This panel can put out close to 100 watts ua-cam.com/users/postUgkxOqI2yqX0XVrhR2BMJciTWrHJpG8FhJyg when positioned in the appropriate southernly direction, tilted to the optimal angle for your latitude/date, and connected to a higher capacity device than a 500. The built in kickstand angle is a fixed at 50 degrees. Up to 20% more power can be output by selecting the actual date and latitude optimal angle.The 500 will only input 3.5A maximum at 18 volts for 63 watts. Some of the excess power from the panel can be fed into a USB battery bank, charged directly from the panel while also charging a 500. This will allow you to harvest as much as 63 + 15 = 78 watts.If this panel is used to charge a larger device, such as the power station, then its full output potential can be realized.
3-part video on installation was excellent. So many producers talk about what they did. This young man actually shows how he did it. For people like me who’ve never worked much with electricity, this was a godsend. Thanks buddy!
I’m so glad you said to cover your panels before connecting them to your system. I’ve see way too many people not bother and they were lucky not to fry the whole system. Great job.
Thanks for the videos on solar. Stumbled across these last night. I am not an engineer and I have been trying to get my head around how all the pieces fit together. Great watching you make every connection was what I needed to make sense of it all. Thanks
I've been watching RV videos for several months now to educate myself in preparation for my own launch into full-time RV life. This is probably the best how-to video for solar install that I have seen. Thanks! I've subbed and will continue to follow you two.
+Brian Lee Stephens Wow thank you!! I tried to show everything and explain it all as best I could so it could help anyone else looking to so an RV solar install. Best of luck to you Brian, safe and happy travels!
Brian, congrats on taking the dive to go full time. I've been giving it thought and well...finances are what keep me from taking the dive. Soon enough though....
I hope you'll take a little more precaution when wiring your system. He didn't do anything 'wrong' but there's plenty he could have done better. Each leg of the system should have been protected by fuse or breaker. And never...ever!...use wire nuts on that much 10awg wire. It'll work, but crimp and solder is a much better way. (Or at least crimp with ring terminals) Also when looking at a lithium battery bank you need something far more sophisticated than the go power pwm charge controller. Lithium is very sensitive to voltage charge and float. Something like a Victron BlueSolar gives you configurable charge parameters to customize what your batteries need. Otherwise, nice install. I hope it's working well. Happy to provide pointers if you're interested.
I have a class c with 1 battery and 1800 watt inverter. What size solar panel outfit is needed to charge that 1 battery while using it to power fridge and tv.
@@stevesealey317 100w flat mounted will charge the battery in solar Zone 4. As for powering your TV and refrigerator more information is required. Small TV sets can require anywhere from 20 to 50 Watts. Most RVs are equipped with absorption refrigerators which run off of propane and require very little draw from the battery. They can run off of 120 volt power as well but are extremely inefficient. They use about 10 times the amount of electricity. So if you trade that refrigerator in for something like a 10.1 Magic Chef (297kwh/yr) and power a 32 inch samsung um32m5300 (1100wh total), you will need to generate around 1500wh of charge. here is a safe calculation for zone 4, 1500wh÷6.5h=230w (panel output needed), 230w÷0.6=383w (panel rating needed after no-tilt loss). so it would be safe to say five 100w panels or two 250w panels will power these items and charge your battery to a full 12.9v
Make sure you check the guage of the existing wire going from your converter to battery can handle the charge current. Its dependant on the length of run.
I installed a much smaller system into my truck for camping last summer. I still enjoy watching other installs to relive the thrill of the first install.
I am planning an off grid solar install for my rv and your video really helped me with the basics I'll need, great job. The one thing I might do different is mounting the fuse in one of the easier access areas in order to check it or change the fuse in the future. Thanks for the video!
Loved your excitement and enthusiasm at 22:40! Congratulations, I know the feeling as I just finished installing my solar system after reviewing your and everyone else’s UA-cam solar install videos.
David - thank you for this video series. We will be referencing this several times as we tackle this project ourselves. We seek to be independent as possible, and LOVE boondocking. We are full-time newbs and have found many of your vids excellent and fun to watch. But seriously tho man.. that SMILE at the end when it all worked was so awesome. Could totally feel the warmth of that ear-to-eat grin. Great job man!!!
Great job. I recommend covering the wires on the roof with a plastic split wire loom to protect them from ultraviolet exposure and keep the insulation from getting brittle over time. It will also protect them from squirrels and other critters from chewing on the wires.
Thanks Colin! That is a really good suggestion, however I'm not too worried about it since it is PV rated wire and is made specifically to handle UV exposure all day every day. Although that doesn't mean a rodent won't come along and chew them up...hm...
Very well done video. Thanks for being thorough. A lot of videos out there do not show the entire process. I appreciate you going through everything. I'm about to install a system on my RV and this helps a bunch.
Great tip to run wires down refrigerator vent. Plus gaining access to batteries by using the battery connections at the converter. My converter is right under my refrigerator. Making my install super easy. Super job of explaining each step. One tip though - If you do not connect the solar panels until the end of all the other connections required you would not have needed to cover the panels with cardboard. Other than that its a super explanation of your install. Thanks!!
