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I am still wondering what a residential panel is. Are there other panels? Are there RV panels? I thought a panel was a panel.... Maybe a difference would be in the output voltage, 12 vs 48 or something as most RVers will be using the 12v option (18-20 volts at the panel), and houses higher...

I would still do glass panels and save weight somewhere else. This is the not item you want to skimp on, but if you are ready and willing to replace them often for the weight savings then that is your money math calculation to do. If you want a true one-step disconnect then you will have to run...

Sure you can glue one on. I would use way less glue, maybe just the leading edge and some spots along the edges, but not a continuous bead of glue. No need to glue anywhere but the edges. The fail was probably because it was glued down. If you are willing to keep replacing them then keep...

Very cool indeed. Looks like the forces are abut 1/200th of what it would take the pull it off. I cant stop laughing at the comment abut going 80, lol. dims... This would be perfect for getting to your camp spot then being able to angle your panels in any direction to point at the sun. I Was...

I have seen that discussed on here, search forum more. For that reason I do not know, seems like a DC source is a DC source, but not sure why it was discussed at length unless all DC is not the same. The reason to use a DC-DC is to protect the alternator. Alternators do not put out X voltage...

I have looked and looked, but also have not found. I need two narrow ones to fit beside a roof item. I do not think glass panels are made long and narrow.

Agree ^.. i would use truck for 120 power fed into the trailer, or split the trailer fuse block into two so half can run off truck and half of rv battery and have switch to select all rv or half-and-half options. Hard to combine two batteries that far apart. 2/0 cable is a lot for RV use...

You would disconnect at the charge controller, not at the panel/roof. Between panel and controller if wanting to send current to a different controller, or between controller and battery to send current to a different battery (with same settings for charging). eBay sells $20 controllers and...

Unless you have those panels that can use light on top and reflected light on bottom there is no need to put mylar under the panels. Useless! The shade the panel gives keeps the roof cool. IF you are thinking this would add insulation, then good thought, but not worth the mess. Put the...

thanks, you can take the hat off now. I disagree with you on all points and feel you have not used tappers or always somehow use them incorrectly. Talking about skirts breaking has nothing to do with the topic and really does not translate over to heavy gauge metal and professionally installed...

I think you are concerned with the stress that turning on/off any electrical device causes? If you can leave it on and can waste that 12 hours of 15 watts then leave it on. This is bc you say you need it EVERY night - most of us will only use inverter sometimes, not daily every day. i go weeks...

RV world is full of garbage. Blows my mind that on a $2,000,000 RV that they use these same garbage AC units and the same garbage noisy vent hood fans....

gas fridge is ideal for you with this little battery (100 amp hr I thinks?). Just keep fridge level at all times unless driving. Gas fridge will not use any DC power of any significance. Do not try to run if off an inverter off the battery, AC is only for when plugged in. It is fine for a few...

I would get a 200 amp hr battery, not two 100s. You really just do not need to be cautious here, the batts are pretty reliable.; dont plan in case one goes bad you have another one, just get one 200 a/h battery. Then plan to upgrade to a second 200 a/h batt in future. Will has many videos and...

They saw you coming at those prices... The only thing you did not over-pay for by much is the panels, which you paid $1 per watt. 70 cents per watt is about the going rate on ebay. Yes, you can buy the most expensive brand name components and be happy, but then you forfeit the right to complain...

80 deg today and it pulled 19 amps. solar turned off. thats different than the 15 amps it pulled at 65 deg. I assume at 100 deg it will draw more amps, but that means amp draw is variable, so as the night cools off the amp draw goes down. That is good to know when doing the math in your...

I would max out the solar. Get rid of the roof AC unit, do a mini split or rig up a window unit at the back or wherever. Any shadow on the solar panels kills. If you have one little shaded part of the panel then you lose the majority of the would-be power from that string of panels. Set the...

Here is similar item if you will be coming in with just wire. A/B/AB/OFF Switch Lets you select one or the other or both or off. If you dont need this many options then there are similar items with on/off also. or A/B/off. With the switch in link you could select two different panels, or both...

Still, the safe answer is NO. No, do not run your AC unit on MSW inverter! My personal rule is to never use MSW ever even on safe things. The pure units are so cheap now.... I guessing you have a 9200btu AC? Colaman Mach 8 or something? Those have two fans. They both are variable speeds...

The old auto chargers do not turn off ever until you physically unplug them. Check eBay for old ones if it comes to that. Look at walmark or auto store for a dumb charger. Look at "power sources" like bricks that have high amps... 12 volts at whatever your amp needs are. Any dumb charger with...

