Solar Ready?

red31 wrote:

Solar Ready is a gimmick that directs you to the solar kit supplier whose connectors were installed.

Sometimes it's a gimmick to make you pay big bucks to certain suppliers (like Zamp), while getting very little in terms of wattage. And sometimes it's a technical ignorance, like in BFL example. In BFL rig they at least put a decent cable and routed it partially to where people often want it, - fridge vent.

But they definitely count on ignorance of an average consumer.

Kavoom wrote:
I'm thinking I am missing something. I have a solar ready unit (Dutchmen) and then find that the connection is anything but standard. I thought I would just buy a solar panel and plug it in, "plug and play."

Solar Ready is a gimmick that directs you to the solar kit supplier whose connectors were installed. The Zamp wall connector is solar ready and you can buy an expensive Zamp 'suitcase' that plugs in. The Zamp roof top connector requires wiring the controller into the system, part of an expensive kit.

https://www.zampsolar.com/rv-solar-kits/solar-ready-rv-kit-srrv/

Kavoom wrote:

Is this everyone's experience?

Most people experience is that they installed panels and routed the cables on trailers that were not "solar ready". This is actually good because manufacturers almost never do the "solar ready" job right.

Most panels come with MC4 type connectors.
Some come without any connectors and few come with odd types.

RV manufacturers usually equip "solar ready trailer" with a cheesy 2-pin connector on the roof, - not MC4. And thin wire that won't let you have too much wattage.

You will also need to buy solar controller - I doubt they put any in there, and if they did, it's probably a low-end model.

Solar planning should begin with estimating how much energy you want/need to harvest. If the existing wire isn't adequate for required power, you can use it to fish the proper wire into the trailer, or abandon it altogether.

Edit-PS:
If your connector is low on the side wall, not on the roof - most of this post won't apply to you. That connector would be for portable panels. It won't give you much, and you will still have to replace the plug on the panel wire.

If it's like our TT it's a Furrion receptacle wired directly to the battery and fused at 10A. Besides the panels you'll need a charge controller also unless you get one of the all-in-one suitcase kits.

BarabooBob wrote:
My TT also has a "solar ready" sticker and a plug on the side. The plug is a garden variety 12 volt polarized plug that you can pickup at most home improvement or electrical supply stores. I would like to know what gauge the wire is that is installed. I want some heavy wire to cut down on voltage drop.

Contact the mfg or access either end of the wires to determine gauge. Ask mfg about length.

You may/may not need larger wire depending upon solar size, configuration, wire size and length.

You need the wire length to determine the wire loss, both to the controller and to the battery. Or apply a load and measure the voltage drop. Or use existing wiring and see if the results are acceptable.

What year is your RV? It all depends on what they meant by "pre-wired for solar" the year it was made.

Our 2003 Komfort (later got combined with Dutchmen before Keystone killed off both) had #8 pairs that met under the kitchen counter. One pair was hanging in the fridge vent and was supposed to be hauled up to the roof to go on the panels you got, while the other pair went to the battery compartment out front.

That meant they expected the controller (you got) was to go between these pairs under the kitchen counter. Of course that is wrong--you want the controller close to the batteries.

So, I joined the pairs under the kitchen counter so it was one long pair of #8 from roof to battery compartment up front, and put the controller near the batteries and added some short #8 to go from controller to battery bank. Worked great! Gottaluv solar! :)

BarabooBob wrote:
I would like to know what gauge the wire is that is installed. I want some heavy wire to cut down on voltage drop.

Or wire in series. Solar-ready wiring is probably #10. They don't plan for you having hundreds of watts.

My TT also has a "solar ready" sticker and a plug on the side. The plug is a garden variety 12 volt polarized plug that you can pickup at most home improvement or electrical supply stores. I would like to know what gauge the wire is that is installed. I want some heavy wire to cut down on voltage drop.

Good luck with that (own company selling plug and play solar). Every install is different, there is no standard 'plug and play' install.