solar pre-wired questions

Try to find out what size wire was used for the prewire.

Mine happened to be #10 wire. That meant to get significant charging I had to use an MPPT controller.

Needed items:

charge controller (get one that allows for expansion)

solar panels

wire

fasteners to secure the panels.

Start with an energy audit (find one in the series below)

https://freecampsites.net/adding-solar/

Portable panels allow for placement for maximum sun. Disadvantage is setup and storing.

Many pros and cons and posts but best to evaluate your needs first.

pbitschura wrote:
Our new rv has an outdoor two pin plug-in for solar. What do I need to take advantage of it? What are it's benefits and limitations? We don't currently have any panels.

Most factory solar wiring is kinda minimalist in AWG wire gauge - you’ll be lucky if it’s #10 AWG gauge, and a lengthy roundtrip wire run (+ & -) adds to overall resistance (meaning excessive voltage drop - ugg…)…As such (if wiring panels in parallel) consider limiting your panel wattage to about 200w or so, or if more wattage is desired, consider wiring the panels in series (to help compensate for small’ish wire gauge) using an MPPT type controller that’ll exploit the higher voltage - or add a separate wiring run (of sufficiently gauge) from the roof-top down…This can often be accomplished by snaking the new wire down through the rooftop refer vent..

3 tons

3 tons wrote:

pbitschura wrote:
Our new rv has an outdoor two pin plug-in for solar. What do I need to take advantage of it? What are it's benefits and limitations? We don't currently have any panels.

Most factory solar wiring is kinda minimalist in AWG wire gauge - you’ll be lucky if it’s #10 AWG gauge, and a lengthy roundtrip wire run (+ & -) adds to overall resistance (meaning excessive voltage drop - ugg…)…As such (if wiring panels in parallel) consider limiting your panel wattage to about 200w or so, or if more wattage is desired, consider wiring the panels in series (to help compensate for small’ish wire gauge) using an MPPT type controller that’ll exploit the higher voltage - or add a separate wiring run (of sufficiently gauge) from the roof-top down…This can often be accomplished by snaking the new wire down through the rooftop refer vent..

3 tons

As has been said, the wiring may not be heavy enough for a substantial system. I see little portable set ups. Can I then use this plug in for a battery maintainer to top it off while boondocking, maybe 100 watts or so? These, I believe come with a charge controller for a minimal system.

Probably, but if you're now sure just wire the controller directly to the battery.

For most 100W is inadequate for boondocking but OK for unused RV (storage) battery maintenance.

Only you can answer your question with an assessment of your needs.

#10 is a fine size if not overkill. Using an 100 amp Outback FM100 or Magnum PT-100 as an example you could hook up well over 1,000 watts of solar panels.

Be careful about some of these answers. For example, most solar controllers put out about 14.5 volts to the batteries. At 14.5 volts, 1000 watts would be about 70 amps, way too much for #10 wire. Now, if you are wiring panels in series and have them sending 40 volts to the SOLAR CONTROLLER, then that is about 24 amps, and is OK. But the 14 volts from the controller to the batteries is not, without reducing the amperage available. That is why my solar controller can not put out more than 30 amps, max, at 14 volts. That is safe for #10 wire.

KD4UPL wrote:
#10 is a fine size if not overkill. Using an 100 amp Outback FM100 or Magnum PT-100 as an example you could hook up well over 1,000 watts of solar panels.

Sorry, not practical…

3 tons

pbitschura wrote:

3 tons wrote:

pbitschura wrote:
Our new rv has an outdoor two pin plug-in for solar. What do I need to take advantage of it? What are it's benefits and limitations? We don't currently have any panels.

Most factory solar wiring is kinda minimalist in AWG wire gauge - you’ll be lucky if it’s #10 AWG gauge, and a lengthy roundtrip wire run (+ & -) adds to overall resistance (meaning excessive voltage drop - ugg…)…As such (if wiring panels in parallel) consider limiting your panel wattage to about 200w or so, or if more wattage is desired, consider wiring the panels in series (to help compensate for small’ish wire gauge) using an MPPT type controller that’ll exploit the higher voltage - or add a separate wiring run (of sufficiently gauge) from the roof-top down…This can often be accomplished by snaking the new wire down through the rooftop refer vent..

3 tons

As has been said, the wiring may not be heavy enough for a substantial system. I see little portable set ups. Can I then use this plug in for a battery maintainer to top it off while boondocking, maybe 100 watts or so? These, I believe come with a charge controller for a minimal system.

A pwm system runs "at the battery voltage". They are basically a switch that closes and opens. As the battery charges they shut off and on with the on time getting shorter and shorter.

Depending on the size of the bank 100 watts may be fine to run directly to a good sized bank. This is not recommended.

Get a good MPPT controller and use the highest voltage on the panel input side of the controller alows.

This allows the use of residential panels which are cheaper per watt.

My personal preference is for polycrystalline. Why? Because in the real world they do better if there is any shade--and since this system is panels in series that's a big thing.

3 tons wrote:

KD4UPL wrote:
#10 is a fine size if not overkill. Using an 100 amp Outback FM100 or Magnum PT-100 as an example you could hook up well over 1,000 watts of solar panels.

Sorry, not practical…

3 tons

What are you talking about? I probably install one of these a month on average.
Nobody doing any serious solar work even thinks about using a charge controller that isn't an MPPT model. PWM controllers are like black and white TVs and floppy disks.