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Old 02-16-2018, 08:25 PM   #1
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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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Old 02-16-2018, 08:54 PM   #2
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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?
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Old 02-16-2018, 08:57 PM   #3
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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?
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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Old 02-16-2018, 09:50 PM   #4
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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.
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Old 02-16-2018, 10:46 PM   #5
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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.
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Old 02-17-2018, 02:11 PM   #6
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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.
Thanks. Yes, 10 awg at a minimum!
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Old 02-17-2018, 02:12 PM   #7
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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.
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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Old 03-04-2018, 07:46 PM   #8
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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.
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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Old 03-04-2018, 08:30 PM   #9
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Originally Posted by tdf-texas View Post
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?
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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Old 03-04-2018, 08:47 PM   #10
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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.
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Old 03-04-2018, 11:57 PM   #11
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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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Old 03-05-2018, 09:18 AM   #12
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Originally Posted by tdf-texas View Post
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.
I agree completely.
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Old 06-12-2018, 06:11 PM   #13
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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.
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Old 06-12-2018, 06:38 PM   #14
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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
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Old 06-12-2018, 06:49 PM   #15
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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?
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Old 06-13-2018, 06:26 AM   #16
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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?

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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Old 06-13-2018, 07:21 AM   #17
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Originally Posted by Jim Bennett View Post
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?
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.
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SAE to  MC4 Adapter.jpg  
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Old 06-13-2018, 07:34 AM   #18
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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
Oops read that too fast. I thought you were looking for the trailer side Zamp port.
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Old 06-13-2018, 07:50 AM   #19
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Originally Posted by rubicon327 View Post
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.

www.amazon.com/Zamp-Solar-RVROOFSIDE-Sidewall-Port/dp/B00T36YVI4

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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Old 06-13-2018, 08:00 AM   #20
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Originally Posted by tdf-texas View Post
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.
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 View Post
Oops read that too fast. I thought you were looking for the trailer side Zamp port.
Nope, got that. I too have been a victim many times of not clearly gathering all the facts before responding.
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