21 MML solar questions

TowPro

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 1, 2012
Posts
3,820
New guy here in central Fl.
The unit I am waiting to pickup has the go power pmw controller in the wall just before you go into the bathroom.
It appears by the roof that the wires drop down into this wall.
But where does the output wires that come out of the solar controller go?

When I look at the front battery it only has 2 wires (+ and -) so the solar power output must splice into the system somewhere inside the coach?
I would hope that the solar is not switched by battery switch, will I find the solar output in basement behind battery switch?

I am buying the unit with two 200w panels, but someday I will be expanding which will require a different controller. At that point I would go mppt. Since this Go Power is installed in a hole in the wall, has anybody replaced it with something else that fills this hole? Most units are made to mount on a wall with wires connecting in front.

Depending on where the go power output wires go, if they go to the basement one option could be to just bypass the wall mounted controller and splice wires to pass through, than install the new controller in the basement by the battery switch. Since I will be switching to MPPT I can put the panels in series and run a higher voltage on the wire so maybe what ever the factory wire size would large enough.

Where else could I pass solar wires through the coach to get into the basement?

Thanks.
 
Odds are the wires from the roof to the PWM go to the power center and then out put to battery handles the solar charge function with no separate wiring. I could be wrong. You could see if there is a charge going to the batteries with a meter when not plugged into shore power. Or call Jayco and get a schematic.

Mine had no factory solar so I wired directly solar to near the battery and put my MPPT there next to batteries, solar fuse and power cut off switches.
 
I have the same set-up. Good question. I'm not really sure. Now you're gonna go out and make me look.
 
Just talked to a tech. he seem to think the solar comes into the electrical center (its right in that area where the wires come down).
so we are looking at the front of my rig, and here is a set of wires for the refregerator with a breaker on the front of coach. this should be interesting because this means that the refreg is not hooked up to the cutoff switch. I find it hard to beleve that the cutoff switch don't leave the solar connected? IE in storage you cut the load but let solar charge? I wonder of Jayco would be able to tell me?

Also while I was there I asked about ball height so I could setup my hitch. He measured from ground to bottom of frame between wheels, than added thickness of frame to measurement and said the top of your ball should be at 28". Geese I hope not, I might not be able to able to open the tailgate :( .
I found that my current hitch on my 2022 F150 2wd the 2" bar that the hitch head hits on will poke a hole in the tailgate if I opened it. so I need to get a smaller "L" shank. (I have been driving tall truck for too long).


Hopefully someone here will be able to remember what there 21 MML ball height is. This is the setup where the hitch is on top of the frame.
 
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Just found the jayco sales toolkit from someone on this forum talking about it. Ball height 25.5"
 
I just replaced my stock go power with the MPPT controller yesterday. The wiring from the controller (positive) goes to a 30 amp breaker connected to the battery. The negative is attached to the ground to the frame. I spliced my positive cables between the old controller and panels and spliced a new negative cable to the solar panel wiring. I then had to run the negative to the new controller I placed up front near the batteries. look for something like this picture in your unit. Since it's Jayco, it may be similar in design.
 

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Yesterday I called Jayco, using the VIN of my rig the were able to come up with drawing named "Schematic, Roof solar charge port". (dated 2018)

This drawing shows 8 gauge wire from the roof port to the solar charge controller (or the prewired area where the controller goes).
from the controller its 8 gauge, showing black goes to ground and red goes to a 30A circuit breaker.
If model has the disconnect switch the breaker is near that. if no disconnect switch the breaker is near A frame
From the breaker drawing shows 8 gauge going to the dealer installed battery.

documents also has note: roof solar prep designed for use with up to 400watts of solar panel power (which is only 20a)


Internet shows 8g is good for 30A @ 15' and 25A @ 25'
 
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