Jayco 212 QB Solar install: informational

[jayco1997]

I recently installed my 2 x 100 Watt, HQST panels on my 2021 Jayco 212QB and wanted to share my experience in case others are going through the same issues.

I installed the Go Power GP-PWM-30-UL charge controller in the location marked by the sticker from Jayco. I cut a small 2 inch hole with the hole saw first and was happy to see the black and red 10 AWG wire in the wall. I had to cut the loop of wire as one end went to the panel, and the other to roof MC4 plug ins.

I had ordered the standard mounting feet for the solar panels, but I kept having a little voice telling me that once those are mounted if a panel fails, (they are $89, wouldn't be shocking!) I will have to remove the feet from the roof to fix the panel. I had seen some other Youtube videos on making your own feet and I decided to make a similar bracket out of 1 1/4" aluminum angle with a 5/8" bolt holding the two pieces together. I think if a panel fails it will still be a bit of work to remove but I can leave the feet and remove the bolt pulling the panel.

The panels seem to be working well with the Go Power Charge Controller, it was a learning experience completing this project.

I have not installed the inverter yet. I discovered through this process by asking Jayco for the wiring diagram that my trailer has Inverter Prep wire. I did some research and found out one end goes to the plugs and the other to the panel.
They don't mention it anywhere I could find but I believe they want you to use something like the AIMS Power 2000W Pure Sine Inverter with built in transfer switch. Somewhere in my research I had found a person mention this inverter. I have not installed this inverter yet so I can't speak to its performance. This inverter could not run the AC or anything that large.

This post is my personal experience and yours may be different, never work on your trailer with the battery or shore power hooked up and always consult and electrician when working with electrical items. This is not a how to guide.

[alfavulcan]

Thanks for posting. I have the same trailer and was worried about cutting a hole in the bedroom wall and finding nothing😬

[kenny garrett]

Great information, I have the same camper 2021 . I am getting ready to order my supplies
Kenny

[66lincoln]

Let us know how the inverter hook up goes. I have another post on here where I connected my inverter with internal automatic transfer switch to the pre-wire in the same trailer as you and when shore power was connected it blew up the inverter. I'm curious to see what happens with yours. I would double check the pre-wire label was correctly installed on the pre-wire loop to make sure it correctly identifies direction to the outlets and panel.

[Jagiven]

Looks good!

One thing I might recommend, is adding a little Loctite to the threads or replace the nut with a Nyloc nut. Nothing worse than rolling down the road and the bolts come loose.

[NERVA]

Thanks for sharing your experience, looks like you had a smooth install.

Before deciding what system I wanted to go with I checked my plugs in the roof and also realized they never cut my wires. Which I’m glad because I wanted a MPPT controller in pass through storage and didn’t want to open up the hole in the wall.

Ill be doing my soon and I can’t wait haha.

[jayco1997]

Thanks for the Loctite advice, I forgot to mention, I had put blue Loctite on all my bolts. I agree bolts falling out is a bad experieince!

[Mudbug]

Thank you very much, Jayco 1997. A question for you, were your wires from the charge controller to the battery already connected ? So just pull the battery and connect the cut wires to the controller from the panels and battery, then reconnect the battery ?

[jayco1997]

Yes the wires were connected to the battery, I disconnected the battery and installed the Charge Controller between the wires

[Dannos]

Can someone give me a measurement for the solar install I have a 212qb and the sticker was removed.

[alfavulcan]

If you don’t find out in next 3 or 4 days, I could take a picture of the sticker and it’s location on my 2021 212qb

[Javaman]

Which side of your camper did you drill your hole to find the wire?