Connecting Solar Generator/Portable Power Supply To RV Inside the RV

[Leo3]

If you have an external 30amp female outlet on an RV, could you create a splice into the wires inside where the 30amp outlet enters the RV (between the outside outlet and the converter/12V panel) and create a new 30amp or 15amp hookup inside to plug the AC200 or whatever into, so that the AC200 can be inside? Does that make sense? The RV doesn't know if you're hooked up outside or inside, or if you're plugged into a portable power supply or shore power from outside. So could you create an outlet or a male cord inside that you could plug into the Bluetti inverter. Really in the end you'd need a male plug to plug into the AC200, and maybe a male plug to plug into the newly created outlet. A male to male extension cord? Is that a thing?

 

[snoobler]

You can make your own power cords by purchasing M or F cord ends, so M to M is a possibility.

What you propose sounds workable but will be limited to the AC200 single plug output rating - probably 15A.

 

[Hedges]

Male to male extension cord is a "suicide cord", for instance to backfeed your house from a generator through it's electric range plug.
Problem is it doesn't interlock with disconnecting from grid. Blows up your equipment if grid is up, electrocutes lineman if grid is down.

Portable Generators: Which one is right for you?

by John Boch (GunNews) – More and more folks are considering purchase of a gas-powered portable generator (“genset”) in case of power outages, or for use at job sites, campsites o…

www.gunssavelife.com

"If you didn’t properly isolate your home from the grid while backfeeding, the fireworks show at your generator will be spectacular when the utility feed returns, especially with a tank of gas on top of it."

Since this is RV not house, just have breaker panel of RV fed by an extension cord, manually plugged into either and outlet wired to outside plug, or an outlet wired to your inverter.

Simpler yet, put a cord & female socket on your inverter, stuff it out through a hole and plug in to external plug.

 

[Tponaroll]

If you have an external 30amp female outlet on an RV, could you create a splice into the wires inside where the 30amp outlet enters the RV (between the outside outlet and the converter/12V panel) and create a new 30amp or 15amp hookup inside to plug the AC200 or whatever into, so that the AC200 can be inside? Does that make sense? The RV doesn't know if you're hooked up outside or inside, or if you're plugged into a portable power supply or shore power from outside. So could you create an outlet or a male cord inside that you could plug into the Bluetti inverter. Really in the end you'd need a male plug to plug into the AC200, and maybe a male plug to plug into the newly created outlet. A male to male extension cord? Is that a thing?

Just posted a very similar question. Didn't see this one. I'm going to the same method. A Bluetti AC200 somehow connected inside through the shore line circuit. I think you would need a switch to eliminate the actual shore line cable and plug. If you just splice in another line inside you would send power to the regular shoreline cable too and it would be live laying in a cabinet. Not good.
Male to male is bad news as posted below.

 

[Leo3]

I am thinking about doing this now because it just sounds easier to me...Run these three things through the floor from inside in a spot where the AC200 can sit (an already existing under the bed nook) to outside (probably somewhere I already have some cords exiting underneath): (1) a short & heavy gauge extension cord, (2) PV Solar Charging Cable(MC4 to XT90) and (3) XT90 to Aviation Plug(input). Then I'll use the external RV plug that I would normally plug into shore power but instead plug it into the extension cord I now have sticking out from the side of the trailer. And since I'll have MC4 PV input also sticking out, I can plug panels in too and charge the AC200 while it's sitting in my trailer.

*I'd have to buy the extra PV charging cables (#2 and 3 above) from Bluetti unless it already exists somewhere else

**Is this what I'd need if I drilled a new hole in the floor to accommodate the new wires?

 

[Tponaroll]

Yep. I was thinking along the same lines. You can get varying lengths of the pv cables on amazon. 10 gage. I already have a 20 & 30 ft. For extending the panels to dun while parked in the shade.
I thought about a couple shorter like 8-10' to tun them out the same way. Otherwise I have to squeeze the ac200 into the back basement cabinet (have a space saved for it) so I can secure it and have enough air space for ventilation.
I still will have to go with a new good invertor that won't overload current wiring to the old 400 watt one.

 

[Tponaroll]

Oops sun not dun

 

[dmac]

If you have an external 30amp female outlet on an RV, could you create a splice into the wires inside where the 30amp outlet enters the RV (between the outside outlet and the converter/12V panel) and create a new 30amp or 15amp hookup inside to plug the AC200 or whatever into, so that the AC200 can be inside? Does that make sense? The RV doesn't know if you're hooked up outside or inside, or if you're plugged into a portable power supply or shore power from outside. So could you create an outlet or a male cord inside that you could plug into the Bluetti inverter. Really in the end you'd need a male plug to plug into the AC200, and maybe a male plug to plug into the newly created outlet. A male to male extension cord? Is that a thing?

I believe this article (Connect Solar Generator to 30 amp RV) addresses that and shows a slick way to reconnect for shore power when needed. I'm awaiting my AC200P and want to connect it to the DC side with the 25amp aviation plug...any resources here on how to wire that to the fuse panel/converter etc?

 

[WSix]

I've seen that article demac and forgot about it.....I believe this is the way I was intending to accomplish it.. I'm going to give it another look.
Thanks for linking it.

 

[Leo3]

this article (Connect Solar Generator to 30 amp RV) addresses that

Wow great article! Thanks. I wonder how this person charges the Yeti with solar panels while it's inside his trailer?

 

[dmac]

Wow great article! Thanks. I wonder how this person charges the Yeti with solar panels while it's inside his trailer?

