Solar Install 2018 Reflection 337RLS

[bikerdavet]

Just a little update on battery selection and solar panel install. I spent part of the afternoon installing the mounting brackets on the solar panels. Plan to install the panels tomorrow. I used Renogy brackets. They include all the mounting hardware, bolts and screws in their kits. No affiliation with them. Sams is having a 1 day sale next Saturday on their flooded GC2 batteries ($20 off per battery) so that's the direction I will go. That puts them at $64 bucks a battery plus core which I think is $18. On a side note I ordered my TPMS and backup camera kit from Nichols Manufacturing. Again no affiliation. I've got until the 25th to get everything installed so I am going to be busy. And I wondered how I was going to stay busy when I retired......

[bikerdavet]

I finished my solar install. I wired the batteries today and flipped the switch. Solar worked. I was nervous. Really cloudy today but it was push power to the batteries. Tomorrow is Sailun tire install day... Next Saturday we head for Sadalia, MO for Escapades and our first days of full timing. Thanks again for everyone input and encouragement in this thread.

[treeofliberty]

I finished my solar install. I wired the batteries today and flipped the switch. Solar worked. I was nervous. Really cloudy today but it was push power to the batteries. Tomorrow is Sailun tire install day... Next Saturday we head for Sadalia, MO for Escapades and our first days of full timing. Thanks again for everyone input and encouragement in this thread.

First days of full timing?!!! That's fantastic. Have a great trip and I look forward to following in your footsteps in a few years.

[82alaska]

Hi, guys I'm getting ready to make an inverter install. I have a Aims 3000 watt inverter, 4/0 cable, and 4 six volt batteries.
My question is about protection. I see some installs use only a fuse block, and some use a breaker. I've seen some with both on the positive cable just out of the battery bank.
A chart I've seen shows a 400 amp fuse or a 250 amp circuit breaker. I don't get it.

Also what about a switch? I'm going to put it on the positive cable,,,,. But I've seen a dual switch cutting both neg. and pos.
It's that necessary?

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

[acadiaforever]

3000W / 12V = 250A. BUT

Your inverter isn't perfectly efficient; figure about .9 ? So that's 277 A.

I'd go with a 300 or 400 A fuse. You're not protecting the inverter from overload; it is already protected. You're protecting your batteries from some form of catastrophe; your wiring and batteries will withstand 400A for the short amount if time it takes to blow a fuse.

[jvenard]

Finally got around to starting my solar install. Phase one has successfully been completed. First step, build combiner box. Something in my psyche would not allow me to utilize the vent pipe. Plus, since this was going to be somewhat invasive I also wanted to run a pair of coax cables for a possible future satellite dish install and a pair of 12 volt wires in case said satellite dish requires them.

I was going to use the pre-made combiner box from AM Solar but to include everything I want it to do, I need more space. Cantex junction box, 1 1/2" conduit coupler, wire glands and mini buss bars from Arizona Wind Add sun. First problem, the threaded portion of the wire glands weren't long enough to go through the thicker walls of the Cantex box. Solution, drill and tap holes, a little silicone on the threads and screw them in.....

Attachment 9448Attachment 9449Attachment 9450

So would you ellaberate on how you chased your Romex from the front to the hutch? Does it require dropping the bottom cover?

[Mr. & Mrs. G]

I finished my solar install. I wired the batteries today and flipped the switch. Solar worked. I was nervous. Really cloudy today but it was push power to the batteries. Tomorrow is Sailun tire install day... Next Saturday we head for Sadalia, MO for Escapades and our first days of full timing. Thanks again for everyone input and encouragement in this thread.

Just happy somebody found this thread useful.... Erick

[Mr. & Mrs. G]

So would you ellaberate on how you chased your Romex from the front to the hutch? Does it require dropping the bottom cover?

Not quite sure I understand what you are asking. When I ran the wires from the combiner box on the roof, down the inside of the bathroom wall and up to the front compartment, yes I partially dropped the bottom cover. When I removed the panel in the storage compartment that separates it from what I will call the utility area, where the giant mess of wires and other stuff is, it was relatively easy to find a path through the floor and up to the front. If this isn't what you were asking, sorry. If you could clarify I will try to do better... Erick

[jvenard]

Not quite sure I understand what you are asking. When I ran the wires from the combiner box on the roof, down the inside of the bathroom wall and up to the front compartment, yes I partially dropped the bottom cover. When I removed the panel in the storage compartment that separates it from what I will call the utility area, where the giant mess of wires and other stuff is, it was relatively easy to find a path through the floor and up to the front. If this isn't what you were asking, sorry. If you could clarify I will try to do better... Erick

I have done this a few times in trailers. I am trying to visualize the install before I start ripping and tearing. So when you pulled the panel in the bathroom, I am assuming there was already holes down to the under belly? I am assuming you had to drill or bore holes to run your cables down below the trailer. Is there a bunch of insulation that gets disrupted? Did you just lay the cables directly onto the top of the belly cover? I am going to run romex from front to back and eventually run solar from the roof.

I want to place my inverter directly next to my 2 6v batteries. and run romex to the "recepticles" only. No Micro, AC or anything else.

Thanks in advance for you help. Also if you have any photos that would be great.

[Mr. & Mrs. G]

I have done this a few times in trailers. I am trying to visualize the install before I start ripping and tearing. So when you pulled the panel in the bathroom, I am assuming there was already holes down to the under belly? I am assuming you had to drill or bore holes to run your cables down below the trailer. Is there a bunch of insulation that gets disrupted? Did you just lay the cables directly onto the top of the belly cover? I am going to run romex from front to back and eventually run solar from the roof.

I want to place my inverter directly next to my 2 6v batteries. and run romex to the "recepticles" only. No Micro, AC or anything else.

Thanks in advance for you help. Also if you have any photos that would be great.

Having done this a few times, you are ahead of me when it come to experience as this was my first complete install. You are correct that when I removed the panel from the bathroom wall no drilling required. This gets you into the basement storage not the underbelly. There was also no drilling required to get into the underbelly. When you remove the panel in the storage compartment that separates it from the rats nest of wires and other stuff, you will see holes cut with enough clearance to run the required wires. Just have to hunt around and choose the one that works best for you. In the underbelly the wires are pretty much just laying there. Kind of next to some other large cables that were already there. Any photos I took of my install are already included in this post. Hope this helps, Erick