Waterproof Solar Inlet - Interest From Others

[Patandlinda]

Originally Posted by Klem

Hi Pat, Happy Holidays to ALL!

Starts at 221 in the Our Solar Panel Blew Off.

http://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f3...tml#post102368

And here is the panel kit, very happy with the kit and performance.

Amazon.com : Renogy 200W Mono Starter Kit, 2 Piece 100W Solar Panels Plus 20' Adapter Kit : Patio, Lawn & Garden

Thanks Klem . Did you go with MPPT or PWM . You can buy either way . What is the difference ? Pat

[Klem]

Originally Posted by Patandlinda

Thanks Klem . Did you go with MPPT or PWM . You can buy either way . What is the difference ? Pat

I almost picked the MPPT but you must give it a 24 volt solar array (2 panels in series) . IF I add a 3rd panel somewhere on the trailer or portable on the ground it would be PWM for sure. So I am sticking with PWM.

Also I have seen regulators blow from the burst of light on the panel from lightning. We placed a separate regulator on each panel in high lightning areas so it might pop 1 regulator and you still may have others to keep the system 'up'. Continuing that line of thinking an inexpensive 'consumer quality' MPPT might be more susceptible to failure.

That system has sealed plugs for the panel wiring so IF I lose a panel for any reason it's simple to unscrew, unplug, swap, and it's fixed. The flatter the panel mount the more susceptible to hail damage!

I like to keep my installation simple and rugged.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Klem

I almost picked the MPPT but you must give it a 24 volt solar array (2 panels in series) .

I don't understand that, and nothing in the linked Amazon ad or the Renogy web page suggests that to me. MPPT controllers - including this one from Renogy - are perfectly capable of connecting a panel and battery of the same nominal voltage. That one from Renogy recognizes which panel voltage is connected (nominally 12V, or nominally 24V) to start its optimization logic.

Of course, this does not have much to do with inlet connectors... unless someone is considering a higher voltage panel (such as 24V nominal) and wants to ensure that the connectors are suitable.

[alanmalk]

Originally Posted by Patandlinda

... MPPT or PWM . You can buy either way . What is the difference ? Pat

One perspective: You can pair a PWM (GoPower) controller with a 300 Watt, 36 volt, 72 cell house/commercial size panel but you are throwing away power. And you can pair a MMPT controller (of decent quality) with an 150 Watt "Escape-size" 36 cell, 18 volt panel, but you are throwing away money. For best power & $$ efficiency use PWM with our trailer size panels.

A more complicated look... MMPT can do miraculous things. Note that both panels, the 300 watt and the 150 watt produce the same current - roughly 10 amps - regardless of the voltage. A PWM controller will adjust the voltage to 14.4 but can only feed 10 amps to the battery, or basically the input current. It adjusts the voltage by essentially turning off the circuit for a period of time - which forces the panel to produce 0 amps. A waste of power.

A MMPT controller can take the input from a big panel and cut the 36 volts in half or better, while at the same time can double the amperage out, to 20+ amps. So none of the 300 watts is lost. A perfect combination if you are starting with a 300 watt panel, or any panel with 70+ cells. But a 300 watt panel is too big for me to haul around. Lifting my 150 watt "portable" panel out of the truck is hard enough. MMPT uses a "buck DC-DC voltage converter" at its heart. (Google "buck converter" to read the gory details).

FYI - the total current produced by a single panel is determined by the cross-section area of an individual cell. And the total voltage is determined by the number of cells. (I don't believe any panels in our size range have a series/parallel design.)

--
Alan

[float5]

I am not sure what you just said, Alan, but I read that MMPT is of no use for smaller trailers. I am supposing that is due to the smaller amps --- or maybe whatever you just said. I wanted MMPT because I knew they were more efficient but Escape would not put in a different controller. I later read that the MMPT would be no benefit on our trailers.

[Klem]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

I don't understand that, and nothing in the linked Amazon ad or the Renogy web page suggests that to me. MPPT controllers - including this one from Renogy - are perfectly capable of connecting a panel and battery of the same nominal voltage. That one from Renogy recognizes which panel voltage is connected (nominally 12V, or nominally 24V) to start its optimization logic.

Of course, this does not have much to do with inlet connectors... unless someone is considering a higher voltage panel (such as 24V nominal) and wants to ensure that the connectors are suitable.

He asked my opinion in regards to "our" trailers with solar panel installations. I simply answered that based on my experience working with solar since 1977. To get the benefit of a MPPT you need a much larger system and higher input voltages, otherwise you are wasting your money.

When you have a couple hundred watts of panel mounted flat on the top of trailer it doesn't make sense to me to spend a lot of time and money trying to squeeze milliwatts of power. I've seen solar systems fail in every way imaginable and if we can repair our solar systems cheaply and quickly on the road that's my goal.

The comment about connectors was simply an FYI that I like the style and location for future service and testing.

PS. What you read on Amazon is marketing. Spend a little more and get the newest/best technology ..... all adding to the life cost of what you purchase. Not to mention it can't be fixed, you need to replace the entire unit $$$$.

