Solar Install on Bobcat, Need Help.

[5outta6]

I should start another thread but i'm too lazy so I thought I'd say this here.

In the RV industry it is almost unheard of that a dealer/mfg will make an appointment with you for a warranty claim and do the repair while you wait.

I say this because we also have a 2017 class C . *

I bought it one year old in 2017 as I figured they'd have all the bugs worked out. We're lucky it never had to go in the shop other than tires, in the 18K miles we've put on it since then.

And have other rv's over the past 30 years...


If you find any RV/ camper mfg who will back they're warranty 'as you wait', you better stick with them......

(*The ATC is just so I can go myself exploring places I don't want to take an RV to...)

 

[K6ON]

I happened to stop by ATC yesterday morning when 5outta6 was having his camper looked at. The guys found a short between the negative lead of the solar panel and the camper frame (which effectively bypassed the controller and put full panel voltage on the battery). Here's what they did to rectify the issue. They removed the camper from the truck and set it on stands. They removed the front jacks and jack brackets, all the front trim, the front window, and completely removed the front skin from the camper. They found a trim screw had gone through the negative wire, where the wires enter the wall from behind the front lift panel. They pulled in a new wire and were starting to put the camper back together when I left. A remarkable effort on ATC's part to "make it right".

 

[ski3pin]

Yes, this is the ATC crew.

I happened to stop by ATC yesterday morning when 5outta6 was having his camper looked at. The guys found a short between the negative lead of the solar panel and the camper frame (which effectively bypassed the controller and put full panel voltage on the battery). Here's what they did to rectify the issue. They removed the camper from the truck and set it on stands. They removed the front jacks and jack brackets, all the front trim, the front window, and completely removed the front skin from the camper. They found a trim screw had gone through the negative wire, where the wires enter the wall from behind the front lift panel. They pulled in a new wire and were starting to put the camper back together when I left. A remarkable effort on ATC's part to "make it right".

 

[Vic Harder]

I happened to stop by ATC yesterday morning when 5outta6 was having his camper looked at. The guys found a short between the negative lead of the solar panel and the camper frame (which effectively bypassed the controller and put full panel voltage on the battery). Here's what they did to rectify the issue. They removed the camper from the truck and set it on stands. They removed the front jacks and jack brackets, all the front trim, the front window, and completely removed the front skin from the camper. They found a trim screw had gone through the negative wire, where the wires enter the wall from behind the front lift panel. They pulled in a new wire and were starting to put the camper back together when I left. A remarkable effort on ATC's part to "make it right".

Yay ATC! That's an extra-ordinary effort, and wonderful to hear that they do that for their customers.

 

[5outta6]

Yay ATC! That's an extra-ordinary effort, and wonderful to hear that they do that for their customers.

Warranty work............most rv dealers would put you at the end of the line.......

 

[ootnaboot]

Rob I also have a Bobcat 09.
When we ordered it I had Marty also run a + wire for future solar.
When I got around to wire up my 2 panels ,a 45w and a 60w
both from Renogy with I think the same controller you are using.
I decided to use heavier gauge wire then supplied.
I think I used 10 gauge for both positive and negative.
The wires run from the panels through the right rear corner of the roof,
down the interior wall then outside the camper and back in near the right front
turnbuckle opening,to the controller in the battery box.
The panels are also secured to the roof rack.
This has worked well for me.

I diden't ground the panels to the camper just ran the negative wire direct from the panels to the controller.
Frank

Frank...did you run 10awg from the SAE port installed by ATC to the battery box? Or somewhere else? Marty told me that 12awg was the largest you can go because of the need for the front panels to collapse. Any thoughts or help is much appreciated!