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Old 02-14-2021, 09:59 AM   #1
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Solar for 195RB

Hi All,
I am wanting a solar setup for my 2018 195RB. Looking at Renogy kits. They seem to be easy. Wondering if I need 200 or 300Watts. Do I need an inverter? If anyone has this trailer, where did you put stuff?
Thanks
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Old 02-14-2021, 07:06 PM   #2
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Our 195 is permanently set up. We have a Renogy 100 W kit, which includes the power controller. It keeps the battery 100% charged when we are not there and the trailer is not in use.

The panel is mounted on top of a small plastic shed that we use to store the genny, water bottles and gas. We are truly amazed at how well the unit works, even during parts of the day when it is in the shade. We have many trees on the property, so there was no place to put it that didn't get at least some shade. In the winter, it still generates some amperage as long as the snow load is an inch or less.

With a genny or local power I saw no need to have an inverter.
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Old 02-14-2021, 07:18 PM   #3
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You need to do some research, not on solar installations, but on what you need in the way of power while camping. If just for keeping the battery up, 100 watts is more than enough. If you are going boon-docking for days at a time, planning on lots of TV or microwave use, cold nights and furnace than you will need more.

Figure out what you will need in battery reserve for your demand and then plan on how many watts of panels to keep the batteries charged.


Tons of past posts with links to helpful you-tubes can be researched on the search function above.


For me, one 27 battery has always carried me through the night for single night stops. I don't boon dock for longer than one night. 100 watts and a decent mppt controller is enough for me. If I change I can add more panels as needed.
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Old 02-14-2021, 07:18 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Demann View Post
Hi All,
I am wanting a solar setup for my 2018 195RB. Looking at Renogy kits. They seem to be easy. Wondering if I need 200 or 300Watts. Do I need an inverter? If anyone has this trailer, where did you put stuff?
Thanks
An inverter will take the 12V DC from the battery that your solar system is recharging and make it 120V AC which many of your appliances may use. Most of those appliances that you may wish to plug in are real energy hogs.

200 watts may be too much and 300 watts may not be close to what you need. What are you trying to power? For basic items like lights, water pump, controller for propane operated refrigerators, 200 watts should be enough to recharge your single 100 ah battery. Now add a furnace fan running all day and night, perhaps an electric coffee pot and 300 watts may not be enough.

Without serious cost in solar charging and lithium batteries you will not be running an AC, microwave, residential refrigerator, etc on a solar kit.
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Old 02-15-2021, 06:21 PM   #5
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Good replies here. Our personal experience with our 195RB has been that a Renogy 100W suitcase with a series 27 battery holds us indefinitely. We don't run an inverter for any extras, might run the heater several hours a day, and run a bathroom vent fan as needed. Lights are all LED so take little power. We replaced the fridge fan with two larger vent fans, but they still don't use much. Really, unless you use an inverter to run extra stuff or run a lot of heat, 100W is probably plenty.
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Old 02-15-2021, 06:41 PM   #6
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Thank you all for the great advice! I think I will go with a simple 200Watt solar system with a 30A PWM controller that I can check over Bluetooth. I will just run a 150-200Watt inverter when I need to charge a laptop. That's it. Nice and simple. Maybe get a better battery than the stock 24 that I have sometime down the road. Fridge, heat and HW are propane. Lights are LED. Renogy has a sale on right now. Thanks again.
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Old 03-08-2022, 04:27 PM   #7
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195rb go power solar ready

I have a 2021 195rb that is “prepped for solar”.
I cut open the wall where the sticker is and was expecting 4 cables. +- for battery and +- for solar panel coming from the go power unit on the roof. There are only 2 wires in there with no ends. Am I missing something?
I traced one end of the wires to the battery d the other end go up the wall towards the ceiling and I have no idea where they end. I cannot find any wires that match the gauge of the wires coming from the solar connector on the roof of the unit. Any help would be appreciated!
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Old 03-08-2022, 04:48 PM   #8
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Originally Posted by Jhowlette View Post
I have a 2021 195rb that is “prepped for solar”.
I cut open the wall where the sticker is and was expecting 4 cables. +- for battery and +- for solar panel coming from the go power unit on the roof. There are only 2 wires in there with no ends. Am I missing something?
I traced one end of the wires to the battery d the other end go up the wall towards the ceiling and I have no idea where they end. I cannot find any wires that match the gauge of the wires coming from the solar connector on the roof of the unit. Any help would be appreciated!
I would think that your Owner's Manual would provide the info that you need. At least mine told me everything.

I personally would NEVER consider "cutting open a wall" looking for wires. OMG, what were you thinking?

Talk to your dealer (who maybe clueless), or contact the factory. There is probably a simple solution here.
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Old 03-08-2022, 04:56 PM   #9
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Thanks

I did not cut open a random wall. They are prepped for solar now. There is a literal guide template on the wall showing where to cut to properly insert the charge controller. My issue is that the correct wires are not where they are meant to be.
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Old 03-08-2022, 06:17 PM   #10
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You cut those two wires and add in the solar charge controller. The two ends that go to the roof will come from the solar panels (in your case there should be a MC4 cable entry box on the roof, but obviously no panels until you install them. They two ends going down go to the battery. You can watch this guy do it to his 166FBS:
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Old 03-08-2022, 06:20 PM   #11
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I just got off the roof. I ended up pulling the go power connection box off to find out that jayco had not connected the wires going up the wall to the box. I connected them, put some wire nuts on and put it all back together and it worked. Absolutely pathetic that they couldn’t even be bothered to connect the leads.
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Old 03-08-2022, 06:22 PM   #12
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Originally Posted by Jhowlette View Post
I just got off the roof. I ended up pulling the go power connection box off to find out that jayco had not connected the wires going up the wall to the box. I connected them, put some wire nuts on and put it all back together and it worked. Absolutely pathetic that they couldn’t even be bothered to connect the leads.
This is a common problem on the Jaycos:
https://www.jaycoowners.com/forums/f...god-90733.html
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