Adding additional solar panel

Matching panels works the best, which means same brand and same model

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Jbrowland wrote:
Thanks in advance as always folks!

I have a Zamp Deluxe 160W Solar kit installed on my 24ft class C. It has one 160W panel on the roof with a junction box on the roof already wired to the charge controller to easily add more panels. My question is when I decide to add another panel, say a 100W panel, do I need to add the same panel (Zamp mono) or can I add some other brand? Any special considerations when choosing?

Thanks again!

Matching panels are not required. The charge controller can't tell what brand or how many watts a panel has.

allen8106 wrote:

Jbrowland wrote:
Thanks in advance as always folks!

I have a Zamp Deluxe 160W Solar kit installed on my 24ft class C. It has one 160W panel on the roof with a junction box on the roof already wired to the charge controller to easily add more panels. My question is when I decide to add another panel, say a 100W panel, do I need to add the same panel (Zamp mono) or can I add some other brand? Any special considerations when choosing?

Thanks again!

Matching panels are not required. The charge controller can't tell what brand or how many watts a panel has.

Except matching panels will give the best bang for the buck.

Just make sure your charge controller can handle the additional current your new panels can provide.

Thanks for the input folks! I ask mostly because a Zamp brand panel is about 4x the cost of many others.

Zamp says this about my kit:

Deluxe 160 Watt RV Solar Kit, 30 Amp Deluxe Hardwired Solar RV Kit Contents –

160 Watt Class A Monocrystalline High Efficiency, Highest Quality Solar Panel
30 Amp 5 Stage PWM Digital Deluxe Solar Charge Controller
Digital display for voltage, current amps, and amps per period of time.
LED Lights indicate operational status and battery charge status.
25 Feet of High Quality Wire Properly Sized for up to 450 watt of solar power. Wire Connectors Included ( 2- Butt Splice Connectors, 2 – Ring Terminal Connectors)
Our wire is made of high quality and purchased from an American company – any wiring that needs to be done is wired at our Bend, OR shop.
4 – Solar Panel Mounting Feet (Nuts, Bolts & Washers Included)
1 – Inline 30 Amp Breaker

The marketing at Zamp really irks me, I think their stuff is decent enough but how they try and fool people into thinking it's superior and their attempts at making it proprietary or to appear premium are IMO dishonest... and then their prices, or how they have ther cheesy connectores installed as OEM. /rant off

you want to try and match the voltage specs
VOC..open circuit voltage
VMP..loaded working voltage

number of watts and amps can vary, just get the voltage as close as possible when paralleling panels

series connections are a whole different thing
and must use identical matching panels, because of the series amp flow circuit
a 3amp panel would choke a 6amp panel and there would be NO gain

hedge wrote:
The marketing at Zamp really irks me, I think their stuff is decent enough but how they try and fool people into thinking it's superior and their attempts at making it proprietary or to appear premium are IMO dishonest... and then their prices, or how they have ther cheesy connectores installed as OEM. /rant off

100% agreed about the marketing.

Here's another quick question. I also have a 100w portable panel that has its own charge controller and connects to the battery with gator clips. Any issue attaching it along with the existing Zamp panel using the gator clips that I should be aware of? I have done it before and all seemed well. Just thought I would ask though.

hedge wrote:
The marketing at Zamp really irks me, I think their stuff is decent enough but how they try and fool people into thinking it's superior and their attempts at making it proprietary or to appear premium are IMO dishonest... and then their prices, or how they have ther cheesy connectores installed as OEM. /rant off

Yeah Hedge,I just went to there website, the 200w kit is on the pricey side also. I was able to do the same basic installation for 1/2 the price. But I didn't buy top dog components either.


Mark
Roseville, Ca