Toddhom
Advanced Member
I recently purchased a 2004 Eagle. The prior owner didn't use shore power nor did they have their truck battery hooked up. The camper has a Sharp 80 watt solar panel charging an Optima D34M battery that was installed at a later date. The only power requirements the camper has are the existing lights and an exhaust fan I just installed. The solar panel system is simple. The wires from the panel go to an ASC controller that then goes to the battery. Now here's the part I don't understand. This camper was never set up for solar. The solar battery is installed behind the ice box. They did this because the camper is "pre-wired" for a refrigerator. They used the unused refrigerator wiring to supply 12 volt power to the fuse buss at the refrigerator 25 watt fuse location. I'm wondering why they didn't just connect the power from the battery to the top of the fuse buss at the same location where the truck battery connects to the fuse buss. I'm not sure what will happen when I connect the truck battery. I'm also certain I will be putting in a larger solar panel system because I want a refrigerator. I'm going to need the refrigerator fuse location when I install a refrigerator. Also if I hook up the truck battery wont it end up over charging my solar battery? I hope this is written in a way that can be understood.