Upgrading the factory solar in 2023 E19

[nycsteve-AIR]

Hi all. Recently took possession of a 2023 E19. It has the factory 200w solar . Mated to 2 100ah lithium's. Im planning of having the propane/120v Norcold fridge converted to 12v by JC Refrigeration in Indiana in the spring ( not a propane fridge fan).For this I will need at least 400watts of solar . On the trailer build sheet it says max of 1 (panel) per trailer. Does this mean the wiring or a component(s) are inadequate? I have a call into Escape , waiting on a call back. Will check specs myself but the tech is a little over my head. Google says there was a 400watt option on the 23s so its likely what Escape installed is adequate for 400watts. But thats Google.
Anyone have insight on this? Advice?
TIA

 

[Chamberman]

I would look at adding an external solar port to your E19, if there's not already one on the trailer, and use a portable 200W panel with a nice long extension cord to add solar capacity when needed to your trailer. The reason for this is that when you're parked in shade having a portable may be your only option for solar charging and you may need to move that panel a few times throughout the day if your location is heavily wooded.

 

[NEWYORKHILLBILLY]

on a 19 you can have two panels unless you have king tv antenna. the easy way to do is with the .go power kit the wiring should be 10ga and Handel both panels

Go Power! 200-Watt Overlander Expansion Kit​

 

[CE Vogel]

I second Chamberman's suggestion of a portable panel. I have 200W of solar on the roof and a 12V compressor refrigerator. In full sun, the solar panel is just sufficient. In partial shade, not even close to sufficient. I've considered adding a second panel to the roof, but shade is still an issue. A portable panel allows positioning wherever sun is available.

 

[shocksll]

on a 19 you can have two panels unless you have king tv antenna.

will do three 200w panels now

 

[nycsteve-AIR]

I second Chamberman's suggestion of a portable panel. I have 200W of solar on the roof and a 12V compressor refrigerator. In full sun, the solar panel is just sufficient. In partial shade, not even close to sufficient. I've considered adding a second panel to the roof, but shade is still an issue. A portable panel allows positioning wherever sun is available.

Thanks for the suggestion of portable panels. My trailer does have the port for the extra panels. But Im more interested in roof panels. I want to be able to keep batteries in decent charge while driving with the 12v refrigerator on . Theres also the point that panels on the ground are more likely to walk off than fixed panels on roof. If in the future I find myself able to benifit from portable panels , I am in good position to do so. But for now I'm tackling the roof side of things.

 

[GinoandLinda]

Thanks for the suggestion of portable panels. My trailer does have the port for the extra panels. But Im more interested in roof panels. I want to be able to keep batteries in decent charge while driving with the 12v refrigerator on . Theres also the point that panels on the ground are more likely to walk off than fixed panels on roof. If in the future I find myself able to benifit from portable panels , I am in good position to do so. But for now I'm tackling the roof side of things.

Sound reasoning, but I would still consider a 200watt portable even if you load up the roof. A portable will get you better performance in late fall through early spring when the sun is low in the sky and in the event you are camped in a shady area.

 

[NEWYORKHILLBILLY]

I all for the extra roof panels. sure, A portable will give you more direct sun. but carrying them and chasing the sun is a pain.
NYCSTEVE
I be interested on the planed way to attach. VHB Tape or drilling. I going to be adding some more solar to a 21c and am trying to decide with way to attach.

 

[Jim Bennett]

I have 320W on the roof and often up here outside of the high summer sun when the trees are tall and the sun is low (as well as shorter hours of sunlight) I often find very poor charging capacity. At this time of year my furnace fan runs more too. I opted for two portable 100W panels to help. I can use just one or both and this works great those times when more solar power is needed.

I went with relatively inexpensive thin folding panels that store well taking up little room. They have no charge controllers which is good as I just plug in to the trailer and go through the controller there.

It is real easy to set up, just a couple minutes. I do move them a few times as needed for efficiency. Having more on the roof would be way less effective, especially seeing the roof is in the shade.

 

[Ron in BC]

Theres also the point that panels on the ground are more likely to walk off than fixed panels on roof. If in the future I find myself able to benifit from portable panels , I am in good position to do so. But for now I'm tackling the roof side of things.

I don't know what the crossover point is but I agree with others, somewhere about 200W on the roof a portable panel starts to make more sense. If you have one and orient it for maximum output you see how much more effective it can be compared to the fixed in position roof panels.

Been using them a long time and none have ever walked off. Lost one due to unexpected gusts of wind. Now I have a cord on them and tie them to something like a picnic table if it's gusty.

Doesn't have to be all or nothing. On one trailer I carried my portable panel on a bracket over the front tongue box. Now I carry my portable panel on top of the rear tongue box. Charges while driving, in a campsite if the orientation works or as a portable away from a shaded trailer.

