Routing Solar Wires Through Fridge Vent
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. ...
Forum Discussion
EDIT--no idea for panel buying there. Try to get one you can pick up yourself as they are big and heavy so shipping cost is high.
Big thing is to check your controller specs with panel wattage. I use a 20 amp with my 255w, but would need a 30 for a bigger panel. On that, watch out if the spec wattage you are looking at for what the controller can handle is at 24v or at 12v!
The Renogy ISTR is a Tracer by EPSolar, and is a decent controller. I have a 20 amp Tracer MPPT for my 255w panel. I get around 16 amps to the battery with that set-up.
I got the same amps to the battery with my three 100w panels array whether I used PWM with them in parallel or whether I used them with the Tracer with the panels in series or in parallel.
The controller does get warm and needs air cooling--they have big slots in back so when wall-mounted air can get by in behind them. I doubt the controller getting warm will add any to heating the RV.
There is a lot of bogus info out there about MPPT. Main thing is the panel heats up in the sun and loses 10% of its power (watts) right there from that. Amps to the battery is controller output power in watts divided by battery voltage. So if your power out is 200 watts, then amps to the battery will be:
200/12v = 16.7 amps
200/13v = 15.4 amps
200/14v = 14.3 amps
So the salesman always uses the amps expected at low battery voltage, but fails to mention that your battery voltage during the day will be over 13 and rising to 14.5 ish
Big thing is to check your controller specs with panel wattage. I use a 20 amp with my 255w, but would need a 30 for a bigger panel. On that, watch out if the spec wattage you are looking at for what the controller can handle is at 24v or at 12v!
The Renogy ISTR is a Tracer by EPSolar, and is a decent controller. I have a 20 amp Tracer MPPT for my 255w panel. I get around 16 amps to the battery with that set-up.
I got the same amps to the battery with my three 100w panels array whether I used PWM with them in parallel or whether I used them with the Tracer with the panels in series or in parallel.
The controller does get warm and needs air cooling--they have big slots in back so when wall-mounted air can get by in behind them. I doubt the controller getting warm will add any to heating the RV.
There is a lot of bogus info out there about MPPT. Main thing is the panel heats up in the sun and loses 10% of its power (watts) right there from that. Amps to the battery is controller output power in watts divided by battery voltage. So if your power out is 200 watts, then amps to the battery will be:
200/12v = 16.7 amps
200/13v = 15.4 amps
200/14v = 14.3 amps
So the salesman always uses the amps expected at low battery voltage, but fails to mention that your battery voltage during the day will be over 13 and rising to 14.5 ish
