What type of solar panel is used with Jayco TT's?

[Atlee]

The brochure indicates that the Jay flights come prewired for attaching a solar panel to charge the battery.

What brand is recommended. Can any panel be used?

[gocarp]

This came in my packet.
http://shop.gpelectric.com/collectio...ar-on-the-side

[Atlee]

Thanks for the reply. Exactly what I needed to know.

[Fire_Instructor]

There are a lot of better performing and lower priced systems out there, other than the "Go Power" kits. It all depends on what you are trying to do with the solar... Just keep your battery topped between trips? Keep it charged while camping? Or maintain a battery-bank that runs an inverter so that you always have 120v available?

[Mustang65]

Originally Posted by Fire_Instructor

There are a lot of better performing and lower priced systems out there, other than the "Go Power" kits. It all depends on what you are trying to do with the solar... Just keep your battery topped between trips? Keep it charged while camping? Or maintain a battery-bank that runs an inverter so that you always have 120v available?

x2

Don

The SOLAR prewire is very limited as to how much SOLAR you can use with it.

Take a look at our RVing with SOLAR social group under communities on the above gold bar. There is some great information there from members that have installed their own solar. Installations, products, systems, batteries....

[Lostone]

I do solar installations on RV's and I can tell you that 90% of the systems out there just plan outright don't work for sh*t. And most people who think they know what there doing don't.

Best advice I can give is read everything on the site I'm going to link to below. Twice. This guy knows what he's talking about.

https://handybobsolar.wordpress.com

I've also added a few pics of the install I have in my own RV. I now have 400 watts of panels and don't even have the converter charger hooked up anymore.

[JLSheldon]

Funny little story about the "pre-wire" solar attachment that came with my 2016 Jay Flight... after about 2500 miles towing from NY to South Dakota... we stopped at a rest area and I noticed it was dangling loose from the A-frame. I grabbed it to try to pop it back in place (the 'self tapping' screws were still attached) and the whole thing came off in my hand.

On one end was an exposed wire that had come loose from the twist-on connector buried deep into the plastic tubing that protects all the electrical wires.

It took some time to trace the line and make sure I didn't have any exposed wires and I just chucked the connector in the garbage at the next stop. I assume something came up in the road and knocked it off, but, wouldn't also be surprised if it just worked loose. We had no plans to use it anyway since it powers so little and I had already installed 200w of solar on the roof.

I assume in the larger models they have a heavier duty "Solar on the side" hook up that can handle larger power loads.

[Lostone]

more pics

[Lostone]

Even more.

[Lostone]

Originally Posted by JLSheldon

I assume in the larger models they have a heavier duty "Solar on the side" hook up that can handle larger power loads.

Nope. I have yet to see a factory pre-wired unit that had bigger then 10ga wire. Most of those got 30-40 foot total runs.

[Fire_Instructor]

Originally Posted by Lostone

Nope. I have yet to see a factory pre-wired unit that had bigger then 10ga wire. Most of those got 30-40 foot total runs.

My North Point came wired with 8awg from the roof to the basement a total of about a 22 run from the roof connector to where I mounted the MPPT controller. Since my 300 watts of panels operate at 34.4v, the 8awg was finem though I would have preferred 6awg.

My SIDE solar mount was wired with 12awg directly to the battery. I use it to power my macerator pump.

[Atlee]

Thanks again for all that info. It's a lot to chew on.

[Lostone]

Originally Posted by Fire_Instructor

My North Point came wired with 8awg from the roof to the basement a total of about a 22 run from the roof connector to where I mounted the MPPT controller. Since my 300 watts of panels operate at 34.4v, the 8awg was finem though I would have preferred 6awg.

My SIDE solar mount was wired with 12awg directly to the battery. I use it to power my macerator pump.

That has to be a first. What year is your unit? I've never seen 8ga used before. Ive probably got 50+ Rv and boat system installs to date and have never seen larger then 10ga. And 12ga for those side connects is normal.

[Lostone]

Originally Posted by Atlee

Thanks again for all that info. It's a lot to chew on.

I see your not to far from me. I'm in Fredericksburg so if you need any advice let me know. Not looking to sell you anything, just tired of seeing crappy solar installs that just flat out don't work.

And FYI, don't take any advice from that "big Ashland area" dealer on what you need. They are going to sell you things you don't need, then try to sell you more when it don't work.

[Fire_Instructor]

Originally Posted by Lostone

That has to be a first. What year is your unit? I've never seen 8ga used before. Ive probably got 50+ Rv and boat system installs to date and have never seen larger then 10ga. And 12ga for those side connects is normal.

Mine is a 2016 377RLBH. Ordered in October of '15, delivered about 7 weeks later, in late November. If if went by the charts, I could have gotten away with 10awg if that's what was there, but I'm glad that it was 8awg.

[Lostone]

Only because your at a higher voltage. Most aren't. 200 watts of 12v panels would overload 10ga (11+ amps in full sun)

I don't run panels on RV's in series for reasons that are too involved to explain here.

2016 model year.

It only took the manufactures 10 years to here what what what we've been screaming at them for.

[Fire_Instructor]

Yea, I have 300w, but at 34.4v, at max output it's only 8.7A.... The 8awg works well for me. These panels are 2007 vintage, as this is the second RV I've had them mounted on. With some of the new technology panels that have been released since, there are probably better set-ups than mine.

[Wanderer]

Originally Posted by Atlee

The brochure indicates that the Jay flights come prewired for attaching a solar panel to charge the battery.

What brand is recommended. Can any panel be used?

I chose Zamp 160 Watt portable since trailer is only pre-wired on side/frame area. If it were pre-wired on roof I would have opted for fixed panels instead. Can't afford the cost of that installation right now so portable for now, works pretty well for my application. Plan for future to to convert my portables into hybrid combo with fixed panels on roof.

Good luck

[Atlee]

Thanks. I'm not doing anything right this minute. I'm still in information gathering mode. I'd like to get the 21QB and I had noticed the "Solar Ready" note in the brochure.

In January 2017, I'll get serious again about selling my current trailer, Koala 21CS. Too busy right now. We'll be on the road going to 11 of 12 Va Tech football games this fall.

As for that rather large Ashland area dealer, I share your sentiments. If I need service on my trailer, I go to a nearby RV service business. They don't sell RV's, they just service them.

If/When I get the 21QB, I'll try to reach out to you concerning Solar.

Originally Posted by Lostone

I see your not to far from me. I'm in Fredericksburg so if you need any advice let me know. Not looking to sell you anything, just tired of seeing crappy solar installs that just flat out don't work.

And FYI, don't take any advice from that "big Ashland area" dealer on what you need. They are going to sell you things you don't need, then try to sell you more when it don't work.