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Old 04-07-2018, 12:06 PM   #21
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As for as portable which yes r more of a hassle, but give u much more flexibility there r two higher end manufacturers - GoPower and Zamp. On their portable units they come with the controller installed. I have a 120 watt GoPower and I’m impressed with how well it works and quality. I have the single Group 29 battery and my panel charges it easily in most decent conditions.
I also have a Honda Handi3000 generator as back up and to run my microwave and ac if need be.
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Old 05-16-2018, 11:13 AM   #22
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I own a 2017 21' Escape and have both a roof mount and portable Zamp Solar solution. The solar port for the portable was installed by Escape and is located next to the battery vent. I would be happy to answer any questions you might have concerning solar. I have been an Authorized Zamp Solar Dealer for three years and my exclusive e-commerce website is Tin Can Solar on the Internet.

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Old 05-17-2018, 04:25 PM   #23
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As for as portable which yes r more of a hassle, but give u much more flexibility there r two higher end manufacturers - GoPower and Zamp. On their portable units they come with the controller installed. I have a 120 watt GoPower and I’m impressed with how well it works and quality. I have the single Group 29 battery and my panel charges it easily in most decent conditions.
I also have a Honda Handi3000 generator as back up and to run my microwave and ac if need be.
We have the factory 160 watt option on our 19. This worked well for most of the summer last year, but for a few weeks we were deeper in the forest and we sure wished for a portable that could be moved into the sun. So, we're thinking about supplementing the factory roof mounted panel this summer.

The most straight forward way would probably be to go with a Go Power portable, which would either attach directly to the battery or to a 7 pin adapter. Since the Go Power's have their own controller, they wouldn't run through the one in the trailer.

Has anyone gone the 7 pin adapter route? Are there pros and cons?
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Old 05-17-2018, 04:48 PM   #24
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Stayed in Chihuahua National Monument this past January, no hookups and the site was in the shade. Whipped out the 2 portables and placed them in the sun. Unfortunately, the panels were only in the sun for maybe 15 miutes before the shade got em. After 2 days of messing around with the portables trying to keep them in the sun I gave up. Thanks to the 2 6v batteries I had no problems still being above 60% after 5 days, even with using the toaster and the furnace.



Portables aren't always a cure-all for shade.
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Old 05-17-2018, 05:01 PM   #25
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We have the factory 160 watt option on our 19. This worked well for most of the summer last year, but for a few weeks we were deeper in the forest and we sure wished for a portable that could be moved into the sun. So, we're thinking about supplementing the factory roof mounted panel this summer.

The most straight forward way would probably be to go with a Go Power portable, which would either attach directly to the battery or to a 7 pin adapter. Since the Go Power's have their own controller, they wouldn't run through the one in the trailer.

Has anyone gone the 7 pin adapter route? Are there pros and cons?
Yes we have the 7 pin adapter for our 80 watt Go Power portable we have had before we installed solar on the roof . Just talked to Go Power about connecting ,having installed a controller for roof solar . They told me going through the 7 pin cord was actually ideal for the portable . I was asking about a zamp Plug etc. to connect . So we will continue to use the 7 pin adapter for portable , knowing the portable won't be included in our Victron battery monitor. That is fine with us . Pat
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Old 05-17-2018, 07:21 PM   #26
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So we will continue to use the 7 pin adapter for portable , knowing the portable won't be included in our Victron battery monitor. That is fine with us . Pat
I'm confused! If your Victron shunt is installed in the negative battery cable with all the loads on the opposite side of the shunt from the battery, why wouldn't your portable register on the monitor?
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Old 05-17-2018, 08:26 PM   #27
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I'm confused! If your Victron shunt is installed in the negative battery cable with all the loads on the opposite side of the shunt from the battery, why wouldn't your portable register on the monitor?
You know that is what I was thinking . I need to pull out the panel and check . Is the trailer cord connected to the battery shunt , really don't know ? But Go Power connecting our portable panel to 7 pin said was the ideal way to go . I am not the brightest dealing with any electricity , can only follow others directions . Pat
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Old 05-18-2018, 08:29 AM   #28
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I'm confused! If your Victron shunt is installed in the negative battery cable with all the loads on the opposite side of the shunt from the battery, why wouldn't your portable register on the monitor?
If you connect a power source (or load) directly to the battery, you will bypass the shunt, so the Victron will not monitor it. You could connect the solar panel connector to the load side of the shunt, in which case it would work correctly.
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Old 05-18-2018, 09:57 AM   #29
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I'm confused! If your Victron shunt is installed in the negative battery cable with all the loads on the opposite side of the shunt from the battery, why wouldn't your portable register on the monitor?
It would.

