Planning for solar installation this spring
My TT comes with a single Interstate SRM-24 battery. We camped for one season so far and never really lived off the battery in any of the campground except for maybe an hour where I didn't plug in sh...
Forum Discussion
EnzoColorado wrote:
Another question, can any of these controllers be mounted on the outside?
You're thinking too much :)
Good advice from members already - get much more solar than planned 200W. I have 490W, made of 2*245W panels, it's cheaper/simpler than 5*100W. I don't carry a generator.
On typical TT with particle board roof and rubber-ish membrane, most common way to mount panels is Z-brackets. It's best to make it yourself of pieces of 2x2 or 3x3 aluminum angle, bolted together to make a Z. 1/4 bolts and nuts into panel bottom, #10 sheet metal screws with sealant into roof - done. My brackets were different though.
Get at least 200 AH battery bank. Trailer tongue should be able to accommodate 3*100 AH 12V batteries or 2*125 AH 6V batts (these are taller, may or may not fit with the front wall "hump"). Another option is to put AGM battereries in front storage.
My 3*100 AGM are in front storage for security and other reasons. Controller is 2ft away, mounted on bedroom wall above that front storage. #10 cable from panels is routed through the fridge vent into microwave cabinet and behind the cabinets along the ceiling/wall, to bedroom controller. Where it's not hidden in cabinets, I used plastic molding - Wiremold cover.
Controller location - I "thought" of mounting it in front storage, but inside it is better protected from marine air and dust, decent MPPT controllers of that size are not cheap.
There is zillion options for mounting all this.
