Solar Ready Wiring

[jrb CO]

What gauge wires are run in the solar ready 2017 GD imagine units?

[TucsonJim]

I'll see if I can trace the wires tomorrow on our new Reflection which should be the same as your imagine. Since the Furrion panel is rated for 90 watts at 12VDC, the wire size should be specified for 90watts/12volts = 7.5 amps. This equates to a minimum wire size of 16AWG with a run of no more than 6 feet and a 3% voltage drop. I'm hoping it is at least 14 AWG so I can adapt a 100watt panel to the Furrion port. I'll see what I can find out tomorrow.

Jim

[ShooTingSTar]

We just had a single 160 watt solar panel put on our 2017 Solitude's roof and they used 8AWG wire from the roofs multi panel wiring box down to the controller box near the fuse panel. This way they told me I can easily add 2 additional 160 watt solar panels without all the work involved during the initial install by only mounting the panels and plugging them into one or both of the two plug in ports on the box they installed. So the major work is done adding the 1st panel and adding additional units is simple without all the wire running through the trailer.

George- Twisp, WA

[jrb CO]

We just had a single 160 watt solar panel put on our 2017 Solitude's roof and they used 8AWG wire from the roofs multi panel wiring box down to the controller box near the fuse panel. This way they told me I can easily add 2 additional 160 watt solar panels without all the work involved during the initial install by only mounting the panels and plugging them into one or both of the two plug in ports on the box they installed. So the major work is done adding the 1st panel and adding additional units is simple without all the wire running through the trailer.

George- Twisp, WA

George,

Sounds like you ran your own 8AWG. I think you need 8AWG or at the very least 10AWG, but I wonder what is pre-wired in the solar ready units?

[ShooTingSTar]

I'm not sure what Grand Designs definition of Solar Ready is. Our new trailer was solar ready and did have a wired outlet on the right front where a remote solar panel could be plugged in and would charge the trailers batteries. My choice to add solar panel(s) to the trailers roof required several hours of labor for a tech to run the 8 gauge wire from the roof to the fuse panel area to install the single panel. Now I can add up to two more fairly simply. Bolt to roof, seal and plug into the 3 outlet box on the roof.

Beyond that I'm a newb to these trailers and I'm here to learn more about the brand since we own one.

George

[LCBoyer]

My solar connection is a pair of #12 wire with eye lugs on one, from a Furion plug. Furion makes a portable solar panel that will maintain the batteries with small load

[TucsonJim]

My solar connection is a pair of #12 wire with eye lugs on one, from a Furion plug. Furion makes a portable solar panel that will maintain the batteries with small load

It looks like the same set up for our Reflection LC.

Jim