Posted: 4/30/2024 5:37:37 PM EDT
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I recently bought a small camper to do some weekend outings. It says it has solar prep, but I am not well versed on solar at all. Not really sure where to start on it. I know I have a decent deep cycle battery and that is about it. Any help or ideas would be appreciated. Attached File |
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Should be easy on that. The biggest panel you can fit on the roof, or get a big folding panel. The controller is included with most, if not you’ll need to find a spot near the battery for it. Solar goes into a controller, then to battery. That’s it. Advantage folding panel if you are camping under cover. Remote the folder into the sun. In my opinion, the 12v solar output should go right to the battery . Some take it right to the 12v power bus. Yours may have a designated solar input point. Use it if it does. |
"The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him."
G. K. Chesterton
G. K. Chesterton
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Make sure your trailers "solar prep" can handle what you're going to put through it. My trailer is also solar ready, but all that includes a plug in the side of the trailer, that's only rated for 10 amps, and has no controller. Useless for my needs. It really is a very simple process. Like was stated before, you only need a panel, a controller, and the wires. Get an MPPT controller, they're well worth the little bit of extra money. I'd also recommend a lithium battery, which the MPPT controller is fully capable of charging and maintaining. For your trailer a 100 watt panel should be fine. Renogy makes a compact 100w panel for right around $100. Hit me up if you have more questions. I literally just finished putting together a solar setup on my trailer. 300w of panels, MPPT controller, 2 100ah lithium batteries, nad ran all the cables on the outside of the trailer. Works flawlessly. |
I'm not bald, I'm follically challenged!!
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Solar prep in this context likely means a simple SAE plug direct wired to your battery. It might even be one of the small black ports, maybe the one right above your fender? If so, it's designed for a static solar installation. Something like this to set up when you're parked: https://www.renogy.com/100-watt-12-volt-monocrystalline-foldable-solar-suitcase-with-voyager/ https://expion360.com/products/expion360-e360-accessories-solar-cable-mc4-sae-10-inch-ex-ca-sae005 Will allow you to plug right into it. The solar controller will regulate your battery and the charge. Beware that some of the "zamp" branded setups are proprietary. Their method of proprietary is simply reversing the polarity of the SAE plug. Very easy to correct. You may also have pre-run wiring along the roof somewhere to install a gland and permanently affix panels to the roof. Those are nice because they allow charging while driving which typically does not occur from the tow vehicle. They're less nice once parked because you'll want to park in the sun to capture energy, but most campers feel better in the shade 
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Yes, one of the smaller MPPT charge controllers would work well. I was going to mention one of the smaller(?) Victron smart MPPT controllers as the bluetooth option for monitoring and programming is nice to have. Victron makes nice equipment. I have a few of the smaller 30 Watt Renogy panels I would like to use with my Casita trailer. Each one of the small panels puts out at least 2 amps with full exposure. I would like to find a way to make these panels into a protected, portable folding array. Large panels are just cumbersome if not semi-permanently mounted and a person almost always parks in the shade. |
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Solar PREP probably means they ran wires to the battery area. Look around for a plug on the outside of the trailer. It will have a cover over it to protect it from weather. You connect a solar panel with charge controller there and it IDEALLY should charge your battery. It might have a charge controller already installed. It would be helpful if you could find out. As for the AMOUNT of solar and what TYPE of panel…on that thing I would personally put a Renogy adhesive panel and use their charge controller. Originally Posted By engineer1371: I recently bought a small camper to do some weekend outings. It says it has solar prep, but I am not well versed on solar at all. Not really sure where to start on it. I know I have a decent deep cycle battery and that is about it. Any help or ideas would be appreciated. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/265523/20240420_124518_jpg-3202233.JPG |
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My trailer also had the "solar prep package" by Furrion. I did a bit or research and some multi meter testing and on mine it's just a plug adaptor wired directly to the battery. I got a non branded plug of the same style with some pig tail connectors and a length of wire to connect to the super simple portable panel and solar charger that I can move around. Its just a cheap portable panel charger combo from Amazon rated at 110W & 18V. In direct sunlight its ranges from 4~5 amps per the controller which plenty for my application. Overcast/ cloudy it runs less than 1 amp. Two boon docking trips later and I am already replacing/ upgrading from one 12V battery to two new ones so we can use the lights a bit more without having to run the generator to charge things up. Attached File Attached File Attached File Attached File |
Originally Posted By ar-jedi:
SO MUCH WIN IN ONE POST IT COULD CRASH ARFCOM !!!
SO MUCH WIN IN ONE POST IT COULD CRASH ARFCOM !!!
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Originally Posted By thederrick106: My trailer also had the "solar prep package" by Furrion. I did a bit or research and some multi meter testing and on mine it's just a plug adaptor wired directly to the battery. I got a non branded plug of the same style with some pig tail connectors and a length of wire to connect to the super simple portable panel and solar charger that I can move around. Its just a cheap portable panel charger combo from Amazon rated at 110W & 18V. In direct sunlight its ranges from 4~5 amps per the controller which plenty for my application. Overcast/ cloudy it runs less than 1 amp. Two boon docking trips later and I am already replacing/ upgrading from one 12V battery to two new ones so we can use the lights a bit more without having to run the generator to charge things up. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/140266/448487053_692652746324329_83102915482120-3245464.JPG https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/140266/448278082_1508686670078460_8845496835474-3245465.JPG https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/140266/448354602_1505008650112880_5938094410357-3245466.JPG https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/140266/448295555_811473164029224_78217057531353-3245469.JPG Go lithium ion, or buy golf cart batteries from Costco/sams club for more run time. |
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I am no solar expert by any means but just installed a complete system from Renogy, not the best brand on the market but not the worst. Figured it was easier to stay with one brand. What i have is a 1999 F350 crewcab dully, 7.3, auto and a 2000 Bigfoot 25c10.6 truck camper. Was already equipped with a Onan 2500 generator. 4 100 watt panels on the roof ( wish I had put 6 up there), 40 amp inverter, 2 100 ahr lithium iron batteries, battery monitor, automatic transfer switch and dc-dc charger while driving down the road. But I am setting it up for boondocking. I see you have a ac unit. Fridge? All going to depend on how much stuff you are going to want to run on how big a system you need. I would put a couple of panels on your rear slope and probably a folding panel to locate away from the trailer if you are under some shade. If you do have a fridge plug into shore power to get it cold before switching it over to solar. Helps in saving those battery amps. |
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Updated? Originally Posted By engineer1371: I recently bought a small camper to do some weekend outings. It says it has solar prep, but I am not well versed on solar at all. Not really sure where to start on it. I know I have a decent deep cycle battery and that is about it. Any help or ideas would be appreciated. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/265523/20240420_124518_jpg-3202233.JPG |