I have to few lose ends to tie up but overall it came together good. The system will eventually have up to 5 panels totaling 800 watts and 4 EGC2 batteries. I have not yet decided if that will include 2 SC-2030's or a TriStar MPPT 60. We'll have to see when we get there.The system currently includes:- Trimetric 2030- SC2030- 1 Solar Cenergy 160 watt panelFirst was to build the bus bars and panel mounts. The panel mounts use nylon washers to add some tension to the pivot end while allowing it to pivot freely and not gouge.The combiner box on the roof has plenty of room to expand.The 1st panel mounted up. The wires will be held down with tan Eternabond tape (all I currently have is white). The panel tilts at 5° on the roof now; so I need to build some risers to tilt the panels to 30°.Trimetric mounted up.The SC-2030 wired up. I need to cut and re-crimp the phone cable so there is not excess. I'm really digging the hydraulic crimper. I makes very nice crimps.I'm looking forward to not having to take the generator to the places we only need it for charging.

Nice work, you have good skills to work in detail!One suggestion: If you can, make covers for the bus bars/shunt. Maybe Lexan, formed with heat and drilled/bent to allow for cable entry. I know most folks will say, "I'm never going to put anything metal in there..." Never is a long time and just one inadvertent contact can make for a miserable day.

That is a good idea, thanks. I think I have some lexan lying around. I also need to build some for the combiner box

Nice job. When I did the portable portion of ours all exposed wiring was run in split tubing. Plan to start the roof panel mounts today. Like your tilt mounts.

Nice neat job, I'm jealous of you guys with bigger trailers that have all the room to lay out the wiring nice and tidy. I have a truck camper so things are tight.

Wires on the roof need to be covered. PWM and parallel install (?) complicates the wiring, and those red-black cables probably don't have same level of UV protection as MC4 cable.I think leaving generator home will be doable, where you are. As long as you don't need A/C. Or there is no snow on the panel :)...You'll probably end up not using tilting often. Too much pain unless you stay put for a week or longer. 800W is a lot of solar, and you are not that far North.

Started Solar Array | Good Sam Community

Searching_Ut
Explorer
Mar 16, 2017
Nice start. Weather here in Utah is starting to get to the point where I should be climbing on the roof and finishing mine up in the next few weeks. Got the RV pad poured just prior to the weather turning bad in the fall, so now I have some place to work on the rig, which is too big to fit in the driveway. I'm going the dual SC 2030 route and have everything in the garage for upgrading to 10 Grape 100 Watt panels in two banks of 500 watts. Keeping all 10 panels in parallel should work out great for the widely varied sort of camping we do.

Keep posting with updates as you progress.
Lwiddis
Explorer II
Mar 15, 2017
I am considering a second controller for the TT's back panels. Any opinions?
Unyalli
Explorer
Mar 15, 2017
Nice job so far. Might I ask do you know about flooded lead acid battery charging? Specifically getting the absorb phase correct?

- Jeff
Almot
Explorer III
Mar 15, 2017
Wires on the roof need to be covered. PWM and parallel install (?) complicates the wiring, and those red-black cables probably don't have same level of UV protection as MC4 cable.

I think leaving generator home will be doable, where you are. As long as you don't need A/C. Or there is no snow on the panel :)...

You'll probably end up not using tilting often. Too much pain unless you stay put for a week or longer. 800W is a lot of solar, and you are not that far North.
hedge
Explorer
Mar 15, 2017
Nice neat job, I'm jealous of you guys with bigger trailers that have all the room to lay out the wiring nice and tidy. I have a truck camper so things are tight.
scrubjaysnest
Explorer
Mar 15, 2017
Nice job. When I did the portable portion of ours all exposed wiring was run in split tubing. Plan to start the roof panel mounts today. Like your tilt mounts.
Firelime
Explorer
Mar 15, 2017
That is a good idea, thanks. I think I have some lexan lying around. I also need to build some for the combiner box
westend
Explorer
Mar 15, 2017
Nice work, you have good skills to work in detail!
One suggestion: If you can, make covers for the bus bars/shunt. Maybe Lexan, formed with heat and drilled/bent to allow for cable entry. I know most folks will say, "I'm never going to put anything metal in there..." Never is a long time and just one inadvertent contact can make for a miserable day.

Forum Discussion

Started Solar Array

About DIY Maintenance

Related Content

Where to start with solar power?

Starting Issue

7.3 no start

Solar project thoughts.

Rough start