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 > Podmods, Maintenance, Tips and Tricks
  New Posts New Posts RSS Feed: Connecting a 100 watt solar panel to Zamp port
  FAQ FAQ  Forum Search   Calendar   Register Register  Login Login

Topic ClosedConnecting a 100 watt solar panel to Zamp port
 Post Reply Post Reply Page  <1 7891011 14>
Author
Message Reverse Sort Order
  Share Topic Share Topic  Topic Search Topic Search  Topic Options Topic Options
sailor323 View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member


Joined: 11 Jun 2015
Location: S Central KY
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 281 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: Connecting a 100 watt solar panel to Zamp port
    Posted: 03 Jun 2016 at 1:23pm
It's not that difficult to mount the controller inside the pod.  
Back to Top
Don Halas View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member


Joined: 01 Jul 2015
Location: Connecticut
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 190 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Jun 2016 at 12:37pm
Moving forward with this.

I am considering doing this and running the solar output to a charge controller and directly to the battery forgoing the zamp connector. To do this I'll need to mount the charge controller inside the battery box or at least in a weatherproof enclosure close to the battery.

Because I'm always looking forward and hate re-doing things or wasting money I think I might want to replace the battery box (not the battery) with one large enough for a battery upgrade (the two in series 6volt golf cart type) and to mount the controller say in the lid.

Again, I intend to keep my current 12 volt battery, but would rather upsize the box now in anticipation of a battery upgrade in the future.

Does anyone have any opinion on the size of box I'd need to accommodate the battery upgrade and mounting a charge controller (in as of yet undetermined size) in the box?

As always thanks for feedback.
Back to Top
sailor323 View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member


Joined: 11 Jun 2015
Location: S Central KY
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 281 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Jun 2016 at 7:27am
Originally posted by Rustler

[QUOTE=WillThrill]

Does anyone know for sure what the wire gauge on that run? 16 gauge seems awfully light, especially for a solar charge connection with up to a 200 watt Zamp solar panel. Also is there any fuse on that run of wire? If not I would definitely add a fuse for electrical and fire safety.



The Zamp wires on our 2016 179 are 10 ga wires.  Yes, they should be fused!
Back to Top
Rustler View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: 07 May 2016
Location: S. Oregon Coast
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 100 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Jun 2016 at 2:45am
Originally posted by WillThrill

Originally posted by Don Halas

Just curious, but I'm guessing that using an SAE plug you could use the Zamp plug as a DC source.

Yes, you could easily use the Zamp port as a 12 volt power source.  Keep in mind that the wire running the 20' or so is just 16 gauge, so I wouldn't recommend pulling more than 10 amps or 120 watts through it.  All you need to plug into it is a universal 2-way connector.  You could then wire this into a 12 volt socket adapter that you could then plug almost anything you wanted in to (i.e. USB charger, small fan, lights, etc.).

Willthrill if that wire connection is just 16 gauge, I really would be very reluctant use more than 2-3 amps. To run 10 amps at 12.5 volts through 16 gauge wire for 20 feet would give a voltage drop of 1.6 volts (less than 11 volts at the load). 10 amps would work, but not very efficiently. And there is the risk of overheating the wiring.

The following link gives a nice, convenient voltage drop calculator:


Running 2 amps for 20 feet on 16 gauge wire gives a more reasonable voltage drop of just 0.3 volts (less than 3%).

Does anyone know for sure what the wire gauge on that run? 16 gauge seems awfully light, especially for a solar charge connection with up to a 200 watt Zamp solar panel. Also is there any fuse on that run of wire? If not I would definitely add a fuse for electrical and fire safety.
Russ
2009 Toyota RAV4
V6 w/ tow package
2016 Rpod 171 HRE
Back to Top
WillThrill View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: 04 Jul 2014
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 298 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 Jun 2016 at 2:23pm
Originally posted by Don Halas

Just curious, but I'm guessing that using an SAE plug you could use the Zamp plug as a DC source.

