diy solar

diy solar

Complete solar novice, out to sea.

I cannot thank you enough, and yes, I absolutely recognize that this is all at my own risk, I’m not complacent about the potential for catastrophe if respect isn’t given. I will digest this today and get those pictures as soon as possible. ??
 
Allrighty then.

Do this at your own risk.
I take no responsibility for anything you may do.


All your electricity is going to come from the sun.
If you ever add shore power and/or a generator you will have to make some changes to your setup.

Test and check your inverter.
1. Test to see if there is continuity between ground and neutral.
2. power the unit up and there should be...
120 volts difference between hot and neutral​
120 volts difference between hot and ground​
0 volts difference between neutral and ground​
3. inverter should have a equipment grounding lug.
If you get anything different please report back.

The drawing represents the ac side of your ac/dc distribution panel.
Normally the master breaker is connected to the shore power inlet by some 10/2 NMD90 wire.
You will change that to connect it to your inverter.

View attachment 61436

Since this is a stationary setup of a typically mobile system you will want to read these 2 links.

See the bit about pounding a copper rod into the ground.
Also see the bit about using GFCI outlets for kitchen, bath and outside.
Also see the bit about there being exactly one and only one bonding point.
That single point will be bonded to the frame and to the planet.

Connecting the system to the dc side of the distribution should be pretty straight forward but I need to see pictures of the ac/dc distribution panel.
Pictures should include the one with the door open to show the ac and dc maps plus 2 more pictures with the cover off to show the ac and dc sides of the panel.

@FilterGuy please check my work.
Doubly important because I'm fasting today which means no coffee.
Allrighty then.

Do this at your own risk.
I take no responsibility for anything you may do.


All your electricity is going to come from the sun.
If you ever add shore power and/or a generator you will have to make some changes to your setup.

Test and check your inverter.
1. Test to see if there is continuity between ground and neutral.
2. power the unit up and there should be...
120 volts difference between hot and neutral​
120 volts difference between hot and ground​
0 volts difference between neutral and ground​
3. inverter should have a equipment grounding lug.
If you get anything different please report back.

The drawing represents the ac side of your ac/dc distribution panel.
Normally the master breaker is connected to the shore power inlet by some 10/2 NMD90 wire.
You will change that to connect it to your inverter.

View attachment 61436

Since this is a stationary setup of a typically mobile system you will want to read these 2 links.

See the bit about pounding a copper rod into the ground.
Also see the bit about using GFCI outlets for kitchen, bath and outside.
Also see the bit about there being exactly one and only one bonding point.
That single point will be bonded to the frame and to the planet.

Connecting the system to the dc side of the distribution should be pretty straight forward but I need to see pictures of the ac/dc distribution panel.
Pictures should include the one with the door open to show the ac and dc maps plus 2 more pictures with the cover off to show the ac and dc sides of the panel.

@FilterGuy please check my work.
Doubly important because I'm fasting today which means no coffee.
Please wear a proper personal protective device for your safety, such as rubber gloves, eye protection, etc.
 
Connecting the system to the dc side of the distribution should be pretty straight forward but I need to see pictures of the ac/dc distribution panel.
Pictures should include the one with the door open to show the ac and dc maps plus 2 more pictures with the cover off to show the ac and dc sides of the panel.
You know what, just placing the name “distribution panel” to the box is starting to make me see clearer.
 

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The big red six awg wire probably traces back to the converter's dc terminals, confirm?
And the terminal block in the top of the picture seems to have a 6 awg white wire connected to it.
Hopefully that also goes back to the dc converter's terminals, confirm?

Still need to see the ac side and the converter.
 
Ah, yes, sorry. Will confirm the wires running to converter now ?
 

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Ah, yes, sorry. Will confirm the wires running to converter now ?
Ok that is a surprise.
Usually RV's have a combined ac/dc distribution panel.
I don't think your rv came from the factory this way.
Do you know who installed that panel and why?
 
The big red six awg wire probably traces back to the converter's dc terminals, confirm?
And the terminal block in the top of the picture seems to have a 6 awg white wire connected to it.
Hopefully that also goes back to the dc converter's terminals, confirm?
hopefully this image answers it, although the only white wire I saw in the distribution box wasn’t 6awg and was for the pump, apologies if I’m confused.
 

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Ok that is a surprise.
Usually RV's have a combined ac/dc distribution panel.
I don't think your rv came from the factory this way.
Do you know who installed that panel and why?
I ‘m afraid I have no idea, we bought her via a dealer who was selling for 3rd party
 
hopefully this image answers it, although the only white wire I saw in the distribution box wasn’t 6awg and was for the pump, apologies if I’m confused.
ok, its a powermax converter.
We need to see what the ac side is connected to as it doesn't seem to land on a breaker in the panel.
 
Can you please get the model # off the top of the converter?
 
Back to the ac distribution panel.
The big black wire going into the bottom will hopefully connect the master breaker to the shore power inlet.
You can just re-route that cable to your inverter.
Assuming you have tested the inverter to see that it behaves as I described earlier in the thread.
Remember to make the ends of that cable safe just in case somebody decides to energize the inlet.

As far as the dc panel.
You will make a fused connection from your solar system's fused positive busbar to the place where the big red 6 awg wire landed on that mechanical lug.
I propose to bypass that ancient 75 amp breaker in the panel.

The black wire from your system's negative busbar will land on the terminal block with the white wires.

Have you tested to see that everything with a shore power connection?
I suggest you test each ac and dc load to make sure everything works before we make changes.
 
Model no. Coming up ?.
Have you tested to see that everything with a shore power connection?
I suggest you test each ac and dc load to make sure everything works before we make changes.
Not sure about The first sentence, and sure thing, will do that tomorrow.

Thanks again!
 
Model no. Coming up ?.

Not sure about The first sentence, and sure thing, will do that tomorrow.

Thanks again!
Darn, made a thinko.
I meant that you should check that all the ac and dc loads work properly when connected to shore power.
Its good to start working from a known good baseline.
 
Unfortunately that’s a no go, she’s essentially a raised cabin on the mountaintop with a roof over her. Immovable at this point. Is there anything else I can do?
 
Unfortunately that’s a no go, she’s essentially a raised cabin on the mountaintop with a roof over her. Immovable at this point. Is there anything else I can do?
Can you take a picture of the outside of the rig showing the inlet.
Also Where did the ac wires from the converter go?
 
Absolutely. I’m not sure I see any ac wires coming from or going to the converter ? Here’s the serial number ?
 

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