glamisduner
Explorer II
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Re: Help with Solar install for 2016 Rage'n?
Hey guys, I was never able to figure this out. Ragen has now been purchased by Genesis so they don't really exist in the same way. I will try calling Genesis to see if they can help but I doubt they will be any more helpful than Ragen was... Anyways, the neighbors tree fell on our trailer so I paid the repair company extra to install the mounts for 4 solar panels while they rhino sprayed the new roof. I bought 4 panels and still have the inverter I bought like 5 years ago. I am motivated to install but still can't figure out where the pre-wired solar plug runs to. I went through all the harness, looked under the trailer, under the fridge, near the furance and refrigerator etc. I can't find any 8awg wire like the solar port has on the roof. I can buy one of those probe and tone kits but will it work through the plywood on the roof? If so what exactly will it tell me? Where to cut a hole in the roof to find the factory wires? Another thought is to just ditch the solar port on the roof and run some 8awg down though the rerigerator vent then across to where the electric panel and all the other wiring is and install the inverter there (there is already 4awg run to the power inverter I can probably tap into for a retrun feed). Is it ok to somehow run a wire under the refrigerator vent?1.6KViews1like0CommentsRe: New Toy Hauler "Rage'n" by Pacific Coach Works 25FFX Issues
So our trailer has been at the shop for a couple months to repair a small 6" dent from a small tree branch. it has taken 6 weeks just for the repair place to get the decal, and when they received it Pacific Coach Works shipped them the wrong decal (Correct part number but wrong decal). We had them look into some of the other issues as well. They told us the roof needs to be removed and replaced and that the rubber roof appears to be what is holding together some of the boards under it, as the board under it are loose and will rub a hole in the rubber. They also found the right side of the trailer is shifting around and has bowed the aluminum panels on the exterior. The recommend a full rebuild of the roof and right hand side of the trailer. Other issues are a leak under the bathroom sink has damaged the cabinet under the sink (recommended replacing the cabinet). We also found that the company forgot to seal the shower and after the first shower fixed that ourselves. They initially thought the front of the trailer was delaminating, but the manufacturer informed them that it's just how they make them (loose so they cam move around a bit), so I guess it's just something we have to live with. We have also fixed a leak under the kitchen sink, and fixed the rear bed that is supposed to hold the ladder and keep the mattress from landing in the living room. (it fell apart on the way home from the dealership) I fixed the hitch issues by changing the angle on our ball, it was setup improperly from the sales place which caused it to have a hard time seating and unseating properly. The entrance light falls off every trip on the road because the plastic clips that are supposed to hold it are broken. Stove light is burned out already, but it was hardly bright enough to be useful anyways. We waited until our first camping season was over because the estimated wait time to fix the shower and bed was 3-4 months. At this point it looks like we will for sure lose an entire year of camping again because it has taken so long just to get the dent fixed, and the bad news from the repair place about 1/2 the trailer needing to be rebuilt. I would AVOID buying this brand trailer at all costs. Complete junk. Trying to figure out if we will take more of a loss buying a cheap old rig to get us through the season, or selling the toys and buying new ones when / if we ever get the trailer back from being repaired.1.6KViews0likes0CommentsRe: Help with Solar install for 2016 Rage'n?
smkettner wrote: What are you installing? OEM wire is probably inadequate anyway. The 200 watt system I linked above, but also considering this one with the remote flush mount controller: http://www.windynation.com/MPPT-Polycrystalline-Solar-Kits/Windy-Nation-Inc/200-Watt-12-Volt-24-Volt-Solar-Panel-MPPT-Solar-Charge-Controller-Complete-Kit-for-RVs-Boats-and-Off/-/340?p=YzE9NDc= Or maybe something else in the 200 watt range, but I think the 8ga would be sufficient.1.6KViews0likes0CommentsRe: Help with Solar install for 2016 Rage'n?
Trackrig wrote: Since it's a 2016, I'll assume the mfg is still in business - have you called them? Bill I don't want to pay them to do it, which is what they are going to tell me to do. I don't want to deal with them anymore unless I have to. My Dad has called them several times (Ok, more than several) and they never call back or help us out. For warranty they want 2 months just to look at a simple problem (panel you hook the rear bed ladder to fell off on the way home), some water leaks, and a few other minor issues. We ended up fixing everything ourselves so that we won't be without the trailer for the entire camping season with our brand new trailer!1.6KViews0likes0CommentsRe: Help with Solar install for 2016 Rage'n?
