Solar Wiring Question/Concern

[TucsonJim]

Jes,

I'm considering purchase of a solar panel to connect to the external solar port that is wired into our 2017 297RSTS. While examining the wiring, I found what appears to be an installation error you folks may want to remedy. It is my understanding that this port is wired to support a Furrion 95 watt solar panel.

In the first picture below, you can see that the GD factory installed a 7.5 Amp fuse.



In the next picture, you can see a screen shot from the Furrion installation manual that calls for a 10 amp fuse in order to use their 95 watt panel. If the battery is discharged to 12VDC, and a full 95 watts of charging power is supplied, the battery will be drawing 7.9 amps which will exceed the rating of the fuse you've installed.



In addition, the manual also calls for using 10AWG wire. The fuse holder that is wired into the circuit appears to have 12AWG wire. A fuse holder with at least 10AWG should be considered on future builds.



Jim

[jkib2238]

Jes,

I'm considering purchase of a solar panel to connect to the external solar port that is wired into our 2017 297RSTS. While examining the wiring, I found what appears to be an installation error you folks may want to remedy. It is my understanding that this port is wired to support a Furrion 95 watt solar panel.

In the first picture below, you can see that the GD factory installed a 7.5 Amp fuse.



In the next picture, you can see a screen shot from the Furrion installation manual that calls for a 10 amp fuse in order to use their 95 watt panel. If the battery is discharged to 12VDC, and a full 95 watts of charging power is supplied, the battery will be drawing 7.9 amps which will exceed the rating of the fuse you've installed.



In addition, the manual also calls for using 10AWG wire. The fuse holder that is wired into the circuit appears to have 12AWG wire. A fuse holder with at least 10AWG should be considered on future builds.



Jim

Jim,
I purchased the 160w Zamp portable panel along with the Zamp to Furion adapter cable. Supplier told me to replace the fuse with a 15amp. I think my 160w panel puts out just under 10amps max, so I would be suprised if the furion 90w unit puts out 7.5 amps.
Yes, 10g wire would be best. I need to locate a different interface connector with 10G wires in place of the Furion with the 12g, unless I can somehow modify the furion with 10g wire.

[GDRV Missy]

Jim,
Good afternoon. I will printed these off and have them sent to the correct people that design the units & and have asked for advisement on this.



Jes

[TucsonJim]

Jes - I haven't heard back from you yet. I was talking to Micah on Friday, and while he had me on the phone, he called over to the factory to find out what was going on with this. Evidently the factory ran out of 10 amp fuses and somebody thought it was okay to use a 7.5 amp that was used in another application. Of course that was an incorrect decision. About three weeks ago, the factory switched back to using 10amp fuses. For any owners that have a 7.5 amp fuse installed that plan on using the solar input, you'll have to change the fuse and the fuse holder. The holder is only rated for 7.5 amps max.

Jim

[Joeyp59]

Jim - Have you decide what solar panel you're going to use? The Furion system or something else?