New solar set up on my 2005 Lance 820
This is a long post- if you don’t like long posts then “Nothing to see here, move along”
I have a 2005 Lance 820. I bought it this spring in PA. I live in NH. I moved to this from a 2006 Northstar 850. I put a 100 watt Renogy panel on my NS 850 and knew I really wanted 200 watts and 200AH + for this one. My Lance had the 58 watt factory unit but the battery box is on the driver’s side basically under the bathroom shelf outside. Small and will only hold 1 battery. What to do. I mean, how hard can this be, right? I’ll find a spot for 2 batteries, run the new cable to those, disconnect the old battery and hook up my new wires. The old compartment is perfect for my septic connectors. It’s lined and has a vent. Perfect!
So I found the panels I wanted on Amazon. The set up I put on my NS was a Renogy 100 watt with a Renogy controller. I liked it and how it worked. Yes there are different, better, etc controllers but I bet most are made by the same 15 year old Chinese kid. I found a 200 watt Renogy package on Amazon with cables, mounts, connectors to join the 2 panels together, and what I thought was a Renogy LCD controller. More on this later.
Here’s what I bought:
200 watt kit with 2 x 100 watt panels, mounts, etc $292.11 with my free Prime shipping
3M VHB tape 4991 1.5” x 5 yards $52.39
Renogy 30 amp ANL fuse set with fuse and holder 2 x $13.99
6AWG cable 25 feet for battery to battery and batteries to power unit $21.90
6AWG lug connectors 3 x $3.35 (WalMart)
Click For Full-Size Image.
Then, when I discovered the panels weren’t close enough to connect together (D’oh!)
HQST 5 ft 10AWG MC4 extension cable
So my first issue was when I looked at my original battery set up. This topic has been covered and advised in a different thread but what I found were nice 6 or 8AWG positive and negative wires. And.. a 12 or 14AWG positive and negative wires for my original panels. No sweat so far. Now 2 more ground wires. What? Why? Oh no.
Click For Full-Size Image.
What will potentially fail, die, etc if I screw something u with those? My solution was to bolt them together and leave the ground wired to my ground bar under the sink. I then pushed the excess wire back into the wall and screwed them up and out of the way. Nice compartment. A comment here- before messing with stuff that can kill me I unplugged the camper and pulled the battery disconnect switch and then disconnected the batteries.
Now came time to mount a frame. Problem #2 as Lance claims not to have any wiring diagrams or framing plans for my 820. None, zero, zilch. So how do I frame this? I have a rubber type membrane on my roof but I figured the edges of the camper had some framing. I also ran a stud finder across the roof and found some studs. 1 inch x 1 inch aluminum square channel. A 48 inch section down each side and a 93 inch one across the front and back to mount the panels to. This also keeps the panels 2 inches off the roof for heat dissipation. I put the 3M VHB tape on the aluminum and then down onto the roof. Then I screwed each one down, covered those with Dicor, and ran Dicor all the way around each piece. I found that there was more flex in the middle than I was comfortable with so I put an extra section under the middle of each cross bar and treated them the same as the side pieces.
Click For Full-Size Image.
I pulled the refrigerator vent cover and ran the wires down into the camper through a hole I drilled near the upper right corner of the fridge. These wires were run down through wire holders that I had left over from another project. The controller is screwed to the back of the seat facing the bunk. I built a battery box out of sanded 3/4 inch plywood and stained/varnished it. I put sealing tape around it to seal the lid and the open back to the wing wall. I cut a vent hole in the wing/truck bed access door and glued/screwed vents on the inside and outside to vent any charging gasses out of the camper.
Click For Full-Size Image.
Click For Full-Size Image.
Click For Full-Size Image.
Another problem- the LP detector’s in the way. OK, cut a new space out above the box no problem.
Click For Full-Size Image.
Hooked up one panel to the controller and batteries and found 5 amps to the controller and the batteries were charging. Nice. The box by the way is screwed to the floor. It fits nicely in that weird floor space under the fridge in front of the wing door, and even better, my trash can fits on it and I can still open the fridge door with it in place!!
Click For Full-Size Image.
Click For Full-Size Image.
Click For Full-Size Image.
