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Renogy panels to Zamp connectors/polarity

jrd22

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Nov 22, 2021
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Hi, new to the site. I have four Renogy 100w panels that I'm going to mount on our travel trailer that has a Zamp box on top with three ports. I understand that the Zamp plugs are reverse polarity to most other connectors. I haven't received the panels yet so I'm not sure whether they have bare wires or MC4 connectors (and Renogy has not replied to an email I sent). Is there a simple way to convert to the Zamp plugs from the panels or should I think about replacing the whole box and hardwire the wires in another junction box? Thanks!
 
Do a search for “sae connector” on Amazon and you will see most of your options.

understand that the Zamp plugs are reverse polarity to most other connectors.
The confusion (to me anyway) is because there isn’t a specific male and female connector. On a power source like a solar panel, the + is supposed to have the covered (female) end and the exposed (male) pin as negative.

It gets confusing when joining and connecting because the “source” is not clearly defined or maybe multiple sources. For example an inverter/charger is both source and receiver: the sae plugs can then be installed either way and be “correct”.

It becomes semi-maddening on van installs because testing polarity is not possible and tracing wires sometimes completely impossible.
 
Hi, new to the site. I have four Renogy 100w panels that I'm going to mount on our travel trailer that has a Zamp box on top with three ports. I understand that the Zamp plugs are reverse polarity to most other connectors. I haven't received the panels yet so I'm not sure whether they have bare wires or MC4 connectors (and Renogy has not replied to an email I sent). Is there a simple way to convert to the Zamp plugs from the panels or should I think about replacing the whole box and hardwire the wires in another junction box? Thanks!

I would be inclined to keep the existing box if it's water tight. It looks like Zamp uses a standard SAE connector. I use an SAE outlet on the side of my trailer for my ground deployed panels also. If the Renogy panels come with MC4 connectors I would keep them and then create your own adapter cable with MC4 on one end and SAE on the other end. You can set the SAE plug to have whatever polarity you want.

The above is exactly what I did for my trailer. My panels had MC4 already. I made my own 25' extension cable with MC4 on one end and SAE on the other. It works fine.

However, SAE is not a secure fitting, while MC4 is. The SAE connection will likely vibrate loose unless there is a way to secure it in place. I did not secure mine just in case someone trips over my cable.
 
Thanks for the replies! It looks like the Renogy panels come with their own connectors (not MC4) so I'll either need to buy cables from them to extend to the box or cut them off and just use marine butt connectors and then use sae at the box. I'm tempted to replace the box so I don't have to deal with the sae at all and keep it simple with butt connectors all the way but it might be a big job to remove and replace the box.
 
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