solar charger wiring

[dshind]

I have a 2009 lance 1121.I'm putting on a solar charger.In one

of the kitchen cabinets is 2sets of white and blue wires.I set the panel on the roof and plugged it in.On one set of the wires I have 14 volts.On the other set 0.I'm guessing that is the set that goes to the batteries.I can't see these wires in the battery compartment.Do they go somewhere else?It has 2 batteries in there so it's hard to see much in there.Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks Dave

[AnEv942]

..Ridged? On otherwise unmarked wire, same color(appliance cords etc) ridged wire is return/neutral, or it will have dashed or solid white line. Wire identification if stamped/printed will be on the hot side if on only one side. But thats appliance cords.

But the provided pigtail isn't color coded also?

[Marshfly]

Regardless, the lance pigtail on the roof had ridges on one of the wires. As is customary, that was the positive. I'm really pleased that Lance started prewiring with red/white 10gauge. It makes things much easier. I just wish they'd get their stuff together and update the manual with that and the color info. It makes you wonder how much other stuff is outdated.

[AnEv942]

Redsky wrote:
In your house the white is the neutral, not the negative as this is an automotive construct where you have DC and not AC as in your house. Houses across the country have to conform to local codes and they in turn piggyback off the national code or NEC which changes over time.

The Lance campers are manufactured in California but are treated as a house or dwelling for the purposes of the electrical code conformance. The campers are wired for BOTH DC and AC operation and this is what makes it confusing for the owner making modifications. At least with solar the system is running in parallel and separated from the AC system.

Correct-however your previous post stated your white was positive (like in hot, line)?

[Redsky]

In your house the white is the neutral, not the negative as this is an automotive construct where you have DC and not AC as in your house. Houses across the country have to conform to local codes and they in turn piggyback off the national code or NEC which changes over time.

The Lance campers are manufactured in California but are treated as a house or dwelling for the purposes of the electrical code conformance. The campers are wired for BOTH DC and AC operation and this is what makes it confusing for the owner making modifications. At least with solar the system is running in parallel and separated from the AC system.

[AnEv942]

To assume is to error...

Our white is also primary and seconday ground color.
Primary positive is red, secondary is black.
Most other positive leads, lights etc are purple, few othes, blue, yellows. So for me first assumption (before testing) Is if its colored its positive.
Where I get into trouble is on couple things that use black for ground, the red & black.
So for me (without testing) if its colored it ususally hot. But I never assume polarity by color.

EDIT:
Umm just reread Redskys post, missed where also said house was white positve? Black was negative?
REALLY?

[Marshfly]

Red sky, I don't know how it is in California, but my lance and my house are both black positive and white negative/ground, as has been every house I've ever been in.

The confusion is that a lot of 12 volt stuff is red positive and black negative and camper black is positive.

[Redsky]

Be careful with the wiring as the color coding matches that for a house and not a vehicle. The white is positive and black/red is negative inside the camper. And then with Lance they used blue and white for the solar pre-wiring on my 2008 camper.

[AnEv942]

If undeterimed Id just hook your red (or blue) wire to some temporary power, white to ground and meter roof plug?

[Marshfly]

Also, I've got the charge controller wired up already but I'm going to mount the panel this weekend. Anyone know which end of the plug on the roof is positive and negative? It's kind of hard to resistance test the ends of wires when one is inside and one is outside.

[AnEv942]

Ha -ya thats why I didnt 'say it' but just copied what they wrote. Someone else recently had the same color discrepancy.
But the wires 'should' temrinate down there in or near battery.

[Marshfly]

Just FYI. My 2013 Lance 855 owners manual had the same prewire instructions. I couldn't find a blue and white wire to save my life. I finally figured out that not only was it a red and white pair of wires, but it was also 10 gauge instead of 12.

In my camper, the wire made a big loop behind a false panel in the under sink cabinet then had a bare end tucked into a hole in the floor of the battery/electronics compartment.

[AnEv942]

from page 48 of 09 manual
http://www.lancecamper.com/docs/09-owner-manual.pdf

SOLAR PANEL PRE WIRE
The pre-wire solar panel connector is mounted on the
roof of the camper near the front of the camper. The
mating connector is supplied in the loose parts box.

Two wires, 12ga blue (+) and 12ga white (-) run from
this location, are looped in the cabinet next to the
galley and terminate behind the battery compartment
for future connection to the battery.

The 12 ga blue wire must be fused with a 10-amp fuse when a solar
panel is installed.

[Redsky]

Usually the wiring runs from the roof to a location for installing a charge controller and then the wires from from this location to near the battery compartment. On my Lance the controller location is under the kitchen sink and the wiring for the battery is located under the bathroom sink.

[Golden_HVAC]

I would say to call your local Lance dealer. If they say bring it in, and our repairmen can fix it for a fee, thank them kindly, and tell them they have not helped at all. Even using a few gallons of gas to take it someplace is not all that helpful.

Paying them to tell you the wire ends at the fuse box, and the factory did not install the fuse would add insult to injury.

If the dealer is no help, call the factory and let them know what dealership was of no help. Be sure to get the name of the not so helpful person (before asking any questions).



Fred.