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Topic ClosedInstalling a Renogy 100 watt Suitcase solar Panel
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Rustler View Drop Down
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Posts: 100 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: Installing a Renogy 100 watt Suitcase solar Panel
    Posted: 17 Mar 2017 at 3:46am
Originally posted by john in idaho

I don't have a solar setup yet.   One thing that concerns me is theft.  Have you thought up any solutions?

While it would be hard to deter a determined thief, I have taken actions to discourage an easy theft of my solar panel. While I could have tied a vicious pit-bull to the solar panel, I'll try to describe what I did instead.

On the frame of the solar panel I installed a stainless steel flanged loop held on by security screws. Such screws can only be tightened (clockwise) using a flat blade screwdriver. The security screw has no purchase for the screwdriver to turn it in the opposite direction. It is strictly clockwise tightening only. Threaded onto the screws on the inside side of the frame, there are nuts and lock washers. These are situated behind an L-shaped aluminum extrusion that blocks wrench access to the nuts. So while the security screws can easily be tightened up to secure the loop, they would be almost impossible to remove.

The stainless steel loop is used as an attachment point for a stainless steel cable (of suitable length) that is attached to the trailer frame or other non moveable object. The cable is attached to the solar panel by a standard padlock. Each end of the cable has permanently formed loops. I had this cable made at a local marine supply hardware store. They were able swage the loops on each end without charge. I just paid for the hardware. They make up cables like this for such things as guy lines for sailboat masts.

The solar panel is thus locked to a cable securely attached to the trailer. So someone just walking by couldn't easily grab the panel and run. Of course someone using a bolt cutter or hacksaw could, given enough time, defeat the whole scheme. But with everything out in public view that would be less likely.

It took quite a bit of contortion to get the nuts and lock washers (located behind the extrusion) to thread onto the security screws. But it can be done with effort. Once threaded on, the whole assembly tightens up quickly and easily. This is particularly so once the lock washers begin to grip the nuts.


I'll try to get some photos showing the security loop and how the cable is secured to the trailer frame and the solar panel. Such details are hard to describe in words. I hope this writeup will be of use to those wanting to provide a bit of anti-theft security for their solar panel.
Russ
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Posts: 611 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Mar 2017 at 9:51am
I don't have a solar setup yet.   One thing that concerns me is theft.  Have you thought up any solutions?
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Posts: 100 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 Mar 2017 at 11:59pm
Originally posted by Dromsie

I too have a Renogy panel, mine has the controller mounted to the panel.  I called Renogy and they were pretty firm on not exceeding the 10 ft wire length between the controller and the battery.  Given the Zamp connector is at the rear of the trailer, I'm assuming I will be far greater than the 10 ft length and thus may experience voltage drop that causes my batteries to charge at the wrong voltage.  Here are my 3 questions:

1). Can I use a multimeter when the panel is hooked up to verify the actual voltage at the battery being sent by the panel?  If so, what is this value?

2). Can the settings on the controller be changed to compensate for the longer wire between the controller and the batteries?  Ideally I would like to keep the controller on the panel and have at least a 10 ft wire (so probably 20-25ft total with the wire run from the Zamp connector to the battery).  If this is possible, does anyone know what the longest total run I can have is?

3). If #2 isn't possible, seems to me the best solution is to disconnect the controller from the panel and mount inside the Pod with the input coming from the Zamp and the output going to the battery and being roughly 10 ft.

Do I have this correct?

Thanks, 

Seth



Seth, I would think the worse that would happen is that the voltage seen at the battery would be a bit less than the control would like. But as the charge current drops toward zero the voltage difference would become less and less. It might take a bit longer to get the battery to full charge. But it would eventually get to the same fully charged state.

As for your questions:
  1. You would need a multimeter at both locations to see voltage at controller and at the battery simultaneously. This would show if they weren't the same. A better way would be to connect one of a multimeter's probes to the plus output of the controller. Connect the other multimeter probe to the the battery plus. This will show the voltage drop in the plus charge wire. There would be the same voltage drop in the negative wire. So the total drop would be twice what you read in one wire. It should start out highest with a large charge current, dropping to zero as the charge current approaches zero with battery fully charged.
  2. That would be something the controller company could answer. But they already told you 10 feet is the maximum. I would just try it the way it is and see how it works to keep your battery topped up. In general the shorter your wires are the better. But any length of wire will work to some degree. It just won't be optimum if too long. As an example I have used my solar panel with a 75-foot 10-gauge cable between solar panel and charge controller. It works just fine, though some power is being lost in that long wire run. But the controller being near the battery is reading the voltage being supplied by panel and (long) wiring. The controller then does what is appropriate given the voltage being supplied. Now my controller is a maximum power point tracking unit. I believe the Zamp controller is a pulse width modulating unit. So it might behave a bit differently.
  3. In my view the best would be having the controller near the battery. That way the controller will already be accounting for any voltage drop between solar panel and controller. It would then be close to the battery, reading its voltage more accurately and controlling the charge current appropriately. But I would still try it the way it is and see how that works. Another option is to replace the wires with larger gauge wire from Zamp port to battery. That would make less voltage drop. But that sounds like a lot of hassle and expense which might be unnecessary. 
Lets us know how it works for you.

Russ
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Posts: 29 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 Mar 2017 at 5:42pm
I too have a Renogy panel, mine has the controller mounted to the panel.  I called Renogy and they were pretty firm on not exceeding the 10 ft wire length between the controller and the battery.  Given the Zamp connector is at the rear of the trailer, I'm assuming I will be far greater than the 10 ft length and thus may experience voltage drop that causes my batteries to charge at the wrong voltage.  Here are my 3 questions:

1). Can I use a multimeter when the panel is hooked up to verify the actual voltage at the battery being sent by the panel?  If so, what is this value?

