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03-04-2020, 07:13 AM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: Northeastern Nebraska
Posts: 172
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Tiny solar panel
I found a fuse in the fuse box marked solar. So, I went up on the roof and found this tiny little solar panel. I have a couple questions about it.
1. How can I tell if its still working?
2. How much power will it put out?
3. My fridge runs on DC. I wonder if its enough to keep that running while boondocking. Assuming no clouds or shade? I have two 12volt RV marine batteries.
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Father, grandfather, husband, farmer, trucker, mechanic, equipment operator, 03 Freightliner Columbia towing 06 Forest River Cardinal
Quando omni flunkus moritati-When all else fails, play dead
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03-04-2020, 08:01 AM
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#2
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Site Team
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 15,288
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Based on the apparent size and distance from the batteries, I doubt that panel will even keep a fully charged battery charged with nothing running.
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2015 Freedom Express 248RBS
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Honda 2000I + Companion
2 100W solar panels
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03-04-2020, 08:24 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 433
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It might be running a little circulation fan somewhere. For the fridge or something like that.
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2020 Dynamax Isata 5 36DS 4X4 (Super C)
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No longer mine: 2006 Rockwood Roo 23SS
All pop-up and tent camping before...
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03-04-2020, 04:35 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2020
Posts: 712
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If you want to see if it is still working take a volt meter and measure between one side of the "solar" fuse and ground. If you get 12ish volts then it is still producing. This assumes your fuse is labeled correctly. You can also find the wire from the panel and look for a junction to measure at.
As said above, you might be able to trickle charge your battery.
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Hobienick
2022 Grand Design Imagine 2800BH
2020 Rockwood Roo 19 (Sold Jul 2022)
2012 F150 SuperCrew Ecoboost
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03-04-2020, 04:50 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: TEXAS
Posts: 9,202
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You haven't said what kind of rig you have.
People have put those small solar panels on their rigs to keep their battery charged while in storage. You might want to look for a connection on the battery. Have you looked for a make and model number on that pane.
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2015 Dynamax REV 24TB class C
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03-04-2020, 09:09 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: Northeastern Nebraska
Posts: 172
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Reverse_snowbird
You haven't said what kind of rig you have.
People have put those small solar panels on their rigs to keep their battery charged while in storage. You might want to look for a connection on the battery. Have you looked for a make and model number on that pane.
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It's on a 06 cardinal I didn't notice anything on the panel.
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Father, grandfather, husband, farmer, trucker, mechanic, equipment operator, 03 Freightliner Columbia towing 06 Forest River Cardinal
Quando omni flunkus moritati-When all else fails, play dead
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03-05-2020, 12:48 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: TEXAS
Posts: 9,202
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jenandjon
It's on a 06 cardinal I didn't notice anything on the panel.
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That's obviously an owner added retrofit. So without the information on the solar panel it's going to be hard to determine its capabilities. Unless one of our solar experts on this forum recognizes it and can give you more info.
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2015 Dynamax REV 24TB class C
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03-05-2020, 01:17 AM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Mountain Foothills of Southern Alberta
Posts: 2,004
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To give you some idea of the wattage, the dimensions of a modern Eco-Worthy 5 watt solar panel is 8" x 10"
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2009 F150 - 5.4 Litre with Tow Package
Boon Docking 99% of the time.
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03-05-2020, 07:20 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2019
Posts: 1,673
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The ac manafactures were doing that as a factory piece in that era. Its supposed to help keep battery charged in storage with no load.
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03-06-2020, 06:28 AM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: Northeastern Nebraska
Posts: 172
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TowPro
The ac manafactures were doing that as a factory piece in that era. Its supposed to help keep battery charged in storage with no load.
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Ok makes sense.
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Father, grandfather, husband, farmer, trucker, mechanic, equipment operator, 03 Freightliner Columbia towing 06 Forest River Cardinal
Quando omni flunkus moritati-When all else fails, play dead
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