Now to hook the batteries up to the power center. Not bad once I looked at the diagram in my owner’s manual and double checked some wires and circuits. Positive wire to the back of my electrical circuit box. The negative to the ground bar. Done. Turn on the battery disconnect and pray.... Presto let there be light and better yet no fuse popping sounds or fire.
Click For Full-Size Image.
Click For Full-Size Image.
Once my cable extension came I got 10 amps to the controller with some shade even. I am going to hook up the old panel tomorrow also as I figure 58 watts is 58 watts. I also need to do something different with the cables to the controller as they pulled off the wall. I guess the bigger and stiffer AWG of these is too much. No biggie just a run to WalMart on the way home.
Click For Full-Size Image.
1 last problem. The controller wasn’t Renogy, it is literally a no name version that doesn’t have a manual nor can I find 1 on line. I ordered a better Renogy this afternoon and will be replacing it. The one that came with it has some different hook ups and settings that I can’t figure out. Better safe and happy than sorry. I do not feel that I need a $150 or $200 controller at this point.
Click For Full-Size Image.
I have roughly $550.00 total in this now. Thinking and planning and double checking (and worrying) probably cost me 6 or 8 hours and true work was 6 or 8 hours. I wanted to post this because if I can do this..... trust me you can.
I placed my panels over the bunk end. The roof is sloped a little bit there and I will have to be aware of this when I park for maximum sun light.
Click For Full-Size Image.
Why not put them elsewhere? No room. I want to leave the rack at the passenger’s side rear by the ladder available to use.
Click For Full-Size Image.
Why a 30 amp controller? Room to grow if I change my mind about the rack area. I also know that the 100 watts and group 31 105 AH battery on my NS was enought for a couple of days easily even using CPAP over night. Now I’ve lost significant weight and don’t use CPAP. I’m going with a Plat Cat heater this fall so the furnace and batteries shouldn’t be a huge issue. I think with the 215 AHs and the 2 panels I should be all set for the majority of my needs and boon docking time.
Click For Full-Size Image.
Why 6 volt batteries? True deep cycle use and life. Better/deeper discharges with out harming them. I could have bought 2 x 12 volts but the AH would have been basically the same or a little less AND at Batteries Plus these 6 volters were cheaper. I bought them online and picked them up which gave me a 10% discount and paid $80.00 each for them. Yes lead acid and some maintenance. No biggie I have 48 volts of acid batteries in my bass boat and am used to it.
I have a 2005 Lance 820. I bought it this spring in PA. I live in NH. I moved to this from a 2006 Northstar 850. I put a 100 watt Renogy panel on my NS 850 and knew I really wanted 200 watts and 200AH + for this one. My Lance had the 58 watt factory unit but the battery box is on the driver’s side basically under the bathroom shelf outside. Small and will only hold 1 battery. What to do. I mean, how hard can this be, right? I’ll find a spot for 2 batteries, run the new cable to those, disconnect the old battery and hook up my new wires. The old compartment is perfect for my septic connectors. It’s lined and has a vent. Perfect!
So I found the panels I wanted on Amazon. The set up I put on my NS was a Renogy 100 watt with a Renogy controller. I liked it and how it worked. Yes there are different, better, etc controllers but I bet most are made by the same 15 year old Chinese kid. I found a 200 watt Renogy package on Amazon with cables, mounts, connectors to join the 2 panels together, and what I thought was a Renogy LCD controller. More on this later.
Here’s what I bought:
200 watt kit with 2 x 100 watt panels, mounts, etc $292.11 with my free Prime shipping
3M VHB tape 4991 1.5” x 5 yards $52.39
Renogy 30 amp ANL fuse set with fuse and holder 2 x $13.99
6AWG cable 25 feet for battery to battery and batteries to power unit $21.90
6AWG lug connectors 3 x $3.35 (WalMart)
Then, when I discovered the panels weren’t close enough to connect together (D’oh!)
HQST 5 ft 10AWG MC4 extension cable
So my first issue was when I looked at my original battery set up. This topic has been covered and advised in a different thread but what I found were nice 6 or 8AWG positive and negative wires. And.. a 12 or 14AWG positive and negative wires for my original panels. No sweat so far. Now 2 more ground wires. What? Why? Oh no.