I have just found this channel in recent days my wife and I are retired I'm medically retired and my wife retired after twenty years at a bank where we live in Alabama I enjoy the information you put out we are planning to start the RV life not full time but maybe a couple of weeks to begin and then hopefully months at a time I will continue to follow this channel it's very informative thanks to you both for putting out this information I hope it makes things a little easier for my wife and I see you on the road
I think you did an excellent job on the install and agree, the documentation and narration was fantastic. The tilt brackets you made turned out very nice and I can really appreciate a nice clean install. I agree with you 100% on liberal use of Dicor and it will save you a lot of grief by doing it how you did. The great thing is in 10 years from now you can easily get it off and the fasteners will still look new. It was nice to enjoy your moment of triumph with you at the end. Even when you follow directions to a T it is still a pleasant surprise to see something fall into place. All the best to you and yours. Cheers friend.
When you make a tillable panel remember to have 4 eye bolts in the corners to be zip tie points to lock the panels flat when driving so any movement pulls on them and not the mounting hardware. Can use a piece of angle iron to the trailer/rv roof to screw into the studs and still let you move the panels right next to each other without losing any strength just put one or 2 washers between the metal and the roof at the points you bolt it down to prevent the metal from rubbing on the roof over time and to let the water out that would normally get trapped between.
GREAT JOB! I do not know much about solar installs but have seen a few UA-cam vids and never seen it done like that. It seems simple and straightforward.
Thank you! I'm not sure what you mean by them doing it differently. This is the only way I know how to install a complete RV solar and inverter system. What do you mean?
Fate Unbound Well to be honest not sure just seemed a bit too simple compared to other videos that I have seen again this is coming from someone that’s just starting to learn how all this works. Thanks again you’re making it so much easier on learning how all this works!!
Outstanding job!!! It looks AMAZING!!! I don't know if there is such a thing as too much Dicor RV sealant, so you certainly did it right. Thank you soooo much for sharing this.
Change out the twist on connectors to screw lug terminals sealed in a protected, fixed mounted bridged terminal strip. Road travel vibration will drop off the wire nuts. You don't want solar power shaking off terminals or splices unless you want a fire.
Great job! I would wrap some electrical tape around those wire nuts, they are designed for house use, not a vibrating vehicle. I don’t trust wing nuts either, nylock nuts would be a better option when going down the road at 60 mph. Just my opinion. Great job! Love the install!
in a house, wire nuts (and all connections, I believe) would never be allowed if they are not in a junction box. Tape around the nuts would not be an accepted replacement for a box in a house.
I guess the old saying you get what you pay for is true. Really enjoyedvideo . i have a palamino truck camper with the factory forced air heat /thermostat . i added a wave three and use it when i have no electrical hook up or if i need to conserve 12 volt. I have to admit the wave dose make some condensation but is a lot better than being cold if you are low on power.
Splicing into wiring from the fuse panel is going to trip up the chargers readings and possibly over charger your batteries, especially while anything running through that fuse panel is running. You should think about fully finishing this install by running the charger wires straight to the battery bank, to extend the life of your setup.
The charge line from the converter runs directly to the battery so whether you connect at the load center or the battery is the same net effect, I build RVs for a living in electrical and our solar preps just tie into the same charge line at the mini breakers under the front of the unit.
Great job of install of solar panel and wire runs. Wish i watched this first. I ran all new wire to the battery, I did not think to tap into converter like you did. Keep up the good work!
+Mark Assante Thank you! Yeah I got kindof lucky because I was also going to run new wire all the way to the batteries but while I was looking over the electrical panel while I was preparing it dawned on me that there were leads directly from the battery running into the DC panel I could tap into. Saved me a decent amount of time and some money on wire.
I actually laughed when you got it excited it was working. I know that feeling - the one where something does what you hoped the first time after a long days work. It's pretty exciting.
great job! I have watched many rv solar videos Yours is the best! I have installed several rv systems but wasn't sure about the right whole system way - you helped me to understand the whole picture! thank you so much!
Good video. I would just add that wire nuts are subject to vibration, so I would have taped them with electrical tape so they can’t “unscrew” behind a panel while you’re driving. Either that or use a splice kit or other “crimp” mechanism that can’t come undone so easily. Otherwise, good show!
I agree wire nuts, especially those left untapped can work loose and short, potentially causing a catastrophic fire. There are better and safer methods to connect multiples wires together, like a bus bar kit with multiple circuit locations and a grounding bar. Nice info so far 👍🏽
System 1 consists of 3 RV batteries. 550 watts on roof split into 2) 10 gauge insulated wires. 6 plugin solar wheel. 50 amp Solar controller 3000 watt inverter. Plug outlet right off inverter that the trailer plugs into. Never is there a switching problem. The trailer shore power cord has to be physically plugged in and un plugged from the inverter. Second cabin system. 55 watt solar panel. 30 amp solar charger 1 AGM RV battery. It is good to have a split system. The RV converter can charge the cabin battery without creating a power loop. 100 watt panel should give at best 5.78 amps in perfect sunshine conditions.
