Hi all,
I'm planning a solar install on my Chevy Express. I was thinking either two 100ah LifePo4 batteries, or one 200ah LifeP4o4 and two 175w panels mounted on my roof rack. For the charge controller I was thinking the Tracer 4515BN 40amp. Not sure yet what inverter, but probably a 1500w pure sine wave of some kind. I had a few questions:
I plan to mount everything (except the panels of course) inside a plywood box, so all the wiring etc is hidden from the camper interior.
1) do I connect the panels in series or parallel?
2) Do I need a fuse between any of these components or between the panels and components? If so what size?
3) Are these components self cooling? Or do people put little (noisy) fans inside the box?
4) how do you connect the AC plug on the inverter to the 110 plug that will be mounted someplace else in the van, to plug in a laptop etc, without opening the box up?
5) Do I need a battery box for LifePO4 batteries, or can they just sit on plywood?
6) any other thoughts you might have that would help me would be greatly appreciated... There's no shop help on this so i need to figure it out on my own, with your help of course.
THANK YOU!!!
I'm planning a solar install on my Chevy Express. I was thinking either two 100ah LifePo4 batteries, or one 200ah LifeP4o4 and two 175w panels mounted on my roof rack. For the charge controller I was thinking the Tracer 4515BN 40amp. Not sure yet what inverter, but probably a 1500w pure sine wave of some kind. I had a few questions:
I plan to mount everything (except the panels of course) inside a plywood box, so all the wiring etc is hidden from the camper interior.
1) do I connect the panels in series or parallel?
2) Do I need a fuse between any of these components or between the panels and components? If so what size?
3) Are these components self cooling? Or do people put little (noisy) fans inside the box?
4) how do you connect the AC plug on the inverter to the 110 plug that will be mounted someplace else in the van, to plug in a laptop etc, without opening the box up?
5) Do I need a battery box for LifePO4 batteries, or can they just sit on plywood?
6) any other thoughts you might have that would help me would be greatly appreciated... There's no shop help on this so i need to figure it out on my own, with your help of course.
THANK YOU!!!
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