[Greg A]

Klem, you impress me as a field/experience guy which is more the way I always approach things. Manuals and tech specs are fine for guidance, but nothing replaces "does it work like you wanted when you go out in the field and need it?"
I remember a fella a number of years back, fashioned himself an engineer, built an elaborate solar setup for a trip to Yellowstone in the shoulder season. He went all by the book and specs, but he didn't do one thing, never field tested it prior to his trip. Needless to say it was way under what was needed, trip didn't go well, and had to come home and redo it with what he learned actually using it.
One area I've seen more people overspend and overthink over the years is solar. I put 25' 12 ga cables on my 30 watt briefcase panels 9 years ago. ($170 total outlay) Did I have loss, absolutely, but at Quartzsite every year, my battery's were back to full charge within 1.5 hrs of all the $1000+ systems.
I think the external plug to add portable panels is not a bad idea, but I'm hoping the panel ETI put on will be sufficient for our usage. I'm looking at modding the tilt system from one of the 3rd party vendors that will allow more out of the rooftop panel when needed and not have to carry portable panels again. First field test for us with ETI system will be Quartzsite in Feb.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Klem

To get the benefit of a MPPT you need a much larger system and higher input voltages, otherwise you are wasting your money.

When you have a couple hundred watts of panel mounted flat on the top of trailer it doesn't make sense to me to spend a lot of time and money trying to squeeze milliwatts of power. I've seen solar systems fail in every way imaginable and if we can repair our solar systems cheaply and quickly on the road that's my goal.

Okay, so not "you must give it a 24 volt solar array (2 panels in series)", but "it's not worthwhile unless you give it a big 24 volt solar array (2 panels in series)". That makes sense to me. Thanks Klem.

[NuthatchBC]

Here's what we're using with our portable solar panels:

3 Wire ConnectPro® Charging/Trolling | Marinco

We're using the 12VBR socket and the 12VBP plug. I had to drill a hole for the socket which I put into the area below the front driver's side dinette seat. From there it's easier to connect directly to the charge controller which then connects to the battery. I really had a hard time convincing myself to drill that hole but it was Mr. Bennett who told me to "suck it up and just drill the damn thing" (remember, Jim? ). All went well and we're very pleased with the setup. The plug goes into the socket and then it takes a 1/4 turn to lock it in place. The third wire isn't required but the three-wire plug/socket arrangement was exactly what we were looking for.

Doug

[thoer]

Doug that looks like the same one I'm looking at -branded as MinnKota. I'm glad to hear you like it.

[Jim Bennett]

No reason that would not work, but again, I just am not good with the male connection on the cable from the panels. Certainly with good care nothing will likely happen, it just seems improper, and if there is a better way....

Just curious, does anyone know what the result of shorting, or grounding, the leads from solar panels would be?

[NuthatchBC]

Originally Posted by Jim Bennett

No reason that would not work, but again, I just am not good with the male connection on the cable from the panels. Certainly with good care nothing will likely happen, it just seems improper, and if there is a better way....

Just curious, does anyone know what the result of shorting, or grounding, the leads from solar panels would be?

Just shorting the leads from the panel doesn't do anything. In fact, that's how you can check the panel for it's current output. Just put an ammeter between one lead and the other and it will read the current produced by the panel. As long as the panel isn't connected to the controller, no harm will be done.

Doug

[Jim Bennett]

Putting an ammeter in line is not the same as shorting a circuit, as it acts like a load. We use fuses on 12V lines to protect things, thus I thought that it would not be good to short or ground the leads from panel.

[Vermilye]

The amount of load a high quality amp meter puts on a circuit is the same as a short - an ideal amp meter has 0 resistance. A practical one must have some in order to make a measurement, however it is usually lower than that of the wiring. If you have an inline fuse, it will not open if if is rated higher than the Isc (Short Circuit current) of the panel.

As Doug said, just connect each lead of the panel to the meter. This is the way to check that a panel meets its specifications. Again, as he pointed out, it is OK to do this with a panel, but NOT with the output of the controller. (and, not OK to do with most sources of electricity that can produce high short circuit currents, i.e. a 120v receptacle or your 12V battery!)

[thoer]

Doug and Jon - thanks for the info. Given all that, I think I'm going to get that MinnKota that is the same as Doug's. Unless between now and the time we can order Reace decides to make a specific plug/receptacle an option.

Nothing like real world experience via positve feedback from Doug on that model.

[Brian B-P]

Although it is a bad idea in general to short any power source, since the resulting current would overload the wiring and damage the power source, solar panels seem to have enough internal resistance and inherently limited current delivering capability that they won't hurt themselves (and associated wiring is sized at least for rated ideal short-circuit current). A battery, in contrast, can deliver much more current than it or the wiring can safely handled.

I'm not worried about short-circuiting as far as panel damage is concerned, but exposed contacts still don't seem safe to me for the person or other object that may bridge them.

[elongest]

Older post but I was looking for a detachable bulkhead plug/conn. for use with a portable 100 W. suitcase panel with the batteries and solar controller installed under the passenger side rear dinette seat. I looked at trolling motor options as mentioned above and the power winch set up was recommended by some on other forums. The plug/connector will take an 8 ga. but not quite a 6 ga. wire. If ordered separately from Amazon they are cheaper when shipping is considered. I could not find anything in white. I will order them and see how they work. I like the fact the male and female pins are protected.
Eddie
https://www.amazon.com/Plug-Socket-K...VEY74AH7JZS9YR

[Kent]

I have already asked ETI if they would install the below solar connector and waiting for response. I would not see why not as it is the same type housing as the detachable power connector they already install.

I bought the 2 pin connector on Ebay.

It's funny some U.S. RV manufacturers are installing the Furrion solar port housing at the factory, but do not supply or cannot tell you where to buy the 2 pin connector needed for the solar panel connection.

[Kent]

Link to Furrion Site, you can download spec sheet there.

https://www.furrion.com/store/energy...ite-p-947.html

[elongest]

That looks good. Will the plug you ordered accept 10 ga. wires? I have a small winch to install on a trailer I may go with plan B on the plug I ordered. Do you have a P/N on the plug? Thanks for the info. I may go with the Furron plug.
Eddie
Found the plug info and good video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxYGaQX5GSQ