Solar advice requested.

[JDsdogs]

I am pretty good with electrical issues, but this solar stuff is new to me.

New travel trailer     Solex4 - 400 watt panel system    TBB power - Mppt solar mate charge controller 100V-40A

Inside the compartment where the controller and breakers are mounted, are a bundle of wires with cut off ends.  Just cut flush with no wire nuts or anything else.  Two 4 or 6 gage wires in Red and Black and one 10 or maybe 12 ga wire in white all bundled together with a tape tag reading "Solar".  Then 2 more wires (6 ga?) one white and one black tagged Battery.  Checked for power at each wire and find nothing.  

Using the "SWAG" method (scientific wild as* guess), I figure it's wiring for additional solar panels if you want to install them later, or am I way off track here?

[GarryHarrison4]

The wires are likely for additional solar panels and battery connections. Ensure all connections are secure and the solar panels are producing power.

[tlaffourtit]

do you still need help or got it figured out?

[JDsdogs]

I am certain that the additional wires are for additional solar. I was unaware / uneducated that you would need another controller for addition panels? I'm guessing that the 12 ga wire is some sort of relay actuator? Like I stated, "guessing". 

[StirCrazy]

your going to have to trace the wires and see where they go.  if it is solar ready it could mean there is a set of wires coming from the celing where the panels are mounted and a set going to the batery compartment as the controler will hook up to both the batteries and the panels.  I would even guess the 10ga wires are going to the panels (but you only have 1? )  and the 4 or 6ga are going to the batteries as lables, but the other 4 to 6 gage are the mystery.  they could be for other panels but that means in your roof gland you should have empty termanals and what is the point of running two sets of wires when there should be a joiner in the gland?  but you are going to have to trace them to be sure..  one way is if you see a couple wires that look the same in the battery compartment, put a jummper on them (once you confirm there is no voltage) and then use the ohm setting on your multimeter in the solar compartment to fine the pair that has continuity and you know it is thoes two.  as for the other two.. you'll have to look for another set of dead headed witres and use the jumper till you find them.  they could be for another set of panels but that would mean you would have to combine them in compartment or use a second controler.  do you have a outside solar plug like I have seen some "solar ready" trailer use?  

[JDsdogs]

Please note what I posted above;                                                                                       New travel trailer     Solex4 - 400 watt panel system    TBB power - Mppt solar mate charge controller 100V-40A.   The RV is for sure "solar Ready" as it already has a 400 w system installed. Just wondered about the blank wires and their possible purpose.  

[StirCrazy]

ya I saw that, and I offere possible solutions, but asked if it has the outside plug for putting portable solar panels on, that could be it.  also youer though it might be for a second panel might be it, weather it be to the plug for portable, or a second set of wires in your roof gland (if you have the plug that would make more sence.) and like I said, short of tracing the wires with a multimeter and jumpers you will never be sure.  finding wiring diagrams for rv's is next to impossable as there will be a master enginering when they design it but what goes in on the floor is not the same and if they run out of a color somtimes the color change and so on...   

[JDsdogs]

Agreed.

You are spot on in regard to owner manual being near useless.  The manuals are often produced to cover everything they sell, from pickup campers to 5th wheels, of every option configuration imaginable.  Could ask the service department where I purchased the trailer, but they will likely only be taking an educated guess as well. The only outside port is for Satellite connection and clearly marked Satellite Ready. The line setting sheet lists the already installed solar system, but nothing regarding being wired for additional PV. Makes sense to me that they might have additional wiring for another PV, but there is already wiring going from the controller to the battery bank.  Even if adding more panels, why would you need additional wire going to the battery bank? I'm not losing any sleep over this issue, but I like to understand how and why things work.

Regardless, I appreciate your input.  

[StirCrazy]

depending on the wire size, you may need an extra line to the battery.  once the amps get so high you have to either replace the cable with a thicker one or add a second.  so this now gives you the option of maxing out that controler, then adding a second controler and panels to it.

if you look on the wires themselves the Gage of the wire should be written on it and that will tell you how much amprage that wire can handle.  so your system you have now, you can only put two 24V panels on it and the controler will be maxed out because it can only handle 100 volts of  input ( the short circut voltage of the panel that is used for this ) so if thoes cables actualy go to where you suspect you could put another one of thoes controlers in and two more panels.  as you go larger in controlers the price gets more expensive like crazy.

there is also the possibility that who ever installed the solar system didn't realize there was a already installed system, or that stuff wasnt in the right spot for them, so they ran whole new wires for the install.  I would ask the dealer whats going on and see if they know

[JDsdogs]

You suggestion concerning the need for another controller makes sense.
Large wires are 6 ga. The single smaller wire is 12 ga. 
to others following, the current system was factory installed by Northwood. No one else has touched it. 

[StirCrazy]

its the smaller single wire that is realy confusing me.  unless its a trigger wire for somthing I can't think of why have a single wire.  

[HBeil1]

Industry has been boasting "solar ready" on many new RVs.  Often this is nothing more than "solar prep" for the buyer to add Solar Later.  Your MFG may have supplied something about this syamstem in the manuals, but they are often nonresponsive after the sale.  I don't know about your set up, but I have found that usually service guys at Selling or Warranty Certified service providers fir that MFG are the better source that hut or miss inquiries.   I just went through a very similar QUEST to get information on  a Riverside RV mystery plug that was rumored to be a Solar hookup... and the mfg was nontesponsive and useless in helping me.  I got my answers finally from service technicians at their warranty (selling) dealers.

[HBeil1]

Oops... can't locate a way to remove my reply.