Did this video help you out? Buy me a beer 🍺by going to www.rvwithtito.com/battleborn when you shop for lithium batteries and rvwithtito.com/victron for you Victron gear. (BTW: This video was NOT sponsored) Cheers! Brian
I was a little confused at first because of the 4 charge controllers but I think I know WHY you did it that way - shading will never affect you. With each panel on its own controller, if one panel gets shaded, the other 3 can still power.
Absolutely correct. Not just shading. Same is true for the angle of the sun and RV position. Each panel performs independently for optimal performance 👍
1.21 GIGAWATTS!! 🪫 1750 watts is a LOT of solar power. Talk about a professional installation. I’m positively green with envy with your installation and know how. Thanks for all those “origami” type filming angles. You’ve given me some great ideas. Thanks. 😊
Hey Brian, I have been following along with all your solar system installs. You inspired me to install my own system on my travel trailer, following your design and install methods you used on your class-C with the flex panels. Now, your new install on your class-A is inspiring me on how to do my next install when I upgrade to a new RV in the next year or so. I really like how you explain things and show just enough details to understand. Plus, your wiring diagrams and links to the actual products you used are key enablers. I hope you continue to share. -Jim.
Another nice job by a fellow PNWer Brian. I’m glad you pointed out the smart networking function of the Victron devices. I’m not sure that everyone realizes how good a function this is. It’s really important in terms of maximizing efficiency when you have multiple ways of charging a batter bank that there is one and only one voltage, current, temp. and SOC reading that is shared by all the devices. I use the one provided by the SmartShunt. What people fail to remember is that each device is designed to operate independently and if each device’s internal voltage, current, and SOC reading is used for that device then voltage drops and current readings will be different between devices, which could cause the charging profiles to be out of sync (one device in bulk mode, another in absorption, etc.) which reduces charging efficiency. I’m thinking I need to do a video on this subject. LoL
Tito - I researched the eternabond you suggested, the man'f has good videos on this product....now I know why you could not lift those solar panels loose...thx for introducing me to products I had no idea about. 🤠
Hey Brian! The way you run your wires with such order is exactly the way ‘I’ do things! I detest wires just laying everywhere and loose! I’m sure you were freezing your buns off on the roof, but, again, great work! Have a wonderful and blessed weekend…stay warm! ~Jim~
I always learn something! I really like that junction box. And that install of charge controllers on the bottom of the cabinetry is really an artist move. I would never have thought of that!
@@RVwithTito we just finished ours too, and it gives me ideas for improvement! We took up half of a closet, but I’ll be looking for ways to move things around and hide wires better, as you have them!
Nice update ... your having way too much fun :-) I am working on my whopping 200W solar on the roof of my old 16' Chinook restore. It will be on the road this week. I purchased two 100 to put in series to turn on the little Victron sooner and went with polycrystalline because they put out quite a bit more wattage than the mono... I put stainless hinges on and when I part, just tilt up one... plenty for my 200 amp BB LiFiPO4. ... between the rains here in the so. nw coast.
As far as the flat mounting of the charge controllers go. I think you should add some temperature controlled vent fans to the setup. If i recall an earlier video of yours correctly, you’ve done something similar in the past. While the controllers can be mounted in any orientation vertically allows for better heat dissipation than horizontal.
This is exactly what I need to do on my 2003 Journey! Thanks for the information, great job. Super clean! I just installed a mini spilt in place of the basement unit and I am loving it! Hopefully with 1400 watts of solar panels it will run it full time? Running through victon system as soon as I can figure it out. Your videos are going to be my guide for the install, thank you so much!
Super nice setup Brian wow you make things look so easy but I’m sure you’ve put a a lot of thought in how to run everything and I thought doing my 1 panel was going to be difficult 😥
awesome video, megga power. I am going to be running a Renogy 300watt system soon in my Adventurer , I enjoyed sitting in the same coach at the kitchen table watching you gettinr done great job. Your vids are a great help Thanks.
Brian, Excellent clean install. This has always been a challenge for me understanding a complete solar installation. Your series of videos is extremely helpful and hopefully will guide me through my install. I am now looking at (4) 415 watt panels instead of (8) at 200 watt. Thank you for the equipment list which I will access websites given later this year. Once completed, I might go all out and purchase a TITOFIED shirt to help spread the word. Thanks again for creating the video content.
@@PhiLeo7973 I removed the top AC unit (added mini split in rear) and relocated the middle fan to the rear sunlight area. So that made room for 3x 440w panels. (From signature solar, + mounting hardware). And the last panel on the rear fit parallel to the Rv. Looking back it’s too much solar for me. Also have 14kwh batteries. 8x280ah lifepo4 cells from china. Growatt 3000w inverter
@@iliyamialik Thanks for your detailed and timely reply IIiya. May you, your family, friends, and neighbors, always be safe. Live long and prosper,phil
p.s. I would go Mini-Split( Mr Cool?) too and being overpaneled in this day of very reasonably priced PV panels is not much of a detriment,imo, with efficiency losses due to time, shading, temp on panels,etc. May I ask what year your Forest River Sunseeker is and how many miles it has on it? New or used purchase and have you been happy with it? Thanks brother. Happy Trails.