Pex B? I always used brass fittings on my camper PEX, a little less going-to-crack than the plastic ones if frozen. The fittings have such a little water volume inside them that they do have better chance of surviving a freeze than big household fittings, but that is no guarantee. Agree, the...

Why isn't a breaker switch on the list? I use a DC breaker at amperage rated for what I have. with the breaker I can use as a manual on/off switch, or it will be a breaker if amps go too high or something shorts out. I have never heard of a breaker catching fire, so that is off my radar. My...

Tell more about this bug.... OP, the shunt is just a display so you can see the numbers, it will not affect charging, improve it, degrade it, it just tells you the numbers and Yes, good to have so you can always keep an eye on things, and it helps you to learn too.... You can judge the battery...

Im looking at this now.... Yours pulls 47 amps???? Mine blipped off, so I will go check it and run longer to see if is an issue. You say it was the cable too thin? I am not cooling big windows and metal frames like you are in a van so have better situation , err, better insulation already.

Running minisplit off Unit 1 we assume. Yes, probably combine all batteries and panels. Getting bigger wattage panels will not yield more watts per square foot. Just add more panels, fill the roof up, remove roof vents and fill roof with panels. You really need to do a power audit. We dont...

The video above.... It is the AMPS not the voltage that kills. The video leaves out the amps! ...A little deceiving in that regard. 12v or 24v is NOT 220 volts either. I would not worry too much about galvanic corrosion. When it rust through then just replace it. I would worry about anyone...

You might have all the info here, but is just too much to try to get details sorted out for a quick read and response.... We are talking about both starting vehicle batteries and RV batteries? The 3 starting batteries are 12v? The RV battery(s) are 24 volt? Do you have the 12v and 24v system...

Not full time but does a 6 week trip count? I spent every night in the camper. Boondocking every night. Never hooked up to power. Left generator at home since I was in desert states, though it did get in the high 90's many days, so dry that it was tolerable and nights were usually cool. If I...

is not the thing people think it is. The roof is turbulent, not laminar. The forces just are not there as one imagines. There is push and pull but seems to be a lot less than everyone expects. The wind hits the front of vehicle/trailer and goes up and over the first few feet of the roof, air...

I Think all furnaces are about the same. I have not measured the amp draw of mine. Your 7 amps is not a lot, but is still bigger than anything else I run in mine. For most RVs the furnace kills the battery mosre than anything else and leaves a lot of RVers in the cold half way through the...

Look up some videos of wind turbulence over the roof of a moving vehicle (lots for semi trucks). I think you will see a pattern. Lots of swirling air, not highway speed flow. You could put a magazine on the roof and it may or may not even blow off - maybe. If panels are within a few inches...

Let's do E. Battery disconneted, solar and inverter only. Current? IDK of any phenomena that a DC solar panel , this many panels, could make AC current. Especially if it happens to be exactly 60Hz like shore power/inverter power, that would be too much coincidence. It must be the inverter and...

A propane generator is as close as putting in a propane carb in the gas gen. You will not have as much power, but it runs just the same. So a 4,000 watt gas generator will not likely make 4000 watts running on propane. They make dual-fuel and tri-fuel carbs that will run on gas/propane or...

alababba confusing, but usually if the pic looks like the thing and you do not see that you are buying only a piece of the whole then it is probably fine. Prices vary for the exact same device too. The one I bought off ebay was a great bargin, but on alibabaa they had exact same units and the...

Fiberglass like a boat or fiberglass like a moving truck with thin flimsy roof transparent panel? If like a boat then do not screw in and damage roof for no reason, VHB tape is all you will ever need. If it is a flimsy fiberglass panel then maybe tape is enough, just depends on how much flex...

So, are you wanting to run your air cond on the solar? If not, then you do not need 2400 watts of solar. 2400 is a LOT of solar. Everything, everyone I have seen almost concludes is best to run gas generator for air cond, and everything else can run on battery if you are not needing air cond...

lol, thanks for your input ricks, but ask me how I know you can burn out a 130 amp alternator on one drive.... more about alternators. They are meant to cycle, not run continuously. While there are 100% duty cycle alternators out there I will take a strong bet that anyone asking will not have...

Seems like my water tank (typical RV propane/electric 6-gallon) would stay hot or warm all day. I used to heat it at home on shore power then have hot water that night after travels. I did not add extra insulation either so that is a good idea to make it last longer. I use a much more...

