Solar Kit

NinerBikes wrote:
I bet you could use your existing charge controller with adding a 40 watt solar panel, and still have enough head room. Change out the gauge wiring to 12 or 14 gauge and you have plenty capacity.

What I would do is add the 40 watt panel. Wire all three panels in parallel to some sort of junction box. Run 14 gauge wire the 20 to 50 feet to your charge controller, which you took off the back of the portable panels and remounted inside your Class C, close to the batteries. Run 10 gauge wire from the controller to the batteries, no more than 4 or 5 feet worth. Calculate V loss for the 5 feet of 10 gauge wire, and compensate at the charge controller to get around 14.8v at the battery, not what the charge controller reads, that's going to a solve for "X" voltage at the to account for line losses to get 14.8V at the batteries. Might be .2 V might be .3 V, might be even .1V

Excellent lowest cost solution, Niner. I've ordered the Solar30 controller off ebay so will probably do the same with a 100 watt panel. The junction box may fit where the 10w controller came off.

I bet you could use your existing charge controller with adding a 40 watt solar panel, and still have enough head room. Change out the gauge wiring to 12 or 14 gauge and you have plenty capacity.

What I would do is add the 40 watt panel. Wire all three panels in parallel to some sort of junction box. Run 14 gauge wire the 20 to 50 feet to your charge controller, which you took off the back of the portable panels and remounted inside your Class C, close to the batteries. Run 10 gauge wire from the controller to the batteries, no more than 4 or 5 feet worth. Calculate V loss for the 5 feet of 10 gauge wire, and compensate at the charge controller to get around 14.8v at the battery, not what the charge controller reads, that's going to a solve for "X" voltage at the to account for line losses to get 14.8V at the batteries. Might be .2 V might be .3 V, might be even .1V

DAS26miles wrote:
SkiSmuggs- I saw that branch connector but then you need the MC4 connectors to go into the branch connector so that means 3 MC4 connectors for each side or 6 altogether. The MC4 connectors are $7 per pair, so that's $21 and the branch connectors are $13 per pair plus wiring and tool to unconnected MC4 connectors $7. I read MC4 connectors are difficult to unhook and the tool helps.

I would have to bring it in to look at it, but was thinking of pulling the panel wires out of the 10 amp controller, plugging into one side of the branch connectors with that and the wires from the 3rd panel to the other branch, then one heavier wire to the controller with SB connectors right before the 30 amp controller.

Pulled off the covers from the back of the Suitcase 100w kit. The wiring will not handle any increased load. It's .15tmm equivalent to 15awg. The alligator clamps have 12awg going to the battery. I made up a 10awg extension of 15 feet for the suitcase.
Based on my findings, I will have to go with a separate controller. I did check and no room in the battery compartment for a controller. So I will probably make up another battery connector setup of 10awg with a fuse.

jandjbaums wrote:
I went with 2 Renogy 100w poly panels for my portable setup. also have the MS 45 controller, and the 2030 monitor for future expantion.

How is working out? What kind of battery bank?

DAS26miles wrote:
SkiSmuggs- I saw that branch connector but then you need the MC4 connectors to go into the branch connector so that means 3 MC4 connectors for each side or 6 altogether. The MC4 connectors are $7 per pair, so that's $21 and the branch connectors are $13 per pair plus wiring and tool to unconnected MC4 connectors $7. I read MC4 connectors are difficult to unhook and the tool helps.

That is why I was thinking about using Anderson connectors from the panels near the controller.

SkiSmuggs- I saw that branch connector but then you need the MC4 connectors to go into the branch connector so that means 3 MC4 connectors for each side or 6 altogether. The MC4 connectors are $7 per pair, so that's $21 and the branch connectors are $13 per pair plus wiring and tool to unconnected MC4 connectors $7. I read MC4 connectors are difficult to unhook and the tool helps.

DAS, MC4 branch connectors to wire the extra panels in parallel. Should be a video showing you how.
Connecting solar panels

Skismuggs- That's perfect, but as you noted there is no fuse inline like the one that came with the kit. I'm going to cut off the alligator clips and solder on 10 gauge eye loops. Then mount in outside the battery box and get a dust cover.
I'm still researching in how to attach the added 50 watt panel. Works out almost the same $150 either buying a bundle kit and adding cable from the controller to the battery or adding it in parallel with MC4's and branch connectors. With the bundle, I will have a 20 or 30 amp controller to expand further.

I went with 2 Renogy 100w poly panels for my portable setup. also have the MS 45 controller, and the 2030 monitor for future expantion.