exterior solar plug

[pbitschura]

Our 2020 travel trailer has an exterior jack labelled "solar". What do I need upstream of that plug to charge my house battery? I assume these jacks are standard so some "plug-and-play" connectors also exist. Thanks in advance.

[ktmrfs]

Be VERY VERY VERY carefull about the polarity of the plug!!!!!!!

In many cases it is REVERSED from the connection scheme on a battery tender charger!!! or many such extension cables.

It may seem like a stupid design, but it really isn't when one looks at which pin is hot and which is ground on a portable panel with the connector scheme.

[LouLawrence]

If you don't have solar and you have an external plug labeled "Solar" that's likely a connection for mobile, ground mounted solar panels. I would try to trace down where the wires go after they enter the sidewall and see if you can find any kind of logical connections.

[Bobbo]

On my Airstream, that solar connector is live with 12v, but it is wired "backward" from what you normally expect. The covered prong is the battery ground, and the bare prong is the battery hot. It actually makes sense when you think about the fact that the solar panel is considered the voltage source, so IT'S hot plug is the covered prong, and IT'S bare prong is the ground.

You just have to remember to use a polarity changer if you want to use that solar outlet to power anything 12v like a macerator pump or air compressor.

[ScottG]

You could just take a volt measurement of the connector. If it has 12V then you at least know it's hooked to something.

[pbitschura]

LouLawrence wrote:
Do you have solar panels on the roof? Have you tried to follow the wires leaving the jack?

Currently we have no solar but I am curious to learn what is connected to what. We don't dry camp often and have a genny we really love.

[LouLawrence]

Do you have solar panels on the roof? Have you tried to follow the wires leaving the jack?

[valhalla360]

Look behind the wall connector and follow the wires:
- They may be connected to nothing (ie: prep'd but not hooked up)
- They may be ran directly to the battery in which case, you need a solar charge controller (cheap and simple to add) between the panels and the wall connector.
- They may be connected with a solar charge controller. Then you just need to connect the solar panel wires to the wall connector.

The inverter/charger (aka: converter) is a separate device with the exception of certain high end models which are highly unlikely to have been included. The charger in this case refers to a device that takes 120v AC power and converts it to 12v DC power to charge the batteries.

[vermilye]

Be sure to check the polarity. Trailer manufacturers & solar panel designers don't always agree, in fact different solar panel manufacturers don't have standard polarity for SAE connectors (The most used for external solar connections).

[ScottG]

If it's like the one on my Arctic Fox, the wires that attach to that plug go down to a place behind the battery and are just coiled up there. They aren't connected at all.

[pianotuna]

The inverter/converter has nothing to do with the solar.

[pbitschura]

pianotuna wrote:
That depends on what is after the jack.

If there is a charge controller after the jack, then Bob's your Uncle. Add solar panels.


If not then panels connected to a charge controller, and connect the controller output to the jack.

there is no charge controller in the inverter/converter onboard then?

[pianotuna]

That depends on what is after the jack.

If there is a charge controller after the jack, then Bob's your Uncle. Add solar panels.


If not then panels connected to a charge controller, and connect the controller output to the jack.