ugly solar wiring installs

[eb145]

First, thank you RV.net Tech Issues forum for educating me over the past 2 years on the gory details of battery charging, battery use, and how to configure a solar charging system.

I now have a system that works for me (thanks to my RV.net Tech Issues education).

But the wiring I did around the controller, while being functional, is far uglier than any posted pictures I've ever seen.

Is anyone willing to fess up and post their ugly solar charger wiring pictures? Or am I the only one that can't route wires cleanly?

My Travel Trailer charging system:
- 140 W panel bolted on the roof with Aluminum angle brackets
- LandStar LS2024RP PWM controller
- 2 Turnigy meters to track amps and amp hours in and out of the battery
- home-made voltage booster to more quickly charge off the Truck alternator through the 7-pin wiring harness.
- jumper cables for charging from truck alternator

Ed

[Almot]

eb145 wrote:

But I was hoping to learn that I am not the only one that makes functional rats nests when wiring solar chargers and inverter.

Here is mine in the pass through storage area up front, in all its glory...

No, you are not the only one. And yours doesn't look bad at all, because the system is small so there are fewer components. You have easy access to everything. Add a couple of cable ties and short pieces of split-loom cover to hide those thinner cables, and call it a day.

I'm curious about spade terminals that guys mentioned here. What they are good for - to connect thick wires like #4 to controller terminals that accept max #6? And how do you install them - soldering, crimping?

[MrWizard]

that looks like sun dial made out of solar panels
Nice piece of sculphure

[westend]

BoonHauler wrote:

OkieJIm wrote:
Is that sheet aluminum as the backer board?

X2

KJINTF wrote:
RJ The install above should have used a few of the "Feed Through Connectors" http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/400674688388?lpid=82

Seeing high power cables go directly through a piece of metal without any strain relief concerns me a bit

X2, Or something to protect the cabling as it passes through the bulkhead.

Yes, that is .125" 6061 aluminum plate.
They don't show up very well in the pictures but there is a through-hole grommet in every cable hole. I even have grommets in the plastic bus bar boxes.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

LEVITY, WORKS FOR ME

[BFL13]

Correct, inverters and deck converters need to mounted "horizontally" to clear the heat, but they can be upside down or on a wall.

[Carb_Cleaner]

Did I read somewhere that it's bad mojo to mount an inverter upside down? Something about heat dissipation. Maybe I'm thinking about high-powered car audio amplifiers.
I look forward to posting pics of my inverter rats' nest when I get around to installing it. Thanks for the inspiration and pics.

[eb145]

RJsfishin wrote:
My install is full of add ons and afterthots. If I would have had these when I did it, the add ons would have been easier, and look nicer. Now that I have them in my possession, I just got to get back in there and utilize them.

OK - what are these things called? And do you know a good place to buy them? They look very useful.

Part of my challenge is knowing what connectors are available (like these) and where to get them from.

Ed

[BoonHauler]

OkieJIm wrote:
Is that sheet aluminum as the backer board?

X2

KJINTF wrote:
RJ The install above should have used a few of the "Feed Through Connectors" http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/400674688388?lpid=82

Seeing high power cables go directly through a piece of metal without any strain relief concerns me a bit

X2, Or something to protect the cabling as it passes through the bulkhead.

[mena661]

KJINTF wrote:

The install above should have used a few of the "Feed Through Connectors" http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/400674688388?lpid=82

I use these also.

[KJINTF]

RJ

Those "power poles" do indeed makes things easier and way neater. They should be a standard part of a install

The install above should have used a few of the "Feed Through Connectors" http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/400674688388?lpid=82

Seeing high power cables go directly through a piece of metal without any strain relief concerns me a bit

[RJsfishin]

My install is full of add ons and afterthots. If I would have had these when I did it, the add ons would have been easier, and look nicer. Now that I have them in my possession, I just got to get back in there and utilize them.

[OkieJIm]

Now that is a nice looking install I just hope I can make mine look that nice. Is that sheet aluminum as the backer board?

[westend]

A little bit of forethought could have made that a much neater installation. I'm guessing the smaller leads from the controller and the wire nut connections have something to do with the lug size requirement of the controller. Rewire it and use these.

[NinerBikes]

Portable solar panels can be as neat or ugly as I want... it gets taken down at the end of every trip. My only concern is safety hazards and others tripping over my wiring when cutting across my campground. Thinking of getting little red cones to set up as barriers and keep others out.