Solar for my parked RV

I have not bought the charge controller yet this will be a week end system 5day recover 2day use I figured for 2 day reseve at 50% dod . The pure sine 1000watt inverter was cheap but came from Canadian Tire 2year warranty probably a mistake you get what you pay for I needed the pure sine because the new trailer came with the lcd all included and mounted plus the fact I may let the wife on sunny days use the toster. I do not really know what to do from the battery to the shunt from the shunt to the battery disconnect how many amps should I have a fuse or special circuit breaker and type of switch where should I run my 12 volt for my trailer from any considerations for that voltage will disconect the converter. This is my first try Please help me get it right .Trailer will be parked in northern ontario by thunder Bay used May to Sept.

http://gs106.photobucket.com/groups/m279/GNQVIRZHXH/?action=view&current=solar-schematicJMcLarenDogLake.jpg

Comments

  • icarus
    icarus Solar Expert Posts: 5,436 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Solar for my parked RV

    Give us some more details on your proposed set up,, panel capacity, battery capacity etc.

    Also, consider very carefully you loads. I would not even consider using a electric toaster on a small system. For example,, 15 minutes of toaster use would use about 1/2 my daily TOTAL house average.

    Tony
  • niel
    niel Solar Expert Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Solar for my parked RV

    ok i'll take a swipe at this and hope i don't forget anything as i'm rushing to get to the store too. i see a 30a disconnect for the inverter and this would be wrong as 30a x 12v = 360w available to the inverter without exceeding the disconnects ratings. this should be a heavier switch like this,
    http://store.solar-electric.com/basw1300amp.html
    this is overated for your application, but is an example of how it can be. sometimes dc rated breakers can also be used as a disconnect. now i don't know if the instructions for many of these modsine inverters are failing to give the enduser proper instructions and values for such things a fuses and switches, but if they aren't you must figure with some math and the formula of p=i x e or watts = amps x volts. reversing this we see 1000w/12v=83.33a. now you won't find a value like that so round this up to the next commercially available value and could be 100a.
    i also think the placement of connection to the inverter side of that disconnect for the controller is wrong as this should go to the battery and not through the inverter disconnect/cb. you already indicate the array breakers from the cc. and there isn't need to have it go through 2 of them.
    in a rush so i hope i caught it all.
  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,431 admin
    Re: Solar for my parked RV

    Take a look at this Boler Trailer thread--Includes video of the installation and operations too.

    Regarding your wiring diagram... One question/observation from me. The negative lead shunt and your return connections.

    You have one yellow wire that runs from the battery negative terminal instead of from the shunt negative terminal. If this is just a "safety ground connection"--not a problem. But if this is a ground return connection from the controller (I don't think you did it this way)--then you would bypass the shunt reading of the charge controller's charging current.

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
  • rickeolis
    rickeolis Solar Expert Posts: 110 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Solar for my parked RV

    Hi guys,
    I have a small Class A motor home that I have setup a solar panel on that charges the main starter battery, but also keeps my two RV batteries fresh on as well. I use a 1200 watt inverter for smaller loads like my laptop or small TV. This basically allows all of my 12 volt items in the RV to run for a couple of hours on, but anything that requires heavy 110 volt loads such as my A|C still requires that I fire up my gasoline generator.
    All throughout the year, the starter on the engine cranks right up, without ever having to trickle charge it or jump it either. And on those nights I need some peace and quiet; I just go out to the RV and have lights and a good computer or music run-time of several hours.
    Since the rig sits for months between uses, it works quite well.

    -Rick-