You have learned the ways of RVing! Yes, yes, yes, change your lifestyle when in the RV, use RV items, not house items. Propane last a long long time (everything except furnace) and far better than using battery/inverter and running household items. Newbies to RVing can't learn this the easy...

325 amps? this is a vehicle? Aluminum lugs for copper wire? Why not get copper lugs? not an issue at all to file down the lugs so they fit in that tight spot. Could you just put both wires into one big lug and bolt on once? err, I guess that would make working on it hard. Looks like they...

Yes, air gap. You must have misread something. Everyone says air gap. The size of the gap is discussed with the most crazy ones having a foot or more gap. Dont be the crazy one. I have had to remove VHB before so gained confidence in it from that, it involved a 1500 degree heat gun and a...

so, your garage is cooler now? To heat water takes the same amount of energy no matter what. If one source is more efficient then it is that, but the water will need the same amount of energy to heat up no matter what. Slow or fast, it will need energy, so what did you do exactly> asking for a...

Outside temp is irrelevant. You only need to watch the inside temp at the battery. My inside area seems to stay 5 degrees warmer than the outside no matter what, and batts are insulated from the floor and the wall and open to the cabin. IF you are driving in a van with the heat on then very...

No, I bought my switch on eBay and was around $16. It is big, big bolts, big nuts, so can handle anything your batteries can supply. It says "200/1200 amps". Keep in mind you want to use DC breakers for a reason: DC current will arc so they have special breakers and switches. sorry, ebay...

You can parallel into one big controller. Yes, the reasoning is sound for multiple ones also. No issues feeding multiple controllers into one battery/bank. I did this. I have 3 by 200 watt 24 volt systems feeding into the trailer (24 volt panels to 12 volt batt). The reason is I kept adding...

Are you chasing tornadoes? This is just not relevant. Possible, yes, but way more other things will go wrong before lightning hits a vehicle. Put a lightning rod higher than anything else on the trailer so that attracts lightning and lightning will hit that and not your panels, but IDK where...

You said you do not need them. What about mount them to 1x1 aluminum tubes and temporarily mount that to vehicle roof? ..something that is quick to add for a trip, then just run necessary cables however you want to the battery. The side mount with solar awning is a good idea and if that side is...

If they say to use a fuse also then why not... Up to you. I only use the breakers. Fuses date back to when electricity was first used, breakers are a more modern invention to replace the one-time-use fuses. 16 amps should be enough, you will know quick enough if you start tripping breakers all...

thanks for the heads up. Hopefully this was a defect rather than the norm. No product manufacturing process is without defects, no matter how good the design, build or process, that is just the fact of manufacturing. Hopefully that is what you see on forum post, and who knows what really...

we are talking about a wet area, not a cold metal surface that gets condensation. Two different topics so do not conflict. However, if you blow the warm, heated air on the condensation, then at least the area will be dry and mold free. You never want to have wet areas in a camper that do not...

if worried about tariffs... Keep in mind that his last full term the tariffs were only on products that are also made here, NOT on products that are not made here. IDT batts are made here, correct me if wrong... so if not, then batts will not be taxed. The brics thing... they will cave in to...

I have had this for over a year and never needed it never used it. I mounted it in the trailer, but reading directions now I see it needs the D+ from vehicle ignition. D+ on charger is to be connected to positive 12v from vehicle and that is what turns the charger on. I tried to just connect...

Anyone tried calling your local AC repairman? They prob can make a hose quick and cheap.

well, that is a good idea to use the 7-pin power... If I ever get around to adding the Anderson plug back in. I drive so much for work now in the truck that the truck is no longer a long-term ownership so I am hesitant to do too much given the short lifespan the truck will see. I was thinking...

I discovered I had mistakenly connected the LC to negative. The LC is only for making the device put out 50% charge, and connecting to negative caused it to shut down anyway, it connects to same positive that D+ does if it is to be used. I have it correct now. WIth a 20a charger connected...

is a long post I didnt read all of it... First off, your 100 amp/hr batt probably plenty for your limited time camping. Dont do any charging and you will prob be fine. Sounds like you have a week or two vacation for the year and prob just spending a few days camping anyway? These big systems...

What generator is it (predator 4375w doesnt tell us much), without me trying to look it up, what does it do? Is it an inverter generator? Those should put out a very clean sine wave AC power. The rpm based generators/ old skoo ones, might not put out anything clean. Are you using the AC out...

The entire RV world of builders say to use solid wire, not braided. I used to use braided wire for same reason. Vibrations are imaginary in this situation. It is a good thought, but not realistic.

the voltage between the solar and the controller will be higher than between the controller and the battery. Put controller as close to battery as possible to take advantage of the voltage traveling through wires more efficient when it is at higher voltage (between solar and controller). I...

