Marco Cecala
Member
- Joined
- Jan 26, 2014
- Messages
- 15
Hawk Solar and Enhanced Battery Charging System
I need to thank countless members I learned from while working on my electrical system for our 2013 Hawk. I will do a post in the future regarding what we ordered for the camper and what we wish we ordered from the factory. There has been substantial interest in solar and charging systems so I would like to address those now. This is my experience; I’m no expert and might have a lot of things wrong. YMMV
Solar; We had the factory install 2-100 watt solar panels from Global Solar. They are direct glue and provide good power in all types of light conditions.
The power was going through the Global Solar charge controller. Research showed me the batteries were not getting enough charging power. The Global Solar controller did not have a setting for AGM batteries. I installed a Morningstar MPPT Charge Controller with a remote meter I put in the place of the Global Solar unit. I made a metal plate and painted it with hammer finish paint.
Simply put, AGM Batteries need more power. Word around the campfire is because the charge has to get through the glass mats, they create resistance.
Batteries; We ordered 2 group 27 Deep Cycle batteries. The unit came with Exide batteries. Good for a surge of voltage to start a vehicle, not what we may need. I replaced them with Sun Extender batteries. The battery is meant for long term low amperage drain, kind of like you get when running the refrigerator. They are great and made a bunch of difference. In all fairness, the Exide’s were never properly charged and I feel they are now compromised.
Shore Power; All FWC’s are now equipped with the Iota IQ4 charger, we were not so lucky. This easy, 25 dollar plug in add made our unit into one. I now get proper AGM charging with either solar or shore power. Please excuse the picture, it’s up and out of the way above the charger.
Alternator charging’ I never had any luck with the 10 gauge wiring connecting the truck battery to the camper batteries. The gang at Adventure Trailers in Prescott, AZ set us up with 4 gauge wire with a relay. We have switches in the cab and camper. They did this so when we leave in the morning and forget to flip the camper switch, it’s there in the cab. As with all their work, it’s first class and bullet proof. An Anderson connector makes the camper easily removable.
Switches in the cab and in the camper.
The installation of the relay, plug and Mega fuse;
I installed a Trimetric after all the festivities were over. Maybe I could have gotten away with fewer upgrades, but you are asking me to maybe have to drink warm beer.
Trimetric; Standard installation, I used the 50 amp shunt, plenty for the camper. The display is in a cabinet, too much stuff on the outside.
We run a refrigerator and some LED lights. A sure sine 300 watt invertor for when my wife needs to do in field photo editing. She photographs for major magazines and collectors and sometimes needs immediate feedback.
The breaker is left off except when we need the power. Add another plug instead of tapping into the shore power plug, make sure it is not a GFCI, don’t ask how I know.
I need to thank countless members I learned from while working on my electrical system for our 2013 Hawk. I will do a post in the future regarding what we ordered for the camper and what we wish we ordered from the factory. There has been substantial interest in solar and charging systems so I would like to address those now. This is my experience; I’m no expert and might have a lot of things wrong. YMMV
Solar; We had the factory install 2-100 watt solar panels from Global Solar. They are direct glue and provide good power in all types of light conditions.
The power was going through the Global Solar charge controller. Research showed me the batteries were not getting enough charging power. The Global Solar controller did not have a setting for AGM batteries. I installed a Morningstar MPPT Charge Controller with a remote meter I put in the place of the Global Solar unit. I made a metal plate and painted it with hammer finish paint.
Simply put, AGM Batteries need more power. Word around the campfire is because the charge has to get through the glass mats, they create resistance.
Batteries; We ordered 2 group 27 Deep Cycle batteries. The unit came with Exide batteries. Good for a surge of voltage to start a vehicle, not what we may need. I replaced them with Sun Extender batteries. The battery is meant for long term low amperage drain, kind of like you get when running the refrigerator. They are great and made a bunch of difference. In all fairness, the Exide’s were never properly charged and I feel they are now compromised.
Shore Power; All FWC’s are now equipped with the Iota IQ4 charger, we were not so lucky. This easy, 25 dollar plug in add made our unit into one. I now get proper AGM charging with either solar or shore power. Please excuse the picture, it’s up and out of the way above the charger.
Alternator charging’ I never had any luck with the 10 gauge wiring connecting the truck battery to the camper batteries. The gang at Adventure Trailers in Prescott, AZ set us up with 4 gauge wire with a relay. We have switches in the cab and camper. They did this so when we leave in the morning and forget to flip the camper switch, it’s there in the cab. As with all their work, it’s first class and bullet proof. An Anderson connector makes the camper easily removable.
Switches in the cab and in the camper.
The installation of the relay, plug and Mega fuse;
I installed a Trimetric after all the festivities were over. Maybe I could have gotten away with fewer upgrades, but you are asking me to maybe have to drink warm beer.
Trimetric; Standard installation, I used the 50 amp shunt, plenty for the camper. The display is in a cabinet, too much stuff on the outside.
We run a refrigerator and some LED lights. A sure sine 300 watt invertor for when my wife needs to do in field photo editing. She photographs for major magazines and collectors and sometimes needs immediate feedback.
The breaker is left off except when we need the power. Add another plug instead of tapping into the shore power plug, make sure it is not a GFCI, don’t ask how I know.
