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02-16-2018, 08:25 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: In my Escape...full time. Currently in Maine, Maine
Trailer: 2018 Escape 19
Posts: 204
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Location for Zamp connector on 19
I'm going with rooftop solar but am also going to have a Zamp port installed for future portable panel supplement. What have folks could do to be the most useful location for the Zamp? I'm thinking driver side front since that is next to the electrical area beneath the dinette bench. Other thoughts or recommendations? Clock is ticking to my 2/23 build list signoff date 😓
Thanks!
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02-16-2018, 08:54 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Port Townsend, Washington
Trailer: 2010 17B “MATT”, then 2017 19 “Lilly”
Posts: 1,584
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Mount as close to your solar controller as is practical. Shorter electrical runs = less juice lost in the wires. Where will your solar controller be?
__________________
💩-p+☕️+n
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02-16-2018, 08:57 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: In my Escape...full time. Currently in Maine, Maine
Trailer: 2018 Escape 19
Posts: 204
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sclifrickson
Mount as close to your solar controller as is practical. Shorter electrical runs = less juice lost in the wires. Where will your solar controller be?
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The controller will be under the dinette driver side bench. So, putting the port on a wall adjacent to the bench would minimize the cable run. Of course, the portable panel could be fairly far away depending upon where sun exposure might be. So, that would be the major electrical run anyway. Thanks!
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02-16-2018, 09:50 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: SLO County, California
Trailer: 2014 Escape 21C 2019 Expedition
Posts: 5,213
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Had mine recently installed and as Scott suggests put mine where the solar controller is. Be sure you get a Zamp with 10 gauge wire. Got mine from offthegridrvs.
__________________
"We gotta get as far away as we can!"
- Russell Casse, Independence Day
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02-16-2018, 10:46 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: Placerville, California
Trailer: 2018 Escape 17A double dinette
Posts: 1,520
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If you don't have it yet, per advice from ETI, I ordered my zamp port from O'Connor's near them. 604 792 2747
It was @ $13 CN and they sent it over to ETI.
__________________
--Time and trouble will tame an advanced young woman, but an advanced older woman is uncontrollable by any earthly force. --Dorothy Sayers
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02-17-2018, 02:11 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: In my Escape...full time. Currently in Maine, Maine
Trailer: 2018 Escape 19
Posts: 204
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rossue
Had mine recently installed and as Scott suggests put mine where the solar controller is. Be sure you get a Zamp with 10 gauge wire. Got mine from offthegridrvs.
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Thanks. Yes, 10 awg at a minimum!
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02-17-2018, 02:12 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: In my Escape...full time. Currently in Maine, Maine
Trailer: 2018 Escape 19
Posts: 204
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Quote:
Originally Posted by h2owmn
If you don't have it yet, per advice from ETI, I ordered my zamp port from O'Connor's near them. 604 792 2747
It was @ $13 CN and they sent it over to ETI.
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Great idea, thanks. I suspect it would cost more than that just for me to ship it to ETI from here!
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03-04-2018, 07:46 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Baytown, Texas
Trailer: 2017 21' Escape - upgraded version
Posts: 2,697
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rossue
Had mine recently installed and as Scott suggests put mine where the solar controller is. Be sure you get a Zamp with 10 gauge wire. Got mine from offthegridrvs.
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I went to order a Zamp with 10 gauge wire from offthegridrvs and the only port I could find is the Zamp ZS-RV-ROOF/SIDEWALL. According to Zamp, that port is 12 gauge not 10.
Zamp Roof/Sidewall Port
Where can I find the 10 gauge Zamp port?
__________________
Normal people believe that if it ain't broke, don't fix it.
Engineers believe in fixing it so that it never breaks.
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03-04-2018, 08:30 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Burlington Twp., New Jersey
Trailer: 2010 Escape 19
Posts: 7,146
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tdf-texas
I went to order a Zamp with 10 gauge wire from offthegridrvs and the only port I could find is the Zamp ZS-RV-ROOF/SIDEWALL. According to Zamp, that port is 12 gauge not 10.
Zamp Roof/Sidewall Port
Where can I find the 10 gauge Zamp port?
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It appears the sidewall port is only 12 gauge, despite some websites incorrectly listing it as 10 gauge. In fact offthegridrvs makes a comment to a buyer on Amazon that they cut off the leads and put on 10 gauge.
Question: What is the gauge of the wire this uses? it looks like maybe 12 ga. i'm wanting no less than 10 ga.
Answer: It is 12 gauge and about a foot in length, I usually cut the wires about two inches from the plug and run 10 gauge without any loss of power.
By OffTheGridRVs SELLER on October 6, 2016
The Zamp 15 foot extension is 10 gauge.
Zamp Solar 15 Foot Extension For Portables
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03-04-2018, 08:47 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Baytown, Texas
Trailer: 2017 21' Escape - upgraded version
Posts: 2,697
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Thanks Dave!
I'll order the Zamp connector and do the 10 gauge "upgrade" a few inches from the port. All the rest of my wiring is 10 gauge solar wire - a few inches of 12 won't matter.
__________________
Normal people believe that if it ain't broke, don't fix it.
Engineers believe in fixing it so that it never breaks.