+RV Habit Thanks! Yeah we went pretty much all out for our solar setup. We may even get a fold out expansion panel in the future since we have actually ran low on battey more than once when we went 3 or 4 days of clouds in a row. A bigger lithium battery bank would be fantastic but another battery would cost a lot.
“It’s working,Yes!!” Thats the way I feel when I change a light bulb. Haha. I’m about to tackle a solar system about three times this big. I’m a bit worried.
Great video. Loads of info. People always get worried about drilling or cutting... (you should be) But five in, it's an adventure, where making discovery's here.
nice job might suggest a frame bonding wire connecting the solar panel to a dc frame ground fuse can never be to sure just in case a panel shorts and can catch fire
Wow Fate (that's the name I see above. Forgot real name), I paused with 10 minutes left to say THANKS for fast forwarding!! We get the idea without the painful every bit of detail. Also, I'm binge watching not in order, but I remember y'all saying the original inverter/converter didn't work. Ok, I keep watching now...
Great video ! Extremely thorough and well narrated. Doing this install was a major project in itself and documenting it with video as you did is that much more noteworthy ..... my hat's off to you. I wish I was as comfortable as you were up on the roof that close to the edge. Now for Part 2 :-)
Thank you! I did my best to show every step and explain it as clearly as I could so that anyone else doing a solar install on their RV would have a good step by step resource.
It has been two years but there are a couple of extra things that you could have done to make it better. You could have put the wires on the roof inside some conduit to protect them from the elements. You could have put split tubing inside the car and especially on the parts that the wires can rub. You didn't need to use the wire nuts and cut the cables to splice. Adding some ring terminals and connecting them to the fuse box would have done the same. To add the fuse you added an extra cut to the wire. You should have taken the end of your positive cable from the original cable nut to start from the fuse cable. I hope it is still working great for you. Nice video.
Nice video job and great tutorial. I did the exact same thing on my class B pleasureway but used flat flexible lightweight solar panels that were glued to the roof. Yes I did not want the tilt feature since I don't need that much power efficiency and too avoid any visibility. They are totally flush to the roof without drilling holes. Have not fallen off at high speeds or bad weather for the last 4 years. You need more than one battery by the way.
We thought about the flexible panels also, they are a great option! We have two 200Ah lithium iron phosphate batteries wired in parallel for 400Ah total battery bank capacity. Part 3 of this install series shows them and installing them.
Just FYI... flexible panels have there adv and disadvantages. The output is not as efficient as rigid glass panels and I don't think they will last 20 years like hard panels can. But boy are they lightweight and easy to install. Just glue and wire.
Great video. I think it would have been easier (for future use) to access the inline fuse you installed if you had put it in the outside access panel behind the refrigerator rather than behind the converter.
By far the BEST solar video on UA-cam, hands down. Thanks for the great video, and thanks for being real, not "WHAAAATS UP GUYYYYYYYS!!!! like many others on here. Will be copying everything you did here on my new Jayco next week when we take delivery. Can't wait!
Just a idea 4 the future, with that hefty bumper, I would build a rack that used it as a base, and put the panels on a tubular part where you could rotate them,.
Nice clean install. Done well!!! Critical mistake when connecting power into the main power of rig... should place electrical tape on wirenuts if you use them like that ... arguable should have done the splice in a junction box for safety reasons.
Great video, can't wait to see part 2 & 3. I bet you wont find any other wirenuts on your trailer -they'll work themselves loose over time. Better to replace with pre-insulated crimp-on connectors. Great video editing also, 25 minute video flew by like it was 10 minutes. Keep up the great work & awesome videos!
+Moto Tigger Hm, good point. If I get in there and re-do the connections (which it sounds like I should now) I may as well just solder the wires together. Thanks for the heads up! And thanks for the compliments that means a lot to us!
For safety you should have a kill switch between solar panels and charge controller. So you don't damage the panels or controller if you need repair or upgrades. Far easier than taping cardboard on the panels.
Great video, would have installed the 30A 12V positive fuse in the exterior fridge access door for easier access when in need of changing it vs. having to remove breaker panel. Excellent video editing step by step!! Happy trails!
Also install kill switch on positive lead near batteries on trailer tongue in order to prevent phantom discharge when batteries are full/hooked to shoreline??? or does the neg. shunt from charge monitor take care of that????Thoughts?? thnx
Just found your install video , great how to on the installation. One thing you should reconsider in the install, those wire nuts you used for the battery connection charging connections. This connection is a high current connection and you should consider lugs and a terminal strip to insure a more positive connection. Short of that go back and solder those wires together.
Thanks for the recommendation John. I have since removed the wire nuts and gone with crimp connections that wont vibrate loose. Soldering would definitely be the best way to go in my opinion, but it was difficult enough just getting a crimp tool in some of those locations, let alone a soldering iron.
