R-pod Owners Forum Homepage

This site is free to use.
Donations benefit a non-profit Girls Softball organization

Forum Home Forum Home > R-pod Discussion Forums > Reviews and General Information
  New Posts New Posts RSS Feed: solar panel
  FAQ FAQ  Forum Search   Calendar   Register Register  Login Login

Topic Closedsolar panel
 Post Reply Post Reply Page  12>
Author
Message Reverse Sort Order
  Share Topic Share Topic  Topic Search Topic Search  Topic Options Topic Options
birderdiane526 View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: 08 May 2016
Location: Texas
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 320 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: solar panel
    Posted: 02 Apr 2017 at 2:53pm
We also have the 100w Renogy portable solar panels with controller on it and that's worked out well. We changed the plug to an Anderson plug to match the outlet on the trailer. All has worked great!
Diane and Michael
2016 179 "PIP" (PODDING IN PARADISE)
2007 Toyota Tundra
BLOG:Podding in Paradise,
birderdiane526.blogspot.com
Back to Top
Tars Tarkas View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: 14 Jan 2013
Location: Near Nashville
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1447 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 Apr 2017 at 10:55am
Originally posted by furpod


You can add a solar port (SAE), or Anderson Power Coupler, or whatever. I added SAE because I had a couple.. The "kit" you show/link is for a hard mounted kit. These don't usually work well for a pod, since they don't have a lot of flat roof space.

Most use something like this: portable panel

That makes sense, but it's a lot more expensive than the one I picked.  Seems like a lot for foldability and some legs.

Anyway.... where do people mount the controller?  It seems it really needs to be inside the pod, not just protected from the rain.  They want it in a temperature controlled space.

TT
2010 176
FJ Cruiser
Back to Top
furpod View Drop Down
Moderator Group - pHp
Moderator Group - pHp
Avatar

Joined: 25 Jul 2011
Location: Central KY
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 6128 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 Apr 2017 at 7:12am
Originally posted by Tars Tarkas

So, anyone, what is needed other than this kit on Amazon? It comes with a controller.  I have no connector on my old pod.  Can this just be alligator-clipped to the battery?  (I'd probably wire a connector to the battery and run it out of the battery case for ease of use.)  Is that all there is too it?

Is this thing tough enough to be used by itself, or does it need to be mounted on a piece of plywood or something or can I just lean it up against a south facing tire?  How far from the battery can you get without compromising the power to the battery too much?  Any other considerations? 




You can add a solar port (SAE), or Anderson Power Coupler, or whatever. I added SAE because I had a couple.. The "kit" you show/link is for a hard mounted kit. These don't usually work well for a pod, since they don't have a lot of flat roof space.

Most use something like this: portable panel
Back to Top
bikeella View Drop Down
Newbie
Newbie
Avatar

Joined: 16 Mar 2017
Location: Pueblo West CO
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 17 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Apr 2017 at 7:43pm
Thanks Vann... thats a lot of good information. 
I was thinking as well that the port is quite  distance from the battery, but I want to make this as simple as possible so don't think I will be making any modifications. The more I read , the more I understand about the whole process. So hopefully I can make it work. I was going to buy the kit from amazon, but i wonder if i should buy the panel and then buy the controller with the LCD from Renogy. If I buy individual parts from Renogy, it's more expensive. They have the Wanderer controller for 49.00 and the Adventure controller from 89.00
Back to Top
Pod People View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member


Joined: 22 Sep 2011
Location: Chapel Hill,NC
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1078 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Apr 2017 at 2:33pm
We used the Renogy 100 watt suitcase system.  It worked great for keeping our 2 6volt golf cart batteries fully charged with about 4-5 hours  of sun. Here is the write up of our installation
http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=8194&title=installing-a-renogy-100-watt-suitcase-solar-panel

solar power is very useful when boon docking
Vann

Vann & Laura 2015 RPod 179
Back to Top
bikeella View Drop Down
Newbie
Newbie
Avatar

Joined: 16 Mar 2017
Location: Pueblo West CO
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 17 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Apr 2017 at 2:31pm
Okay, think I'm getting this. I talked to Renogy tech support. They said don't recommend attaching the controller to the panel and put inside RV. 
Guess I only need the MC4 cable to plug into the Zamp port and then into the controller. 
If I understand this correctly, the wire from the controller to the zamp port should be short as possible?
Does there need to be a fuse in this cable or is it already built into the zamp port connection to the battery?
Back to Top
bikeella View Drop Down
Newbie
Newbie
Avatar

Joined: 16 Mar 2017
Location: Pueblo West CO
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 17 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Apr 2017 at 1:22pm
been looking more into this on renogy website and amazon. 
On the Renogy website the kit contains:
This solar kit comes with the tools necessary for a new system: one Renogy 100W 12V Poly/ Mono Solar Panel, one 30A PWM Wanderer Charge Controller, one 20ft 10AWG MC4 Adaptor Kit, one 8ft 10AWG Tray Cable, and one set of Z-brackets. Start your solar adventure with a Renogy Starter Kit.
So, with the z brackets I could attach the controller to the panel. 
connect the two with the 20 ft 10 awg (which wouldn't have to be that long)
The tray cables attach to battery, but since I have the zamp port, what would I use to connect the controller to the zamp port??
Also amazon has a choice of two PWM controllers, one is LCD and is cheaper. Why would that be, would LCD be better? 
Back to Top
Tars Tarkas View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: 14 Jan 2013
Location: Near Nashville
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1447 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Apr 2017 at 10:08am
So, anyone, what is needed other than this kit on Amazon? It comes with a controller.  I have no connector on my old pod.  Can this just be alligator-clipped to the battery?  (I'd probably wire a connector to the battery and run it out of the battery case for ease of use.)  Is that all there is too it?

Is this thing tough enough to be used by itself, or does it need to be mounted on a piece of plywood or something or can I just lean it up against a south facing tire?  How far from the battery can you get without compromising the power to the battery too much?  Any other considerations? 


2010 176
FJ Cruiser
Back to Top
bikeella View Drop Down
Newbie
Newbie
Avatar

Joined: 16 Mar 2017
Location: Pueblo West CO
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 17 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Apr 2017 at 9:57am
thanks furpod... is this what i need?
https://www.amazon.com/Renogy-Watts-Volts-Monocrystalline-Bundle/dp/B01MZ5G6ZT/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1491058196&sr=8-5&keywords=renogy%2B100%2Bwatt%2Bsolar%2Bpanel&th=1
is 100 watt okay for the 12 volt battery? any advantage to getting more watts?
Back to Top
furpod View Drop Down
Moderator Group - pHp
Moderator Group - pHp
Avatar

Joined: 25 Jul 2011
Location: Central KY
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 6128 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Apr 2017 at 9:16am
You need a panel, a controller, and a matching connection. The connection is called "SAE". Any brand of panel and controller will work fine. Up to you what brand you trust, and/or want to pay for. Renogy kits from Amazon are popular.
Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply Page  12>

Forum Jump Forum Permissions View Drop Down

Bulletin Board Software by Web Wiz Forums® version 9.64
Copyright ©2001-2009 Web Wiz