Another quick comment, ... about the Victron and ventilation ... I do some ham radio and a friend who builds repeaters and towers etc. explained why the fins on the Victron, which we know are for cooling. I mentioned how V wanted them mounted vertically. He said the reason, which you likely know, is so the heat rises quickly and easily. Seeing them flat and knowing you put in extra holes and maybe use fans in the future I think is important. I wonder if there is data where you might put a little sensor ((wire) maybe those used for batteries and bms control temps) under the center of each laid over controller and find a good place to pull the air via thermostat control ... automatically. Thank you again.
Are you concerned with laying the controllers flat? The heat sinks could heat up the back of the controllers and cause issues. My assumption would be they would prefer to have them vertical to allow the heat to dissipate off the sinks.
Outstanding installation.right tool,right conductor/wiring method, right termination. Love to see you work off the spool an your associated auxiliary components choices. In my neck of the woods off grid rv installer are non-existence it is the wild west with most being in the west. So your DIY suggestions as a resource I find invaluable,thank you. My question for today do you have any thoughts on labeling spaces or components? Again Brian great video!!!
Thanks 👍 Glad to help. Not sure what you mean by labeling spaces. I definitely label cables and switches using a label maker when I have it with me. I did label the breakers and cable ends.
What would you do? I am certain that a certain person is switching off my RV power from the camp source. How would you handle this? Get a mini camera placed against the power lead? get the lid fixed so it says on and padlock the box? Please tell me your thoughts I thought of punching kicking and drowning them in concrete but then my life would be over any thoughts
Fantastic setup Brian, great job! My wife walked in and said another video on solar? I said you should watch this he does an amazing job. Her response… not interested. 😀. Does your wife have the same reaction?
Hi Tito I been reviewing your videos for some time & few months back this summer I finally install my Solar & only added 600 watts of panels with my 40 amp Renogy Charge controller … I got another 600 watts of flexible solar yet to install. My panels are 200 watts each. 2 weeks ago I added 200 amp hr of lithium plus I swap out my old battery charger to a lithium one. My 2017 Thor Hurricane already has a transfer switch for my shore power & generator. I plan to add one solar charge controller & when I install the rest of my panels. I would like to be able to run all my plugs that didn’t come prewired to my inverter that already runs my residential fridge. I want to be able to also have my microwave & only one ac function when boon docking. I can’t get my head around what wires should run to my transfer switch from where. My thoughts are I should hook up on the same side the generator is hooked up to & that should power the motorhome & I can still have my generator when needed. I am running from the load side of the charge controller to my new inverter in & the out from the inverter to transfer switch. Hope you got a glass of water to help you digest this 😊. Hopefully the military brain of mine understanding things correctly.
I think you are having as much fun as you are giving me ideas for my next project, I am fairly new to RV Solar but a Mechanic 40 yrs. and have built a small system for my cargo trailer. Ill see if I can make this make sense. I have a question regarding ferrels. The victron charge controller I got did not accept ferrels verry well as the clamp holes were a to small to accept the ferrels. That tool that I got made 6 sided ferrels. I think your Ferrel tool is 4 sided?? And might have fit better??. My controller is just a 100/20 with small input terminals 10 awg I ended up putting wire in "without" using the ferrels and they fit better also I think they clamped down better.. I read an article regarding ferrels as they dont make a very good surface connection and bare wires clamp down (squish) for a better connection. Sorry if this is confusing this was 6 months ago.
I'm not sure if I can daisy chain through the USB VE.Direct. that may only be available with the VE.CAN bus. Not totally sure but I'll look into it. I'm considering combining the controllers with a USB hub to free up a port on the Cerbo for a GPS receiver. Thanks for getting my wheels spinning.
@@RVwithTito you might be right about the cable you need to accomplish that. Check out the “Changing lanes” channel. He did it. I’ll look for the link.
Great video and awesome work! I really like the track and tape you use on the roof to avoid all the screw holes for the panels. Long term how has that held up over time?
what dictates whether you wire you solar panels in series or parallel. I only have one 100 watt panel, which simply charges a Bluetti device, was planning on adding another 100 watt identical panel, but I'm not sure if I should do parallel or series, I understand the voltage differences and the wiring of each, just not what dictates one method or the other.
I'll elaborate more in a future video. Here's a really old one: ua-cam.com/video/dfMVHLVcMWo/v-deo.html There are several factors. Two panels (assuming they're identical) wired in parallel will double your current (Amps) and keep the voltage the same. Wiring them in series will double your voltage (volts) and keep the Amps the same. So your solar charge controller limitations may dictate which configuration you use. I'm not sure what the max input charging voltage is for the Bluetti, but I'm guessing it's designed for a 12V-ish setup. So wiring in parallel may be the best option for you. There's a quick answer. Hope that helps.
Those little things that you stuck on the end of the solar cables going into the junction box, are those just some kind of anti-corrosion deals to keep a nice and clean install?
glad I found you yt channel.. getting ready to add more panels on our tc and want to use rails and outter frame for most of the tie downs. could you please tell me where to find the combiner box for wires? tia dale
I've been looking over your solar diagram and parts list and I don't see a listing for your rooftop junction wiring part (e.g., the part that goes into the box and connects the panel wiring to the down wiring). Help me understand where that comes from.
Hi Brian We're ready to start the panel placement but our 165w flex panels don't have MC4 connectors. We have some but don't know how to connect them to the panels. Thanks for your help. George Harper
Great video. I'm getting my parts list ready to add solar to my GD Reflection 204RL. Can you provide the Amazon link to your roof solar junction box with terminal bus bar. It is perfect for my application.
