Routing Solar Wires Through Fridge Vent

[f150camper]

Hi all!
I am thinking about installing a solar system on my 2012 Jayco X19H.
Have been reading a lot in the last few days, and I think that I would like to run the wiring through the Fridge Vent.

Looking under my vent today though, I see that it's closed with a wire mesh to keep critters out.

How did you get around that? I have seen somebody who had used blue sea feedthrough posts, but not sure how he even accessed the inside to secure the posts and attch the wires inside the vent.

Any pictures would really help me figuring this out!
Thanks in advance!

[ajriding]

Put the controller closer to the battery. Typically solar panels will put out 18volts and the controller will drop that down to the 13 volt range. Higher voltage travels easier than lower voltage, so run the 18 volt solar power as far as possible before dropping the voltage down. Really, though, this is splitting hairs….

I would not worry about a few feet extra that the wires run from solar to battery. This is not a lot of amps, and as long as you have sufficient wattage then it wont matter. I have 200 watts feeding two batteries and always am at full strength pretty early in the morning after sunrise.

No worries on multiple DC power sources. They will play well together.
The batteries will charge off the highest power source, and the batteries act like a big sponge for all these other power sources and/or spikes in power. Actually, you want the batteries always connected when the solar panel is connected to help protect the panels from any spikes or higher voltages that might occur somehow. This is because the battery will absorb all the fluctuations of power in the system.
Disconnect the solar before disconnecting the batteries.
I have batteries in the truck, not the truck camper, so I keep an exit sign battery connected to the solar array/DC electrical system at all times just for panel protection. This is how seriously I take it. A trailer will have batteries in the trailer, so no need for my excess.

A switch? Yes, good idea to be able to switch off the solar for above reasons.
Fuses or circuit breakers from vehicle DC to battery is good also.

With my solar, 200 watts, I rarely ever need to run truck power to the batteries unless it rains or is in winter or lots of cloudy days. I let the solar do it all, and the solar with the MPPT controller is a better charging system than an alternator.
Unless you put in a switch you will have alternator power all the time while TV is running. Put in a switch, you do not need alternator power with solar. I used a relay, same kind under your hood, and a toggle switch to control if power is connected to TV or not, but you could use a big switch to just cut the voltage in-line.
I pulled the DC power off of the truck starter, not the battery. The starter is only used for starting so that big heavy gauge wire running from battery to the starter can be used for other things while driving. Starter is already 5 feet closer to the trailer also, caution, that wire is live! Also, use a circuit breaker as close to the alternator (starter motor in my case) as u can. Use heavy gauge wire to connect to the trailer as it will be a long run, and the longer the run the larger the wire needs to be. I also use a separate 2-pin plug as the 7-pin trailer plug wiring is not sufficient IMO.

Ideally have a DC to DC controller between battery and alternator, but in reality, since u have solar, do not bother.

[BFL13]

f150camper wrote:

BFL13 wrote:
https://www.southavenrv.com/rv/jayco/traveltrailer/1412/Jayco_Jay_Feather_Ultra_Lite_X19H

Depends how big of a solar array you intend to mount. Your rig is not that big, so long wire runs are not so much of a problem.

In the old days with a smaller solar array, you could go down the fridge vent to the controller mounted on the wall by the fridge and the wires from the controller "to battery" would then back into the fridge vent and down to the 12v junction where the fridge gets its 12v. (with set screws for the wires)

That is connected to the battery, but with fairly thin wires. However if you have a small array the wires might be fat enough to do the job well enough for what you want. "It depends".

You mean tapping into the fridge's 12V wires with like wire nuts or the like?
I am thinking about two 100W panels, maybe 3. Tapping the fridge 12V would most likely not be a good idea, even though it does sound really convenient. 🙂

There can be a junction behind the fridge, perhaps on the platform it sits on, with set screws for wires from the DC fuse panel. Then wires from the junction to the fridge.

So you add your solar controller battery wires to that same junction. That then gets you back to the DC fuse panel, which has the battery wire lugs for the wires from the fuse panel to the battery (however fat they are, but they can easily take 15 amps--usually #8 which can take 50 or so)

A 100w panel is good for up to 6.2 amps aimed , but call it 5 amps flat so your amps could be 10 for two or 15 with three.

If your converter and fuse panel are under the fridge, you could drill a hole in the platform the fridge is on and run the controller to battery wires down to the DC fuse panel battery lugs. That then gets you to the battery.

[f150camper]

I have a another follow up question for the solar install:
Does the charge controller get hot? (planning on getting this system) with the Rover 40 MPPT controller (for extend-ability later)

This would determine the installation location. I would not want an additional heater inside the trailer.

Do people install a main on/off switch on the pos wire from controller to the battery? How does the system work when solar is on while towing (truck charging) or on external power? Any conflicts? What happens to the extra capacity?

[f150camper]

BFL13 wrote:
https://www.southavenrv.com/rv/jayco/traveltrailer/1412/Jayco_Jay_Feather_Ultra_Lite_X19H

Depends how big of a solar array you intend to mount. Your rig is not that big, so long wire runs are not so much of a problem.

In the old days with a smaller solar array, you could go down the fridge vent to the controller mounted on the wall by the fridge and the wires from the controller "to battery" would then back into the fridge vent and down to the 12v junction where the fridge gets its 12v. (with set screws for the wires)

That is connected to the battery, but with fairly thin wires. However if you have a small array the wires might be fat enough to do the job well enough for what you want. "It depends".

