Solar SAE Port

[PennyL]

Hi! New (to me) Hummingbird owner and trying to safely figure out hooking up portable solar panel to SAE Port. Understand probably reverse polarity but how can I safely test it Have brand new cable "MC4 to SAE Adapter Cable, Solar to SAE Connector Cable, with SAE Polarity Reverse Adapter Plug"
appreciate any recommendations

[pcmem]

Do you have a multimeter you can test with? Very handy tool and you can get a basic one cheap ($5) from Harbor Freight https://www.harborfreight.com/electr...ter-63759.html

If the connector is on the tongue you can probably trace the wires to the battery. If there is a charge controller you can try it in low light and see which way provides charge. Even a 12V light used as a continuity tester could work to find the positive when tested to ground. Good luck!

[Bob K]

Originally Posted by PennyL

Hi! New (to me) Hummingbird owner and trying to safely figure out hooking up portable solar panel to SAE Port. Understand probably reverse polarity but how can I safely test it Have brand new cable "MC4 to SAE Adapter Cable, Solar to SAE Connector Cable, with SAE Polarity Reverse Adapter Plug"
appreciate any recommendations

What @pcmem said. A multimeter is the best way. I had to do that with mine when figuring out the polarity of my Renogy suitcase solar panel for a connection to my homemade SAE solar port.

If you probe an SAE connector and you get negative voltage, then you know that whatever your positive multimeter probe is touching is the negative side of the circuit.

If you probe the SAE connector and you get positive voltage, then you know your positive probe is touching the positive side of the circuit.

You can do that with your solar panel output and with your SAE port on the trailer. Then it's just a matter of figuring out whether you need to use a reverse polarity SAE plug attachment.