Hello people, I come to you in a time of great need. I paid a guy to set up solar for our camping trailer and he dropped off 2 panels, a battery and took the rest of the money and left. I now have to do it myself, I plan on getting 4 more pannels (400 watts) and another battery. The battery he dropped off was lead-acid so I'm gonna get another one of those. So this is my basic idea of solar, please correct me where I'm wrong, your solar panels get wired together either in series or in parallel with mt4 connectors, this brings you down to 2 cords which hook into your charge controller your batteries will also hook into your charge controller than a pure sine power inverter (need to run sensitive electronics) hooks into your batteries. That's all I got I have no idea how to hook the power inverter into my camper trailer. I'm hoping it's as simple as buying an adapter that lets the 30 amp 120v plug just plug on in. Any resources that help me better understand this process are greatly appreciated.
Setting up solar for a camping trailer
- Thread starter Scixxor
- Start date
Series connections with the MC4 connectors will get you to those two cables. If you use parallel and have six panels then you have six cables, unless you use a bunch of Y connectors. With six (identical) panels you could go 3s2p (three panels in series, the other three panels in series, connect both strings with Y connector) and have two cables going into the RV.
If you want to integrate an inverter's output into the RV's AC system then first of all the inverter needs to support a hard wired output. Simply running an extension cord isn't going to be acceptable.
I strongly recommend you review the YouTube videos that Will Prowse has created as well as the DIY Solar Blueprints (link at the top of this page on the banner line). You have a lot to come up to speed on.
If you want to integrate an inverter's output into the RV's AC system then first of all the inverter needs to support a hard wired output. Simply running an extension cord isn't going to be acceptable.
I strongly recommend you review the YouTube videos that Will Prowse has created as well as the DIY Solar Blueprints (link at the top of this page on the banner line). You have a lot to come up to speed on.
Hello again, I've reviewed some of Will Prows's videos and they've been very helpful. I've been without power for a month now because a local that was supposed to come hook me up with solar ripped us off. He left me with a gel battery and 2 used panels which hopefully work. I'm ready to go ahead and buy some parts so they get shipping. I wanted to buy this kit https://hqsolarpower.com/400-watt-1...solar-panel-kit-w-40a-mppt-charge-controller/ this battery, https://www.amazon.com/Renogy-Deep-...locphy=9051750&hvtargid=pla-942094772056&th=1 and finally this power inverter, https://www.homedepot.com/p/Renogy-...43075?source=shoppingads&locale=en-US#overlay. What else would I need to hook up the other battery and 2 panels I need? Also how exactly do I hook my solar inverter into my camper trailer AC system, some other people said I should just buy an inverter and plug it right in. Oh and one last thing, My panels will be 65~ feet away from my camper so what wire should I buy to replace the one that comes with the kit?
The inverter you linked to does say it comes with an AC hard wire port. You will need to supply your own 10 or 12 gauge Romex wire to go from the inverter's AC hard wire port to the AC input on the trailer's existing power distribution center. A 1000 watt inverter isn't very large. It will run a small coffee pot, laptops and phone chargers but it won't run a microwave.
RV trailers usually have a shore power cable. Normally you would connect the shore power cable into the inverter. This makes it so that the power distribution center has only one AC 120v input. However, the Renogy inverter does not support that. Life is a lot easier/safer if you use an inverter that has that feature. You're going to have to spend more money to step up to an inverter with that feature.
I'm not a fan of Renogy products or the company. While I don't have any of their products, there are forum members that have had issues with the quality of Renogy products and then - adding insult to injury - have had issues with Renogy customer service.
Regarding your PV panel selection, consider finding panels that are bigger, at least 200 watts. The fewer panels there are, the easier the install. Fewer wires, fewer holes in the roof of the RV, etc. Be sure you know the exact dimensions of your roof and all the objects on the roof. I started my design with four 200 watt panels but found that I couldn't fit that many panels. Two 320 watt panels fit just fine instead.
RV trailers usually have a shore power cable. Normally you would connect the shore power cable into the inverter. This makes it so that the power distribution center has only one AC 120v input. However, the Renogy inverter does not support that. Life is a lot easier/safer if you use an inverter that has that feature. You're going to have to spend more money to step up to an inverter with that feature.
