter
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