Best video yet on solar installation. I wondered about tying into the battery wire at the distribution panel. Your the only one I've seen do the obvious thing. My camper has a power panel/converter/and charger already wired in along with the transfer controller since I have a generator. The battery cables come out of the distribution panel like yours. My question is: do you think I can still spice into the positive battery cable given the above set up already wire in? I will fuse this line as you did. I watched the third video and will have to run a negative cable to a shunt for a DC digital multi-function meter. I would value your input on this question. Don't like the idea of running ANOTHER positive cable to the battery box. Thanks in advance and really admire your methodical skill of explaining this installation. Your wife and you make a brilliant couple.
Greetings, I have been mobile for 20 years and have come to find wire nuts come apart as we bounce down the road. You can find wire block terminals at any Home Depot. Your wire is screwed in place. I would hate to see you have to take apart all those panels or worse yet short out. Cheers, Terry
Surely the best how to vid. on solar. And I've watched many son. Loved the JOY you felt when you saw the power coming in. I hope I have that same feeling when I install mine. Thanx to you - I feel confident I can do this. Been a sub. for awhile. All yer vids. are good. Fine job - fine job.
thank you so much for this video!!!!!!!!! haha im sure you hear that alot. 98 degrees? i wish. im watching this about to tackle my system in 20degreesF here we go!
Looking at your shore powe battery connections it looked like both the positive and negative sides had an empty lug connection. If so, it would have been better to tie in there instead of cutting the battery leads. As for the #10 size wire, that really isn't a problem. #10 is rated for 30 amps. At 12 volts that would mean that your panels would need to be in the 400 watt range. Despite a panels rating, we seldom see 100% of the power out so even if you got 75% of it, the #10 would be fine.
Fantastic videos young man. I just bought a Forest River Rockwood Geo Pro 19FBS, No Solar. One of the upgrades in my list is to Upgrade it with a solar system. Inside on a wall it has a template/image of the Go Power 30A Controller. I assume there are wires behind. Comments and recommendations are welcome
Nice work, and a good job filming it all. I need to do this on our travel trailer. We upgraded our single 12 volt battery to two NAPA 6 volt golf cart batteries wired together, giving us a very robust 12 volt battery, with plenty of spare power. I found an excellent battery box on e-bay that perfectly accommodates the 2 golf cart batteries. I’m looking forward to the next videos of your install. Best Of Luck
Excellent video. Thanks for sharing. With your lithium batteries, what did you do with the tow vehicle battery line at the trailer umbilical? Normally that connects to the trailer 12V bus to keep the battery charged while driving. Seems to me it wouldn't be ideal for the Li batteries to be connected to the tow vehicle batteries while driving due to the (slight) charging voltage mis-match.
This panel can put out close to 100 watts ua-cam.com/users/postUgkxOqI2yqX0XVrhR2BMJciTWrHJpG8FhJyg when positioned in the appropriate southernly direction, tilted to the optimal angle for your latitude/date, and connected to a higher capacity device than a 500. The built in kickstand angle is a fixed at 50 degrees. Up to 20% more power can be output by selecting the actual date and latitude optimal angle.The 500 will only input 3.5A maximum at 18 volts for 63 watts. Some of the excess power from the panel can be fed into a USB battery bank, charged directly from the panel while also charging a 500. This will allow you to harvest as much as 63 + 15 = 78 watts.If this panel is used to charge a larger device, such as the power station, then its full output potential can be realized.
My husband is so glad to watch these install videos. He's already watched these solar installs 2 times. Thank you.
3-part video on installation was excellent. So many producers talk about what they did. This young man actually shows how he did it. For people like me who’ve never worked much with electricity, this was a godsend. Thanks buddy!
I’m so glad you said to cover your panels before connecting them to your system. I’ve see way too many people not bother and they were lucky not to fry the whole system. Great job.
The moment that David saw that it worked was priceless! That was very well deserved joy in a job well done. What a sweet couple!
The satisfaction of doing things with your hands is irreplaceable
MAN!!! You are one competent and articulate person. I'm 75 and had my solar installed. No way I would have attempted to do what you did. IMPRESSIVE!
wow.. that look of joy on your face when everything worked! I could feel it all the way over here! Nice job!
Thanks for the videos on solar. Stumbled across these last night. I am not an engineer and I have been trying to get my head around how all the pieces fit together. Great watching you make every connection was what I needed to make sense of it all. Thanks
This is a terrific video of the process and pieces but the best part was seeing your joy when it all worked.
I've been watching RV videos for several months now to educate myself in preparation for my own launch into full-time RV life. This is probably the best how-to video for solar install that I have seen. Thanks! I've subbed and will continue to follow you two.
+Brian Lee Stephens Wow thank you!! I tried to show everything and explain it all as best I could so it could help anyone else looking to so an RV solar install. Best of luck to you Brian, safe and happy travels!
Brian, congrats on taking the dive to go full time. I've been giving it thought and well...finances are what keep me from taking the dive. Soon enough though....
