Portable solar panel questions - Escape Trailer Owners Community
Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×

Go Back   Escape Trailer Owners Community > Escape Tech > Escape Systems | Water, Waste, Charging & Propane
Click Here to Login
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 09-09-2018, 03:50 PM   #1
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: Abiquiu, New Mexico
Trailer: 2019 Escape 21 2017 GMC Canyon Duramax Diesel
Posts: 328
Portable solar panel questions

I have searched the Forum for information on this subject and have found conflicting answers so hope someone can clarify. We will have the factory installed 170 watt roof mounted panel on our 21. We will have a Zamp port on the trailer so that we can connect a portable panel to add to solar charging capacity. Here are the questions:
1. Is the Zamp port wired in parallel with the wiring from the roof panel?
2. If they are wired in parallel as I suspect, can any wattage portable panel (assuming voltage is the same) be used in conjunction with the 170 watt Go Power roof panel? (Some posts have said yes, any amp panel can be used and others have said that if you use a lower wattage portable panel, it will draw downs the wattage of the roof panel to match that of the portable panel.) My guess is that it doesn't matter if they are wired in parallel but I am no expert on this subject. Hopefully someone more knowledgeable than I can clear this up?
3. The Zamp plug and panels are wired with different polarity than all other manufacturers of solar panels. You can use other panels with the Zamp plug but a crossover cable to reverse polarity is needed. Is this reverse polarity cable required to use other portable solar panels with the Zamp plug and ETI installed Go Power solar controller? My guess is that a crossover cable is needed to use the Zamp port with a non-Zamp panel. (I realize that a portable panel must be used which does not have a built-in solar controller.)
Thanks in advance for clearing up these uncertainties for me!
Chama is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-09-2018, 04:01 PM   #2
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
Trailer: 1979 Boler B1700
Posts: 14,935
Quote:
Originally Posted by Chama View Post
2. If they are wired in parallel as I suspect, can any wattage portable panel (assuming voltage is the same) be used in conjunction with the 170 watt Go Power roof panel? (Some posts have said yes, any amp panel can be used and others have said that if you use a lower wattage portable panel, it will draw downs the wattage of the roof panel to match that of the portable panel.
Perhaps there has just been some miscommunication, but if two panels are in parallel the lower wattage panel certainly does not reduce the output of the higher-wattage panel. Yes, since they are in parallel they do need to have similar operating voltages to work properly.
Brian B-P is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-09-2018, 04:24 PM   #3
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
Trailer: 1979 Boler B1700
Posts: 14,935
Quote:
Originally Posted by Chama View Post
The Zamp plug and panels are wired with different polarity than all other manufacturers of solar panels. You can use other panels with the Zamp plug but a crossover cable to reverse polarity is needed. Is this reverse polarity cable required to use other portable solar panels with the Zamp plug and ETI installed Go Power solar controller? My guess is that a crossover cable is needed to use the Zamp port with a non-Zamp panel
Given the lack of any useful documentation for portable solar kits or wiring components on the Zamp Solar website, I would just wait to get the trailer, check the polarity of both the port and the desired portable panel with a meter, and get (or make) a crossover cable if required. Connectors and cabling don't need to come from Zamp; the connector is the very common SAE 2-pole connector used in various cheap and low-current 12 volt DC applications. It is a 2-pole variation of the 4-pole connectors commonly used to connect trailers without electric brakes.
Brian B-P is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-09-2018, 04:43 PM   #4
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: Fort Collins, Colorado
Trailer: 2017 Escape 19
Posts: 253
We had Escape install a Zamp port on our 2017 19’. Never heard of the reverse polarity/Zamp story. Works fine with my Renogy 60w portable as well as my 80w GoPower portable.

Only issue is that the port is installed on the storage box as I instructed, since the batteries are in there, BUT it is dead center on the front which is also about the toughest spot to get to as it is directly behind the propane tank cover. Guess our sales lady missed at least part of my emailed request to have the port somewhat sheltered from splashing and debris but In an ACCESSIBLE spot.
ColoradoSwany is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-10-2018, 06:06 AM   #5
Senior Member
 
sclifrickson's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Port Townsend, Washington
Trailer: 2010 17B “MATT”, then 2017 19 “Lilly”
Posts: 1,584
Quote:
Originally Posted by Chama View Post

3. The Zamp plug and panels are wired with different polarity than all other manufacturers of solar panels. You can use other panels with the Zamp plug but a crossover cable to reverse polarity is needed. Is this reverse polarity cable required to use other portable solar panels with the Zamp plug and ETI installed Go Power solar controller? My guess is that a crossover cable is needed to use the Zamp port with a non-Zamp panel.

No need to add a crossover cable if the polarity is backwards. Check to see if it is with a multimeter, and then if it is, you only need to make a one time change by switching the solar port wires where they attach to the solar controller, + to - and vice versa.
__________________
💩-p+☕️+n
sclifrickson is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-10-2018, 03:10 PM   #6
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
Trailer: 1979 Boler B1700
Posts: 14,935
Quote:
Originally Posted by sclifrickson View Post
No need to add a crossover cable if the polarity is backwards. Check to see if it is with a multimeter, and then if it is, you only need to make a one time change by switching the solar port wires where they attach to the solar controller, + to - and vice versa.
True... depending on which polarity it is, and what safety risks you are willing to take, resulting from which terminal is the exposed one. One advantage of avoiding a crossover cable is that using a cable like this means risking that the panel will be plugged in with reverse polarity, if the crossover cable is forgotten.
Brian B-P is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-11-2018, 12:38 PM   #7
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Upstate, New York
Trailer: 2017 Escape 19 - June 27, 2017
Posts: 279
Quote:
Originally Posted by Brian B-P View Post
True... depending on which polarity it is, and what safety risks you are willing to take, resulting from which terminal is the exposed one. One advantage of avoiding a crossover cable is that using a cable like this means risking that the panel will be plugged in with reverse polarity, if the crossover cable is forgotten.
We installed a Zamp port on our 19 and had to decide whether to wire it for Zamp panels with the reversed polarity or to switch it over on the backside of the port. In the end, we decided to wire it for Zamp even though we were planning to use Renogy panels.

