100 Watt Renogy Foldoing Solar Suitcase for an electrical dummy?

[PaulT]

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.

Everyone is right. Just talking past each other.

Some controllers have only one solar input. With a controller that has only one panel input, combine the two panels before the solar panel input.

The Zamp has inputs for two panels. With the Zamp, plug in the bare portable panel to the factory wired rear connector.

Paul

Edit:
(Sorry for misleading you. I should not post when I am still under the effects of Field Day sleep deprivation). With the factory Zamp installation with top and rear solar sockets, the paralleling of the two panels inputs have already been done for you. Just plug in bare panels. If you are choosing your own charge controller, you will have to parallel the panels. FWC may have done this in their wiring. You will have to ensure that the fuse in the output from the Zamp to the batteries is sufficiently high for the output of both panels Mine had a 10 amp fuse which blew when I got full sunlight on both panels. Read your controller's manual for recommended fuse value for controller output to battery.

 

[Wallowa]

Follow-up question. We have a '16 Hawk with roof 160w and portable 80w Zamps as OEM from FWC.

My Question pertains to length of cable allowed on the portable. Zamp site says not to exceed 30 feet of cable and they sell a 15 foot extension cable.

Any comments on this? Having never used the portable yet, I have no idea of the cable length wired into the panel but would assume that it is 15 feet so that with the extension it would not exceed the max of 30 feet.

Camping under a shade source for extended periods will bring out the portable and of course this will be dependent on differing conditions of solar capture.

Thanks for any insights pertaining to the length and gauge of an extension cable for the Zamp.

Phil

 

[Stalking Light]

I have a foldable panel (PowerFilm) and made myself about a 20' cable from one of their (PowerFilm's) extension cables and some 10ga wire connected to an SAE adapter. Works just fine. I would expect the same would be true of the Zamp.

 

[Wallowa]

I have a foldable panel (PowerFilm) and made myself about a 20' cable from one of their (PowerFilm's) extension cables and some 10ga wire connected to an SAE adapter. Works just fine. I would expect the same would be true of the Zamp.

Thanks...if I went with max cable length recommended by Zamp of 30 feet, would the 10ga suffice?

Phil

 

[Stalking Light]

Depends on the amps your panel puts out. Here's a wire size calculator.

 

[RC Pilot Jim]

Our portable is a 60 watt rigid rated at 3.5 amps.
I get that output using 50 feet of 12-2 cable (12 gauge) pointing panel at the sun.
Battery 80-85% full ( monitoring with Trimetric 2030-RV)
Will run fridge and top-off battery in about 6 hours.

 

[Wallowa]

Depends on the amps your panel puts out. Here's a wire size calculator.

Thanks...using the calculator and the 4.58 amps for the 60w Zamp @ 31 feet [My 60w is 16 feet /extension is 15 feet] the recommendation is 10 ga.. but the Zamp Solar 15′ Portable Extension Cable | ZS-HE-15-N
is $128....very pricey.

 

[fireball]

Awesome - I am now more confused than when I originally posted

Can you point to the Zamp controller that has 2 solar inputs?

I am thinking that it is perfectly fine to hook the two panels up into the same solar input of the controller. I think this controller will work fine after talking to Renogy today: http://www.renogy.com/renogy-20-amp-mppt-solar-charge-controller/

Can you buy the connectors that mount on the camper that FWC uses? My Hawk is apparently pre-wired but doesn't have the plugs.

Thanks again all!

 

[PaulT]

fireball,
I corrected my post above. Sorry for the confusion.
Paul

 

[Stalking Light]

Thanks...using the calculator and the 4.58 amps for the 60w Zamp @ 31 feet [My 60w is 16 feet /extension is 15 feet] the recommendation is 10 ga.. but the Zamp Solar 15′ Portable Extension Cable | ZS-HE-15-N
is $128....very pricey.

Wow, that is way too much. The PowerFilm one was less than $20 as I recall.

 

[RC Pilot Jim]

The 100 watt portable too small.
I PM'd him to get more details. He is running the 110 liter Dometic which draws at least 5 amps (65L draws 5 amps so it must be more).
He needs 5 amp just to run the fridge and few more amps to recharge the battery.

My 2 cents
Install a 150 watt on the roof . and buy the portable for winter/shade camping

 

[Durango1]

The 100 watt portable too small.
I PM'd him to get more details. He is running the 110 liter Dometic which draws at least 5 amps (65L draws 5 amps so it must be more).
He needs 5 amp just to run the fridge and few more amps to recharge the battery.

My 2 cents
Install a 150 watt on the roof . and buy the portable for winter/shade camping

I really appreciated Jim's personal interest in helping an electrically clueless individual. Unless you are driving each and every day to let the engine alternator "help out" I believe he is correct on the need for roof solar. I love the convenience and reliability of the 110 liter Dometic. But you pay a price with the electric usage!

Steve

 

[rotti]

The 100 watt portable too small.

I have just the 100 watt portable and it keeps my batteries charged in my Hawk with the 110 Dometic without any issues. I have gone seven days in hunting camp not starting the truck plus some furnace and lighting use. I did re-aim the panel several times per day and the temps were cool.

 

[longhorn1]

Have 100W Zamp on the roof, 2 AGM batteries, 80L Dometic compressor fridge, and run a CPAP Machine at night and haven't had any issues in 3 years. We have a 80W Zamp portable which we seldom use. No issues even with continuous days of rain

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

 

[Chadx]

Seems to me that with solar, you want the controller as close to the battery as possible. Not sure how much juice you give up by having the controller on the panel using the typical length and gauge supplied with the kits, but seems like the best route, especially since fwc has already run the wiring, is to put your controller in the battery compartment, hook the factory installed wires into your controller, run wire of the proper gauge and fused, from controller to the battery. Then, whether you add only a portable, only a roofmounted, or one of each, you don't need a panel mounted controller. You simply plug in one or the other or both to the fwc sae plugs and you are good to go. Just ensure your controller is sized to handle your total max potential panel amps and you are good to go.

 

[RC Pilot Jim]

Without a Trimetric or a Zamp or? he will never know for sure. He will always be guessing.
We readers don't have the total picture of what each of us are running.

Dr J in his piece "measured FWC power use", lists the amp draw of the various devices he uses. Quite a list when you add everything up.

 

[Durango1]

He will always be guessing.

Yep, Jim, that pretty much sums up my LIFE!