Joining the Solar crew
I have the roof space, had the cash, have a good buddy to help me do the install (he did a similar system on his own Lance). I have two group 31 AGM batteries on board 200 watts solar Now ...
Forum Discussion
If you pick the correct parts in your system you can get away with smaller factory pre-wire
If you use a MPPT charge controller it can handle and convert higher voltages to camper voltage without wasting amps
By using two or more panels in series you multiply the voltage of the panels and keep the amps the same as one panel , allowing you to use a wire size that is good for one panels amp load and line voltage drop for the length of the wire run
For 5.29 amps with #12 wire you can be about 22 ft from panel to battery. Look at the third chart here for line voltage drop
Example , a panel like Buzzcut1`s has 100 watts , 18.9 volts , 5.29 amps
In parallel that will leave the volts at 18.9, but double the amps to 10.58
In series the volts double to 37.8 , but the amps stay at 5.29
You need a MPPT controller to efficiently convert the 37.8 volts to the aprox 14.4 volts in the camper without wasting amps
With a PWN controller even the 18.9 volts of one panel alone will not be converted to the 14.4 camper voltage without wasteing the difference of 18.9 and 14.4 , waste of 4.5 volts
Hope this helps
If you use a MPPT charge controller it can handle and convert higher voltages to camper voltage without wasting amps
By using two or more panels in series you multiply the voltage of the panels and keep the amps the same as one panel , allowing you to use a wire size that is good for one panels amp load and line voltage drop for the length of the wire run
For 5.29 amps with #12 wire you can be about 22 ft from panel to battery. Look at the third chart here for line voltage drop
Example , a panel like Buzzcut1`s has 100 watts , 18.9 volts , 5.29 amps
In parallel that will leave the volts at 18.9, but double the amps to 10.58
In series the volts double to 37.8 , but the amps stay at 5.29
You need a MPPT controller to efficiently convert the 37.8 volts to the aprox 14.4 volts in the camper without wasting amps
With a PWN controller even the 18.9 volts of one panel alone will not be converted to the 14.4 camper voltage without wasteing the difference of 18.9 and 14.4 , waste of 4.5 volts
Hope this helps