I hope you'll take a little more precaution when wiring your system. He didn't do anything 'wrong' but there's plenty he could have done better. Each leg of the system should have been protected by fuse or breaker. And never...ever!...use wire nuts on that much 10awg wire. It'll work, but crimp and solder is a much better way. (Or at least crimp with ring terminals) Also when looking at a lithium battery bank you need something far more sophisticated than the go power pwm charge controller. Lithium is very sensitive to voltage charge and float. Something like a Victron BlueSolar gives you configurable charge parameters to customize what your batteries need.
Otherwise, nice install. I hope it's working well. Happy to provide pointers if you're interested.
I have a class c with 1 battery and 1800 watt inverter. What size solar panel outfit is needed to charge that 1 battery while using it to power fridge and tv.
@@stevesealey317 100w flat mounted will charge the battery in solar Zone 4. As for powering your TV and refrigerator more information is required. Small TV sets can require anywhere from 20 to 50 Watts. Most RVs are equipped with absorption refrigerators which run off of propane and require very little draw from the battery. They can run off of 120 volt power as well but are extremely inefficient. They use about 10 times the amount of electricity. So if you trade that refrigerator in for something like a 10.1 Magic Chef (297kwh/yr) and power a 32 inch samsung um32m5300 (1100wh total), you will need to generate around 1500wh of charge. here is a safe calculation for zone 4, 1500wh÷6.5h=230w (panel output needed), 230w÷0.6=383w (panel rating needed after no-tilt loss). so it would be safe to say five 100w panels or two 250w panels will power these items and charge your battery to a full 12.9v
Make sure you check the guage of the existing wire going from your converter to battery can handle the charge current. Its dependant on the length of run.
I installed a much smaller system into my truck for camping last summer. I still enjoy watching other installs to relive the thrill of the first install.
I am planning an off grid solar install for my rv and your video really helped me with the basics I'll need, great job. The one thing I might do different is mounting the fuse in one of the easier access areas in order to check it or change the fuse in the future. Thanks for the video!
Loved your excitement and enthusiasm at 22:40! Congratulations, I know the feeling as I just finished installing my solar system after reviewing your and everyone else’s UA-cam solar install videos.
David - thank you for this video series. We will be referencing this several times as we tackle this project ourselves. We seek to be independent as possible, and LOVE boondocking. We are full-time newbs and have found many of your vids excellent and fun to watch. But seriously tho man.. that SMILE at the end when it all worked was so awesome. Could totally feel the warmth of that ear-to-eat grin. Great job man!!!
Great job. I recommend covering the wires on the roof with a plastic split wire loom to protect them from ultraviolet exposure and keep the insulation from getting brittle over time. It will also protect them from squirrels and other critters from chewing on the wires.
Thanks Colin! That is a really good suggestion, however I'm not too worried about it since it is PV rated wire and is made specifically to handle UV exposure all day every day. Although that doesn't mean a rodent won't come along and chew them up...hm...
WTG! Made it look so easy...but we know different. So proud of you & wife. You remind me of my Grt Nephew.❤️😎
Very well done video. Thanks for being thorough. A lot of videos out there do not show the entire process. I appreciate you going through everything. I'm about to install a system on my RV and this helps a bunch.
Great tip to run wires down refrigerator vent. Plus gaining access to batteries by using the battery connections at the converter. My converter is right under my refrigerator. Making my install super easy. Super job of explaining each step. One tip though - If you do not connect the solar panels until the end of all the other connections required you would not have needed to cover the panels with cardboard. Other than that its a super explanation of your install. Thanks!!
I have just found this channel in recent days my wife and I are retired I'm medically retired and my wife retired after twenty years at a bank where we live in Alabama I enjoy the information you put out we are planning to start the RV life not full time but maybe a couple of weeks to begin and then hopefully months at a time I will continue to follow this channel it's very informative thanks to you both for putting out this information I hope it makes things a little easier for my wife and I see you on the road
Go Terry we have two rv s one in Florida one in indiana.you can do this .buy a used one there made better.
This is shurly a game changer now people Can help them self and that is very good
I think you did an excellent job on the install and agree, the documentation and narration was fantastic. The tilt brackets you made turned out very nice and I can really appreciate a nice clean install. I agree with you 100% on liberal use of Dicor and it will save you a lot of grief by doing it how you did. The great thing is in 10 years from now you can easily get it off and the fasteners will still look new. It was nice to enjoy your moment of triumph with you at the end. Even when you follow directions to a T it is still a pleasant surprise to see something fall into place. All the best to you and yours. Cheers friend.
When you make a tillable panel remember to have 4 eye bolts in the corners to be zip tie points to lock the panels flat when driving so any movement pulls on them and not the mounting hardware. Can use a piece of angle iron to the trailer/rv roof to screw into the studs and still let you move the panels right next to each other without losing any strength just put one or 2 washers between the metal and the roof at the points you bolt it down to prevent the metal from rubbing on the roof over time and to let the water out that would normally get trapped between.
