Nova Kool RFU 8320 Refrigerator Installation

[hotfishtacos]

Originally Posted by singletracker

How is the Nova Kool working out?

..so far just fine but I have only been out once. I may go to the desert in a few weeks and can't wait to try it this summer.

[oldclimber]

Good to know the solar panels won't add much resistance. By the time we put the kayaks and bikes on the truck (Ford F-150 Eco Boost), loaded up the Casita and truck, we were getting 15/16mpg average, some of that in hilly and mountainous areas. With 2 panels on the Escape, and the portable 80W we already had, we hope to leave the 3000W propane generator behind (heavy little bugger). Everything's a trade-off~

Santacruiser's idea about taking off the boat racks is great. We may do this for the trip west to pick up the Escape. Don't know yet...
Gae

[rbryan4]

Originally Posted by oldclimber

By the time we put the kayaks and bikes on the truck (Ford F-150 Eco Boost).....

You've already got half the battle won Gae. You have the right truck.

[oldclimber]

Thanks--it's big, but we love it.
G

[7th Heaven]

Steven,

how did you wire the 3 panels?
any issue mixing the 95s with the 160?

[hotfishtacos]

Originally Posted by 7th Heaven

Steven,

how did you wire the 3 panels?
any issue mixing the 95s with the 160?

These panels have waterproof MC4 connectors which can be plugged into each other making parallel connections. It is important to use panels with the same output voltage (about 17 volts). Then the panel watt values can be mixed. The 160 I have is the highest watt panel I could find that is low voltage. Panels used on houses are much higher voltage. Mine are all around 17 volt. Short, pre-assembled cables are available with MC4 connectors on each end when a pair of wires isn't long enough. I bought a couple of short 6' cables and plugged them in together for the front panel.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[alanmalk]

Originally Posted by hotfishtacos

...It is important to use panels with the same output voltage (about 17 volts). Then the panel watt values can be mixed. The 160 I have is the highest watt panel I could find that is low voltage. Panels used on houses are much higher voltage. Mine are all around 17 volt. ...

Mixing the high voltage (34-36v) panels with the low voltage (17-18v) panels does no harm except to your pocketbook - IF - there is a blocking diode in each panel before the common connection. ( And there really should be.) The lower voltage panels will not contribute wattage until the drain on the solar system exceeds the wattage of the higher voltage panel.

The impact to the pocket book is that you paid for high voltage and then lost that power in the regulator when it drops it down to 13.7v for charging the battery. The difference in 34 to 13.7 is converted to waste heat. Plus, the higher voltage panels tend to be twice as expensive, so you have lost $ in two ways.

There is a partial exception to this rule-of-thumb. If you spend the big $$$ on a MPPT regulator then you will get all the power the big panel will produce. (A good MPPT regulator can run $400 and up.)

Now, if someone gives you a house-style panel for free, then go for it, but monitor the regulator for excessive heating.

Bottom line: Mixing low and high voltage panels could work but it gets expensive and complicated. Escape trailers are happier with 17-18v panels.

--
Alan

[julius.sherm]

new to this forum. I can not get the pictures. need help!!!!!!

[Ron in BC]

Do you mean that you can't go back to posts that had pictures and see the photos?

Ron

[cpaharley2008]

Could be because this is the first post....

[julius.sherm]

I just could not open the pictures. I was able to get back to the posting.

[Jubal]

For some reason the pictures of the nova cool frig installation by Steve are not visible when I attempted to view them also. See posts 48 and 92. Moderators

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Jubal

For some reason the pictures of the nova cool frig installation by Steve are not visible when I attempted to view them also. See posts 48 and 92. Moderators

In at least post #92, when I view it there are just spaces where there are apparently supposed to be images - not even a placeholder, link, or box. this is strange, because then I use the Quote feature it shows me that codes for the images are there, such as this one:

Well now that's weird... the Code block is supposed to show the code, without attempting to interpret it. Here's the same code, with the square brackets replaced by brace brackets so it will just show as text:
{IMG}http://www.escapeforum.org/forums/members/1107-albums95-picture1198.jpg{/IMG}

I put the same code in this response:

Again, nothing.

I note that these images are in an EscapeForum member album.
I tried opening the image as a link (rather than an image embedded in a post - there's no error, but the resulting page is blank:
www.escapeforum.org/forums/members/1107-albums95-picture1198.jpg

Knowing that this is Steve's album, I worked my way into that... but there doesn't seem to be a good way to navigate by member so I scanned through by date... and didn't find them (but then I only know the date of Steve's post, not of his photos).
Examining the format of URLs for member albums, it appears that Steve's should be Escape Trailer Owners Community - hotfishtacos's Albums ... but there are no photos.
Going back to member profiles, it appears that Steve' profile is missing the Album widget (on the right side of the member profile page) that others have... even if they have no albums. This appears to likely be an issue with Steve's album(s), not the members having problems seeing it.

Admin?

[Jubal]

Administrator needed

[rbryan4]

Originally Posted by Jubal

Administrator needed

Steve is needed. By the way, where is he? Haven't seen him on here in ages. Steeeeeve, chime in. A founding member of SCABS needs to represent.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by rbryan4

Steve is needed. By the way, where is he? Haven't seen him on here in ages

I'm not sure that Steve can fix this. I have created no albums, and my profile still has an Albums section (which just says "You have not created any albums"). I don't think the member can control whether or not the Albums functionality exists for their account. Still, it's always good to hear from Steve

My wild guess is some sort of database corruption.

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by Jubal

Administrator needed

So, did you contact them? Escape Trailer Owners Community - Contact Us

Remember, moderators are not administrators. I'll take care of it. Admins don't typically read the threads, they're working in the background.

[Jubal]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

So, did you contact them? Escape Trailer Owners Community - Contact Us

Remember, moderators are not administrators. I'll take care of it. Admins don't typically read the threads, they're working in the background.

Thank you. Where is the "contact us link located" ? I did not see it in the forum help section.

[Jubal]

Originally Posted by Jubal

Thank you. Where is the "contact us link located" ? I did not see it in the forum help section.

Ok, I found the link at the bottom of the home page along with the interesting archives.

[Donna D.]

Thanks Bob. It's important if members see something hinkey with the software to let someone know, just not posting in a thread. I very seldom go back and reread old threads in their entirety. I didn't realize pics were missing. Not that I can fix it, but I'm sure an admin would like to check it out. Rather than inundate the Admins with messages, it may be best to send a moderator a PM as the first line of defense.