Ron

 

[NEWYORKHILLBILLY]

Those of you using the portable panels how long of cord do you carry? just want to get how long is needed. I would think making adapters for the shore power cord might be a way to go except it might be too short. One less thing to have to carry.

 

[GinoandLinda]

I have a GoPower panel and it came with a 15’ cable and I bought an additional 25’. GoPower uses Anderson connectors, so I decided to just install the Anderson pigtail directly to my battery bank. The panel has its own controller.

 

[Thrak]

I have a GoPower panel and it came with a 15’ cable and I bought an additional 25’. GoPower uses Anderson connectors, so I decided to just install the Anderson pigtail directly to my battery bank. The panel has its own controller.

Same here. I have the 7-Pin adapter so I just connect the portable panel into the same plug that normally goes into the socket on my truck and I'm good to go. I think I got a 30' cable that I can use in conjunction with the 15' that came with the unit. It gives me plenty of length to put the panel wherever I want and to move it when the sun moves if needed. We already had this setup for when we camped with our teardrop and just kept it when we sold that trailer. (I still wouldn't mind having another panel on the roof though. Our 2020 E19 has a single 180W on the rear roof.)

 

[Jim Bennett]

Theres also the point that panels on the ground are more likely to walk off than fixed panels on roof.

Personally, I just bought the type without legs. I've not had an issue with them walking away. Now Oskar, our puppy dog, he needs to be watched closely.

 

[alanmalk]

I don't know what the crossover point is but I agree with others, somewhere about 200W on the roof a portable panel starts to make more sense. If you have one and orient it for maximum output you see how much more effective it can be compared to the fixed in position roof panels.

Ron

A number of years ago I compared the output of my roof flat panel to a well aimed portable of the same wattage, sometime in the mid-late fall. (Memory fault here). The difference in amperage was a bit less than 3 to 1 in favor of the aimed panel. That's when I decided against an additional roof panel. Of course it is not always practical to sit around the campsite all day moving your panels. Hard to catch fish, anyway. In that case I just lay them all flat.

 

[nycsteve-AIR]

I all for the extra roof panels. sure, A portable will give you more direct sun. but carrying them and chasing the sun is a pain.
NYCSTEVE
I be interested on the planed way to attach. VHB Tape or drilling. I going to be adding some more solar to a 21c and am trying to decide with way to attach.

I'm thinking on the attachment method to be used also. Last spring I mounted 2 100watt panels on the roof of my Scamp. Different situation with the Escape. I know they say tere is wood blocking in the Escape where the cabinets are attached. I would prefer to bolt on rather than screw into the roof. But the Escape is not as easy to work with as the Scamp for this. So I'm leaning towards the tape solution. I'm interested in how Escape attached the brackets for the panel on my roof. Cant really tell from the roof , there's a huge glob of sealant over the roof brackets. thoughts on a mounting method welcomed!

 

[vermilye]

One possibility not yet suggested is to modify the roof top panels so they can tilt. In the winter when boondocking I point the back of my trailer to the south & the tilted panels produce at least 3 times what they do when flat.

 

[Ron in BC]

I know they say tere is wood blocking in the Escape where the cabinets are attached. I would prefer to bolt on rather than screw into the roof.

The wood's there, open an overhead cabinet and you can see it. The bolt doesn't have to be located so that it goes through the wood. It can be further into the cabinet and have large fender washers or a block of wood. If the solar panel isn't quite wide enough so that the holes in the bracket are over the inside cabinet area just angle the brackets outwards which is what I did.

One possibility not yet suggested is to modify the roof top panels so they can tilt. In the winter when boondocking I point the back of my trailer to the south & the tilted panels produce at least 3 times what they do when flat.

I agree, for years all I used was a 100W panel on a swiveling rotating mount. 3 tweaks a day and it gave me far more than any flat panel did.

Ron

 

[nycsteve-AIR]

The wood's there, open an overhead cabinet and you can see it. The bolt doesn't have to be located so that it goes through the wood. It can be further into the cabinet and have large fender washers or a block of wood. If the solar panel isn't quite wide enough so that the holes in the bracket are over the inside cabinet area just angle the brackets outwards which is what I did.

I agree, for years all I used was a 100W panel on a swiveling rotating mount. 3 tweaks a day and it gave me far more than any flat panel did.

Ron

Thank you for the mounting advice! Thats kinda what I did in the Scamp.

 

[John in Santa Cruz]

hmmm. flat mounted 360W panel here. yesterday was a bright sunny day, at 11am my panel was generating 175 watts, by 11:40, my batts were 100% so the solar power was done for the day. at 11am PST on Nov 2, the sun was +37 altitude. If I wanted to get the total KWH for a day (the number that really counts), I'd have to shut the solar off for a few days to let the batt run down, then switch it back on and hope to get a clear day. mid summer, I know that's around 2400 WH/day as I've run this test a couple times.

oh, and I haven't cleaned the panel in at least a year. hah hah. its covered in pollen and dust.