solar ready

[Bluetick1955]

My 2015 264l is "solar ready". Just battery charging?

[Larry0071]

Oh boy. That means that there is a battery tender style plug on the outside wall with undersized wiring and no charge controlling device at all.


I have that super awesome useless thing as well. I assumed that by SOLAR READY... I could go buy a 100W solar panel and set it in the sun with a wire running to that solar ready port and the trailer would (you know... being solar ready and all...) regulate, monitor and control charging of the 12V battery. Nope. It is a dumb plug, and it's not the plug or wire gage that you would want to use anyways.


I was totally thinking that they actually built the trailer to be fully solar ready so that I didn't have to learn new tricks or wire in new components. The laugh is on me.

[joeuncool]

Yes the port is to charge your battery. You will need solar panels and a solar controller. There is nothing fancy about the port. It is basically a plug with wires that lead to the battery.

If it is a Zamp plug then the polarity of the wires are reversed from all other companies way of constructing their plugs so you would need a short adapter that switches to polarity for you if you don't use Zamp panels.

Zamp solar panels are at least twice the cost of others out there that you can find.

People will also say that the gauge of the wire to the battery from plug isn't big enough, which is true to run at maximum efficiency, however, I get plenty charge from my 200 watt Zamp panels through that port. Some day I might upgrade the wires and my solar controller but right now I am satisfied with it.

[Bluetick1955]

Got a recommendation for unit. Just want to keep battery charged while stored. Don't want to keep drop cord laid out


THX

[Flybob]

I would not use anything smaller than 100W panel and a decent charge controller. If you think you will ever add more panels get a controller capable of supporting several panels. Panels should be about $1.00 a watt and about $30.00 for a controller.

[CincyGus]

Best thing I've thought of to utilize it is to buy the plug that fits it and wire it to a 12v adapter socket to it so I can use car chargers to charge cell phones. It's basically a marketing gimmick with little practical application due to the small wire size and lack of a controller. Maybe useful if you want to put a 20-50w battery tender type solar panel on it to reduce parasitic draws.

[Bluetick1955]

Originally Posted by CincyGus

Best thing I've thought of to utilize it is to buy the plug that fits it and wire it to a 12v adapter socket to it so I can use car chargers to charge cell phones. It's basically a marketing gimmick with little practical application due to the small wire size and lack of a controller. Maybe useful if you want to put a 20-50w battery tender type solar panel on it to reduce parasitic draws.

Yes I think that's what i need. When I park the battery goes down and monoxide detector beeps and just want to keep battery up in case need to turn on light or something

[Larry0071]

Would it be safe to buy a 50W solar panel and plug it directly into that solar not-ready port with no charge controller and let it live hooked to your battery 24/7 while the camper is dormant?

I was of the impression that I would be doing harm to my RV battery if I attached unregulated power to it such as that, and that a charge control system really needed to be in play to safely attach solar power to the battery.

[5picker]

Originally Posted by Bluetick1955

Yes I think that's what i need. When I park the battery goes down and monoxide detector beeps and just want to keep battery up in case need to turn on light or something

Why not install a battery cut-off switch?

[5picker]

Originally Posted by Larry0071

Would it be safe to buy a 50W solar panel and plug it directly into that solar not-ready port with no charge controller and let it live hooked to your battery 24/7 while the camper is dormant?

I was of the impression that I would be doing harm to my RV battery if I attached unregulated power to it such as that, and that a charge control system really needed to be in play to safely attach solar power to the battery.

No. Without a controller/regulator, when the panel isn't charging, it will actually become a 'load' and drain the battery.

[campermatt]

Originally Posted by Larry0071

Would it be safe to buy a 50W solar panel and plug it directly into that solar not-ready port with no charge controller and let it live hooked to your battery 24/7 while the camper is dormant?

I was of the impression that I would be doing harm to my RV battery if I attached unregulated power to it such as that, and that a charge control system really needed to be in play to safely attach solar power to the battery.

If you don't use a charge controller, you will damage your battery. Most panels > 10W or so can output far more than 12V when in full sun. That will destroy your battery quickly. Charge controllers are necessary, and they're not that expensive.

Those solar ports are pretty much useless, unless you can trace where they're wired to and add a charge controller as close to the battery as possible. In most cases it's easier to just plug the panel into a charge controller and use alligator clips, or ring terminals to connect it to the battery. You want the controller as close to the battery as possible. Otherwise, it won't charge efficiently.

[Vbodnar]

Originally Posted by joeuncool

Yes the port is to charge your battery. You will need solar panels and a solar controller. There is nothing fancy about the port. It is basically a plug with wires that lead to the battery.

If it is a Zamp plug then the polarity of the wires are reversed from all other companies way of constructing their plugs so you would need a short adapter that switches to polarity for you if you don't use Zamp panels.

Zamp solar panels are at least twice the cost of others out there that you can find.

People will also say that the gauge of the wire to the battery from plug isn't big enough, which is true to run at maximum efficiency, however, I get plenty charge from my 200 watt Zamp panels through that port. Some day I might upgrade the wires and my solar controller but right now I am satisfied with it.

Joeuncool
Thank you for your info.
I have non Zamp 100 watt panels with a control panel.
You speak of an adapter to convert to Zamp system. Can you elaborate?
Vince

[Vbodnar]

Correction. 100 watt solar

[sailski]

Originally Posted by Vbodnar

Joeuncool
Thank you for your info.
I have non Zamp 100 watt panels with a control panel.
You speak of an adapter to convert to Zamp system. Can you elaborate?
Vince

I believe this is the connector you are looking for.

Nilight 10 Gauge 2 Pin Quick Disconnect Harness,Heavy Duty SAE Connector Bullet Lead Cable,2 Years Warranty https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0057ZQJ12..._v1xwDbN359J4F

You should be able to determine how the Zamp connector is wired with a multimeter then connect your controler directly to the end of this connector that is the same as you discovered with your meter.

[mdstudey]

Originally Posted by Vbodnar

Joeuncool
Thank you for your info.
I have non Zamp 100 watt panels with a control panel.
You speak of an adapter to convert to Zamp system. Can you elaborate?
Vince

Use a multi meter and test out your connection first. I have a Zamp on my 2015 23BD and it was NOT reversed. Another thing is to find out what the AMP rating is on the trailer connection. I have seen the Furrion solar port is 10 AMP. Not sure what the Zamp is but I am going to be connecting the controller directly to the battery.

[Vbodnar]

Thank you uncooljoe and sailski