In order for this to work, we created a crossover adapter cable with the Zamp/SAE connector on one end and MC4 solar connectors on the other. The polarity reversal required for the Renogy panel is done in this adapter cable. Since you can't plug a Renogy with MC4 connectors directly into a Zamp port, we'd always need our crossover cable. If using GoPower panels, it would be the same situation.

Click image for larger version

Name:	solar connector.jpg
Views:	35
Size:	16.0 KB
ID:	33933
rjbny is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-12-2018, 10:34 AM   #8
Member
 
MBA80's Avatar
 
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
1. The Zamp Solar port can be wired directly to the batterie(s) or in conjunction with the roof mounted solar that uses one charge controller. That means your portable does not have a charge controller (unregulated). So ask Escape how they wired your rig.
3. Zamp Solar wiring is a safety feature and not a reverse polarity issue. Therefore, the port is expecting the solar panel positive to be the female connection. That is to prevent you from grounding your panel with the metal SAE prong before connection.
__________________
Tony Gautney, CCM
Former ETI 2017 21’ Double Axle
MBA80 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-12-2018, 10:38 AM   #9
Member
 
MBA80's Avatar
 
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
Zamp Solar dealers do sell a polarity adapter for the port when connecting other brands or handling electric trickle charge devices. The part is: ZS-BDC-ADPT
Purchases are not made with Zamp Solar, but with their network of Authorized Dealers. Check out: Tin Can Solar
__________________
Tony Gautney, CCM
Former ETI 2017 21’ Double Axle
MBA80 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-12-2018, 10:44 AM   #10
Member
 
MBA80's Avatar
 
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
I run a 120 Watt Zamp Solar portable and a 160 Watt Zamp Solar roof mount panel. However, my portable is not wired to my inside Zamp Solar Charge Controller because the Zamp Solar portable I have includes a Charge Controller. My inside Charge Controller is smart enough to detect multiple sources of power when connected in this manner. By having both types (fixed and portable), I can hide in the trees if I just want to use portable. Anytime my Escape is in the sun, the fixed mount on the roof is always working.
__________________
Tony Gautney, CCM
Former ETI 2017 21’ Double Axle
MBA80 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-12-2018, 10:49 AM   #11
Member
 
MBA80's Avatar
 
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
Cool Zamp Solar Polarity Adapter

This part is available from most Zamp Solar dealers.
Attached Thumbnails
BDC-ADPT.jpg  
__________________
Tony Gautney, CCM
Former ETI 2017 21’ Double Axle
MBA80 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-12-2018, 11:32 AM   #12
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Southwick, Massachusetts
Trailer: None, sold my 2014 5.0TA
Posts: 7,124
Do a search for SAE polarity adapter.
__________________
Happy Motoring
Bob
padlin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-12-2018, 11:47 AM   #13
Senior Member
 
kstock11's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Asheville, North Carolina
Trailer: 2014 Escape 19
Posts: 895
Instead of the Zamp, I went with the Furion. I like the way that the plug looks on the outside of the Escape. Furion Solar Port Inlet. You have to purchase the male connnector from Amazon.
__________________
Kevin
Thanks to the interstate highway system, it is now possible to travel across the country from coast to coast without seeing anything - Charles Kuralt
kstock11 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-12-2018, 01:04 PM   #14
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
Trailer: 1979 Boler B1700
Posts: 14,935
Quote:
Originally Posted by MBA80 View Post
Purchases are not made with Zamp Solar, but with their network of Authorized Dealers. Check out: Tin Can Solar
It is very clear on the Zamp site that they depend entirely on their dealers to provide technical information and support. A particular dealer could be wonderful, or entirely incompetent, so I suppose you pick your dealer and you take your chances. I think that's an interesting approach for a distributor to take, and it suggests that buyers should consider any other source for these components, because they're not unique to Zamp, and Zamp provides no support.
Brian B-P is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-12-2018, 03:17 PM   #15
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: WI, Wisconsin
Trailer: 2018 Escape 5.0 TA
Posts: 465
I like this adapter: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0057ZQJ12

Replace one end with the MC4 connectors and you have a 10 gauge adapter for under $10.
MikeS is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-26-2018, 10:43 AM   #16
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Surrey, British Columbia
Trailer: 2013, 17B 'Mini Pearl' and a 2010 Highlander
Posts: 400
Quote:
Originally Posted by MikeS View Post
I like this adapter: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0057ZQJ12

Replace one end with the MC4 connectors and you have a 10 gauge adapter for under $10.

I like that but in Canada, from amazon, that is $20.70 and $4.95 shipping.

I found a 18 gauge unit, Reece towpower brand, for $4.99 at Canadian Tire. It is supposed to be good for 7.5amps, that would be over 100watts of panel. I think that is fine for me.

Does anyone know if there is a higher gauge one on the Canadian side of the border.
__________________
____
John
jxoco is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off




» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Escape Trailer Industries or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 09:29 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Copyright 2023 Social Knowledge, LLC All Rights Reserved.