Arb Fridge/battery questions - help needed

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fisharizona

Advanced Member
Joined
Dec 10, 2013
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Here's the story. I have an older shell model that does not have a solar plug. I just got an ARB 50qt and am trying to figure out how to SIMPLY power it for a long weekend. As of now I just have a single AGM battery; I have solar in a bag (100w) and am trying to figure out how to connect it. I have heard not to run the solar plug directly to the battery...whats my move? Electrical is my enemy, so Im looking for a simple solution.

The camper has a fuse panel; and a battery separater.

Solar in a bag has a controller on the back of it.

FYI, because the camper on has one lighter plug, I picked up a noco lighter plug that is wired direct to the battery with an inline fuse.

Any suggestions would be appreciated!
 
I think that you just wire the "solar in a bag"to the battery.
Do the solar leads have alligator clips?
If so they go right on the battery. I think that I have read what other
members have done.
Also I think you attach the - lead first.
Welcome to the "cult"

Frank
 
Ha! Thanks Frank, I don't post much, but Ive been a cult member for a while now!

I would love it if it were that easy...I read somewhere (in the downward spiral of the search function) that going direct would over charge the battery. Makes complete sense though if the solar controller does its job.

Has anyone done this?

Thanks!
 
Fish, it's done all the time with portable systems. The controllers are just as effective as their stationary counterparts. We have a Zamp 80 watt portable that we use for batteries that are not connected to other charging sources.
 
Yeah, you can't wire it to the battery without a controller (don't cross the streams bad) but I've never seen solar in a bag without a controller. I put a plug in the camper for ease of use. Uses the same type of connector the panel uses.
 
Thats what I would love to know; how'd you wire the plug? I can do the clamps but it doesn't leave me much portability unless I drill an access hole.


craig333 said:
Yeah, you can't wire it to the battery without a controller (don't cross the streams bad) but I've never seen solar in a bag without a controller. I put a plug in the camper for ease of use. Uses the same type of connector the panel uses.
Click to expand...
 
fish, we have 100w Zamp on the roof and Zamp controller. The rear plug was wired by FWC to the Zamp controller, which eliminated the need for a controller on our 80W Zamp portable panel. Conversations were had with both FWC and Zamp. Zamp recommended against having the controller on the portable. My camper is covered in the winter and I plug in the portable every 6 weeks to charge the battery.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Wander The West mobile app
 
Perhaps not related directly to your question but...in terms of wiring the ARB, if you come off of your fuse panel be sure to use a large enough gauge wire. Too small and the reefer will begin to throw codes and shut down as if it doesn't sense enough battery life. I had issues with an older cig/accessory plug that had smaller wiring. I ended up using the ARB loom with in-line fuse directly off the battery and no problems.
 
I searched for the largest gauge direct-to-battery lighter plug I could find (noco gco18). I'll update this page if, after I get set-up, its throws a code.

Thanks for the tip!


Perhaps not related directly to your question but...in terms of wiring the ARB, if you come off of your fuse panel be sure to use a large enough gauge wire. Too small and the reefer will begin to throw codes and shut down as if it doesn't sense enough battery life. I had issues with an older cig/accessory plug that had smaller wiring. I ended up using the ARB loom with in-line fuse directly off the battery and no problems.
 
Heres a question: can I just run 2 noco gc018's to my battery? One to send solar, the other to power the fridge?
 
More info is needed on the connectors you have on the fridge and out of the solar controller and lengths of wire needed.

I'll assume the fridge has a cigarette lighter plug since you mention the gc018. I would run a duplex wire (two wires stuck together like an extension cord) from the battery, or the fuse panel, inside the cabinets to near the fridge. Install the cigarette lighter socket in the cabinet and plug in the fridge. This is like the gc018 but with a longer, probably larger wire with a panel mount socket. Fuse the wire near the battery if you don't connect to the fuse panel.

For the solar package, get a weatherproof panel mount socket of the appropiate type for your solar unit and install it somewhere convenient like under the wing near the rear so you can easily reach it to plug in your panel cable. Run two wires from the weatherproof socket to the battery thru a fuse.

Your hardest part will be determining the appropriate place to drill a hole for the solar panel that is convenient to reach from the outside and into a safe reachable spot inside a cabinet. Measure multiple times and drill once. Good luck.

Perhaps, a better alternative is to go to a car stereo installer and get them to do the job.
Paul
 
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