2oldman wrote: glamisduner wrote: That location does not make sense to me though, because you wouldn't want the controller exposed to the elements... Where else could you put it? In the Pantry's extra space next to the main panel (It's where they ran all the wires to the main panel), and where I installed the ATS and inverter after removing the screwed in place cover. Or maybe under the refrigerator since there is open space there as well. Would it really be wise to put the controller out in the weather under the bottom of the trailer? Seems silly to me! Would this kit be worth the extra cost? http://www.windynation.com/MPPT-Polycrystalline-Solar-Kits/Windy-Nation-Inc/200-Watt-12-Volt-24-Volt-Solar-Panel-MPPT-Solar-Charge-Controller-Complete-Kit-for-RVs-Boats-and-Off/-/340?p=YzE9NDc=1.6KViews0likes0CommentsHelp with Solar install for 2016 Rage'n?
My Trailer is prewired for solar but I can't figure out where the wires terminate. My hypothesis is that it's the 3 wires with ring terminals hanging down from the front of the bumper-pull hauler near the battery? If so what the heck is the 3rd wire for? (Red White Black). That location does not make sense to me though, because you wouldn't want the controller exposed to the elements... I'm thinking about this kit as some friends are using it and have not had any issues. http://www.windynation.com/Polycrystalline-Solar-Kits/Windy-Nation-Inc/WindyNation-200-Watt-12-24V-Polycrystalline-Solar-Panel-Complete-Kit-with-LCD-Solar-Controller-RV-Boat-Of/-/631?p=YzE9OA==4.4KViews1like12CommentsRe: Need Help Wiring Inverter.
MrWizard wrote: yes common nuetral is a problem, and wired against code you have too switch both HOT and Neutral, with the ATS for ALL power sources that means switch both wires from generator, both wires from shore power AND both hot and neutral from inverter its the law , because its a Safety issue I thought that might have been the problem. Isolated the neutral and everything is working as it should! Taking it out next week! Thanks for everyone's help. I might add a second ATS later (one of those small ones) if I end up with too much load on all the outlets.942Views0likes0CommentsRe: Need Help Wiring Inverter.
smkettner wrote: I crammed two relays in one box. If doing this today I would have the smaller TS by KISAE. http://www.donrowe.com/KISAE-TS15A-Automatic-Transfer-Switch-p/ts15a.htm Looks nice I guess if I have to buy another one I will get one of those. For now I'm just going to run all of the outlets off a single 15 amp breaker. The Hot wire from the output side of thbe breaker is wired into the ATS. Anyways I got everything hooked up and I'm still having some issues. I found every time I plugged in shore power (from the house) my GFCI would trip on the outlet it was plugged into. As it is now, I have the ground buss in the ATS connected to the ground buss in the Main panel (via the ground wire in the romex). I found removing the ground wire coming out of the inverter plug solved the problem with tripping the house gfci. I also have all the neutrals connected together. So when when the inverter is on and the ATS is running off inverter power, but the rest of the trailer is running on shore/generator power (I have the breaker turned off that powers the ATS), then the neutral would be shared for the inverter and shore power since they end up connected together. Is this a problem? I'm thinking this is what is actually causing the issue, maybe isolating the neutrals would solve the problem and allow me to plug back in the ground wire? I'm thinking the issue is due to the inverter potentially tying neutral to ground internally? Also, I have not grounded the inverter to the trailer via the extra ground terminal.939Views0likes0CommentsRe: Need Help Wiring Inverter.
smkettner wrote: I ended up with two transfer switches to avoid the subpanel that would be hard to access. If your loads are light you could just attach both to the one TS direct. That would work too, but I don't have the space, I could install the other switch elsewhere I guess though, it would just involve snaking some wires under the trailer.944Views0likes0CommentsRe: Need Help Wiring Inverter.
smkettner wrote: So you are going to cut the hot bus bar in the panel? I was thinking about it. Otherwise it will require tools to get to a seperate breaker. A separate breaker box is sounding like the only alternative though. Where can I find one? What term do I need to google? Too bad I can't just mount a new breaker into the ats box, there's plenty of room in there. Alternarivly I guess I could also put all of the outlets behind one breaker right? It just would limit all the outlets to 15 amps instead of a combined 30, although a combined 30 would trip the main anyways. I might just do that instead. at least it wood not require tools to get to the beaker if I trip it.941Views0likes0Comments
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