New To Forum Looking for Solar Guidance

[jcbush13]

I have a new (to me) 2021 Hideout 243RB that is "solar ready". Trying to determine if all I need is a portable solar panel and plug it in? Do I need a charger controller? Do I need adapter cables? Really confusing to me at this point.

[chuckster57]

Welcome to the forum

Congrats on your purchase. If your trailer has the small port on the front corner, then it’s just the wiring to the battery. Your portable panel should have a built in controller.

You’ll want to verify the port is hooked up and the polarity. Just use a Volt/Ohm meter set on DC volts. Put the test leads in the connections at the trailer, your looking for battery voltage, if it’s zero then either the wires aren’t hooked up or the fuse in the positive lead is blown/missing.

[spicercars]

Might want to post this under travel trailers for more response. Welcome from northern MN.

[wrvond]

"Solar ready", "camera ready" or "anything ready" generally means that the wires have been run for you. To make it actually work, you'll need all the components. In this case you'll need (minimum) a solar panel and a controller. As Chuckster said, if you are referring to the Zamp solar connector, that is wired to the battery and only requires a solar suitcase.

Solar panels with just a controller are nothing more than a battery tender, really. In order to get real use out of solar you're going to want to maximize your battery storage capacity (multiple LiFePO4) and include an invertor. The more devices you want to run on 110 vac without shore power, the larger your battery bank and invertor will need to be. The larger your battery bank the larger your solar array (panels) is going to need to be. Also, to increase charging speed of your battery bank, you'll need a larger controller.

[curtiscapk]

I have a 2021 177rd it also is "Solar ready" It is (Zamp brand ready) you either need Zamp or a converter for there proprietary wiring.

https://www.amazon.com/Sunway-Solar-...language=en_US

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMIp-JpNDZw

[Danshimt]

Yup, portable panels are the way to go. They're easy to handle and can be adjusted for optimal sun exposure. Look for a kit that includes a charge controller – it's a vital component.
If your solar panel for rv has a built-in charge controller, great! If not, you'll need to grab one. The controller keeps your batteries safe from overcharging, so it's pretty important.