Yes, you could easily use the Zamp port as a 12 volt power source.  Keep in mind that the wire running the 20' or so is just 16 gauge, so I wouldn't recommend pulling more than 10 amps or 120 watts through it.  All you need to plug into it is a universal 2-way connector.  You could then wire this into a 12 volt socket adapter that you could then plug almost anything you wanted in to (i.e. USB charger, small fan, lights, etc.).
"Not all those who wander are lost." Tolkien

2014 Hood River 177
2005 GMC Envoy XL
Back to Top
Don Halas View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member


Joined: 01 Jul 2015
Location: Connecticut
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 190 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 Jun 2016 at 8:52am
Just curious, but I'm guessing that using an SAE plug you could use the Zamp plug as a DC source.
Back to Top
WillThrill View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: 04 Jul 2014
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 298 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 31 May 2016 at 4:46pm
Originally posted by sailor323

Originally posted by Rustler


Another note - when testing the solar panel I tried using battery power on the refrigerator. It was already cold from using shore power. When I switched to battery operation for the refer. the battery voltage stayed almost constant. So in full sun the solar panel could keep up with refrigerator use. I doubt it could do as well as with propane or 120 VAC. But it's an option. 


I have kept the fridge on 12v sometimes in order to conserve propane (I have 280 watts worth of solar power).  Beware that the fridge needs 11 amps when running, that's 132 watts.   Depending on ambient temperature, the fridge runs at least one half the time--mine runs about 3/4 of the time.  Consider, though, that the panel only produces 100 watts when conditions are ideal and then only for a short time.  While the battery may deliver a fairly constant voltage under load and while being charged, it is important to remember that the current delivered to the battery/load is more important than voltage when charging the battery.  I would not count on a 100 watt panel to keep up with the needs of the fridge.
Here's an interesting video https://www.altestore.com/video/what-can-i-power-with-a-100w-solar-panel-v69/

I completely agree.

Propane is too cheap and effective to not use to keep the refrigerator going.  The payback period for investment necessary to reliably run it exclusively on solar would be far into the future.  At today's prices, I can refill a 20# propane tank locally for around $12.  A single 100 watt solar panel from Renogy is $150 + tax, which is around thirteen tanks of propane.  You'd have to be practically living in your Pod for it to be financially worthwhile to go solar for the fridge.
"Not all those who wander are lost." Tolkien

2014 Hood River 177
2005 GMC Envoy XL
Back to Top
Leo B View Drop Down
podders Helping podders - pHp
podders Helping podders - pHp
Avatar

Joined: 13 Jan 2012
Location: Lyndonville, VT
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 4508 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 31 May 2016 at 10:33am
Ditto!
Leo & Melissa Bachand
2017 Ford F150
2021 Vista Cruiser 19 csk
Previously owned
2015 Rpod 179
2010 Rpod 171
Back to Top
Don Halas View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member


Joined: 01 Jul 2015
Location: Connecticut
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 190 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 31 May 2016 at 10:16am
Nice work Rustler.

Great attention to detail through and through.
Back to Top
sailor323 View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member


Joined: 11 Jun 2015
Location: S Central KY
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 281 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 31 May 2016 at 10:05am
Originally posted by Rustler


Another note - when testing the solar panel I tried using battery power on the refrigerator. It was already cold from using shore power. When I switched to battery operation for the refer. the battery voltage stayed almost constant. So in full sun the solar panel could keep up with refrigerator use. I doubt it could do as well as with propane or 120 VAC. But it's an option. 


I have kept the fridge on 12v sometimes in order to conserve propane (I have 280 watts worth of solar power).  Beware that the fridge needs 11 amps when running, that's 132 watts.   Depending on ambient temperature, the fridge runs at least one half the time--mine runs about 3/4 of the time.  Consider, though, that the panel only produces 100 watts when conditions are ideal and then only for a short time.  While the battery may deliver a fairly constant voltage under load and while being charged, it is important to remember that the current delivered to the battery/load is more important than voltage when charging the battery.  I would not count on a 100 watt panel to keep up with the needs of the fridge.
Here's an interesting video https://www.altestore.com/video/what-can-i-power-with-a-100w-solar-panel-v69/
Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply Page  <1 7891011 14>

Forum Jump Forum Permissions View Drop Down

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