Solar panel

I ordered panel and controller thru Wholesale Solar. Very helpful folks. (Note:the equipment I used and this install was done 15 years ago- still working flawlessly. The company, Wholesale Solar, recently changed their name and is now Unbound Solar.

Did a lot of researching on this, a lot of info out there, ignored a lot but learned a lot. Good info on Wholesale Solar (now UnboundSolar) site, also Arizona Sun & Wind (http://www.solar-electric.com/) and a lot of others. I decided I needed at least 100 watt panel for our minimal needs. I wanted a meter in the controller, I also wanted Mppt type controller but leaned toward the Morningstar unit because of other overall features and price. The panel mostly due to size (130 watt in a single) and price. Wholesale Solar at the time had both and at pretty competitive pricing.

As to mounts I had seen some 4-way tilt mounts on the forums that I planned to copy & fabricate. You can gain a lot by angling the panel. 2 way tilt mounts are available and I've seen a couple of nice ones. But these, JimandSues 4 way pivot solar mounts are just cool. (was a link to now defunct picture. site) and I had been planning to copy them. I did and they work great! -however I may be modifying them shortly. The pivot point is one of 2 bolts-depending how mounts are rotated (which way panel is to tilt). I realized after installing that a single pivot point will work and change having to undo 6 bolts to 2. It will be much easier. However it will limit the tilt to about 45 degrees-which is ok for most areas. Plus titled length wise I wouldn't go much more cause the panel would be way to high. But these will work for now, It allows titling the panel in any of 4 directions. I may not get around to modifying, depends how old 10 minutes to tilt becomes. we'll see

 
shown upside down

Next was picking mounting locations.
Panel
Well for the panel wasn't to hard. Due to its size there is only 1 of 2 locations. Either in front of the air conditioner. or in back of it. So I opted in back, closer to wire, to adjust tilt, protected a bit from wind and branches. Also near the only way to get wire down inside the camper

Controller
Next where to mount controller and how to get wiring to it. For the controller there was only one wall- I wanted controller where I could see it without running extra wiring. Our fridge doesn't vent on the roof which is how most and the easiest way to get wires inside. There are 2 plumbing vents, 1 on the side wall the other on the rear wall,. It just happened the rear vent was right over the only interior wall the controller could hang, beside the door and shower inside wall. The vent pipe runs inside the hollow shower wall, and directly on the other side of shower is the battery. If I could snake a wire between shower and outside wall I'm in like Flint. Removing the now unused heater thermostat, in wall there was a large hole, I could see the vent pipe and space behind the shower. I removed rear taillight to see if there was access-YES. Snaked a piece of bailing wire from hole in wall and managed to get behind taillight -great. drilled a hole in floor behind tail light, battery is directly below. I got lucky. So I drilled a hole in vent pipe at controller level, ran 10ga cable wire down pipe from roof an out. Charge, sensing and load wires from controller run behind shower and to battery.

I added a fuse panel, just in case, this is just below taillight/shower.

That was easy and lucky- access to the only mounting location for the controller, from the only logical access from the roof, near mounted panel-and access to the battery to run all controller wiring, all in the corner of the camper. Between the roof plumbing vent pipe and solar panel is a roof vent- I can use a couple of the vent screws for cable clamps, wow. I've never had an install just kinda fall into place like this. Mounting the components & getting access to each was what really had me concerned about this install.

I spent considerable time running wires between batteries, behind cabinets, around stove-well if you've run wires in your camper you know access is not easy. My batteries are in 2 locations. Getting wires between was the hardest part of this install. Positive from controller goes to 1st battery, then on to 2nd battery, negative from controller goes to 2nd battery then back to 1st. This route insures charge goes thru both batteries equally and is independent of existing wiring. My previously installed Perko switch now only acts as on/off to disconnect camper from batteries. (cant select 1, 2 or both) Solar will function with battery power to camper off, controller has its own off switch.

Well I've yet to take pictures of solar panel on roof. Were going camping this weekend so Ill get some 'action' photos and update this page. I'm anxious to see how this system works. I'm hoping we'll find we don't have to make sure were back at camp to fire up the gen 'for its too late.

On to solar install & conclusions, Page 2

2014: update, Added portable folding 100 watt 'suitcase' solar panel to camper

Back to Ourelkhorn Camper Modifications page