I'm not a fan of Renogy products or the company. While I don't have any of their products, there are forum members that have had issues with the quality of Renogy products and then - adding insult to injury - have had issues with Renogy customer service.
Regarding your PV panel selection, consider finding panels that are bigger, at least 200 watts. The fewer panels there are, the easier the install. Fewer wires, fewer holes in the roof of the RV, etc. Be sure you know the exact dimensions of your roof and all the objects on the roof. I started my design with four 200 watt panels but found that I couldn't fit that many panels. Two 320 watt panels fit just fine instead.
Hello again, your input is very helpful as always and I appreciate it. I'm not mounting the panels on my RV because it's parked in a wooded lot and wouldn't get any sun so space won't be an issue. With that being said I do need to run 65~ foot cable to reach the back of my camper I was thinking of getting 50' of 12 gauge wire because the kit comes with 20' 12 gauge but that gauge might now be low enough given the distance. Can you link me an inverter and/or what wire I should get. I've been without electric for more than a month now so I'm eager to get this all set up.
My preference for inverters is the Victron Multiplus. The link is to one of their models. It's expensive, but very reliable and feature rich.
The longer this distance from your trailer to the panels, the bigger the wire will need to be. Post a link to the specifications of the panels and the approximate distance between the trailer and the panels and I'll give you a better idea of what size cable you need. I'll show my work so you can see how to do it yourself.
The longer this distance from your trailer to the panels, the bigger the wire will need to be. Post a link to the specifications of the panels and the approximate distance between the trailer and the panels and I'll give you a better idea of what size cable you need. I'll show my work so you can see how to do it yourself.
12VoltInstalls
life passes by too quickly to not live in freedom
Why is that?
If you disable the oem ’converter’ (assuming it’s got one) why would this not work?
I say this because I used 10’ of three-wire cord plugged into my 1200W inverter to a GFCI outlet; the RV 30A cord is plugged into a 20A adapter which is plugged into that GFCI. The cord into the inverter hasn’t been unplugged for over three years. Seems acceptable to me. Other than two years+ ago when the GFCI tripped once for an unknown reason it’s been no problem.
(this camper never had a converter)
And still need to disable the converter…and disconnect the 30A cord so it isn’t a suicide cable, or install a transfer switch to make sure woops doesn’t meet Murphy
You should be able to do this with the help here.
But do you have a friend with electrical experience that can help? Not that you can’t do this but a savvy friend would eliminate the learning curve time to at least get you going.
…And you’ve already got good distance help on hand and ready to roll.
Hello again, I'm having trouble finding a price/place I can order the inverter I linked. As for the panels I'm going to have 560 watts going through that 65' (it's about 55 feet away from the back of my trailer so my dad wanted to go with 65 feet of cable so we have plenty) )of cable. 4 100 watt cables and 2 80 watt cables. The 2 80 watt panels are BP solar polycrystalline panels serial number 380J. And the 4 100 watt panels are the ones used in this kit https://hqsolarpower.com/400-watt-1...solar-panel-kit-w-40a-mppt-charge-controller/
I have a friend with some electrical experience and my dad also has some electrical experience so we figured between the three of us and this forum we can get it done.
My budget for everything is $1200 I don't have internet for most of the day but will be able to see your guys messaged through my dad's phone I look forward to seeing both of your replies so I can go ahead and order everything.
You can order directly from Renogy if you want. A friend of mine did just that a couple days ago.
How many cables are you running from the panels into the RV? It sounds like you're running cables for each panel? If so, don't do that. Connect the panels (of the same specs) in series, then you have only two cables (pos/neg) from that string of panels to run into the RV.
How many cables are you running from the panels into the RV? It sounds like you're running cables for each panel? If so, don't do that. Connect the panels (of the same specs) in series, then you have only two cables (pos/neg) from that string of panels to run into the RV.
My plan was to run the 4 100 watt cables in series so there were only 2 cables and then find a way, later on, to add on the 80-watt panels. The kit I'm going to buy doesn't come with any connectors so how many and what type of connectors should I use?