It's an 8 x 6 x 4 box like this amzn.to/35h1B09 and the terminal block is here amzn.to/3iECtnd You will also need a DIN rail like this amzn.to/3JO8vsz to mount the terminal block to. Good luck with your project.
Nice setup Brian, wanted to know why did you go with 4 MPPT (100/50) vs 2 MPPT (150/100). do you have a tools list that you used for the project? next month im going to start our solar project on our GV 367BHS.
The 150/100 is still a little tight for two of these panels which can output more than 80 volts. I preferred the dedicated controller setup as well. It's been working great. Just needs more cable. I'll work on a tools list. There's just the parts list with the diagram (rvwithtito.com/downloads). Good luck with the project.
Nice terminations in that roof box. I would have put each pair of panels in series, running only two pair of wires from the roof to the basement, plenty for 1750 watts. With two pair of panels in series, I think you could have gotten by with just two controllers, using 2 of the 150/85 Victron controllers, which is what I used. Your circuit breaker boxes looked much nicer than what I could find. I'm curious who makes them, or where you bought them. Funny, I ran my roof cables down the slide out pantry cabinet in my Winnebago too.
I have a full parts list with my solar design diagram (rvwithtito/downloads). Here are the breakers (amzn.to/34xcQRQ) and here are the boxes (amzn.to/3JsuPHT) .... Good luck!
@@brichusi I think his use of four was so that each panel is independent of each other. This prevents screwing up the performance of all your panels just because one is in the shade.
RV with Tito DIY Can anyone help with sourcing the parts for the junction box please, as well as the wire end caps shown in the video? Many thanks in advance!
Brian, How does a guy know if the used Solar panels he buys are good? I'd love to put 2-3 Sunpower panels on my RV roof but not sure about the in's and out's of buying used.
Got mine from SanTan solar (www.rvwithtito.com/santansolar). They're all tested ahead of time. Check out the video when I mounted them and you'll learn how to test them as well. Good luck!
Hi Brian! Found this to be very educational. I am planning an install on a 03 Adventurer 33v. How did you run your cables from charge controller to the batteries??
The charge controllers are mounted to the floor right above the battery compartment. There are two existing access holes above used to run other cables. Hope that helps.
Brian why so many charge controllers do they make any that will handle more solar panels like maybe paralleling some panels? Lots of times I see all the solar panels combined in box and only one set of cables coming a controller?
This really is the most optimal setup for a 12V battery system and these large panels. But if I were to combine these large panels I would still need a very very expensive pair of controllers for that high voltage and current. Another option is to install a 24V battery bank. With that I could cut the number of controllers in half.
Personal choice. I wanted a fully parallel setup to maximize efficiency. Given the high voltage of these panels, it would still be a pretty large expensive controller.
Hi Brian, I want to put two sunpower 100w solar panels in the roof of the cap on my pickup truck. I do not want to permanently install them. I was planning on using heavy duty Velcro and put Velcro all along the backside. I am hoping that the Velcro would hold for some traveling so I can connect the panels to a power station and plug in my ICECO JP40. I would be removing the solar panels quite a bit but I don't have a 12v outlet in the back of my truck. My question is do you think Velcro will hold my solar panels in limited driving trips?
Good Morning. I’m going to install 2 new 200W solar panels. The question is Parallel or Series. I have heard the Series is not as good because of shading you lose some of your power. Yes the Amps are around 10Amps with 40 Volts and Parallel the Amps are higher at about 20A and the Volts are lower at 20V . All so I read some ware the solar panels need to have a voltage around 20 to 30 volts above the battery voltage. Do you have any thoughts on this. Thank you Jack
Hey I noticed you said you didn't need the converter charger any longer but your diagram has it connected to the inverter. Did you just move it or remove it? Thanks for all your help. Great video's.
Hi Brian, great video! I've been watching your videos about solar panels, I am going to copy your setups to move on with Air conditioning, but I am in doubt about of using flexible or rigid solar panel... I've heard that flexible has a short lifetime and it is not a good option for high external temperatures (95F+) because it can catch fire... I am worried about the total height of a lot of panels. What do you recomend?
Very nice work and presentation! Two questions. First, where does the starter battery for travel charging come into your circuit diagram, or do you never rely on it for charging? Second, it seems like using the double-sided tape only for your roof mount is putting a lot of faith in the roof membrane to roof underlayment integrity for restraining the solar panels. Any comment? Thanks much for your great documentation.
(1) The starter battery is completely separate and I'm not using a DC-DC charger in this rig. If needed I can run the generator while driving and put up to 120A into the house batteries. (2) Yes. While I'm certain the adhesive will be solid, I am concerned about potential delamination. After over 3000 miles it's been fine, but I'm planning to add a couple anchors to each strut channel through the underlayment just in case. I tilt them also, and have been in some serious wind with the panels tilted. That's another reason. I'll probably do an update in the near future.
Was looking at your diagram PDF and had a question. What is the purpose of your solar disconnect when you have each solar panel on its own breaker? Why did you decide to isolate the chassis battery from this system? Due to dissimilar battery tech?
The main solar disconnect cuts off all solar coming from the charge controllers (not just the panels). Also, switching off the solar panel breakers and main solar disconnect you can completely isolate the solar charge controllers for maintenance or troubleshooting without removing any cables.
