100 Watt Renogy Foldoing Solar Suitcase for an electrical dummy?

DU

Durango1

Senior Member
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Mar 29, 2012
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540
You folks have been kind and patient on some of my other queries so here goes:

Sioux and I bought our Flatbed Hawk last year thinking I would "add" solar. Not realistic since I literally failed my high school electricity class 45 years ago. And I've successfully navigated life since without understanding the relationship between volts/ watts/ amps, etc. (Not to mention "ohms"!)

NOTE: With the wisdom of looking back I just wish I had ordered the factory panels that are installed on top of my unit. Oh well...

So I'm looking for idiot proof portable solar to top off our dual factory batteries when we stay parked more than one day. (Which is rare.) I know it may not be state of the art but what do you folks think about this foldable portable solar panel for a simple solution?

I'd like to eventually install the Trimetric stuff to get a better handle on what's happening with my batteries. But meanwhile can't I just plug the solar panel above in? And what plug does FWC install on their units at the back of the camper? Will this one fit it? And if it does are there any other things I need to change on the wiring?

Thanks in advance from the Solar Dunce!

Steve

PS I'll post my interior cabinet modifications ... when I can figure out how to do it.
 
Looks simple to hook up. Yes just hook it to to the battery and you are set. Did I miss something or does the panel come with alligator clamps? Just cut off these and use butt splices and put on the connector you need. If you have to run wires inside the camper to the battery you could use a fancy wire like Red/Black Bonded Zip Cord Easy ID Low Voltage Cable. Also, made sure there is a fuse in line somewhere. There is probably a fuse on the panel after the controller already.
 
HI,
I don't consider myself a solar expert, but I did install my own electrical system (and it works) for my Eagle shell. Having said that, I don't see any reason at all to not use the solar unit in the ad above. The only question that I would have for you to consider is connecting it to the batteries. Looking on their website their cable is 10 ft. long. That's probably enough to get from your battery to the outside sunshine. You would simply alligator clip right onto the camper battery terminals.

I doubt there is a plug on the outside of the camper for 12 volt supply. But others might know that. Most outside connectors are for 120 AC volt input. If this is a newer 4WC Hawk, there is probably wiring in the roof to add the panel but again, I doubt there is a simple connector to plug into (ask 4WC team). If you are going to be with the camper during these no driving days (i.e. you can leave a door or window cracked, you can run the cable in that way). Otherwise you are going to have to connect to the solar wiring provided by the camper in the ceiling. My shell didn't have solar wires pre-installed so I drilled a hole in the side of the camper and installed my own 2-pin connector. Pretty easy.

Good luck, Chris
 
Steve, have a solar plug on the back(?), but no solar. That means a portable with controller should work fine. I don't remember the name of the female plug that FWC uses, but it won't be hard to find. My bet is, since you don't have solar, that the wiring for the plug is not connected to the batteries. If not, ensure there is a fuse close to the battery on the positive lead. You might even put a switch in to keep the plug from being hot.

I'll see if I the plug that FWC uses. Edit: its on the Zamp site, but I didn't find a generic name.
 
Mine is a 200W Zamp portable panel & controller. It has the same connector for the rear solar plug on my 2014 Grandby. The controller defaults to AGM battery type. Just plug it in and it starts working. I can't imagine an easier setup.

Zamp ZS-200-P

Yes, rear solar plug on your FWC may not come connected from the factory. If not, wires will be coiled up inside the battery compartment. Wires will be labeled REAR SOLAR or REAR PLUG. The controller for my Zamp is fused, but I still put a fuse on the hot lead when I connected the plug wires to the battery.

It comes with alligator clips, also.
 
The name I've heard is a "2 pin flat SAE connector". They are commonly found with trailer electrical parts. Get one with 10 gauge wires & wire a fuse inline between it & the battery.

Paul
 
I actually have owned the exact setup you are looking at.
It worked just fine. I connected it directly to the batteries and ran the cord out of the window.

It would be much easier if you have the solar plug on your outside for sure.

Personally, I really prefer having a panel on the roof that goes to work all of the time without my effort.
I have a portable panel to use just in case I am parked in the shade but it requires much more effort to use it.

