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 > I need HELP!!!
  New Posts New Posts RSS Feed: battery cables
  FAQ FAQ  Forum Search   Calendar   Register Register  Login Login

Topic Closedbattery cables

 Post Reply Post Reply Page  <12
Author
Message
offgrid View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member


Joined: 23 Jul 2018
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 5290
Direct Link To This Post Topic: battery cables
    Posted: 29 Jul 2021 at 8:50pm
You don't need to buy a brand name solar kit at all. Any nominal 12V solar module will work for you if you want to add solar charging. Get a glass/aluminum frame module if you want it to last. The so-called flexible modules aren't, the solar cells are brittle crystalline silicon and will eventually break.

You will also need a charge controller, a simple pulse width modulated (PWM) type is fine. Those are electronic devices so it's good to get something of decent quality. I personally like Morningstar controllers but you could also look at the reviews on Amazon and pick one with good ratings.

You need to get one that has a current rating in amps higher than the full sun current rating of the solar module you are buying.

You dont need to use the Zamp wires to connect it, in fact it's really better if you don't, you can just connect directly at the battery terminals which will reduce wiring losses. Either way, do add a fuse at the battery + terminal to protect the wiring in case you get a short. Use a fuse sized at least 1.6x higher than the solar module current rating and use wire sized appropriately (20A max for 12 gauge, 30 for 10 gauge, 40 for 8 gauge).

1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold
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