There’s nothing more convenient by having it on the roof as you basically admit when complaining about the cold and that junction box you put on the roof is not aerodynamically shaped. They have black plastic aerodynamically shaped shrouds with rubber surrounding the openings that can be oriented to face away from the wind due to driving and large flanges that can be modified that are used in the air conditioning industry.
One question: Why so many charge controllers? With only four solar panels, one charge controller should work well enough with two strings in series parallel. 🧐
It’s based off the panels he used. My assumption is it’s due to voltage limits. He couldn’t do parallel either because it could possibly exceed the 50A rating with two in parallel.
The charge controllers are rated for a max voltage and current. I’m sure Brian sized things properly. Another advantage of using multiple controllers is redundancy/isolation where if one fails it the others remain functional. And depending on how Brian sized things, if one controller failed, he could via his rooftop junction box, rewire the panel that was attached to the failed controller to one of the other controllers. If you boondock a lot, having backups and redundancies is a good thing.
@@RVwithTito what are u running in there? Every thing 110.? U know you can get 12v appliances too!. and and save a few amps I have 4 batteries and there separated 600 wts solar never on shore power works fine.allways full up You have enough power to charge up you next door neighbour lol
1700W of solar... drool. Do you still need the Victron network if they are connected to a Cerbo. I thought the Cerbo would share the data between devices? Sometimes there are so many ways to connect Victron stuff depending on what gear you have that it's not clear.
Why are you not putting panels in series of 2 panels each this would up your efficiency drastically and reduce the amount of cable being used and would also up your MPPT solar charge controllers efficiency. The reason is you will hit charge voltage sooner with less light meaning you would get more charging time per day and way less cable loss and would charge more on cloudy shady days all around you should have put the rear panels in series then front panels in series this would give you optimal charging voltage for your batteries / MPPT charge controller with 1/2 the wire used to cut losses again in half. I am just pointing this out because you could have saved alot of headache and cost and actually had better output by doing the series of the panels with 1/2 the amount of cable used and made it a much simpler easier design that would make just as much power or more for much cheaper and with way less trouble.
These panels already put out over 80V each and potentially up to 50A after MPPT. The larger controllers capable of handling over 160V are also very expensive. So it's a wash. Having dedicated controllers actually gives me optimal performance benefiting fully from MPPT with no issues related to shading or failure of other panels. If I were wiring up a 24V battery bank, then I could cut my controller costs in half, but I chose to stay with a 12V system for simplicity. Thanks for the comment.
Did this video help you out? Buy me a beer 🍺by going to www.rvwithtito.com/battleborn when you shop for lithium batteries and rvwithtito.com/victron for you Victron gear. (BTW: This video was NOT sponsored) Cheers! Brian
I was a little confused at first because of the 4 charge controllers but I think I know WHY you did it that way - shading will never affect you. With each panel on its own controller, if one panel gets shaded, the other 3 can still power.
Absolutely correct. Not just shading. Same is true for the angle of the sun and RV position. Each panel performs independently for optimal performance 👍
1.21 GIGAWATTS!! 🪫 1750 watts is a LOT of solar power. Talk about a professional installation. I’m positively green with envy with your installation and know how. Thanks for all those “origami” type filming angles. You’ve given me some great ideas. Thanks. 😊
Hey Brian, I have been following along with all your solar system installs. You inspired me to install my own system on my travel trailer, following your design and install methods you used on your class-C with the flex panels. Now, your new install on your class-A is inspiring me on how to do my next install when I upgrade to a new RV in the next year or so. I really like how you explain things and show just enough details to understand. Plus, your wiring diagrams and links to the actual products you used are key enablers. I hope you continue to share. -Jim.
Another nice job by a fellow PNWer Brian. I’m glad you pointed out the smart networking function of the Victron devices. I’m not sure that everyone realizes how good a function this is. It’s really important in terms of maximizing efficiency when you have multiple ways of charging a batter bank that there is one and only one voltage, current, temp. and SOC reading that is shared by all the devices. I use the one provided by the SmartShunt. What people fail to remember is that each device is designed to operate independently and if each device’s internal voltage, current, and SOC reading is used for that device then voltage drops and current readings will be different between devices, which could cause the charging profiles to be out of sync (one device in bulk mode, another in absorption, etc.) which reduces charging efficiency. I’m thinking I need to do a video on this subject. LoL
Tito - I researched the eternabond you suggested, the man'f has good videos on this product....now I know why you could not lift those solar panels loose...thx for introducing me to products I had no idea about. 🤠
Haven't even picked up our camper yet, already planning my solar set up to the wife's chagrin, loving your videos, great details bud!
Hey Brian! The way you run your wires with such order is exactly the way ‘I’ do things! I detest wires just laying everywhere and loose! I’m sure you were freezing your buns off on the roof, but, again, great work! Have a wonderful and blessed weekend…stay warm! ~Jim~
Professionals label both ends of each wire for subsequent troubleshooting
I always learn something! I really like that junction box. And that install of charge controllers on the bottom of the cabinetry is really an artist move. I would never have thought of that!
Thanks. Glad you like the setup. I'm really digging having everything out of sight this time around. System has been amazing so far.
@@RVwithTito we just finished ours too, and it gives me ideas for improvement! We took up half of a closet, but I’ll be looking for ways to move things around and hide wires better, as you have them!
Thanks a bunch really enjoy your videos! Greetings from Vancouver Canada.
Glad you like them!