You folks are awesome. Glad I found your site before I start my shuttle bus conversion.
Never thought of this kind of instal, way more simple. Just have to figure out if my converter will charge my new lithium battery
Nice work my man!!! That's amazing how you had fairly easy access to run wires. Great video!!!
GREAT JOB! I do not know much about solar installs but have seen a few UA-cam vids and never seen it done like that. It seems simple and straightforward.
Thank you! I'm not sure what you mean by them doing it differently. This is the only way I know how to install a complete RV solar and inverter system. What do you mean?
Fate Unbound
Well to be honest not sure just seemed a bit too simple compared to other videos that I have seen again this is coming from someone that’s just starting to learn how all this works. Thanks again you’re making it so much easier on learning how all this works!!
I'll take that as a compliment that I just made it look easy hahaha. Just kidding. Let me know if you've got any solar questions =)
Outstanding job!!! It looks AMAZING!!! I don't know if there is such a thing as too much Dicor RV sealant, so you certainly did it right. Thank you soooo much for sharing this.
That's what I call persistence and determination. Nice job! You can start your own RV solar system installation for sure.
Change out the twist on connectors to screw lug terminals sealed in a protected, fixed mounted bridged terminal strip. Road travel vibration will drop off the wire nuts. You don't want solar power shaking off terminals or splices unless you want a fire.
Great job! I would wrap some electrical tape around those wire nuts, they are designed for house use, not a vibrating vehicle. I don’t trust wing nuts either, nylock nuts would be a better option when going down the road at 60 mph.
Just my opinion.
Great job! Love the install!
in a house, wire nuts (and all connections, I believe) would never be allowed if they are not in a junction box. Tape around the nuts would not be an accepted replacement for a box in a house.
I guess the old saying you get what you pay for is true. Really enjoyedvideo . i have a palamino truck camper with the factory forced air heat /thermostat . i added a wave three and use it when i have no electrical hook up or if i need to conserve 12 volt. I have to admit the wave dose make some condensation but is a lot better than being cold if you are low on power.
Splicing into wiring from the fuse panel is going to trip up the chargers readings and possibly over charger your batteries, especially while anything running through that fuse panel is running. You should think about fully finishing this install by running the charger wires straight to the battery bank, to extend the life of your setup.
The charge line from the converter runs directly to the battery so whether you connect at the load center or the battery is the same net effect, I build RVs for a living in electrical and our solar preps just tie into the same charge line at the mini breakers under the front of the unit.
Great job of install of solar panel and wire runs. Wish i watched this first. I ran all new wire to the battery, I did not think to tap into converter like you did. Keep up the good work!
+Mark Assante Thank you! Yeah I got kindof lucky because I was also going to run new wire all the way to the batteries but while I was looking over the electrical panel while I was preparing it dawned on me that there were leads directly from the battery running into the DC panel I could tap into. Saved me a decent amount of time and some money on wire.
I actually laughed when you got it excited it was working. I know that feeling - the one where something does what you hoped the first time after a long days work. It's pretty exciting.
great job!
I have watched many rv solar videos
Yours is the best!
I have installed several rv systems but wasn't sure about the right whole system way - you helped me to understand the whole picture!
thank you so much!
Good job on installing the solar panels! I like how you did it by making your own brackets.
Good video. I would just add that wire nuts are subject to vibration, so I would have taped them with electrical tape so they can’t “unscrew” behind a panel while you’re driving. Either that or use a splice kit or other “crimp” mechanism that can’t come undone so easily. Otherwise, good show!
Si original feeling, is working!! Love it
Hey thanks, nice DIY video! Explained well, and camera work was really good.
Great video. Loved your excitement once it was working at the end. Nice Job, Sir and Ma'am.
I agree wire nuts, especially those left untapped can work loose and short, potentially causing a catastrophic fire. There are better and safer methods to connect multiples wires together, like a bus bar kit with multiple circuit locations and a grounding bar. Nice info so far 👍🏽
System 1 consists of 3 RV batteries.
550 watts on roof split into 2) 10 gauge insulated wires.
6 plugin solar wheel.
50 amp Solar controller
3000 watt inverter.
Plug outlet right off inverter that the trailer plugs into.
Never is there a switching problem.
The trailer shore power cord has to be physically plugged in and un plugged from the inverter.
Second cabin system.
55 watt solar panel.
30 amp solar charger
1 AGM RV battery.
It is good to have a split system.
The RV converter can charge the cabin battery without creating a power loop.
100 watt panel should give at best 5.78 amps in perfect sunshine conditions.
Very nice install. That's quite a complete system you have planned. Looking forward to seeing the complete setup.
+RV Habit Thanks! Yeah we went pretty much all out for our solar setup. We may even get a fold out expansion panel in the future since we have actually ran low on battey more than once when we went 3 or 4 days of clouds in a row. A bigger lithium battery bank would be fantastic but another battery would cost a lot.
Keep in mind the shade from your tree is blocking a bit of the panels . Great to see it is working .