The issue on vehicles is really the forces of the highway air versus the amount of contact securing them. If you use VHB tape only then you might need a contact area along the full length of the long sides for a 350 panel, vs only the short sides of a 100 panel. If you screw, ouch, then depends...

Get a second charge controller if you need to, expensive, but ultimately a cheap price to pay to make sure your panels work. Just a hand, a half a hand, covering any part of the panel kills the amps, makes it way lower. Stay away from the shade of the AC unit. Use a "gland" entry point, these...

on the barn doors is a good idea to explore. You dont need to just keep adding weight to the tongue as you build more... Any air cond should be able to run while driving. There is a fan, which is fine while driving, and the air compressor of the air con unit looks very similar to a piston...

What voltage exactly is your stop start batt? for a regular car LA batt is typically 13.6 and charged as high as 14.x. You should be able to trickle charge the AGM all the time, are we talking 2 amps? The charger will not be damaged from anything trying to pull more amps, it will give what it...

is hard to follow... No. I would put the breaker on the panel side. I have breaker on BOTH sides. Directions always say disconnect the panel before disconnecting the battery, so the answer is, no. WIth breaker/switch between the panel and the mppt then you have better setup. No harm comes...

When the sun is high and the panels are facing the sun power is good. When the sun is low and the panels are facing the sun will power be the same? All assumes 100% clear line of sight to the sun.

I did this on my first build, a custom class-c type. side note: I ran my driver power seat off the house battery all the time. When running the alternator feeds both house and starting battery anyway, so no reason to care which it runs off of while driving and the house battery was very close...

The reason I use an inverter in my truck is because modern vehicles have a lot of electronics and circuit boards and computers that run everything from motor to transmission to you-name-it. Sometimes when you plug in devices it can cause interference with the vehicle computers. Yes, this has...

still depends on your vehicle's existing crossbar. Some have t-slots in it you can run a bolt in, some like the Xterra are big poles, some are different yet... There is no one answer fits all. I have gutters on my truck and the rack clamps to the gutters, no vehicle crossbar needed. Yakima...

ok, I will try that. I had it on the battery that was getting charged side for some reason, that didnt work or something else is going on. 10amp should be fine, yes, it is the 7-pin. I took the hardware off my old truck that includes large cables and large Anderson plugs where I can carry the...

Dollar sign goes in front of the number. I never do grammar correction but this is sad. No need for bifacal$ as said. Get glass panels. Get the panels that fit on your roof. 100w, 200w 300w, or w100 w200 w300 if u prefer. All 100w panels should put out theoretical 100w. Not a lot of...

They call it 50 amps, but I think it is 50 at 80 volts, not 12. So what is it at 12 volts? see pic THe top one says 50, but I doubt those tiny screws and whatever is under plastic will not burn under 50 amps at 12 volts.

In the end I do not know. China needs us as a consumer. We sell them raw materials, they sell us garbage finished products. Barry gave them free shipping basically to the US, so that makes US a prime customer. The agreement is that America and China accept each other's "postal" mail and...

I think the glass panel would shatter to shards before the struts even know the wind is blowing, even maybe the trailer will be blown over before the struts or hinges give way. You would definitely get some rocking during the night with the shaded panels left up in the wind. If its a rockin...

side note... I have never connected (breaker switch) the camper batteries to the alternator. Solar has always been enough. Consider changing your solar panels to min 200 watts of permanent on-the-roof glass, 400 if they fit, and the alternator will only be for backup or weeks of clouds. I...

Sorry, bud. This is a dream we all have, but it will not work. You need way way more battery power than you have. AC needs major amp hours behind it to be of any use. Your van is a problem, its a van, too many windows and probably too poorly insulated, so all an AC would do is blow cool air on...

Thanks, so sounds like I either need to run 4 panels parallel with 4 controllers, or keep it as is with the top ones in series into a controller and same for the bottom ones. I debating about the rear ones now. I want to do same in the rear, but I need to find these exact drawer slides, hard to...

Generally you can have multiple chargers at the same time on a battery. I have had alternator, solar, another solar system and a plug-in charger all on same batt, well not plug in and alt at same time, but it would be fine too. You just do not want to put in more amps total than the battery...

Forums will take a while, days weeks, before the right guy reads a post.... Yes, the Rigid has appeal since it can run off batteries too, but that is not the motivation, but is a lot easier than cranking a gen and keeping gas in a gen or being in a no-generator area... My only reservation is one...

is it removable? 3M VHB tape is with a heat gun. Make sure you can remove it bc you will re-do the panels at some point.