Bonjour merci pour votre vidéo et de partager votre savoir cordialement
Superior work . Well done and thank you for sharing, excellent.
Thank you too! Glad it was helpful.
Afraid I would need to hire someone to install all this, way above my ability of thought...
Be sure to check those terminal strip screws every year. I have seen those get loose over time in an industrial environment with a lot of vibration.
Nice update ... your having way too much fun :-) I am working on my whopping 200W solar on the roof of my old 16' Chinook restore. It will be on the road this week. I purchased two 100 to put in series to turn on the little Victron sooner and went with polycrystalline because they put out quite a bit more wattage than the mono... I put stainless hinges on and when I part, just tilt up one... plenty for my 200 amp BB LiFiPO4. ... between the rains here in the so. nw coast.
As far as the flat mounting of the charge controllers go. I think you should add some temperature controlled vent fans to the setup. If i recall an earlier video of yours correctly, you’ve done something similar in the past. While the controllers can be mounted in any orientation vertically allows for better heat dissipation than horizontal.
That's certainly an easy upgrade when the time comes.
This is exactly what I need to do on my 2003 Journey! Thanks for the information, great job. Super clean! I just installed a mini spilt in place of the basement unit and I am loving it! Hopefully with 1400 watts of solar panels it will run it full time? Running through victon system as soon as I can figure it out. Your videos are going to be my guide for the install, thank you so much!
Hey Bruce, what type of mini split did you install? We'd like to do this on our Winnebago also, but have only seen one other person do this. Thanks.
Brian, you do AWESOME WORK!
Super nice setup Brian wow you make things look so easy but I’m sure you’ve put a a lot of thought in how to run everything and I thought doing my 1 panel was going to be difficult 😥
awesome video, megga power. I am going to be running a Renogy 300watt system soon in my Adventurer , I enjoyed sitting in the same coach at the kitchen table watching you gettinr done great job. Your vids are a great help Thanks.
Brian, Excellent clean install. This has always been a challenge for me understanding a complete solar installation. Your series of videos is extremely helpful and hopefully will guide me through my install. I am now looking at (4) 415 watt panels instead of (8) at 200 watt. Thank you for the equipment list which I will access websites given later this year. Once completed, I might go all out and purchase a TITOFIED shirt to help spread the word. Thanks again for creating the video content.
You're very welcome. Best of luck with your upcoming projects. Titofied!!
Nice work Brian. Enjoy your videos.
Nice clean set up. I hope you have enough ventilation for those solar charge controllers
I hope so too. So far so good. Like I said it's easy to add a temp switch and fan.
24amps at most depending on the way you wire it. 23.2amps @ 75v = 1740watts
great job Brian! 1700 watts. your cup runneth over. :)
For sure. It's a great mix of batteries and solar and we're very happy with it.
👍👍👍
Why you have so many MPPT controller? Using one is not enough? Thank you
I’m gonna brag: I fit 1760w on my 24ft sunseeker 2300. But your overall setup is way cleaner.
Nice job!
Hey Iliya, we sure don't mind bragging when your creative solution fits 1760 w on a State/National Park compliant
@@PhiLeo7973 I removed the top AC unit (added mini split in rear) and relocated the middle fan to the rear sunlight area. So that made room for 3x 440w panels. (From signature solar, + mounting hardware). And the last panel on the rear fit parallel to the Rv. Looking back it’s too much solar for me. Also have 14kwh batteries. 8x280ah lifepo4 cells from china. Growatt 3000w inverter
@@iliyamialik Thanks for your detailed and timely reply IIiya. May you, your family, friends, and neighbors, always be safe. Live long and prosper,phil
p.s. I would go Mini-Split( Mr Cool?) too and being overpaneled in this day of very reasonably priced PV panels is not much of a detriment,imo, with efficiency losses due to time, shading, temp on panels,etc. May I ask what year your Forest River Sunseeker is and how many miles it has on it? New or used purchase and have you been happy with it? Thanks brother. Happy Trails.
Good stuff Brian!
As always nice work 🍺🦅🇺🇸😎👍
Awesome as usual!
Another quick comment, ... about the Victron and ventilation ... I do some ham radio and a friend who builds repeaters and towers etc. explained why the fins on the Victron, which we know are for cooling. I mentioned how V wanted them mounted vertically. He said the reason, which you likely know, is so the heat rises quickly and easily. Seeing them flat and knowing you put in extra holes and maybe use fans in the future I think is important. I wonder if there is data where you might put a little sensor ((wire) maybe those used for batteries and bms control temps) under the center of each laid over controller and find a good place to pull the air via thermostat control ... automatically. Thank you again.
80s yesterday and nice today
Are you concerned with laying the controllers flat? The heat sinks could heat up the back of the controllers and cause issues. My assumption would be they would prefer to have them vertical to allow the heat to dissipate off the sinks.
Thank you for the great video. If I do solar this will be extremely helpful. Not sure I boondock enough to benefit from solar.
Good work Brian!
Thanks!
Thanks
Outstanding installation.right tool,right conductor/wiring method, right termination. Love to see you work off the spool an your associated auxiliary components choices. In my neck of the woods off grid rv installer are non-existence it is the wild west with most being in the west. So your DIY suggestions as a resource I find invaluable,thank you. My question for today do you have any thoughts on labeling spaces or components? Again Brian great video!!!
