Small solar set up for TT.

[Trackrig]

Got home with a used 2006 Nash 26X TT that I bought a little while ago. I want to put some solar on it, but not get carried away at this time. There's a chance I may not keep this trailer so I don't want to put a lot of time, money or effort into the solar until I do decide to keep it. Part of it is making up my mind if this TT is too small. There's another model three feet longer that I'd like.

The TT is factory wired from the roof to the batteries with #10 wire for solar. It's probably about a 14' run. There are two 6V batteries on the tongue. If I keep the trailer I already know how I'll add two more batteries.

I wanted to just put a panel on the roof and hook up the wiring to the panels and batteries. I don't want to get into running larger wire, roof boxes, drilling holes, figuring how to get it down through cabinets, buying a controller and so on at this time.

However, it appears I can only go with about 15W of solar without using a controller. So the next approach I'm looking at is putting about 2-300W of non-tilted panels on the roof, using the factory wiring to where it comes out at the batteries and then using a hopefully WATERPROOF controller to connect to the batteries.

Can anyone recommend a suitable WATERPROOF / WEATHERPROOF controller that I can mount outside near the batteries? If a truly weatherproof controller doesn't exist, then I might be able to mount it in a waterproof electrical box under the battery rack if the controller won't generate too much heat. This is in Alaska, so outside temperature shouldn't be a problem.

I do have electrical in the back yard to run the Progressive Dynamics PD9245 converter. In storage mode it's at 13.2V and the charge wizard goes to an equalize mode of 14.4V every 21 hours for 15 minutes.

What are your recommendations on a simple solar set up using the factory wiring? I don't want to use "suitcase" styled panels due to the lack of storage space in the TT.

Bill

[Trackrig]

Does a small controller need to breath to get rid of the heat or does it just dissipate the heat through its shell?

I ask because if it needs to breath, then it needs to be inside of something, either the trailer itself or some sort of weatherproof box.

If it just dissipates the heat through the shell (no air openings) why can't I just seal up all of the seams, wire entrances, and so forth with a good sealant?

Bill

[profdant139]

We are very happy with our 120 watt portable suitcase unit -- we have attached a 30 foot anti-theft cable from Harbor Freight, and it is fairly easy to carry the panel on the bed in the TT while traveling. Your tow vehicle charges the battery while towing (not as well as a solar panel, admittedly). But the advantage is that if you do not plan to keep the trailer, you can keep the portable panel.

The other advantage of portable is that it is tiltable and can be pointed at the sun. The flat panels can't.

But having said all of that, if I had a lot of extra real estate on top of my trailer, I would plaster it with panels. Set it and forget it! The portable has to be deployed and stored.

Life is a series of compromises.

[Trackrig]

mike-s wrote:
The worry with free standing ones is theft.

And I don't have room to carry them in a smaller TT.

And they won't work very well while I'm driving down the road..........

Bill

[mike-s]

The worry with free standing ones is theft.

[Colo_TJ]

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HR8YNK6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Just ordered this. I wanted to be able to park in the shade while my panels were in the Sun. I may add a panel or two to the roof if this works out. My storage is indoors so there's no benefit to a roof mount in that instance.

If you like it but want roof mounted you could always sell this and get their roof mount system.

[rbpru]

Except out West where there were few shade trees, I think I would want my solar panels free standing so they could be moved into the sun.

Our recent State Park CG was full shade, a real treat in the July sun but I am not sure how well a solar panel would work.

I am sure there are folks on the board who can suggest a website on panel efficiency.

[westend]

Have you confirmed that the factory wiring is whole and has continuity from roof to battery location? You are making the wire the boss of this operation so it has to be good.

Presuming that the wire is good and you want to mount a controller near the batteries, I think you'll need to install the box you mentioned to house the controller. I haven't seen a waterproof controller. The ones that are mounted on the portable panels are somewhat water resistant but rely on the panel tilting to keep them out of direct rainfall.

FWIW, I run a 235W panel and have a Morningstar controller. The MPPT-15 controller is pretty much sealed and encapsulated but the terminal strip and cable sockets would be a water entry point. I wouldn't have a problem enclosing it in a box and allowing some type of passive venting in the box.