What will potentially fail, die, etc if I screw something u with those? My solution was to bolt them together and leave the ground wired to my ground bar under the sink. I then pushed the excess wire back into the wall and screwed them up and out of the way. Nice compartment. A comment here- before messing with stuff that can kill me I unplugged the camper and pulled the battery disconnect switch and then disconnected the batteries.
Now came time to mount a frame. Problem #2 as Lance claims not to have any wiring diagrams or framing plans for my 820. None, zero, zilch. So how do I frame this? I have a rubber type membrane on my roof but I figured the edges of the camper had some framing. I also ran a stud finder across the roof and found some studs. 1 inch x 1 inch aluminum square channel. A 48 inch section down each side and a 93 inch one across the front and back to mount the panels to. This also keeps the panels 2 inches off the roof for heat dissipation. I put the 3M VHB tape on the aluminum and then down onto the roof. Then I screwed each one down, covered those with Dicor, and ran Dicor all the way around each piece. I found that there was more flex in the middle than I was comfortable with so I put an extra section under the middle of each cross bar and treated them the same as the side pieces.
I pulled the refrigerator vent cover and ran the wires down into the camper through a hole I drilled near the upper right corner of the fridge. These wires were run down through wire holders that I had left over from another project. The controller is screwed to the back of the seat facing the bunk. I built a battery box out of sanded 3/4 inch plywood and stained/varnished it. I put sealing tape around it to seal the lid and the open back to the wing wall. I cut a vent hole in the wing/truck bed access door and glued/screwed vents on the inside and outside to vent any charging gasses out of the camper.
Another problem- the LP detector’s in the way. OK, cut a new space out above the box no problem.
Hooked up one panel to the controller and batteries and found 5 amps to the controller and the batteries were charging. Nice. The box by the way is screwed to the floor. It fits nicely in that weird floor space under the fridge in front of the wing door, and even better, my trash can fits on it and I can still open the fridge door with it in place!!
Now to hook the batteries up to the power center. Not bad once I looked at the diagram in my owner’s manual and double checked some wires and circuits. Positive wire to the back of my electrical circuit box. The negative to the ground bar. Done. Turn on the battery disconnect and pray.... Presto let there be light and better yet no fuse popping sounds or fire.
Once my cable extension came I got 10 amps to the controller with some shade even. I am going to hook up the old panel tomorrow also as I figure 58 watts is 58 watts. I also need to do something different with the cables to the controller as they pulled off the wall. I guess the bigger and stiffer AWG of these is too much. No biggie just a run to WalMart on the way home.
1 last problem. The controller wasn’t Renogy, it is literally a no name version that doesn’t have a manual nor can I find 1 on line. I ordered a better Renogy this afternoon and will be replacing it. The one that came with it has some different hook ups and settings that I can’t figure out. Better safe and happy than sorry. I do not feel that I need a $150 or $200 controller at this point.
I have roughly $550.00 total in this now. Thinking and planning and double checking (and worrying) probably cost me 6 or 8 hours and true work was 6 or 8 hours. I wanted to post this because if I can do this..... trust me you can.
I placed my panels over the bunk end. The roof is sloped a little bit there and I will have to be aware of this when I park for maximum sun light.
Why not put them elsewhere? No room. I want to leave the rack at the passenger’s side rear by the ladder available to use.
Why a 30 amp controller? Room to grow if I change my mind about the rack area. I also know that the 100 watts and group 31 105 AH battery on my NS was enought for a couple of days easily even using CPAP over night. Now I’ve lost significant weight and don’t use CPAP. I’m going with a Plat Cat heater this fall so the furnace and batteries shouldn’t be a huge issue. I think with the 215 AHs and the 2 panels I should be all set for the majority of my needs and boon docking time.
Why 6 volt batteries? True deep cycle use and life. Better/deeper discharges with out harming them. I could have bought 2 x 12 volts but the AH would have been basically the same or a little less AND at Batteries Plus these 6 volters were cheaper. I bought them online and picked them up which gave me a 10% discount and paid $80.00 each for them. Yes lead acid and some maintenance. No biggie I have 48 volts of acid batteries in my bass boat and am used to it.