Thanks 👍 Glad to help. Not sure what you mean by labeling spaces. I definitely label cables and switches using a label maker when I have it with me. I did label the breakers and cable ends.
What would you do? I am certain that a certain person is switching off my RV power from the camp source. How would you handle this? Get a mini camera placed against the power lead? get the lid fixed so it says on and padlock the box? Please tell me your thoughts I thought of punching kicking and drowning them in concrete but then my life would be over any thoughts
Akamai!
Fantastic setup Brian, great job! My wife walked in and said another video on solar? I said you should watch this he does an amazing job. Her response… not interested. 😀. Does your wife have the same reaction?
:) She'll give it an initial watch but doesn't really pay much attention to the technical stuff.
Yep.
Hi Tito I been reviewing your videos for some time & few months back this summer I finally install my Solar & only added 600 watts of panels with my 40 amp Renogy Charge controller … I got another 600 watts of flexible solar yet to install. My panels are 200 watts each. 2 weeks ago I added 200 amp hr of lithium plus I swap out my old battery charger to a lithium one. My 2017 Thor Hurricane already has a transfer switch for my shore power & generator. I plan to add one solar charge controller & when I install the rest of my panels. I would like to be able to run all my plugs that didn’t come prewired to my inverter that already runs my residential fridge. I want to be able to also have my microwave & only one ac function when boon docking. I can’t get my head around what wires should run to my transfer switch from where. My thoughts are I should hook up on the same side the generator is hooked up to & that should power the motorhome & I can still have my generator when needed. I am running from the load side of the charge controller to my new inverter in & the out from the inverter to transfer switch. Hope you got a glass of water to help you digest this 😊. Hopefully the military brain of mine understanding things correctly.
I think you are having as much fun as you are giving me ideas for my next project, I am fairly new to RV Solar but a Mechanic 40 yrs. and have built a small system for my cargo trailer. Ill see if I can make this make sense. I have a question regarding ferrels. The victron charge controller I got did not accept ferrels verry well as the clamp holes were a to small to accept the ferrels. That tool that I got made 6 sided ferrels. I think your Ferrel tool is 4 sided?? And might have fit better??. My controller is just a 100/20 with small input terminals 10 awg I ended up putting wire in "without" using the ferrels and they fit better also I think they clamped down better.. I read an article regarding ferrels as they dont make a very good surface connection and bare wires clamp down (squish) for a better connection. Sorry if this is confusing this was 6 months ago.
Overkill! But you got to live up to your channel.
Probably too late now but I believe you only needed to daisy chain the controllers together and one line to the Cerbo GX...
I'm not sure if I can daisy chain through the USB VE.Direct. that may only be available with the VE.CAN bus. Not totally sure but I'll look into it. I'm considering combining the controllers with a USB hub to free up a port on the Cerbo for a GPS receiver. Thanks for getting my wheels spinning.
@@RVwithTito you might be right about the cable you need to accomplish that. Check out the “Changing lanes” channel. He did it. I’ll look for the link.
@@RVwithTito look around the 18:34 mark…
ua-cam.com/video/g2g8dDxAumE/v-deo.html
He did use the VE CAN cabling.
Brian, what software did you use to produce the diagram? It makes everything so clear. Awesome work as usual!
Thanks! I use a graphics editing program called Affinity Designer. It's similar to Adobe Illustrator.
Great video and awesome work! I really like the track and tape you use on the roof to avoid all the screw holes for the panels. Long term how has that held up over time?
Thanks. So far the mounting setup has held up well. We made it all the way down to Mexico with no issues.
@@RVwithTito did you use the 3m tape for mounting the Solar panels to the roof as well
Thanks for the ideas. Where did you get the channel? I can't find it anywhere.
Thanks
what dictates whether you wire you solar panels in series or parallel. I only have one 100 watt panel, which simply charges a Bluetti device, was planning on adding another 100 watt identical panel, but I'm not sure if I should do parallel or series, I understand the voltage differences and the wiring of each, just not what dictates one method or the other.
I'll elaborate more in a future video. Here's a really old one: ua-cam.com/video/dfMVHLVcMWo/v-deo.html
There are several factors. Two panels (assuming they're identical) wired in parallel will double your current (Amps) and keep the voltage the same. Wiring them in series will double your voltage (volts) and keep the Amps the same. So your solar charge controller limitations may dictate which configuration you use. I'm not sure what the max input charging voltage is for the Bluetti, but I'm guessing it's designed for a 12V-ish setup. So wiring in parallel may be the best option for you. There's a quick answer. Hope that helps.
Those little things that you stuck on the end of the solar cables going into the junction box, are those just some kind of anti-corrosion deals to keep a nice and clean install?
They help get a better connection in those terminal blocks.
glad I found you yt channel.. getting ready to add more panels on our tc and want to use rails and outter frame for most of the tie downs. could you please tell me where to find the combiner box for wires? tia dale
I've been looking over your solar diagram and parts list and I don't see a listing for your rooftop junction wiring part (e.g., the part that goes into the box and connects the panel wiring to the down wiring). Help me understand where that comes from.
Here's a video about that: ua-cam.com/video/zUsSwLaXzHM/v-deo.html
The materials are listed in the description of that video.
@@RVwithTito Perfect. Just what I was looking for.
Hi Brian
We're ready to start the panel placement but our 165w flex panels don't have MC4 connectors. We have some but don't know how to connect them to the panels.
Thanks for your help.