Good question. This is the challenge. I'll be running suitcase solar panels and running the cables through the slide in our toy hauler. If I decide to put more panels on the roof (I already have one, charging the house batteries), I'd keep the wires coiled on the roof and then run them in through the slide to attach to the solar generator once we are set up to camp. XT connector should be able to get through the slide seals just fine. Trying to find a way to make things work and keep cutting/drilling to a minimum.

 

[Leo3]

Trying to find a way to make things work and keep cutting/drilling to a minimum.

Yeah same here.

 

[Leo3]

XT connector should be able to get through the slide seals just fine

So you'd have the aviation to XT cable inside the trailer, and the XT to MC4 running through the slide out? You could just have long MC4 to run through the slide seals and have the other two cables just always inside, especially since the MC4 are waterproof and I don't know if XT cable is waterproof.

 

[Tponaroll]

I believe this article (Connect Solar Generator to 30 amp RV) addresses that and shows a slick way to reconnect for shore power when needed. I'm awaiting my AC200P and want to connect it to the DC side with the 25amp aviation plug...any resources here on how to wire that to the fuse panel/converter etc?

I have a little different set up for shore power. Mine has a 30amp male plug end on the shore line that usually is plugged into whatever the shore power supply is. So what I got yesterday was a female outlet that I will put in a box in the utility compartment. The other end will go into the RV (fishing the wire in - 10gage 3 wire) following the wires going in to the invertor and battery charger. I plan to attach a male 20amp 110 plug (have it) to the end inside. Basically making a female to male extension cord that eliminates the 15/30 amp adapter in between.
I will do the same with 10gage pv cable/mc4 ends. That will allow solar panel connection from outside to go into the same area inside. I can plug the 20amp male into the bluetti ac outlet, and solar panels into the input for charging the bluetti. I also have a 600watt pure sine invertor coming to replace the old 400watt modified invertor. Hopefully allowing AC charging directly from the invertor inside when driving. (Alternator powered) My only concern being the alternator life if it's supplying 410watts. I'm actually not sure what the alternator output amperage is... I may end up killing the alternator while on the road which would suck but if that happens I'll have it replaced with the highest amp alternator I can get. The main goal is to keep the bluetti inside the house out of adverse weather (Rain, cold, thieves, etc) and ability to charge it going down the road. I'm keeping the panels portable so none on the roof. (I'd rather park in the shade when camping )

 

[Jchance]

Researching solar for my RV I came across this thread. Rather than start a new one I figured I’d just jump in a little late to the party.

Since we might trade up our RV within the next 2 years, I figured the best way to go would be the Bluetti 200P instead of installing all the necessary equipment to only remove it or give it away once we sell the rig.

So having the correct connections inside my rig for the Bluetti will we be crucial.

My power needs would just be for a maximum of 2 nights of dry camping, at most. Running my LP furnace at night, TV, router and water pump. One full day without AC we’ve averaged just under 200AH without conservation. So I figured the 200p would work for us if we curtail our consumption.

What I’ve been reading here, and elsewhere, is how more efficient DC power is as opposed to AC on the inverter side! Eye opener! So using the Bluetti 25amp DC adapter, I would like to wire it into my DC panel but haven’t figured how to go about it yet. Have any of users here been doing it this way?, if so how? For AC side I will wire a 15amp female outlet on the outside of my rig with a 30/15amp adapter
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07SLM8LT...abc_VCGA3XMFNJTS45MSX1Q0?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
wired to a male adapter inside
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074T57WS...abc_1G9DTPYRZ5CFNBCAXZTT?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
and just plug it in to the Bluetti with a HD cord.

I will run DC during the day and AC at night, like other here have posted. Any input, advice or experience with this new Bluetti unit running a 30amp RV appreciated.

 

[WSix]

I've not had a chance to work with mine yet.
I've recently seen ideas like you suggest and do think it might work well.
what about running what you are speaking of, through a breaker box/switch sl it can be switched back to normal?

 

[Terrapin]

This is exactly where I am heading also, except the LFP 280ah 1500w "solar generator" is a DIY build, so it's even more important that all components stay out of the elements. Going to watch that vid now...

 

[IndyTim]

This is exactly where I am heading also, except the LFP 280ah 1500w "solar generator" is a DIY build, so it's even more important that all components stay out of the elements. Going to watch that vid now...

Did you ever get your Bluetti DC wired up to you camper? I'm looking at doing this with my 200Max.

 

[Jchance]

I have a Pecron 3000. I wired a male 120V water proof outlet outside, through my slide wall, to under my dinette seat/storage compartment. I’ve then wired it to a similar mail socket, inside the coach. My solar generator sits behind the driver seat. I just plug it in at the dinette socket, and then plug my shore power into the 120 outlet that’s Outside.

Another option I though of is to cascade another transfer switch inside the RV with a 30 or 20 amp outlet, (depending on how much amperage your pulling), or you could use your existing transfer switch and remove your generator from it and wire your solar Gen into those terminals, but don’t do both, you’ll back feed, for both, solar Gen and gas/LP/diesel generator, you’ll need a 2nd transfer switch to do this safely.

 

[IndyTim]

I have a Pecron 3000. I wired a male 120V water proof outlet outside, through my slide wall, to under my dinette seat/storage compartment. I’ve then wired it to a similar mail socket, inside the coach. My solar generator sits behind the driver seat. I just plug it in at the dinette socket, and then plug my shore power into the 120 outlet that’s Outside.

Another option I though of is to cascade another transfer switch inside the RV with a 30 or 20 amp outlet, (depending on how much amperage your pulling), or you could use your existing transfer switch and remove your generator from it and wire your solar Gen into those terminals, but don’t do both, you’ll back feed, for both, solar Gen and gas/LP/diesel generator, you’ll need a 2nd transfer switch to do this safely.

I was more interested in how to wire the 30A DC output of the Bluetti to my RV DC circuit.

Tim