I put together a DIY solar power system for use with my 16 foot Scamp trailer and used it successfully all summer this year. Because many of the elements were experimental (for me at least) I avoided doing anything irreversible with the installation. I just put my 12V 100 A.h LiFePO4 battery and MPPT controller in a plastic box that rode in the truck while traveling and lived under the trailer when parked. Well, I drilled a couple holes on the underside of the trailer to feed through 6AWG wires connecting battery with my 700W inverter, which was housed in a cabinet inside the trailer. This system was completely separate from the trailer's 12V system with its own lead-acid battery.
This worked well, but is kind of heathen-like, and I would like to make a nicer more finished installation, probably replacing the lead-acid battery completely. Here are a few questions, and I'm open to hearing about other questions I haven't thought to ask...
* The trailer is set up for 12V, so I think I just want to keep this as the voltage for the DC system.
* Electrical interface with tow vehicle alternator: I assume I need a DC-DC device for compatibility with LiFePO4 battery.
* Shore Power converter. Existing one is only compatible with lead-acid battery (annoying!) I know how to replace this. I kind of don't like the trailer wiring, which uses one 12AWG wire for one of the two conductors from back to front of trailer, and from what I can see a 6 AWG wire for the other conductor. For the time being I will just disconnect this as I usually achieve the desired charging from solar.
* The trailer has a closet area at the front that could be available for some electrical components (inverter, solar charge controller, DC-DC device interfacing with tow vehicle).
* Where do people install the solar charge controller? I can imagine in the battery box up near the trailer hitch (trailer exterior), or in a cabinet in the trailer interior. FWIW my existing battery box wouldn't be large enough, and may not be sufficiently waterproof.
* I see no way around installing at least some feed-through electrical connectors. I see something like Hang Ton LP20 or so that might make sense if the current stays within capability, maybe using 2 pins per conductor or something. 700W inverter could call for as much as 50 A so I'd love to hear thoughts on how to approach.
* Keep the solar panels "mobile" so I can separate shade for trailer from sun for PVs. I have 2 PV panels that operate in the 70s of volts when in series that work well and this should enable acceptably low losses in PV cable.
* What else should I be aware of?
This worked well, but is kind of heathen-like, and I would like to make a nicer more finished installation, probably replacing the lead-acid battery completely. Here are a few questions, and I'm open to hearing about other questions I haven't thought to ask...
* The trailer is set up for 12V, so I think I just want to keep this as the voltage for the DC system.
* Electrical interface with tow vehicle alternator: I assume I need a DC-DC device for compatibility with LiFePO4 battery.
* Shore Power converter. Existing one is only compatible with lead-acid battery (annoying!) I know how to replace this. I kind of don't like the trailer wiring, which uses one 12AWG wire for one of the two conductors from back to front of trailer, and from what I can see a 6 AWG wire for the other conductor. For the time being I will just disconnect this as I usually achieve the desired charging from solar.
* The trailer has a closet area at the front that could be available for some electrical components (inverter, solar charge controller, DC-DC device interfacing with tow vehicle).
* Where do people install the solar charge controller? I can imagine in the battery box up near the trailer hitch (trailer exterior), or in a cabinet in the trailer interior. FWIW my existing battery box wouldn't be large enough, and may not be sufficiently waterproof.
* I see no way around installing at least some feed-through electrical connectors. I see something like Hang Ton LP20 or so that might make sense if the current stays within capability, maybe using 2 pins per conductor or something. 700W inverter could call for as much as 50 A so I'd love to hear thoughts on how to approach.
* Keep the solar panels "mobile" so I can separate shade for trailer from sun for PVs. I have 2 PV panels that operate in the 70s of volts when in series that work well and this should enable acceptably low losses in PV cable.
* What else should I be aware of?