diy solar

diy solar

Travel Trailer (1050w Solar, 3000w Inverter, 600ah LiFePO4)

Happy to hear my system inspired you. It was my first one and it really performed well for that small travel trailer. I have since removed that system, sold that trailer and moved to a new employer (another RV manufacturer) and have added to that system and installed it in a 38' 5th wheel RV. When I am complete with this new system, I'll start a new build thread on this forum to show what I have done.

Wishing you all the best with your install!
We are getting a Fleetwood 39' Terry travel trailer, and I won't be doing the install until December, can't wait for your version 2!
 
Right, look at the picture in the link. That is a poly panel. The panels on your roof are Mono though. Not really a biggie. Most people would prefer the mono panels. Note the diamonds in the corners.

View attachment 744
Most people would prefer the mono panels. Note the diamonds in the corners.

why is mono preferred over poly ? if you are getting the rated watts you paid for why should I care ( really I don't know the pros and cons of each )
thanks
 
Most people would prefer the mono panels. Note the diamonds in the corners.

why is mono preferred over poly ? if you are getting the rated watts you paid for why should I care ( really I don't know the pros and cons of each )
thanks
nevermind I guess I googled it, but i don't really care myself If I am getting what I paid for and the price is right..
 
why is mono preferred over poly ? if you are getting the rated watts you paid for why should I care ( really I don't know the pros and cons of each )
Monocrystaline solar panels used to be more expensive but offered higher efficiency per square foot of panel. So they are a tad smaller for equal output of a polycrystalline panel of the same rated watts.

These days, polycrystalline panels are pretty dang good. I’ve had a number of 100W commodity polycrystalline panels, running six now. Plus four 100W monocrystaline panels which actually cost me slightly less than the poly’s did. I bought the four monocrystaline panels because four fit in the space I had where only three poly panels would fit.
I bought two more for my boat for the same reason: size, and I can still put an antenna mast in the middle.

But if a small footprint is not needed I would generally buy poly’s because they cost less. Unless mono panels were less I’d buy them. I recently picked up six brand new NOS discontinued poly 315W panels for 44c/W. Poly/Multi didn’t matter.
I buy wattage not cell type.
 
Just came across this thread (Sep '23). Nice, tidy, and compact layout. Well done. I do have a question, however.
In the under-bed box you appear to have mounted many of the switches behind or beneath the equipment/line they are switching (requiring one to reach past or around said equipment to manipulate the switch). Was this deliberate? I would think arranging the switches for easy accessibility (e.g., rapid access in case of urgent need or equipment malfunction) would be a priority; would it not? Especially in a box/compartment that is as compact as the one displayed.
Just curious.
MDS
 
How do you like your batteries? I feel like BB used to be the best option. Are they working well?
 
I feel like BB used to be the best option.
Battle Born was the most expensive option and if full support is a priority then it is the best option. There are many more cost effective options depending on one's ability to DIY a pack and do some maintenance.
 
Reposted from Will's old forum - per his request.

I have installed a system in my demo coach (2020 Heartland RV Sundance 262RB Travel Trailer) that I use as a "generator replacement". We are not boondockers but this system gives us the capability to boondock.

OVERVIEW

DETAIL

Solar Panels Mounted to Roof - Jaboni Power Products (6 ea @ 175 watts ea - polycrystalline)
View attachment 728

Combiner Box - Eco-Worthy (fused, parallel bused, lighting protection, output breaker)
View attachment 730
View attachment 732

Battery/Inverter Box Overview Image
View attachment 733
Top: Battle Born GC2 Batteries Bottom: MPPT Charger Controller
Left: Lynx Power In (DC bus) Right: Inverter Right (gray): 50A AC disconnect

System Monitoring and Control:
  • Victron CCGX Color Display
  • Local Web Browser - Display and Manage CCGX
  • Victron VRM (remote monitoring via web browser and Victron VRM app)
  • Victron Connect App (Bluetooth)
  • GPS Antenna (mounted inside roof system)

View attachment 737

View attachment 735View attachment 736

Equipment Locations
  • Solar Panels and Combiner are mounted to RV roof
  • Solar Charger is mounted in box under bed
  • Inverter is mounted in box under bed
  • Batteries are mounted in box under bed
AC Wire Protection and Routing
  • Shore AC Power input was re-routed to box under bed and into a dual pole 50 amp breaker
  • Shore AC Power out of breaker box was routed inside Inverter with L2 passing back out of inverter without connecting to anything inside
  • Shore AC Power L1 connects in/out of Inverter
  • Shore AC Power L2 is spliced outside of Inverter into common jacketed (6-4 SOOW) wire
  • Shore AC Power routes out of box under bed and to RV OEM AC breaker panel
DC Wire Protection, Busing and Routing
  • Batteries are bused using 1/4 copper bar stock as 2 parallel strings of 3
  • Both strings of batteries are bussed at end using 4/0 welding cable
  • Combined battery + is protected with 400 amp ANL fuse, then switched with 600 amp switch
  • Combined battery - is connected to shunt from BMV-712 battery monitor
  • A reconfigured Victron Lynx Power In is used as the primary DC power bus with AMG fuses for branch in/out
  • Branch in/out are switched with 275 amp switches
  • Solar Combiner output wire gauge is 4 AWG
  • Solar input to MPPT Charge Controller is protected with dual pole 63 amp DC breaker
  • Inverter DC in/out is protected with 400 amp ANL fuse and switched with 600 amp switch
  • DC feed to RV OEM fuse panel is 4 AWG
Future
  • Alternator Charging
Very nice setup. One question, the box has both the Victron MPPT and the Inverter. The MPPT get very hot, sometimes too hot to touch, which according to Victron is fine, and the inverter pumps out it's heat via a fan. In that rather tight space, are you not worried about that heat production?
 
Monocrystaline solar panels used to be more expensive but offered higher efficiency per square foot of panel. So they are a tad smaller for equal output of a polycrystalline panel of the same rated watts.

These days, polycrystalline panels are pretty dang good. I’ve had a number of 100W commodity polycrystalline panels, running six now. Plus four 100W monocrystaline panels which actually cost me slightly less than the poly’s did. I bought the four monocrystaline panels because four fit in the space I had where only three poly panels would fit.
I bought two more for my boat for the same reason: size, and I can still put an antenna mast in the middle.

But if a small footprint is not needed I would generally buy poly’s because they cost less. Unless mono panels were less I’d buy them. I recently picked up six brand new NOS discontinued poly 315W panels for 44c/W. Poly/Multi didn’t matter.
I buy wattage not cell type.

This is not a statistical quantity information, but on my test stand, the poly panels slightly outperform the monos in overcast conditions and off angle light acceptance. The monos produced more output on a bright day facing the sun perpendicular.

So for a panel on top of your vehicle facing "up", the mono would provide a little more output at mid day, but late in the day when the sun is low and more dim, the poly comes through. On average the difference was less than my data collection quality but it isn't good enough to publish or anything like that.

I did this testing over quite a long period of time as I run my off grid setup with a pair of monos and polys from solarland. ~ 150 watt size.
 
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