You mean tapping into the fridge's 12V wires with like wire nuts or the like?
I am thinking about two 100W panels, maybe 3. Tapping the fridge 12V would most likely not be a good idea, even though it does sound really convenient. 🙂

[Lwiddis]

An adequate solar system will the best mod you make. Start with an energy survey of either actual current use or desired use. Then you can determine adequate batteries, then needed solar panels, wire sizes and a controller. Except for AC and microwave it takes electricity out of concern.

[John_Wayne]

Just make sure you run the wires down the side of the refrigerator on the opposite of the chimney.

[BFL13]

https://www.southavenrv.com/rv/jayco/traveltrailer/1412/Jayco_Jay_Feather_Ultra_Lite_X19H

Depends how big of a solar array you intend to mount. Your rig is not that big, so long wire runs are not so much of a problem.

In the old days with a smaller solar array, you could go down the fridge vent to the controller mounted on the wall by the fridge and the wires from the controller "to battery" would then back into the fridge vent and down to the 12v junction where the fridge gets its 12v. (with set screws for the wires)

That is connected to the battery, but with fairly thin wires. However if you have a small array the wires might be fat enough to do the job well enough for what you want. "It depends".

[PNW_Steve]

I would suggest checking the temp rating on the wire and measure the temperature near the top of the vent while the burner is running.

[time2roll]

You already have lots of holes in the roof. Just seal with Dicor.
If the fridge vent is not ideal I would go with the J-Box sealed to the roof.
Possibly use a GoPower cable entry. https://gpelectric.com/products/cable-entry-plate/

[f150camper]

Thanks everybody again!
I am still going forth and back on how exactly to do the wiring.

ajriding wrote:

Whatever you do make the most direct path to the batteries (controller too) that you can. DC power likes short wires of big gauge.

Yeah, that's one of the issues. The fridge vent location is not ideal. I would likely need an ~ 18ft run from controller to the batteries. Ideal would be almost diagonally from the fridge vent, at the right front trailer corner, going straight down into the storage compartment below, install controller there, and then route like 4 or 5 feet (through the floor) to the batteries on the tongue.
But I do not like the idea of having to drill a hole through the rubber roof of my X19H. :?

[time2roll]

I drilled a hole in the side of the vent and used a 2 hole strain relief. These are waterproof.

https://solarconduit.com/shop/strain-relief-watertight-1-2-inch-2-holes-12-guage.html

For the wire down I used an MC4 extension cable cut in half. MC4 ends to the panels, cut ends on the controller.

[ajriding]

Considering all the possible options on mine I ended up just snipping the bug screen and ran wires through the top opening of refridge vent. Easiest and with no new holes comes no new leaks…

Route wires from the back side if you do this so rain water when driving will not run up the wire and into the compartment.
Also, this method is very un-doable if you remove the solar system.

Whatever you do make the most direct path to the batteries (controller too) that you can. DC power likes short wires of big gauge.

[f150camper]

dougrainer wrote:
Remove the refer vent cover and just snake the wiring thru the holes in the mesh. OR, drill a hole in the side of the mesh cover(not the lid), snake the wires thru there and then seal with silicone. Just drill your hole towards the top to prevent water run off from the roof hitting the hole. Doug

Thanks everybody!
When drilling into the side of the mesh cover, do you use dicor to seal? Or really silicone?

[RoyB]

I have done a lot of cable paths under my floor on my off-road popup trailer using the PVC CONDUIT and ELECTRICAL Conduit boxes. When I need to come up under cabinets inside the POPUP I cut a hole in the bottom of the conduit box...

I actually did a round robin under my floor shown in blue below and have at least 4-5 places where it comes up inside the trailer. The beauty of this is all my cables are now inside PVC conduit and electrical boxes. After I am done then I can mount the conduit box lid and all is out of the way...

This is a typical PVC Conduit box with ports. They come in all sizes with all kinds of port configuration. When I need to get inside the trailer I cur a hole in the middle of the box. Then I can seal everything with sealant. No more pulling cables off under my trailer when running the back off road trailer with my POPUP...


Google image


Roy's image

I will probably go with the same more permanent installation for my up coming solar plans for the roof... I like to drill holes in the side of the roof to gain entrance to the inside of the trailer and not on the roof itself... I expect I will be using the ALUMINUM UNISTRUT going across the roof and attached to brackets on the side of the roof where I can drill holes...

Something like this...


google image

I can run another install between my roof mounted air condition and the end of the roof...

I add some PVC Electrical boxes on the side and go through the side to another PVC BOX ion the inside behind the wrap around valance curtains we have that goes around the whole inside of the trailer... Every thing will be in conduit and out of sight...

Hanging flapping wires on the side of the trailer would not be my thing to do...

Of course everyone has different situations..

Just some of my planning here for future solar panels... I am seriously thinking about removing my Air Conditioner and adding a second fantastic fan in the 14-inch hole through the roof. This will free up a lot of room on the roof for solar panels... Since we are off-grid most of the time the Air Conditioner doesn't get used much for us...

Roy Ken

[grizzzman]

also, there are sharp edges sending wires that way. A piece of sprinkler pipe down to the bottom of the fridge will protect the wire.