Solar Option

**Tall Paul** · 12-28-2019, 03:03 PM

We recent received our custom ordered 310GK with factory solar option. Sorry to those with more knowledge that suggested I’d be an idiot (no one said that) to have the dealer/factory solar option. The price (50% less than a good installer) and some unknown about how much we will use it, lead us down this path.

We purchased 2 Battle Born 100a Lithium batteries (factory seconds - with full warranty) which we are excited to use.

Attach you will see the solar panel (sorry about upside down), controller, remote display, inverter, and inverter switch. I haven’t yet checked every single 110 outlet, but it appears the inverter is wired to (almost?) all outlets. The fireplace and air conditioners may be the only thing I cant run when off shore power.

To my very unknowing eye, this is a nice setup.

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**ttooley** · 12-28-2019, 03:35 PM

I don't get the weird comments at the beginning of the post but it looks like a nice setup. Even though running at least one AC unit would be desirable, it would surely be a big drain on the system and maybe hard on the AC unit. Did they say why it was not wired for it?

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

**Second Chance** · 12-28-2019, 03:37 PM

Thanks for posting. Looks like someone installed something besides a solar panel on the roof...

Rob

**Tall Paul** · 12-28-2019, 09:11 PM

Originally Posted by Second Chance

Thanks for posting. Looks like someone installed something besides a solar panel on the roof...

Rob

Rob - I put max vent covers over all vents. Really liked that with our last 5th wheel for keeping rain/dirt from the rig. Everything else is stock (well, except for the snow).

**Tall Paul** · 12-28-2019, 09:27 PM

Originally Posted by ttooley

I don't get the weird comments at the beginning of the post but it looks like a nice setup. Even though running at least one AC unit would be desirable, it would surely be a big drain on the system and maybe hard on the AC unit. Did they say why it was not wired for it?

Tim - several good guys on this forum suggested I’d be money ahead to do a more complete/professional install by a third party.

You can certainly run an AC - it would require more batteries (and probably a soft start). With more batteries you’d want more panels to recharge the batteries which means more upgrade of the equipment. We live in the Pacific Northwest and love mountains so we usually aren’t in areas needing 2 air conditioners. Our travel patterns may certainly change with this rig and my retirement.

**Second Chance** · 12-28-2019, 10:11 PM

Originally Posted by Tall Paul

Rob - I put max vent covers over all vents. Really liked that with our last 5th wheel for keeping rain/dirt from the rig. Everything else is stock (well, except for the snow).

Yes - I was talking about the snow.

Rob

**bertschb** · 12-29-2019, 07:52 AM

Thanks for sharing the pictures Tall Paul. Is there room on the roof for any additional 300w panels (same size as factory)? I ordered the factory solar package myself and was thinking of adding a 2nd or 3rd panel some day.

**cookinwitdiesel** · 12-29-2019, 12:12 PM

I read in another post that the factory panel is installed directly on top of where the wires come through the roof into a junction box. This is a pretty strange design choice but it is what it is. Everything should use MC4 connectors though so it is simple enough to add to the PV array as long as you do not exceed the voltage rating of the MPPT and the current rating of the PV wires.

If there is not one already, I strongly encourage you to install a battery monitor such as a Victron BMV-712 (or something cheaper, they are pretty high end). The inverter is likely powering one circuit breaker worth of stuff - likely one of the breakers with all of you easily available outlets. In my trailer (3740BH-R), the breaker panel had 3 circuits with outlets, labeled as

Refer
Opt. inverter
GFI

Everything else was somewhat dedicated for high draw appliances. The GFI breaker was all of the GFCI protected outlets (anything outside or near a water source). Attached is my circuit mapping for my trailer, it may help you to understand/map out how your trailer is wired.

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**Tall Paul** · 12-29-2019, 12:36 PM

Originally Posted by Second Chance

Yes - I was talking about the snow.

Rob

should have known!

Snow wasn’t bad at dealer but much more at home - so it gets to stay there for a bit longer (unfortunately)

**J&J___** · 12-29-2019, 12:50 PM

Originally Posted by bertschb

Thanks for sharing the pictures Tall Paul. Is there room on the roof for any additional 300w panels (same size as factory)? I ordered the factory solar package myself and was thinking of adding a 2nd or 3rd panel some day.

Is the 300 watt solar panel used by Grand Design the Jaboni panel at this link?

https://jabonipowerproducts.com/prod...t-solar-panel/