Turns out the sun is always moving and I'm adjusting that thing during the day lots for optimal sunshine.
 
DrJ said:
I actually have owned the exact setup you are looking at.
It worked just fine. I connected it directly to the batteries and ran the cord out of the window.
Click to expand...
Thanks DrJ and the rest of you. I do have the SAE pin connector on the back of my Hawk. (This is standard now.) Guess I just need to (gulp) hook it up inside my electrical connections. Does anyone know if it should be wired to the fuse panel? I guess I can bug Stan...
 
You definitely want a fuse between your solar charge controller and your batteries so check before you plug in. I'm sure Stan will be glad to help you if no one here knows for sure. I don't but would guess that there is one.....
Good luck with your project :)
 
My understanding is that the Renogy portable setup is meant to be a direct attachment to the battery.
I don't recall if the system already has a fuse or not.

If you changed out the clamps to a SAE plug, you could plug it directly to the outside plug from your camper.

I use one of my flexible panels that exact way and now I use store it under my cabover bed. It takes up no space under there and works great.
 
Thanks, guys! I pulled the trigger on it. Still confused on the connections but will sort them once it arrives in a week.
 
Renolgy has their solar equipment still on sale still I think.
I had an e-mail from them the other day stating they were having a sale.
I have purchased several solar items from them and been very happy with the products and service.
Frank
 
Pretty simple. Just make sure the positive side of the panel connects to the positive side of the battery, same with the negative. Fuse both sides to be extra safe.
 
DrJ said:
I actually have owned the exact setup you are looking at.
Click to expand...
Me too.
Very happy with mine. The panel is fused and all I did was cut off the jumper style connectors and solder on the SAE fittings.

V1EcZfn.jpg
 
The one I bought came with three different style connectors, and a bag! The part I hate is the compulsion to keep moving it into the sun :)
 
I called Renogy and they told me that I will need to get the portable kit w/ controller even if I already have a controller and roof mounted panel. The reason being is that the controller will only feed one panel, so the wiring for the portable would have to be connected inline through the roof mounted panel.

Can anyone shed some light on this?

Seems a bit redundant to have two controllers.
 
Fireball. I have the factory installed 100W Zamp and Zamp controller on my 2014 Grandby and rear plug. I purchased a Zamp 80W portable and had discussion with both Zamp and FWC and they said not to get the controller on the portable since the wiring for both roof mounted and solar plug are wired to the controller. Jd


Sent from my SM-G900V using Wander The West mobile app
 
Durango,

Refrigerator

I'm assuming you have the regular camper with Dometic compressor fridge.

Which fridge do you have? Compressor (2-way) or Absorption (3-way - uses propane not plugged into 110 volt)

If compressor, do you know how many amps you are drawing when parked?

Even if you are moving all the time, you still must sightsee, hike, etc. when traveling. Do you dry camp? or have hookups?

My 2 cents
WithOUT a roof-top solar panel, and you dry camp your batteries may not be full when you stop in the evening to camp. if you have a compressor fridge your probably drawing around 5 amps. If so you should have a 150 watt panel on the roof to run the fridge and charge the batteries when parked, engine off during the day. and a portable for shade camping like the Renogy.

If you have an absorption then the portable is fine as the alternator will keep the batteries charged during the day.
 
fireball said:
I called Renogy and they told me that I will need to get the portable kit w/ controller even if I already have a controller and roof mounted panel. The reason being is that the controller will only feed one panel, so the wiring for the portable would have to be connected inline through the roof mounted panel.

Can anyone shed some light on this?

Seems a bit redundant to have two controllers.
Click to expand...
That is contrary to what FWC advices. If you have roof mounted solar and a rear solar connector, the rear connector is typically wired to the onboard controller. FWC recommends getting a portable without a controller (or bypassed controller) to connect in this fashion. On my now sold Grandby, I had considered wiring the rear connector directly to the battery with fuses and a switch on the positive leg so that it was not hot all the time, then using my Zamp portable with controller in that manner.

On the other hand, a positive about having a portable with a controller is that you can use it to charge other batteries (trolling motor, truck. etc.) without having to have a solar 'system'.
 
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