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Pangaea_Ron's avatar
Pangaea_Ron
Explorer
Jan 15, 2015

2008 Itasca Suncruiser 35L - Upgrade Solar?

The MH came with the 10w solar panel on the roof and I want enough wattage to do more than just illuminate the indicator light? I've looked through all the manuals and wiring diagrams and cannot find any information or location for a controller. I've found some information on another RV website that suggests that the wattage is so low that it is not needed for the 10w panel? Is that correct?

I haven't decided how many watts that I will install, but I do know that I will probably need a controller and wanted to know if the existing controller (if it exists) is adequate. Any thoughts?
  • Count mt blessing for where I live. Go north in summer, find a spot without trees and run generator maybe once a week. Being in PNW, You'll need more solar panels than I, as I stay in the SW of the country. But solar can work and well.
  • Thanks, I'm beginning to believe that I do not have a controller.

    I'll start my research into what are my needs and what the capabilities really are here in the cloudy PNW. I keep the MH plugged in at home, so charging issues during non-use don't really exist. I just installed (4) 6v batteries so dry camping for a few days has become much more comfortable without needing to count electrons, and it certainly cuts down on generator use, which I prefer not to use. I guess that I mostly want to keep the batteries charged from normal use while dry camping. I don't plan to run 120v appliances through an inverter.

    I just had my home analyzed for a solar application with a disappointing prognosis. Too many trees outside my control, the hill behind the house, and those gray days.
  • Suggest you go to the Tech Forum area
    10watts is pretty much useless
    I would venture a guess you do not have a controller

    200 to 800 plus watts of solar PV array is a good starting point plus a proper controller
  • Well if you were ever going to be in Phx Az I could send you to the solar guru out here. He's got my rig so I can watch tv, run the microwave or whatever during day and have enough battery to get through the night running a heater. And that's tv at night.