George Harper
Nice job. Where did you get the combiner box?
I use these amzn.to/3LHVkME and hot glue the DIN rail to a box and make necessary holes for the entry points.
Thank you.
How did you seal the area where the wires go into the vent? We’re you concerned about water leaking into vent?
Great video. I'm getting my parts list ready to add solar to my GD Reflection 204RL. Can you provide the Amazon link to your roof solar junction box with terminal bus bar. It is perfect for my application.
It's an 8 x 6 x 4 box like this amzn.to/35h1B09 and the terminal block is here amzn.to/3iECtnd You will also need a DIN rail like this amzn.to/3JO8vsz to mount the terminal block to. Good luck with your project.
thank you so much
How do you secure your wires on the roof?
Nice setup Brian, wanted to know why did you go with 4 MPPT (100/50) vs 2 MPPT (150/100). do you have a tools list that you used for the project? next month im going to start our solar project on our GV 367BHS.
The 150/100 is still a little tight for two of these panels which can output more than 80 volts. I preferred the dedicated controller setup as well. It's been working great. Just needs more cable. I'll work on a tools list. There's just the parts list with the diagram (rvwithtito.com/downloads). Good luck with the project.
Gotta ask Brian, Aren't the load capacities for the MC4 connectors being exceeded here? The panels are 435 watts each
Nice terminations in that roof box. I would have put each pair of panels in series, running only two pair of wires from the roof to the basement, plenty for 1750 watts. With two pair of panels in series, I think you could have gotten by with just two controllers, using 2 of the 150/85 Victron controllers, which is what I used. Your circuit breaker boxes looked much nicer than what I could find. I'm curious who makes them, or where you bought them. Funny, I ran my roof cables down the slide out pantry cabinet in my Winnebago too.
I have a full parts list with my solar design diagram (rvwithtito/downloads). Here are the breakers (amzn.to/34xcQRQ) and here are the boxes (amzn.to/3JsuPHT) .... Good luck!
Actually one 150/35 controller and combiner box is plenty for these 4 sun power panels
@@brichusi I think his use of four was so that each panel is independent of each other. This prevents screwing up the performance of all your panels just because one is in the shade.
RV with Tito DIY
Can anyone help with sourcing the parts for the junction box please, as well as the wire end caps shown in the video? Many thanks in advance!
Here's the terminal block (amzn.to/34eYpS2) and here's the box (amzn.to/3CklxLx). You'll also need the waterproof glands like these (amzn.to/3txnYqb).
These panels are less than 6 amps each, 85/volts each
Yup...at max power. 510W if you do the math. You probably won't ever reach that rating.
Nice work Brian, and well thought out and impressive. 🥇What’s your thought about RV going fully EV?
What happened to the SunPower flexible panels?? Should I skip over those and get the rigid type right away?
I still have them on the Class C and they're working well. These used SunPower panels were too good to pass up.
What is that, ridged solar panels? Hummm ;) Good choice this time round :)
Brian, How does a guy know if the used Solar panels he buys are good? I'd love to put 2-3 Sunpower panels on my RV roof but not sure about the in's and out's of buying used.
Got mine from SanTan solar (www.rvwithtito.com/santansolar). They're all tested ahead of time. Check out the video when I mounted them and you'll learn how to test them as well. Good luck!
Hi Brian! Found this to be very educational. I am planning an install on a 03 Adventurer 33v. How did you run your cables from charge controller to the batteries??
The charge controllers are mounted to the floor right above the battery compartment. There are two existing access holes above used to run other cables. Hope that helps.
@@RVwithTito Thank you for replying!!!!
We call them ferrules
Do you have a link to the wire pairs used from Solar disconnect to rooftop junction box?
All of the parts (with links) are listed in my free system wiring diagram (rvwithtito.com/downloads)
Brian why so many charge controllers do they make any that will handle more solar panels like maybe paralleling some panels? Lots of times I see all the solar panels combined in box and only one set of cables coming a controller?
This really is the most optimal setup for a 12V battery system and these large panels. But if I were to combine these large panels I would still need a very very expensive pair of controllers for that high voltage and current. Another option is to install a 24V battery bank. With that I could cut the number of controllers in half.
I'm wondering why you not connect the solar panels in series by using one solar changer controller?
Personal choice. I wanted a fully parallel setup to maximize efficiency. Given the high voltage of these panels, it would still be a pretty large expensive controller.
Hi Brian,
I want to put two sunpower 100w solar panels in the roof of the cap on my pickup truck.
I do not want to permanently install them. I was planning on using heavy duty Velcro and put Velcro all along the backside.
I am hoping that the Velcro would hold for some traveling so I can connect the panels to a power station and plug in my ICECO JP40.
I would be removing the solar panels quite a bit but I don't have a 12v outlet in the back of my truck.
My question is do you think Velcro will hold my solar panels in limited driving trips?
Your free download diagram can't be found error in your website
Thanks for the heads up. I think it's working now.
Good Morning. I’m going to install 2 new 200W solar panels. The question is Parallel or Series. I have heard the Series is not as good because of shading you lose some of your power. Yes the Amps are around 10Amps with 40 Volts and Parallel the Amps are higher at about 20A and the Volts are lower at 20V . All so I read some ware the solar panels need to have a voltage around 20 to 30 volts above the battery voltage. Do you have any thoughts on this. Thank you Jack
Hey I noticed you said you didn't need the converter charger any longer but your diagram has it connected to the inverter. Did you just move it or remove it? Thanks for all your help. Great video's.
