Solar Prep on the 2016's Pinnacles

[Kevlar119]

That template is near the slide-out/water panel?

[klassic]

To be clear... They aren't hanging off the "wall" itself, but are hanging (labeled) in that closed off area.

[klassic]

Originally Posted by Kevlar119

That template is near the slide-out/water panel?

Mine is on the curb side just over halfway near the top. Perhaps different on different units.

[Kevlar119]

Gotcha - I removed one panel, but so far nothing. I don't even have the template! Must have been built on a Monday or Friday!

[Subaru297]

Originally Posted by Onefastdaddy

Well, just a matter of reading lookup tables once you know the details. Basic Math when you get the right info. Experts correct me if I'm wrong but.

For lookups to determine if the wiring is sufficient gauge just know the current, gauge, length of run:
1. Run length
2. Gauge of wire (8 gauge)
3. Panel voltages, amps which multiplied together gives watts
* My panels info is 8.15A, 30.7v, 250W (30.7 x 8.15)
Home Depot: Grape-Solar-250-Watt-Monocrystalline-Solar-Panel-with-Black-Frame-

Run in series I just up the voltage, parallel up the amperage. The sum of the multiplications adds up to 500w. I was going to run them in series. The charge controller TS-60 says it can do up to max "Solar voltage" of 125v. My two panels in Series would be a max of 61.4v. Should be good. Just need to look up the chart for 8 gauge stranded and see if the length is ok for those values. Charts all over the Internet but it looks like for about 15A @ 12v 30' 8 gauge should be ok.

-DC

Slight correction here. If your are running your panels in series then you add the voltage as you have done but the amps stay at 8.15.

61.4v*8.15A=500Watts

If you parallel the panels you maintain the voltage and double the amps.

30.7v*16.3A=500Watts

In the first case your voltage drop for 10' of copper 8 guage wire is 0.04%.
Hooked up in parallel your voltage drop would be 0.17%.

Negligible in either case. I would hook up your panels in parallel to avoid any shading issues rather than in series. Unless that last 0.13% is really important to you! LOL

Cheers

http://www.calculator.net/voltage-drop-calculator.html

[Onefastdaddy]

This is good info.
We pickup our 26.5 Eagle tomorrow. It's wired for solar with a template at the panel. I will take photos and document what's where.
I am led to believe after the walkthrough that the wires from the top connector go to behind that panel with the switches. Same place as the template sticker.
But that's a long ways from the batteries. I want my controller very near the batteries so I am thinking up a way to have a status panel at the panel and the controller/charger (MorningStar TS-60) up by the batteries.
My concern is getting the wires from the panel to the battery. Unless I can tap into the wires at the wired for solar plug up front.
Each solar install is a bit unique as everyone's needs are different. I lived on a sailing catamaran for the past year and a half so I have a pretty good idea our needs. I had our boat in a good balance where wind and sun powered the fridge 12v DC, all electronics. Only time I used an engine was to raise anchor and dock.
I hope I can do as neat of an install as some of you who shared your installs here. Thanks for sharing.

[Onefastdaddy]

BTW, Jayco replied but I worded my eMail such they thought I was asking for installation advice not just the gauge of the wire...the reply just said they didn't have advice on the installation of solar and made no mention of the gauge wiring.

My guess is it looks like 10 gauge not 8 now that I look at it in person.

[klassic]

Originally Posted by Onefastdaddy

BTW, Jayco replied but I worded my eMail such they thought I was asking for installation advice not just the gauge of the wire...the reply just said they didn't have advice on the installation of solar and made no mention of the gauge wiring.

My guess is it looks like 10 gauge not 8 now that I look at it in person.

I don't understand why they would pre wire some with 8 and yours with 10.
Here's my 8ga

[Kevlar119]

I spoke with Go Power again today - he said they send the units to Jayco with 10G wire, but if they are installing with 8G, that is just better for us! I still don't have any answer from Jayco about where my wiring is - the dealer doesn't have the same model I have in stock to check either. My salesman said he thinks that since mine was one of the first 2016s off the floor (received in Nov 2015) that they probably just missed putting on the template. I hope that's all they forgot since I still can't find the wiring! There isn't anything near the battery either.

[Fire_Instructor]

Originally Posted by Kevlar119

I spoke with Go Power again today - he said they send the units to Jayco with 10G wire, but if they are installing with 8G, that is just better for us! I still don't have any answer from Jayco about where my wiring is - the dealer doesn't have the same model I have in stock to check either. My salesman said he thinks that since mine was one of the first 2016s off the floor (received in Nov 2015) that they probably just missed putting on the template. I hope that's all they forgot since I still can't find the wiring! There isn't anything near the battery either.

Still looking for mine, in my 377RLBH, as well! Hopefully the weather breaks in the next couple of weeks, and I den get more engaged in it, removing some of the panels in the basement area, so that I can look behind them.

[klassic]

Kevlar, I don't know if they wire the HT like the NorthPoint and Pinnacle, but look at the area where all the wires goto near the battery.
Part of the "pre wire" is hooking it up to the battery.
It's not, physically, a wire hooked to the battery. It's is hooked to a breaker..then goes to where the other 12v+ wires junction before going to the battery.
Red wire in the picture is the breaker and the solar wire.
Follow it back from there best you can.

