Solar question

**** yankee1 wrote:
First let me say thank you in advance. Now I will be installing a small solar panel on the roof. I intend to bring the wire down thru the fridge vent. That being said this is the area of my converter and fuse panel as well. I would like to mount the solar control in this area as well. Can I run wire from the solar control to the lugs where the battery cabels connect to the on board converter/charger to pickup battery

If it is a "small" panel then yes. In my last MH I ran 200 watts and it worked fine. But I never used the battery disconnect.

**** yankee1 wrote:
I will be installing a small solar panel on the roof.

How small?

Yes for the "battery" wires on the controller to go to the battery lugs. Not for the "array" wires and then have the controller between the converter and battery. You want the converter and controller in parallel on the battery.

In the 90s it was common for the controller output wires to go to the 12v connection at the back of the fridge as a way to get to the battery. Meant using those skinny wires the fridge has. Much better to go to the fatter wires at the battery lugs on the DC fuse panel. (Best is to get the controller close to the battery and go directly to the battery posts)

You’ll love solar! I’d say use one solar watt for every battery amp hour and suggest using eight gauge wire for possible additional panels...no need to rewire.

Great that you are going solar. Use at least 60 watts of panels for every 100 amp-hours of storage (@ 12 volts).

Our battery controller rings an alarm if it is disconnected from the battery while still seeing voltage from the solar panel. To control the alarm I had to put a switch in one of the wires from the panel to the controller.

A good time to consider a battery monitor that can show the per cent of full charge bu counting the amp hours going in and out.

If you have an open branch circuit connector you can use that. Otherwise if you connect to the main battery terminals you should add a fuse too.

Best to have the controller close to the battery but this should be fine for a modest system. How many watts?