SomebodyInGNV
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I bought this 2KW inverter directly from Renogy. It's enough for a microwave oven but I don't know if a couple of gel batteries can discharge fast enough to feed that demand. I have 2 SOK 12V LFP batteries in parallel, which can, but I get the impression LFP batteries aren't in your budget. That being the case, 1KW is probably all you can power and therefore is all you need.
You can't power your trailer with 1KW. You can power a limited number of outlets for use with things that don't have high power demands, like a laptop. Forget using a Keurig or the microwave oven. Use propane for everything you can, 12V for lighting, fans and trailer utilities (e.g., refrigerator controller), and preserve the 120V for electronics.
A short-term approach would be to snake a heavy gauge extension cord from the inverter to the interior of the trailer. You can plug a 3-in-1 into that but consider carefully what you plug into it. Don't run extension cords everywhere and don't expect it to power everything. Smaller inverters installed by RV manufacturers have shore power inputs, built-in transfer switches and power a limited number of labeled outlets. When shore power drops it switches to battery and continues to power only those outlets.
Are you aware of the limitations of 12V batteries? Standard lead-acid should not be discharged to < 50% SOC without affecting the lifespan. Gel batteries may be more flexible in that regard but read up on it before you damage your batteries. Lead-acid batteries are also limited in discharge rate. Either you can't expect high output or you have several batteries in parallel. Lithium Iron Phosphate batteries address many of those limitations but are pricy and seem like they're out of scope for what you're doing right now.
Get a battery monitor. It's really the only way to know the state of charge. I have and used to recommend this Aili monitor. It's relatively inexpensive and, for the most part, adequate. The disadvantage is that the monitor itself is hardwired, only. If the mounting location of the monitor in your trailer is suitable, that's fine. A bigger disadvantage is that it does not incorporate Peukert's constant which can affect accuracy, particularly for lead-acid batteries.
I now recommend the Victron SmartShunt because it includes Peukert's constant so it can be more accurate and it uses Bluetooth, so installation is easier. That said, it's 3 times the price.
Regarding the wire to your panels use a wire calculator such as this to determine the required cable size. Don't skimp on wire because you'll be throwing away power and you can't afford to lose any. Use welding cable because it's flexible and easy to work with. Attaching the lugs correctly is a must. Read up on that. Consider buying custom-made or ready-made cables.
I don't shop for Renogy, nor would I recommend that brand, so I wouldn't be of any help there.
You want to wire your panels in series. Most panels come with MC4 connectors. If your panels don't have any connectors then you can add MC4 connectors. Each panel will need two MC4 connectors. An MC4 crimper is strongly recommended. Here is an MC4 die for a ratcheting crimper:
eclipsetools.com
If you don't want to put MC4 connectors on then you can use simple butt connectors and heat shrink tubing. However, most heat shrink tubing is not rated for exposure to sun.
You want to wire your panels in series. Most panels come with MC4 connectors. If your panels don't have any connectors then you can add MC4 connectors. Each panel will need two MC4 connectors. An MC4 crimper is strongly recommended. Here is an MC4 die for a ratcheting crimper:
Lunar Series Die Set for 4mm Solar Panel Contacts
Application:Multi-Contact ∅4mm Solar Contacts Crimp Size: AWG 14/12/10DIN 2.5/4.0/6.0mm²
eclipsetools.com
If you don't want to put MC4 connectors on then you can use simple butt connectors and heat shrink tubing. However, most heat shrink tubing is not rated for exposure to sun.
Ok…
First. What battery EXACTLY do you have?
What in your camper are you powering?
What charge controller do you have?
First. What battery EXACTLY do you have?
What in your camper are you powering?
What charge controller do you have?
That is a lot of info to take in but none the less your input is appreciated. So should I bother getting a higher watt inverter? Or hell just what inverter should I get, this is all very confusing all of a sudden. Like I said before my total budget is $1200 that's literally all the money I have. I won't ever have shore power on this RV because there just isn't electricity on the lot I have. As for the battery monitor I already knew I would need one and I was planning on getting this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N642QV...ng-20&linkId=2e747c29b231feb57b0460bafd3e667a because its cheap and easy to hook up.