I removed the OEM inverter. The new inverter/charger does it all.
I have to ask, why did you use 4 charge controllers...???
Hi Brian, great video! I've been watching your videos about solar panels, I am going to copy your setups to move on with Air conditioning, but I am in doubt about of using flexible or rigid solar panel... I've heard that flexible has a short lifetime and it is not a good option for high external temperatures (95F+) because it can catch fire... I am worried about the total height of a lot of panels. What do you recomend?
What batteries are your Battleborn batteries? How much solar do you have?
Very nice work and presentation! Two questions. First, where does the starter battery for travel charging come into your circuit diagram, or do you never rely on it for charging? Second, it seems like using the double-sided tape only for your roof mount is putting a lot of faith in the roof membrane to roof underlayment integrity for restraining the solar panels. Any comment? Thanks much for your great documentation.
(1) The starter battery is completely separate and I'm not using a DC-DC charger in this rig. If needed I can run the generator while driving and put up to 120A into the house batteries. (2) Yes. While I'm certain the adhesive will be solid, I am concerned about potential delamination. After over 3000 miles it's been fine, but I'm planning to add a couple anchors to each strut channel through the underlayment just in case. I tilt them also, and have been in some serious wind with the panels tilted. That's another reason. I'll probably do an update in the near future.
Was looking at your diagram PDF and had a question. What is the purpose of your solar disconnect when you have each solar panel on its own breaker? Why did you decide to isolate the chassis battery from this system? Due to dissimilar battery tech?
The main solar disconnect cuts off all solar coming from the charge controllers (not just the panels). Also, switching off the solar panel breakers and main solar disconnect you can completely isolate the solar charge controllers for maintenance or troubleshooting without removing any cables.
There’s nothing more convenient by having it on the roof as you basically admit when complaining about the cold and that junction box you put on the roof is not aerodynamically shaped. They have black plastic aerodynamically shaped shrouds with rubber surrounding the openings that can be oriented to face away from the wind due to driving and large flanges that can be modified that are used in the air conditioning industry.
One question: Why so many charge controllers? With only four solar panels, one charge controller should work well enough with two strings in series parallel. 🧐
It’s based off the panels he used.
My assumption is it’s due to voltage limits. He couldn’t do parallel either because it could possibly exceed the 50A rating with two in parallel.
@@MattLesak
Why not just get a charge controller that has that voltage? Perhaps he already had those charge controllers available.
The charge controllers are rated for a max voltage and current. I’m sure Brian sized things properly. Another advantage of using multiple controllers is redundancy/isolation where if one fails it the others remain functional. And depending on how Brian sized things, if one controller failed, he could via his rooftop junction box, rewire the panel that was attached to the failed controller to one of the other controllers. If you boondock a lot, having backups and redundancies is a good thing.
What is the Lynx replacement you used?
It's a 4 circuit ANL fuse block like this amzn.to/3JkEGPS
Nice vid. What is the brand fuse block your are using?
The exact one is no longer available, but here's another that's exactly the same: amzn.to/3JkEGPS
Thanks. How do you think it will hold up with heat and time
Why do u need 1700wts
We use every bit of it with our 810Ah batteries and electrical consumption. No need to ever plug in.
@@RVwithTito what are u running in there? Every thing 110.? U know you can get 12v appliances too!. and and save a few amps
I have 4 batteries and there separated 600 wts solar never on shore power works fine.allways full up
You have enough power to charge up you next door neighbour lol
1700W of solar... drool. Do you still need the Victron network if they are connected to a Cerbo. I thought the Cerbo would share the data between devices? Sometimes there are so many ways to connect Victron stuff depending on what gear you have that it's not clear.
You need the VE network to connect the controllers then you need the cables to connect them to the cerbo. Yes. It's confusing.
Are you an electrician?
What do I need to do for the give away that I was picked for?
Why are you not putting panels in series of 2 panels each this would up your efficiency drastically and reduce the amount of cable being used and would also up your MPPT solar charge controllers efficiency. The reason is you will hit charge voltage sooner with less light meaning you would get more charging time per day and way less cable loss and would charge more on cloudy shady days all around you should have put the rear panels in series then front panels in series this would give you optimal charging voltage for your batteries / MPPT charge controller with 1/2 the wire used to cut losses again in half. I am just pointing this out because you could have saved alot of headache and cost and actually had better output by doing the series of the panels with 1/2 the amount of cable used and made it a much simpler easier design that would make just as much power or more for much cheaper and with way less trouble.
These panels already put out over 80V each and potentially up to 50A after MPPT. The larger controllers capable of handling over 160V are also very expensive. So it's a wash. Having dedicated controllers actually gives me optimal performance benefiting fully from MPPT with no issues related to shading or failure of other panels. If I were wiring up a 24V battery bank, then I could cut my controller costs in half, but I chose to stay with a 12V system for simplicity. Thanks for the comment.
Be nice if u walk us thoroughly though the video.
Noted. Thanks for the feedback.
I wish you would respond to communication. I sent you an email but have yet to hear back.
Keep it up dude!!! You should look into using a service such as P R O M O S M.
My plan is to purchase an electric van, add 1000 watts of solar to the roof, and convert it to an RV.
No more gas for me!!
Good luck with that.
@@TomSpurlock He's got an expensive lesson coming.