Solar Questions

I haven’t done this particular install but the most challenging part is always properly installing the module on the RV roof. The electrical is easy once you find the wires in the location for the controller which by several accounts from other owners are not labeled.

I think the go power kit uses z brackets to attach the module, which is good as it allows cooling airflow underneath. You’ll need to know what you’re attaching to on the roof structure, you can get several hundred lbs of wind uplift. There are some good videos showing how the original smaller rpod roofs are made but I’m not sure they apply to the newer larger rpods. Here is one FWIW:

https://youtu.be/vMXneKc_fDo

There’s no harm done putting a fuse on the solar side of the controller, so go for it if you want. Just sayin’ you don’t have to. While the “waterproof” Renogy controllers are rated to IP67, which includes testing for short water immersions up to 1 meter, the terminals themselves aren’t protected so adding an additional box isn't going to hurt either.

I think you’ve done a great job on you solar system and it should work well for you,

Looks nice! Should work out well, and you can always increase the length of the wires to the battery if you find you need more length to get the solar panel into the sun.

I assume you mean the rPod frame when you say you are attaching the controller to the frame with magnets? Nothing else is made of steel I don’t Think. Did you glue the magnets to the controller?

Also, it won’t hurt anything that you have made the 15A fuse there but for future reference for others its not really needed. Solar modules are current limited and won’t produce enough current to blow the fuse anyway, unless you have 3 or more in parallel. You do need the fuse at the battery because it can produce hundreds of amps.

If you connect the solar system at the battery then the fuse in the panel doesn’t protect the wires. If you were to get a short on those wires hundreds of amps would flow from the battery into the short and cook off the wires.

You don’t need a fuse on the solar side of the controller at all because if those wires get shorted nothing happens except that you stop charging. Unlike a battery, the solar module short circuit current (called Isc and should be listed on the module label) is current limited by the amount of sunshine on the module to only about 10% more than the normal max power current (Imp) so the fuse wouldn’t blow anyway. Try it sometime. With the module disconnected from the controller short its two output leads together. All you’ll get is a little spark when you make or break the connection, the wires and the solar module will be fine. Just don’t try that with the battery leads unless you like electrical fires or exploding batteries.

Only if you had 3 or more solar modules wired in parallel would you need fuses for them to keep current from 2 or more solar modules from backfeeding into the shorted one.

I read Offgrid's comment to mean a fuse between the solar panel and the battery. (Is there any reason this can't be done at the solar panel end?)

The battery's wiring already connects to a circuit breaker in the power distribution box.