Solar panel install? Newbie

[Pasturepony]

Hi! I just bought a solar panel kit but have a couple of install questions.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00BFCNFRM

1. Where do you install the controller in the TC ?
2. Where do you run and how do you attach all of the wires?
3. Did you use well nuts? What size? If not how did you sufficiently caulk it to ensure no leaks??
4. Anything I should be aware of?

I have a 2004 Lance 835 if that helps :). Thanks!!

[Lost_Eagle]

Pasturepony, I have an arctic fox and wanted to do the same thing to my camper. Mission accomplished. Having no knowledge I read everything I could on this website. I needed to see pics and to really understand every inch of install. All the information is found here. I would suggest you read Handy Bobs solar. Everything you need to know and understand is here, with clear pics (Bob knows solar). I even installed a Magnum MMS1012 inverter. I used the suggested solar panels, DM solar 158 watts, 2 of them. Replaced batteries with 2 t-105 golf cart batteries. Read ,read, read, until you understand everything. Use all the correct wiring sizes. 2 awg is not 2/0 wire. Without this website I could not have accomplished this install.You can do it!

[Pasturepony]

Thanks everyone for the help!! Especially Exact Mass who sent me his install pics and notes! I installed everything last weekend...and according to the controller panel it is working. Installed LED lights today, too and am going to test the setup this weekend! 🙂

Now for the awning, and figuring out what to do with the load-rail so I can install the fantastic fan vent!

[pjay9]

Now here's some solar:

[bigfootford]

Picture posting is quite easy with this little program that an RV.net member wrote.
You do not need to have pictures on picture trail or other picture web's.

Just drag/drop pictures from your computer and have at it...

Practice doing it.. Start a thread but do not post it...just play with it.

When you drop your pictures and have your thread ready, view it by clicking the little box above that has the magnifying glass and paper in it, next the the ABC (spell check).


Book mark this one!

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/201045551/Forums/PhotoUpload/RV.NET-Photo-Upload.html

Tech thread for picture posting and a link to what I wrote above.

http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/15775751.cfm

Jim

[Reddog1]

deltabravo, check your PM's.

Wayne
Moderator

[Exact_Mass]

The little square connector is for the solar panel. You should be able to find a mating connector at a car parts store if they handle trailer hookup stuff.

The roof connector has red and black wires which hang down into the space to the right of the right most kitchen cabinet. In the wiring mess that's in the space, there might be white and blue wires hanging down and not connected to anything. They lead back into the a space behind the battery compartment which you can get to through the little door opening under the sink in the head. The white one can be pushed into the battery compartment along with the ones Lance put in. It should go to the Neg (-) battery terminal and to the controller Neg (-). The blue one is for Pos (+) and you can attach it to the breaker which is also tucked in and behind the head sink. Assuming these wires are present, they will not connected to anything. Please, however, confirm that they do not have voltage on them and that they terminate in the kitchen cabinet.

[deltabravo]

Tamnative wrote:
Here's my 835 install,all the wires are coiled in the cabinet behind the controller if you have that op[img][/img]tion.

Link is broken - something is missing.

[Pasturepony]

I haven't figured out how to post pics..but there's a large number of wires in the cabinet! Like 25! Is there a color scheme?

On top of the TC there is a little weird plug in thing with a rubber flappy cover. It's black, square, about 2 inches by 2 inches. It's near the front drivers side door. Could this be the solar prep plug? If so, what type of male plug end do I need to plug into the hole?

I did not find anything extra in the battery compartment except a little metal round cover that is caulked over. About 2 inch diameter, on the left side of the inner battery compartment. I did not peel it off to reveal anything inside.

I took pics but I will have to figure out how to post them.

[Tamnative]

Here's my 835 install,all the wires are coiled in the cabinet behind the controller if you have that option.



You copied the incorrect information from Photobucket.


Open Photobucket to the photo you want to post. To the right of the photo, click in the box labeled "Direct". It will flash with the word Copied. The objective here is to copy the link in the "Direct" box.

In RV.NET, click the Advanced Post Form.

After entering your post, tap your Enter key a couple of times.

Click on the photo icon (5th button from the right) above the Message box. This brings up the box to Enter the complete URL for the image. Paste the copied information from "Direct" box Photobucket, in the "Enter the complete URL for the image" box.

No entry in the Height box. Enter 640 in the width box.

If you post several photos, tap the enter key between each photo. It will put a space between each photo and look much better.

Wayne
Moderator

[Pasturepony]

Thanks everyone! smkettner, that was a great forum, thanks! Working my way through it!

exact mass...if appreciate any help, pics, and things to avoid! Did yours have the prewiring? I'm going to try to look tonight if it's not too dark and rainy when I get home. 🙂

[Exact_Mass]

I am in the process of finishing a solar panel install on my 2004 Lance 835 so perhaps I can be of help.

......

Well, I was going to post a bunch of images along with a description but it's more complicated than I anticipated and, unfortunately, I don't have time to chase around trying to figure it out. If you want, I will email a pdf to anyone who requests it.

[Super_Dave]

Pasturepony wrote:
Thanks! I just looked at the brochure and it's an option not standard on the lite models. Mine seems to have a lot of the options though. Not sure how I can check this? If it is presided, where do I look for the wires other than the speaker area?

One end of the wires would be in the ceiling and another set of loose wire would be somewhere from the step compartment all the way over to the battery compartment.

[Tamnative]

There will be a plug on the roof near the TV ant. and the wires for the controller would be in the cabinet above the sink behind a removable wooden panel
That is if it had that option.

[time2roll]

Controller should be fairly close to the battery.

I think there are a few TCs in here:

Forum Members Solar Installations With Pics