2). Can the settings on the controller be changed to compensate for the longer wire between the controller and the batteries?  Ideally I would like to keep the controller on the panel and have at least a 10 ft wire (so probably 20-25ft total with the wire run from the Zamp connector to the battery).  If this is possible, does anyone know what the longest total run I can have is?

3). If #2 isn't possible, seems to me the best solution is to disconnect the controller from the panel and mount inside the Pod with the input coming from the Zamp and the output going to the battery and being roughly 10 ft.

Do I have this correct?

Thanks, 

Seth
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Posts: 18 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Mar 2017 at 3:14am
Nice! I did something very similar!  Have a couple of Renogy 100W "suitcases" with and without controllers as well as a flexible panel. I replaced all the MC4's with 15-30A sized Anderson Powerpoles as they are easier for the family to figure out and disconnect... color coded and non-locking.  Everyone understands red-to-red, black-to-black, and you can't mate them backwards anyways.  Also allows for easy paralleling of a 2nd suitcase.   I left the renogy controller on the one suitcase but never use it--good for charging external batteries via clips or other uses tho.  We have a 177 and another small trailer each with their own Morningstar charge controller inside the electrical compartments (under the driver's side dining area seat box in the 177).  I used Marinco's 2-wire trolling motor plug and receptacle on both trailers. (They also make 3 and 4 wire ones).  Just mounted it thru the wall on the drivers side of the Pod so the wires go right into the dining seat box.  The flap is waterproof when closed and actually so is the plug via an o-ring.  Very small and clean installation.  The plug end does leave the solar voltage exposed but it's not enough to worry about.  We can always plug it in first, then connect the solar-end of the cable to the panel as powerpoles are insulated in both directions at all times.  As for the cable, I found 10 or 12ga duplex brake cable worked well--cause I already had some.  It looks like romex, is just as lightweight, is rugged, yet is stranded and rolls up cleanly.  Easy to make custom lengths for various applications. SJOOW would work too of course.  I didn't run the charger output straight to the battery, rather to the load side of the meter shunt in the power area so I can see the (negative) system current which is my solar output.  2 GC2's for batteries up front.  As you've found, 100W should be enough with good sun and conservative usage. Can always add more! I would like to sometime put a small panel up top just for floating it in the driveway.

https://powerwerx.com/anderson-power-powerpole-sb-connectors
http://www.marinco.com/en/products/connect/trolling-systems/2-wire
http://www.wiringproducts.com/duplex-brake-cable
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Posts: 100 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Jan 2017 at 10:25pm
Originally posted by bob-Pod

Make sure you use a volt meter to verify which connector on the pod is positive and which is negative.  

I set up the output wire of my renogy suitcase so I could plug and play into the zamp port.  Being aware of the extra wire length to the zamp connector to the battery,  I also hooked up hooked up connectors at my batteries.  If the sun is to the rear and I am in the shade, I will use the zamp port.  If the sun is closer to the front I connect at the batteries.


That's a good move. You get the best of both port locations.
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Posts: 100 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Jan 2017 at 10:21pm
Originally posted by bigcat

Originally posted by Hayduke

Originally posted by bigcat

Bluecatjudy, I love the idea of using the solar port already installed on newer pods. I've read that the Zamp port that's installed on my 2017 179 has a proprietary conector. Did you have any issues wiring the solar panel to the preinstalled port?
Thanks!


Not proprietary.  It is a simple SAE 2-pin connector.  You can find them just about anywhere that sells auto/RV electrical supplies.

Awesome! So all I would need to do is splice an SAE 2-pin conncetor on the end of a solar extension cord and it plug it into the solar port on the side of my pod, right?
Thanks!
Ty


The biggest problem with the Zamp solar port is that it is (unnecessarily) located very far from the battery. Unless the wiring is of very large gauge there will be a lot of voltage and power loss. I don't see why they didn't locate the port near to the battery. There's no reason they couldn't have done so. Also the SAE connector isn't the best for low voltage loss. Powerpole is much better.

Of course this doesn't mean the Zamp port won't work. But I would be tempted to move the port nearer to the battery.
Russ
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Posts: 16 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Jan 2017 at 9:29pm
You can get the SAE connector with 10 gauge wire at amazon.  Don't get the 16 gauge.
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Posts: 16 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Jan 2017 at 9:25pm
Make sure you use a volt meter to verify which connector on the pod is positive and which is negative.  

I set up the output wire of my renogy suitcase so I could plug and play into the zamp port.  Being aware of the extra wire length to the zamp connector to the battery,  I also hooked up hooked up connectors at my batteries.  If the sun is to the rear and I am in the shade, I will use the zamp port.  If the sun is closer to the front I connect at the batteries.
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Posts: 51 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Jan 2017 at 3:37pm
Originally posted by Hayduke

Originally posted by bigcat

Bluecatjudy, I love the idea of using the solar port already installed on newer pods. I've read that the Zamp port that's installed on my 2017 179 has a proprietary conector. Did you have any issues wiring the solar panel to the preinstalled port?
Thanks!


Not proprietary.  It is a simple SAE 2-pin connector.  You can find them just about anywhere that sells auto/RV electrical supplies.

Awesome! So all I would need to do is splice an SAE 2-pin conncetor on the end of a solar extension cord and it plug it into the solar port on the side of my pod, right?
Thanks!
Ty
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