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Old 08-06-2019, 08:09 AM   #41
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Originally Posted by Jim Bennett View Post
I run my portable panel through a Zamp connector ensuring the positive and negative are wired correct. I eliminate a solar controller on the portable panel and the feed goes directly into my solar controller with the roof mounted panels. I rarely need the portable except in rare adverse conditions, but boy can I charge the batteries fast if I want too. Lots and lots of various options here, but I can say without a doubt that mine works great for us.
I pickup up a Renogy folding portable 100W panel on sale from Amazon without a controller. Before buying I contacted GoPower about connecting it to my ETI supplied controller. The tech said that as long as my combined amperage didn't exceed the rated 30A that all I had to do was connect the external to the same connections on the controller that our roof panel connects to.

Like Jim, I'm putting a Zamp style connector on the trailer for the infrequent use the portable will get - probably only when our roof panel is mostly shaded.
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Old 08-06-2019, 05:51 PM   #42
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Zamp Solar does not have a polarity issue, because it is a safety feature to have the negative connection be the exposed metal connection. Other manufacturers do not have a safety feature to prevent shocks due to metal grounding.
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Old 08-06-2019, 05:52 PM   #43
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Zamp Solar made in the USA.
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Old 08-06-2019, 05:57 PM   #44
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Just purchase an unregulated Zamp Solar Portable (ie. no Charge Controller) for less money.
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Old 08-06-2019, 06:12 PM   #45
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Not with a simple solar port by the battery vent .
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Old 08-06-2019, 06:14 PM   #46
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That’s because Zamp has a safety feature not available with Renogy.
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Old 08-06-2019, 06:16 PM   #47
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Zamp ports are designed for Zamp portables, which are wired so you don’t ground yourself and get shocked.
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Old 08-06-2019, 06:27 PM   #48
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Zamp Solar does not have a polarity issue, because it is a safety feature to have the negative connection be the exposed metal connection. Other manufacturers do not have a safety feature to prevent shocks due to metal grounding.
It would seem you are a sales rep of theirs with the multiple support posts, but the RV port is in fact reversed polarity to standard. If I did not reverse and kept the wiring the same colour all the way I would feed positive from the panel to the negative of the solar controller, and at least to me that is backwards and wrong. I reversed the cables inside the trailer and now all works great.

I nice plug and easy to use plug, just happy it was pointed out by someone here so I easily dealt with in on install.
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Old 08-06-2019, 06:47 PM   #49
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If I'm going to have to drill another hole in my trailer for a portable panel connection, I want to make sure I put the right thing in it. So-- which is the best connector to use: Zamp, SAE, PowerPole, or something else?
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Old 08-06-2019, 07:04 PM   #50
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MBA80 View Post
Zamp Solar does not have a polarity issue, because it is a safety feature to have the negative connection be the exposed metal connection. Other manufacturers do not have a safety feature to prevent shocks due to metal grounding.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MBA80 View Post
Zamp Solar made in the USA.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MBA80 View Post
Just purchase an unregulated Zamp Solar Portable (ie. no Charge Controller) for less money.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MBA80 View Post
Not with a simple solar port by the battery vent .
Quote:
Originally Posted by MBA80 View Post
That’s because Zamp has a safety feature not available with Renogy.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MBA80 View Post
Zamp ports are designed for Zamp portables, which are wired so you don’t ground yourself and get shocked.
Tony, you realize all these posts should have been put into one post. Imagine if we all posted with only one sentence in a post, how many posts people would have to read.

Plus you have about two hours to edit your post, so you easily could have posted these in one post.

Enjoy,

Perry
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Old 08-06-2019, 07:06 PM   #51
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike Lewis View Post
If I'm going to have to drill another hole in my trailer for a portable panel connection, I want to make sure I put the right thing in it. So-- which is the best connector to use: Zamp, SAE, PowerPole, or something else?
zamp is a variant on SAE. I generally prefer powerpole, but they aren't weatherproof and not suitable for exterior mounting.
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Old 08-06-2019, 07:09 PM   #52
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Originally Posted by MBA80 View Post
Zamp Solar does not have a polarity issue, because it is a safety feature to have the negative connection be the exposed metal connection. Other manufacturers do not have a safety feature to prevent shocks due to metal grounding.
I realize that you are a Zamp representative but before you start spouting nonsense, look up the SAE STANDARD for this type of connection. Zamp wires the plug up with opposite polarity to the SAE industry standard with an exposed positive terminal on the battery side.

SAE mandates that the negative terminal is the exposed terminal when connected to the battery - not the positive. An exposed positive terminal could allow the battery to short to ground causing a safety risk. SAE mandates that the solar panel have the exposed positive terminal as it can be shorted with much lower risk.