Great Video on RV Solar Install! This is the best instructional video I have ever seen on any topic! Thank you for your video work.
I mounted a 5000 watt diesel generator to the roof instead of the solar panels but basically the same setup as yours.
“It’s working,Yes!!” Thats the way I feel when I change a light bulb. Haha. I’m about to tackle a solar system about three times this big. I’m a bit worried.
Awesome video. You have given me the confidence to tackle on my rv solar panel project.
Great video. Loads of info.
People always get worried about drilling or cutting... (you should be)
But five in, it's an adventure, where making discovery's here.
nice job
might suggest a frame bonding wire connecting the solar panel to a dc frame ground fuse can never be to sure just in case a panel shorts and can catch fire
Great video , but wire nuts are not good . Solder or crimp on connectors. Liquid electric tape works great to water proof or
cover connctions.
Wow Fate (that's the name I see above. Forgot real name), I paused with 10 minutes left to say THANKS for fast forwarding!! We get the idea without the painful every bit of detail. Also, I'm binge watching not in order, but I remember y'all saying the original inverter/converter didn't work. Ok, I keep watching now...
you can put wind generator when rv movie you will make power and you can put flex solar panel make shade and make power
Great video ! Extremely thorough and well narrated. Doing this install was a major project in itself and documenting it with video as you did is that much more noteworthy ..... my hat's off to you. I wish I was as comfortable as you were up on the roof that close to the edge. Now for Part 2 :-)
Thank you! I did my best to show every step and explain it as clearly as I could so that anyone else doing a solar install on their RV would have a good step by step resource.
It has been two years but there are a couple of extra things that you could have done to make it better.
You could have put the wires on the roof inside some conduit to protect them from the elements.
You could have put split tubing inside the car and especially on the parts that the wires can rub.
You didn't need to use the wire nuts and cut the cables to splice. Adding some ring terminals and connecting them to the fuse box would have done the same.
To add the fuse you added an extra cut to the wire. You should have taken the end of your positive cable from the original cable nut to start from the fuse cable.
I hope it is still working great for you. Nice video.
You did an awesome job! This was an excellent video and answered a lot of questions for me! I know your dad is so very proud of you!
thank you so much brother great easy perfect explain video!! you two are pure magic!!
This is a excellent video. Completely detailed, showing everything.
Nice video job and great tutorial. I did the exact same thing on my class B pleasureway but used flat flexible lightweight solar panels that were glued to the roof. Yes I did not want the tilt feature since I don't need that much power efficiency and too avoid any visibility. They are totally flush to the roof without drilling holes. Have not fallen off at high speeds or bad weather for the last 4 years. You need more than one battery by the way.
We thought about the flexible panels also, they are a great option! We have two 200Ah lithium iron phosphate batteries wired in parallel for 400Ah total battery bank capacity. Part 3 of this install series shows them and installing them.
Just FYI... flexible panels have there adv and disadvantages. The output is not as efficient as rigid glass panels and I don't think they will last 20 years like hard panels can. But boy are they lightweight and easy to install. Just glue and wire.
So happy it worked for you!
Great video. I think it would have been easier (for future use) to access the inline fuse you installed if you had put it in the outside access panel behind the refrigerator rather than behind the converter.
Very good but did you bypass the converter? There are only two wires in the wire nuts for each circuit to the batteries.
By far the BEST solar video on UA-cam, hands down. Thanks for the great video, and thanks for being real, not "WHAAAATS UP GUYYYYYYYS!!!! like many others on here. Will be copying everything you did here on my new Jayco next week when we take delivery. Can't wait!
Just a idea 4 the future, with that hefty bumper, I would build a rack that used it as a base, and put the panels on a tubular part where you could rotate them,.
Nice clean install. Done well!!! Critical mistake when connecting power into the main power of rig... should place electrical tape on wirenuts if you use them like that ... arguable should have done the splice in a junction box for safety reasons.
I second putting tape on the wire nuts, especially since you have vibration when the coach is moving, which can cause the wire nuts to loosen.
Great video, can't wait to see part 2 & 3. I bet you wont find any other wirenuts on your trailer -they'll work themselves loose over time. Better to replace with pre-insulated crimp-on connectors. Great video editing also, 25 minute video flew by like it was 10 minutes. Keep up the great work & awesome videos!
+Moto Tigger Hm, good point. If I get in there and re-do the connections (which it sounds like I should now) I may as well just solder the wires together. Thanks for the heads up! And thanks for the compliments that means a lot to us!
I had the same thought. Could you put ring connectors on each of the three ends and then just connect them all to each other?
Nicely done, both the videos and the install very well thought out
Thank you Brian, hopefully these videos are useful to anyone preparing to do a solar install on their RV!
Fate Unbound I found it useful. A good birds eye view of the install.
For safety you should have a kill switch between solar panels and charge controller. So you don't damage the panels or controller if you need repair or upgrades. Far easier than taping cardboard on the panels.
Great video, would have installed the 30A 12V positive fuse in the exterior fridge access door for easier access when in need of changing it vs. having to remove breaker panel. Excellent video editing step by step!! Happy trails!
