Lithium batteries and solar panel winterizing

[miataone]

Do the solar systems on the recent model 21NE's have a breaker or a shut off installed from the factory? Can anyone tell me where I should be looking and what I should be seeing? Thank you.

[kathytony1985]

Not that we can find.

[Vermilye]

Originally Posted by miataone

Do the solar systems on the recent model 21NE's have a breaker or a shut off installed from the factory? Can anyone tell me where I should be looking and what I should be seeing? Thank you.

Not unless they recently added one. Many of us have added a breaker or a switch to make it easier to disconnect the panels before disconnecting the controller from the batteries.

[alanmalk]

Originally Posted by JeffreyG

Battleborn says to charge to 100%, then disconnect and store all winter, checking / charging every three months.
...

My Dakota lithium trolling motor battery has the same instructions.
"Charge, store at room temp, recharge occasionally".
Since the new lithium batteries in my Escape weigh 40 pounds less each than my previous batteries, taking them home is less likely to result in a medical emergency.

[miataone]

It's disappointing that Escape did not wire in a shut-off switch, since this is something many of us need every year.
So I need to (quote)
• Label your solar panel wires ‘positive’ and ‘negative’

• Unhook your solar panels from your solar controller (Unquote)

Do I assume that this is all done right at the solar controller, mounted in the driver side bench seat? Any tips on identifying which wires are which? If I have two solar panels on the roof, will there be two pairs of wires coming to the controller?

[wackyburggeezer]

By convention, in DC systems, the Positive (+) wire is red and the Negative (-) wire is black. GoPower follows that convention. When you look at the GoPower controller back side, you'll see that the four wires that enter the controller are in descending order, Red, Black, Red, Black. The top two are to your converter and battery. the bottom two are from your solar panel. Even with two solar panels on the roof, you should only see one red and one black wire at the controller, coming from the panels. The controller will not accept multiple wires from multiple panels, as the lugs (terminals) are too small. Each of the terminals on the side of the controller are labelled + or -. Since you have two panels on the roof, rather than cover both panels prior to disconnecting, you might consider waiting until after nightfall to remove the solar panel wires from the controller. Hope this helps.

[miataone]

Thank you, that is very helpful! I will look it over today in daylight, and plan to disconnect it after dark this evening.

[alanmalk]

Just a heads-up. On my 2015 'E21 all the wires from the solar, to and from the controller, are black. Fortunately the terminals on the controller are marked with the polarity, and using those markings I labeled some key ring tags and attached them to the wires, with additional notes as to "in" and "out". Otherwise the alternative would be to carefully use my multi-meter and identify the hot solar wire next spring.

[JeffreyG]

Originally Posted by alanmalk

Just a heads-up. On my 2015 'E21 all the wires from the solar, to and from the controller, are black. Fortunately the terminals on the controller are marked with the polarity, and using those markings I labeled some key ring tags and attached them to the wires, with additional notes as to "in" and "out". Otherwise the alternative would be to carefully use my multi-meter and identify the hot solar wire next spring.

I got my 2021 E-19 'solar ready' which means ETI put a terminal on the roof and ran a pair (red and black) 6AWG wires down to the DS dinette. I elected to place a breaker on the red line before the solar controller (that I also installed) so that I could disconnect.


I also put a breaker between the solar controller and the battery (all of that is not tied in to the regular battery shut off).


The only one I'm thinking of now, and it isn't a big deal so far, is the ETI installed DC-DC convertor on the line from the tow vehicle. If I ever want to hook up and tow in winter, that thing is going to try and charge my battery. No quick shut off, other than the main, which I cannot have 'off' while towing. Hmmm.

[Centex]

Originally Posted by JeffreyG

.... The only one I'm thinking of now, and it isn't a big deal so far, is the ETI installed DC-DC convertor on the line from the tow vehicle. If I ever want to hook up and tow in winter, that thing is going to try and charge my battery. No quick shut off, other than the main, which I cannot have 'off' while towing. Hmmm.

For that situation, a notion for your consideration:

If you have an easy to access fuse in your TV that's dedicated to the 7-pin connector +12VDC 'aux / trailer battery charging' feed (many do) you could pull that fuse only for that tow when you don't want the DC-DC charger in play. That should have no effect on any other aspect of your TV's or trailer's systems methinks.

[Perry Butler]

Originally Posted by JeffreyG

I also put a breaker between the solar controller and the battery (all of that is not tied in to the regular battery shut off).

Glad to hear. Our Victron 100/20 is the only addition to the battery side of the 250a T fuse and our Victron 100/30 is on the other side of the T fuse. The battery shutoff is after the 250a T fuse.

I like having as few ring connectors on a post as possible, and you can eliminate a busbar if you avoid stacking rings. I have no need for a positive busbar. For the negative wires, I do currently have four ring connectors on our Victron shunt: bottom is the inverter, then the WFCO, Victron 100/30, and on top the Victron 100/20.

Enjoy,

Perry

[richling]

Might be a good suggestion for Escape to add solar winterizing cutoff switches for the owners who want to follow the correct protocol from GoPower.

[Perry Butler]

Originally Posted by richling

Might be a good suggestion for Escape to add solar winterizing cutoff switches for the owners who want to follow the correct protocol from GoPower.

Solar disconnect breakers are extremely easy to add.

Enjoy,

Perry

[richling]

Thank you Perry! Did you have any pictures of the installed ones? (I'm not electrically savvy but would give it a try)

Best regards,

Rich

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by wackyburggeezer

By convention, in DC systems, the Positive (+) wire is red and the Negative (-) wire is black.

That's a convention in connections to a battery, and almost nowhere else. It isn't even used for the wire insulation of battery connections in most cars. For a specific installation that you know follows this convention it can be handy, but don't count on it.

[Perry Butler]

Originally Posted by richling

Thank you Perry! Did you have any pictures of the installed ones? (I'm not electrically savvy but would give it a try)

This link shows Oldwave's solar disconnect. It's the upper picture.

Enjoy,

Perry

[richling]

Thank you! I ordered the part. Looks like I should get the rail to mount it on too?

[wackyburggeezer]

In larger size conductors, from 250mcm and larger, insulation in any color but black/grey is not available except by special manufacturing order. We ALWAYS marked DC positive conductors, up to 1000mcm so that no mistakes could be made. 4/0 AWG can be purchased in red, but the use is almost exclusively as battery cables.

[oldwave]

Originally Posted by richling

Thank you Perry! Did you have any pictures of the installed ones? (I'm not electrically savvy but would give it a try)

Best regards,

Rich

here is one the white two pole breaker
it took about 10 minutes, I did use ferrules and a crimper for a nice clean install

[Westcoast Jim]

What were the cases made out of before plastic, this boomer doesn’t remember anything but plastic for lead batteries.