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03-04-2018, 11:57 PM
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#11
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Site Team
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Mid Left Coast, California
Trailer: 2014 Escape 21
Posts: 5,155
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even a foot of 12 gauge from the port to the solar controller would hardly matter if you've got say 10 or 20' of 10 gauge on the other side.
1000 feet of 10 gauge is 0.999 ohms, lets just call it 1 ohm. 1000 feet of 12 gauge is 1.588 ohms, lets round that to 1.6 ohms. so 10 feet of 10 gauge is 0.02 ohms (remember, its 2 conductor, got resistance coming and going), while 1 foot of 12 gauge is 0.0032, so combined resistance of those two pieces is 0.0232 ohms, while 11 feet of pure 10 gauge would be 0.022 .... big whoop.
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03-05-2018, 09:18 AM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Oswego, New York
Trailer: 2017 Escape 21C, 2018 Ford F150
Posts: 5,373
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tdf-texas
Thanks Dave!
I'll order the Zamp connector and do the 10 gauge "upgrade" a few inches from the port. All the rest of my wiring is 10 gauge solar wire - a few inches of 12 won't matter.
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I agree completely.
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06-12-2018, 06:11 PM
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#13
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Member
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: Crestview, Florida
Trailer: 2020 25' Flying Cloud Airstream with three 90-watt Zamp Solar roof panels and 140-watt ZS Portable
Posts: 80
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Zamp Solar has two ports one is 10 and the other is 12 gauge. You can purchase it from any Authorized Dealer who carries the item.
__________________
Tony Gautney, CCM
Former ETI 2017 21’ Double Axle
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06-12-2018, 06:38 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Central, Pennsylvania
Trailer: Escape#5 2022 E19
Posts: 26,268
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Looks like we got a solar expert Escape owner, welcome, Tony, tell us about yourself here New Member Introductions - Escape Trailer Owners Community
__________________
Jim
Sometime life gets in the way of living.......
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06-12-2018, 06:49 PM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Trailer: 2017 Escape 5.0 TA
Posts: 15,547
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I have changed my mind on the portable solar port I am using, and going with the Zamp one. I need the connector for the end of my cable from my portable panel to connect to the Zamp port. Where is a good source for one with #10 (or #12) wiring?
__________________
2017 Escape 5.0 TA
2015 Ford F150 Lariat 3.5L EcoBoost
2009 Escape 19 (previous)
“Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” — Abraham Lincoln
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06-13-2018, 06:26 AM
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#16
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Burlington Twp., New Jersey
Trailer: 2010 Escape 19
Posts: 7,146
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim Bennett
I have changed my mind on the portable solar port I am using, and going with the Zamp one. I need the connector for the end of my cable from my portable panel to connect to the Zamp port. Where is a good source for one with #10 (or #12) wiring?
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Offthegridrvs shows out of stock. Found this on Amazon. Despite other posts and even information from some websites I’m quite sure this is only made in 12 gauge.
http://www.amazon.com/Zamp-Solar-RVR.../dp/B00T36YVI4
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06-13-2018, 07:21 AM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Baytown, Texas
Trailer: 2017 21' Escape - upgraded version
Posts: 2,697
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim Bennett
I have changed my mind on the portable solar port I am using, and going with the Zamp one. I need the connector for the end of my cable from my portable panel to connect to the Zamp port. Where is a good source for one with #10 (or #12) wiring?
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I think you are looking for a SAE to MC4 adapter.
https://www.amazon.com/RENOGY-MC4-to...to+mc4+adapter
Please remember that Zamp has their polarity flipped from the rest of the industry.
__________________
Normal people believe that if it ain't broke, don't fix it.
Engineers believe in fixing it so that it never breaks.
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06-13-2018, 07:34 AM
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#18
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Burlington Twp., New Jersey
Trailer: 2010 Escape 19
Posts: 7,146
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rubicon327
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Oops read that too fast. I thought you were looking for the trailer side Zamp port.
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06-13-2018, 07:50 AM
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#19
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: West Coast, Florida
Trailer: None now
Posts: 1,266
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rubicon327
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The posting above from the Tin Can Solar guy shows a 10 gauge port.
ZS-RV-SolarPort-(10AWG) - Tin Can Solar
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06-13-2018, 08:00 AM
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#20
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Trailer: 2017 Escape 5.0 TA
Posts: 15,547
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tdf-texas
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Right now I have a bare lead to use. The output cable from the panel, as well as the GoPower extension cable both use Anderson connectors. I did rewire the 80W (double 40W) with MC4 connectors to use it as either 18V, 36V, with or without using the onboard controller. I was thinking of leaving this and adding a pigtail to the Zamp port. The Anderson connectors would be a bit easier to use to connect the extension when I need it. Your mention of needing an SAE connector is what I needed to know, as I had forgotten that, and now that I search with that parameter I see lots of option.
Thanks too for the heads up on the reversed polarity. I will confirm that when I tie in to the existing wiring from the port to the MC4 connectors I have already installed inside.
Quote:
Originally Posted by rubicon327
Oops read that too fast. I thought you were looking for the trailer side Zamp port.
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Nope, got that. I too have been a victim many times of not clearly gathering all the facts before responding.
__________________
2017 Escape 5.0 TA
2015 Ford F150 Lariat 3.5L EcoBoost
2009 Escape 19 (previous)
“Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” — Abraham Lincoln
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