So again, stop with the BS to justify the non compliance of Zamp products to industry standards and it's violation of safety concerns.
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Old 08-06-2019, 07:17 PM   #53
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Originally Posted by Mike Lewis View Post
If I'm going to have to drill another hole in my trailer for a portable panel connection, I want to make sure I put the right thing in it. So-- which is the best connector to use: Zamp, SAE, PowerPole, or something else?
SAE or PowerPole. Zamp uses a non standard wiring polarity that violates international safety standards. SAE and MC4 are the most commonly used connectors for solar.

I would suggest a SAE port connector with 10 AWG wires. Here's a good one:
https://www.amazon.com/SAE-Plug-Weat...07SL3MBR6?th=1

As Jim Bennett stated, if you use a Zamp connector - reverse the polarity of the wiring (connect red to black, black to red) to convert it back to a SAE standard connector.
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Old 08-06-2019, 09:54 PM   #54
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Originally Posted by John in Santa Cruz View Post
zamp is a variant on SAE. I generally prefer powerpole, but they aren't weatherproof and not suitable for exterior mounting.
I'm using the 50 Amp Powerpole connector. As mentioned, it is not waterproof but I make the connection behind an all-purpose porthole where my phone line, coax, thermometer wire, and other wires come into the trailer - passenger side rear bench seat near the batteries. 50 Amps is of course not required for a panel that averages 5 Amps - however it is large enough for my uncoordinated fingers to grasp. It also fits the 8ga wire better than the smaller 30 Amp series.

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Old 08-06-2019, 10:04 PM   #55
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yeah, the smaller PP15-30-45 connectors, the pp45 pins are for 10 awg.
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Old 08-13-2019, 08:28 AM   #56
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Originally Posted by thoer View Post
I pickup up a Renogy folding portable 100W panel on sale from Amazon without a controller. Before buying I contacted GoPower about connecting it to my ETI supplied controller. The tech said that as long as my combined amperage didn't exceed the rated 30A that all I had to do was connect the external to the same connections on the controller that our roof panel connects to.

Like Jim, I'm putting a Zamp style connector on the trailer for the infrequent use the portable will get - probably only when our roof panel is mostly shaded.
After talking with a solar installer, I apparently need to go a different direction. He said if the roof panels and portable are wired together at the GoPower controller, that they effectively become one panel electrically. So even if the portable is in full sun, but the roof panels in mostly shade, that the portable output will be severely limited. So I may buy a relatively inexpensive controller and mount it next to the GoPower, connected to a port for the portable and to the batteries.
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Old 08-13-2019, 09:01 AM   #57
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After talking with a solar installer, I apparently need to go a different direction. He said if the roof panels and portable are wired together at the GoPower controller, that they effectively become one panel electrically. So even if the portable is in full sun, but the roof panels in mostly shade, that the portable output will be severely limited. So I may buy a relatively inexpensive controller and mount it next to the GoPower, connected to a port for the portable and to the batteries.
That's not quite true. Most solar panels have what's called blocking and bypass diodes built into their design which prevents this from happening.

https://www.solar-facts.com/panels/panel-diodes.php

Both the Renogy and GoPower panels have these.
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Old 08-13-2019, 09:04 AM   #58
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After talking with a solar installer, I apparently need to go a different direction. He said if the roof panels and portable are wired together at the GoPower controller, that they effectively become one panel electrically. So even if the portable is in full sun, but the roof panels in mostly shade, that the portable output will be severely limited. So I may buy a relatively inexpensive controller and mount it next to the GoPower, connected to a port for the portable and to the batteries.


Wiring them together at the controller is wired in parallel, not in series (the “one effective panel” option). Something else you can do to isolate panels is install a diode that keeps the electrons flowing one way only, although lots of panels already have these as-is.
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Old 08-13-2019, 09:05 AM   #59
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Originally Posted by thoer View Post
After talking with a solar installer, I apparently need to go a different direction. He said if the roof panels and portable are wired together at the GoPower controller, that they effectively become one panel electrically. So even if the portable is in full sun, but the roof panels in mostly shade, that the portable output will be severely limited. So I may buy a relatively inexpensive controller and mount it next to the GoPower, connected to a port for the portable and to the batteries.
Hmmm- this might be true. When buying a solar system for the house a Tigo optimiser was part of the system. It was explained that a primary benefit was to isolate a shaded panel(s) as to not drag down the performance of the others.
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Old 08-13-2019, 10:53 AM   #60
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So I may buy a relatively inexpensive controller and mount it next to the GoPower, connected to a port for the portable and to the batteries.
You already have an inexpensive controller in the form of the GoPower. I might suggest replacing it with a Victron Smart Controller MPPT and use the GoPower for the portable panel.

Also consider a switch so you can select which panel. Would you need such a switch to select both panels? Probably not as the output will drop the the lower of the two panels.
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