I have epever tracer BP, I assume is going to be similar. I set up two controllers through the windows software over a year ago. These were one size smaller, but same series. I tried to set up a new controller and get "failed" a lot. I only once got it to read the controller settings, but...

The curve issue can be solved knowing that the roof is only curved side to side, but is flat front to back, so run the mounts front to back where it is perfectly flat. Is this a rubber membrane roof? Are you going to drill the mounts to the roof? The aluminum L-bracket (angle iron) is a good...

Keep LA batts until the end. If you are going to have a lot of solar then you might find you almost never need to charge any other way. I have never charged my lithium batteries other than being hooked to solar. Dont sweat the charger issue. Get a low-cost charger, 20amp or 40 amp for when...

sorry if this offends, but Dumbest post ever! Of no understanding. Absorption fridges not supposed to run on DC power, that is also dumb. There are rare situations where you might run off DC power but this is not intended as the solution. They are meant to run on GAS. So your numbers are...

I was going to say you have a really bad battery; does vehicle barely crank or something?. All this seems un-necessary and usual and unheard of. I cant imagine driving and having the radoi turn off every time the gas pedal is at zero. Seems like you are going to destroy your electronics at a...

thanks, no Im not planning on ever putting junk on the roof, will be glad to get the roof ac off. Unfortunately I do not do quick short drives that dont matter. I have crossed the country more times than I can count and a roof full of junk is not the way to do long drives. As I said, there is...

I agree, but Giandel stand by their month-long-cap life and are proud they have the worst caps in the industry!!! I had receipts and they said suck it. This cannot cost them anything to replace and they know their inverters are junk, so I guess everyone has similar issue so they cannot...

If that is more direct pointing into the sun than laying flat then of course you get more output. Unless on the Equator or south of the Northern Equator then your panels will need to be tilted to get the best results. Don't over-think it.

Aluminum angle iron. One pic the foot is tucked under, the other pic the foot is outside. You want your not-tucked so you can re-do the Dicor yearly. Mine roof is flat, so I ran side to side, but front to back is the same idea. The self-tapper screws miss the glass panel, so be careful of...

Checkthisout guy, I undserstood what you said the first time, that makes one of us at least. IDK if some will ever understand. I work with people who have a comment if I say the first 3 words of a 300 word statement, no matter how complex, they can simplify it to their level after I speak 3...

All depends on what you are running off the batteries.... I cant guess. If trying to have an inverter on all the time and runing a residential large fridge, and a hair dryer, and an AC coffee pot and AC cook top, and other house items then you will need a lot of power. If you have smaller...

This is the way! That is the ground. There is nothing else. Not everyone grounds the inverter AC neutral or ground wire to the chassis. The inverter is grounded by the fact that the DC negative is ground, not grounded, but is ground, and thus, grounded to the chassis. Is this a stand-alone...

the eck does, use rainbow even mean?

How good are you working with electrical? Is money an issue? Of course transfer switch is the obvious thing that works, but also expensive. So I can induce a few things.... that you are not running your fridge off the inverter too? Of course not the AC either. Not running a space heater off...

simple as finding the ignition wire that goes to the starter and put a toggle switch on that, or use a relay switch. A good thief can just use a screwdriver at the starter motor and crank it, so you need to make a cover so that cannot be done either. Safer to use the 800 amp solenoid on the 12v...

seems pointless to have a batt bank sitting idle not used, just as backup. Split your camper into two zones. Maybe one for the wife and the other for critical RV things. Use both bank, but they would not touch. One bank for hair dryer and tv, one for furnace, fridge, lights... Whatever you...

What is the roof made of? steel, fiberglass, aluminum???

You mean 200 amp hrs, not 200 watt battery. I think my 200 amp hr battery says 2650 watt on it. Math is 200 amp hr times 12.x volts = watt or 13 volts or whatever your batt is. Before buying look at the "parking" air conditioners. Mostly used on semi-rig for when they park and want to run air...

If you lack sufficient battery capacity to store all that one array can deliver and yet you use power while it is delivering and you need that power at that particular time of day and also need that power at a second particular time of day and you dont have a way to track the sun then you could...

200 is plenty to keep my fridge running and batts near topped off for months on end. Fridge pulls 3 amps while running yet does not run all the time, so it is easy math. Actual air over the roof of a vehicle is turbulent, not laminar, so going 50mph into the wind the panels will still not see...