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Is the trailer cord connected to the battery shunt , really don't know ?
The negative side of the trailer to tug cord presumably connects to the trailer frame, but in any case it does not have its own connection to the battery, so it is wired through the shunt. The current from the portable panel will be measured by the Victron monitor.

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If you connect a power source (or load) directly to the battery, you will bypass the shunt, so the Victron will not monitor it.
True, but Pat was talking about using the trailer-tug cord, which does not bypass the shunt.
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Old 05-18-2018, 09:00 PM   #30
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It would.


The negative side of the trailer to tug cord presumably connects to the trailer frame, but in any case it does not have its own connection to the battery, so it is wired through the shunt. The current from the portable panel will be measured by the Victron monitor.


True, but Pat was talking about using the trailer-tug cord, which does not bypass the shunt.
Thankyou Jon and Brian . One thing the Victron controller is for 200 . We have 180 in solar on roof . The portable has it 's own controller for the 80 watt . Pat
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Old 05-18-2018, 10:09 PM   #31
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One thing the Victron controller is for 200 . We have 180 in solar on roof . The portable has it 's own controller for the 80 watt . Pat
I thought we were talking about a Victron battery monitor; Pat, were you talking about a Victron solar charge controller?
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Old 05-19-2018, 12:40 AM   #32
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I thought we were talking about a Victron battery monitor; Pat, were you talking about a Victron solar charge controller?
Sorry watching a movie . Yes the first item I had installed , suggested by AM Solar was a Victron battery monitor . Then when I installed our solar on the roof bought a Victron solar charger to go with our system . Pretty neat they have a free app , I installed on my I-pad to check on battery and solar charger using blue tooth , no smart phone for me . I can be sitting in the house and check battery and solar . Our portable though is Go Power 80 watt . Pat
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Old 05-19-2018, 12:52 AM   #33
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An iPad is essentially a very large iPhone ( a smart phone ).
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Old 05-19-2018, 01:03 AM   #34
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An iPad is essentially a very large iPhone ( a smart phone ).
I knew Glenn and much better . I can see it better . Just carry a flip phone for a phone . Pat
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Old 05-19-2018, 01:42 AM   #35
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I knew Glenn and much better . I can see it better . Just carry a flip phone for a phone . Pat

Who you talking to? I've used 38 minutes airtime in last ten days and 30 minutes of that was waiting for the next available agent. Almost all communication is through texting and misunderstanding.
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Old 05-19-2018, 07:37 AM   #36
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An iPad is essentially a very large iPhone ( a smart phone ).
Can you call someone on an iPad? I know Lisa can't on her Samsung tablet, though all the apps are the same.

I use a few hundred minutes and a few hundred texts every month, but to be fair, near half are work related. Love my communication device.
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Old 05-19-2018, 07:54 AM   #37
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Can you call someone on an iPad? I know Lisa can't on her Samsung tablet, though all the apps are the same.
You can use FaceTime to make calls but you must be connected to a network (obviously) and it only works with other users with an Apple ID.
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Old 05-19-2018, 08:53 AM   #38
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You can use FaceTime to make calls but you must be connected to a network (obviously) and it only works with other users with an Apple ID.
Pretty much like Skype and other platforms like that then.
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Old 05-19-2018, 10:07 AM   #39
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Who you talking to? I've used 38 minutes airtime in last ten days and 30 minutes of that was waiting for the next available agent. Almost all communication is through texting and misunderstanding.
Hi: gbaglo... "Your call is important to us"!!! SURE. Alf
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Old 05-19-2018, 12:26 PM   #40
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Who you talking to? I've used 38 minutes airtime in last ten days and 30 minutes of that was waiting for the next available agent. Almost all communication is through texting and misunderstanding.
Have texting on my phone , mostly use it to get kids attention right away ( they all have smart phones of course ) when I was a kid we had phone booths , try to find one if you needed one ? So you do need a phone just in case . I -pad is used more then desk top computer. Pat
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