Also install kill switch on positive lead near batteries on trailer tongue in order to prevent phantom discharge when batteries are full/hooked to shoreline??? or does the neg. shunt from charge monitor take care of that????Thoughts?? thnx
Just found your install video , great how to on the installation. One thing you should reconsider in the install, those wire nuts you used for the battery connection charging connections. This connection is a high current connection and you should consider lugs and a terminal strip to insure a more positive connection. Short of that go back and solder those wires together.
Thanks for the recommendation John. I have since removed the wire nuts and gone with crimp connections that wont vibrate loose. Soldering would definitely be the best way to go in my opinion, but it was difficult enough just getting a crimp tool in some of those locations, let alone a soldering iron.
Nice job on the insulation
Awesome video dude best one I’ve found yet ‼️‼️‼️thanks
When the panels are not tilted you may want to park heading east-ish. That way the last panel is less likely to be shaded by the A/C.
Great how-to video! I love your reaction when you finished and saw it working.
Generally you don't want to hook your panels up to the controller before the controller is hooked to the batteries. You can fry the controller.
Best video yet on solar installation. I wondered about tying into the battery wire at the distribution panel. Your the only one I've seen do the obvious thing. My camper has a power panel/converter/and charger already wired in along with the transfer controller since I have a generator. The battery cables come out of the distribution panel like yours. My question is: do you think I can still spice into the positive battery cable given the above set up already wire in? I will fuse this line as you did. I watched the third video and will have to run a negative cable to a shunt for a DC digital multi-function meter. I would value your input on this question. Don't like the idea of running ANOTHER positive cable to the battery box. Thanks in advance and really admire your methodical skill of explaining this installation. Your wife and you make a brilliant couple.
Greetings, I have been mobile for 20 years and have come to find wire nuts come apart as we bounce down the road. You can find wire block terminals at any Home Depot. Your wire is screwed in place. I would hate to see you have to take apart all those panels or worse yet short out. Cheers, Terry
Surely the best how to vid. on solar. And I've watched many son. Loved the JOY you felt when you saw the power coming in. I hope I have that same feeling when I install mine. Thanx to you - I feel confident I can do this. Been a sub. for awhile. All yer vids. are good. Fine job - fine job.
Nicely done. Thanks for making the video.
Thx for excellent “how to” video! Love your joy at its completion!
Great JOB, your step by step was very explained..........again.........great job!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you I appreciate it!
thank you so much for this video!!!!!!!!! haha im sure you hear that alot. 98 degrees? i wish. im watching this about to tackle my system in 20degreesF here we go!
I’m thinking that soon we will see RV manufacturing offering factory installed mounting rails on RV roofs.
Looking at your shore powe battery connections it looked like both the positive and negative sides had an empty lug connection. If so, it would have been better to tie in there instead of cutting the battery leads. As for the #10 size wire, that really isn't a problem. #10 is rated for 30 amps. At 12 volts that would mean that your panels would need to be in the 400 watt range. Despite a panels rating, we seldom see 100% of the power out so even if you got 75% of it, the #10 would be fine.
I had this Exact same idea for the mounting brackets. I love the home made engineering. So Awesome!!!
What a great job. I'll watch video a few more times and attempt to do my class A.
Really love this vid! Very informative.
Did you consider tilting the panels the other way? We typically try to orient our rig so the door faces north to maximize shade on the door side.
You worked hard and did a great job
Cool video on how not to wire an RV
Great job Fate Unbound !
Liked/Subscribed.... Your satisfaction on completing this job was a joy to see !
Thank you! This was quite an undertaking so I was incredibly happy when it was all finished and working properly.
Impressive and pretty clever.
Awesome job! I have no idea how you all know how to do all this stuff!
Very helpful video, best one found!!!
Fantastic videos young man. I just bought a Forest River Rockwood Geo Pro 19FBS, No Solar. One of the upgrades in my list is to Upgrade it with a solar system. Inside on a wall it has a template/image of the Go Power 30A Controller. I assume there are wires behind. Comments and recommendations are welcome
Wonderful SOLAR pkg
Nice work, and a good job filming it all.
I need to do this on our travel trailer.
We upgraded our single 12 volt battery to two NAPA 6 volt golf cart batteries wired together, giving us a very robust 12 volt battery, with plenty of spare power.
I found an excellent battery box on e-bay that perfectly accommodates the 2 golf cart batteries.
I’m looking forward to the next videos of your install.
Best Of Luck
The videos are already out, you can view all our solar related videos on our playlist here: ua-cam.com/play/PLX4AHF_XaLMWKDH302EOmgoXGP0vtbHJ5.html
Excellent video. Thanks for sharing. With your lithium batteries, what did you do with the tow vehicle battery line at the trailer umbilical? Normally that connects to the trailer 12V bus to keep the battery charged while driving. Seems to me it wouldn't be ideal for the Li batteries to be connected to the tow vehicle batteries while driving due to the (slight) charging voltage mis-match.