Setting up my solar system
I'm in the planning stages of adding solar to my travel trailer. I currently have a battery bank of two 6V flooded lead acid GC batteries in series that is 215 Ah 12 volts. I am planning on adding ...
Forum Discussion
You do need a fuse or breaker for each panel in parallel. The reason is so that if one panel shorts out internally the other 3 don't try to force all of their power thru that panel. That would exceed it's amp rating and possibly start a fire.
I would absolutely use a breaker style combiner box. I like to be able to just throw or reset a breaker instead of mess with fuses. MidNite Solar makes both combiners in different styles, I would use their MNPV6 with 4 appropriate DIN rail style breakers.
You will want a breaker on any wire coming off of your battery terminal so you will need one between the battery and the charge controller. Having one between the combiner and the controller is convenient but not incredibly necessary depending on where your combiner is located. If the combiner is on the roof I'd install a breaker on the PV input near the charge controller. If the combiner is right beside the charge controller I probably wouldn't bother.
Your RV's existing converter will play just fine with the solar system. No modification necessary.
I would absolutely use a breaker style combiner box. I like to be able to just throw or reset a breaker instead of mess with fuses. MidNite Solar makes both combiners in different styles, I would use their MNPV6 with 4 appropriate DIN rail style breakers.
You will want a breaker on any wire coming off of your battery terminal so you will need one between the battery and the charge controller. Having one between the combiner and the controller is convenient but not incredibly necessary depending on where your combiner is located. If the combiner is on the roof I'd install a breaker on the PV input near the charge controller. If the combiner is right beside the charge controller I probably wouldn't bother.
Your RV's existing converter will play just fine with the solar system. No modification necessary.