So what inverter should I get I'm perfectly fine with not going with Renogy I just need to get one.
Okay would these work? https://www.amazon.com/BEIDELT-Conn...keywords=Mc4+Connector&qid=1638118190&sr=8-14I don't shop for Renogy, nor would I recommend that brand, so I wouldn't be of any help there.
You want to wire your panels in series. Most panels come with MC4 connectors. If your panels don't have any connectors then you can add MC4 connectors. Each panel will need two MC4 connectors. An MC4 crimper is strongly recommended. Here is an MC4 die for a ratcheting crimper:
Lunar Series Die Set for 4mm Solar Panel Contacts
Application:Multi-Contact ∅4mm Solar Contacts Crimp Size: AWG 14/12/10DIN 2.5/4.0/6.0mm²
If you don't want to put MC4 connectors on then you can use simple butt connectors and heat shrink tubing. However, most heat shrink tubing is not rated for exposure to sun.
So what inverter should I get I'm perfectly fine with not going with Renogy I just need to get one.
The a**hole that was going to hook me up with solar dropped off a Deka Solar Photolyphic battery, its 12v 99ah, and its gel. I was going to buy a 200ah battery because I don't even know if the used one he dropped off works. This is that battery: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B084C3VZRY/ref=twister_B08TMJ53MJ?_encoding=UTF8&th=1
The lovely gentleman that was going to hook me up also left me 2, 80 watt BP Solar polycrystalline panels. I was going to buy this kit that had 4 100 watt panels and the charge controller: https://hqsolarpower.com/400-watt-1...wrnc6HkUADer6cSuhyq8O_mXYnnMFWxxoC150QAvD_BwE
And we were hoping to power 1 computer 1 laptop 2 TVs, and a phone charger or 2 at once. While occasionally using a heater (or maybe the campers built-in overhead heater/ac thing) and a microwave.
12VoltInstalls
life passes by too quickly to not live in freedom
A $1200 system will do a lot of things- a surprising amount of things. Things it won’t do well or at all are the rooftop heater and big microwaves.
Others will fill in the details as this develops here…
For a low-buck inverter with a good reputation look up Giandel pure sine 2000W inverter. That would do a 1200W microwave. But you are right: more battery power is needed. A few ‘extra’ panels will give you fairly decent daytime power.
$1200 will get you going but it’s probably not the final end of making a useable system at the level you desire. An acceptable inverter and an appropriate charge controller will be around $500 together.
Then panels; depending on what you go for you might be able to get 800W but probably 4-6 for new 100W.
But keep in mind two things:
- you’ll need wire and some other supplirs
- and all of this is wildhat guessing without specifics.
Maybe three things; you apparently need to solve the heating need within the limits of your storage and panels and I didn’t add in cost of batteries.
Thank you for your input, as for heating we have a propane stove which helps a lot, we figured between the propane stove and a portable heater we would get by in the winter. I already figured that I wouldn't be able to run the rooftop ac. And we plan on adding at least 3 more panels and 200ah of battery power in the future. But right now $1200 is all we got. Oh and could you kindly provide al ink to the inverter?
Yes, those MC4 connectors should work. I have no experience with that brand. Reviews seem good, if you are inclined to believe the reviews on Amazon.
Your list of loads looked like a 1000 watt inverter would work, until you listed the microwave and air conditioner. I've been using a 1000 watt inverter for the past four years to power a coffee maker, laptop, charge phones and even a 500 watt space heater. But I had no expectation that the inverter was going to power the microwave, let alone the air conditioner. I did not connect my inverter into the RV's distribution panel. I ran a dedicated outlet from the inverter (it supports a hard wired connection like that) to the cabinet where I run the coffee pot from.
Victron Energy doesn't make a plain inverter for the U.S. market. Their inverter-only series is all 230 Vac for the European market and you need 120 Vac. Check out Xantrex ProWatt and the GoPower Inverter. Neither of these has a hard wired option, meaning you have to plug into the provided outlets on the inverter.
I have an older version of the Xantrex inverter, but modified sine wave, not pure sine wave. It has been a good inverter for me for what I've asked of it. But I kept my expectations low (no microwave use).
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