renoman69
Edmonton Alberta
Senior Member
Joined: 02/09/2009
View Profile
 Offline
|
Lots of good ideas HERE
2009 Jayco Eagle Superlite 25.5RKS
2008 Silverado 2500HD Z71 4x4 Duramax/Allison
Reese 15K slider
Honda EU2000I,
270 watts of Kyocera solar
Blue Sky 3024i MPPT controller
450 AHs of Trojan power
Iota DLS-75/IQ4 converter
|
smkettner
Southern California
Senior Member
Joined: 03/21/2005
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
|
I would crimp and heat shrink and skip the box unless the box is needed for an entry point.
If you will be adding panels you will need something that will come apart such as a wire nut or bus bar in the box.
2001 F150 SuperCrew
2006 Keystone Springdale 249FWBHLS
675 watts solar
Send a PM if I missed something
|
Mike Schriber
San Diego, CA
Senior Member
Joined: 10/29/2004
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
|
I love how some people just pop into the thread without reading what's been posted before (renoman69) or don't actually read the question at all (Almot). Quantity over quality seems to be the trend these days.
I decided to use the box smkettner specifically since I was planning on adding more panels. If there was an easy way to skip it I would but I can't think of a better solution if I'm going to need to add in more panels and connect additional wires. I guess I'll just use wire nuts to start and reevaluate in the future if I add more panels.
Thanks for the feedback!
Mike
2006 Damon Daybreak 3276 37' bunkhouse
2007 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Unlimited
SoCal Family Campers
|
CA Traveler
The Western States
Senior Member
Joined: 01/03/2004
View Profile
 Online
|
Mike Schriber wrote:I love how some people just pop into the thread without reading what's been posted before (renoman69) or don't actually read the question at all (Almot). Quantity over quality seems to be the trend these days.
I decided to use the box smkettner specifically since I was planning on adding more panels. If there was an easy way to skip it I would but I can't think of a better solution if I'm going to need to add in more panels and connect additional wires. I guess I'll just use wire nuts to start and reevaluate in the future if I add more panels.
I agree that the box is a good solution for future updates. It may not be needed for serial panels. Use wiring from the box to the controller that's adequate for future updates.
I did read your posts but don't always remember details of prior posts. But you are right in that it's common to post w/o reading everyting and to also post opinions or information that reflects the posters experience but not the OPs situation. But most posts are well intentioned and trying to help.
I will suggest that by singling out someone as in your post doesn't always create good will.
2009 Holiday Rambler 42 Scepter with ISL 400 Cummins
2004 Honda CR-V
Bob
|
Almot
Vancouver BC
Senior Member
Joined: 03/02/2010
View Profile
Offline
|
Mike Schriber wrote:One panel for now, probably more in the future. Everything will join up in a single gang junction box mounted to the roof.
You decided to use the box. This implies (normally) small bus-bar or a few terminal blocks. Which in turn eliminates the need in soldering and/or heat-shrinks or other methods of connection. Wire nuts are inferior, you can use them inside the box if you want, but then you will need stress relief nuts and with certain cable diameter wire nuts won't work well. Soldering and/or heat shrink is kind of permanent, no need to explain what this means, right? Maybe other posters can read between the lines better than me, but I'm still confused as to what your question on "interconnect" was about.
|
|
|
CA Traveler
The Western States
Senior Member
Joined: 01/03/2004
View Profile
Online
|
I agree on the use of the small buss bars available for electrical panels. I've seen them at HD.
|
2oldman
Wilson Creek WA
Senior Member
Joined: 04/15/2001
View Profile
Offline
|
Mike Schriber wrote:I love how some people just pop into the thread without reading what's been posted before (renoman69) or don't actually read the question at all (Almot). Happens a lot, along with providing completely wrong information. Not much different from talking with your buddies at the gas station.
|
Almot
Vancouver BC
Senior Member
Joined: 03/02/2010
View Profile
Offline
|
2oldman, the problem is - there is no standard solution for RV solar. That's why "buddies" posted their results in that link by Renoman above. A new user would read, analyze, ask for more info, get answers from the "buddies", learn something useful (hopefully) and accomplish something that would work. So far I've seen questions, mostly correct answers, and learning more through his own trial and error rather than those answers. Well, whatever works...
|
2oldman
Wilson Creek WA
Senior Member
Joined: 04/15/2001
View Profile
Offline
|
I was speaking more in general terms. Mike was being specific.
|
Mike Schriber
San Diego, CA
Senior Member
Joined: 10/29/2004
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
|
I know getting pissy is the wrong thing to do but sometimes it just gets to me. Renoman had a great link. It's the same one he posted earlier in the thread. Sigh. Almot, your post annoyed me because of it's tone and the fact it ignored my actual question about connecting the panels and the feedline (that's an interconnect). Everyone's later posts became much more helpful.
Anyway, I'm sorry for getting pissy. I have a lot of experience with solar (I have a 40KW installation on my building that I service all the time) but an RV installation is different (and each RV installation itself is different).
Mike
|
|
|