[Fire_Instructor]

Originally Posted by klassic

Kevlar, I don't know if they wire the HT like the NorthPoint and Pinnacle, but look at the area where all the wires goto near the battery.
Part of the "pre wire" is hooking it up to the battery.
It's not, physically, a wire hooked to the battery. It's is hooked to a breaker..then goes to where the other 12v+ wires junction before going to the battery.
Red wire in the picture is the breaker and the solar wire.
Follow it back from there best you can.

So you are saying that your "pre-wire" is already connected from the roof directly to the battery? That doesn't make sense (to me) because any roof panel(s) large enough to require 8-gauge wire are going to require a controller between the panels and the batteries..... I'm going to have to open up the panels in my basement and just find the damn wires!!! LOL!!!

[klassic]

No.... Look at the other pictures.
Comes from the roof to behind the basement wall..coiled up...wire stops and ends are taped.
New wire coiled up..taped ends. I assume (I haven't looked) the white is going to the ground bar in the converter panel. The red goes to the battery area...hooked to 30 amp breaker...From breaker to battery disconnect stud where the other 12v wires meet then off to the battery.
Sooo, yes it is already "pre wired" to the battery.
No, it doesn't go directly to the roof from the battery.
Yes they are 8ga. Yes it requires a controller.

[Fire_Instructor]

OK. I'll likely abandon the "lower" section, and run bigger wire from my controller to the inverter, then from the inverter direct to the battery. This will allow me to "shut off" the 12v to the unit by using the factory battery switch, yet allow my solar system to keep the batteries charged. I'll install my own shutoff on the feed from the panels to th controller, next to the controller. (just like my previous unit was wired)

[klassic]

Right now it's wired so the converter keeps the battery charged while the disconnect switch is off.
There are two wires coming from the Progessive Dynamics converter. One is hooked to the "other side" of the disconnect along with the wire coming from the battery and, I think, the solar wire.
The other side of the disconnect has the other 12v accessories that need to be shut off and the other wire going back to the converter's 12v buss, which would switch off the rest of the rigs 12v

I'll check and take a better pic of the disconnect switch area. Looking at my picture above has me confused cause I think that's the disconnect switch that is half cut out of the picture. It was a while ago when I traced all this.

[Fire_Instructor]

What is the wattage of the Progressive Dynamics converter? And do they have it wired to supply the entire unit? or just certain outlets? I have a Xantrex PW2000 that I can wire into the system to power about anything (except the fridges and AC) with the batteries (4-6V golf cart batteries), and charged by the solar. Depending on the output and wiring of the factory Progressive Dynamics, I could install my Xantrex, plug the trailer into the xantrex, and then just turn the Progressive Dynamics unit and the 12v converter off when plugged into the solar system and Xantrex..... I need to get out and figure out what runs from the Progressive Dynamics unit and what doesn't......

[klassic]

Here is the converter PD4590
All-in-One 240V, 50 Amp AC/DC Power Distribution Panel

It's wired to all plugs except not directly to the residential fridge, which goes to the inverter's transfer switch first.
All big 12v items are from DC breakers in the battery area. (Ground Control, slides)

[Fire_Instructor]

It's starting to all make sense now. I'm really at a deficit, as I had a crappy PDI, and then then unit went right into winter storage the day that it got home, so I really don't know what does what.... I don't have the residential fridge, so I don't think that I have ANY inverter installed. I really don't know what works when not plugged in vs when plugged in. If there is no inverter, this will be easy for me. I'll just wire in my inverter, and control what I want running by the breaker switch or, in the case of the outside fridge, but unplugging it when I'm boon docking. If there is a factory invereter, and some 12v stuff works when not plugged in, it will just take m longer to figure it all out. My previous Rockwood had an all-12v entertainment system, including a 12v television. If there is no inverter, my TV's are 120v, so therefore won't work unless plugged in, or unless I install my Xantrex.

Thank you for all of your great info. It's really helping me figure out the few photos and the ridiculously over-simplified (bordering on useless) manual!!

[klassic]

No residential fridge then no inverter.
If your Tv has a lift, the lift motor is 12v...the tv is 120v, the stereo/dvd is 12v
The other tv's have built in DVD's
The micro is by itself.

[Fire_Instructor]

Originally Posted by klassic

No residential fridge then no inverter.
If your Tv has a lift, the lift motor is 12v...the tv is 120v, the stereo/dvd is 12v
The other tv's have built in DVD's
The micro is by itself.

HUGE help!!! Thank you!
I believe that outside fridge is just a small residential plug-in, with no inverter supplying it, so I'll just unplug it and not use it when dry-camping and using the Xantrex.

So it will be similar to the way my system was set-on my previous Rockwood. The solar panels will supply the controller/charger with the 8-gauge from the roof. From the controller, I'll run a pair of short 4/0 wires to the Xantrex. I'll run #0 wire (1/0) from the Xantrex to the four batteries, so that the Xantrex can run at full amperage. I'll hard-wire a 120v plug into the Xantrex, then run conduit along the underside, to the area of the side plug-in for the 50A cord. I'll install a 120v outlet next to the plug-in, then make-up a pigtail that will allow me to plug the trailer into the Xantrex. All I'll have to do is make sure that the 12v charger in the Progressive Dynamics unit is switched off, and the fridge on "propane only", and I'll be all set! All sounds complicated, but actually very easy.

You've been a huge help figuring this all out, Klassic, and I really appreciate it!!!!!