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05-20-2019, 09:21 AM
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#1
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2 Rivet Member
2019 25' International
Evergreen
, Colorado
Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 46
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2019 25FB Factory Solar Upgrade Options
Hi all,
I have a new 2019 25FB twin with the factory solar package of 160 watts. I would like to boost capacity to around 400 watts, upgrade the controller, and maybe add 2 6volt batteries to the existing Lifelines. I went camping this weekend at Lake Dillon Colorado where it got down to 23 degrees. After a night of running the heater at 60 my batteries were down to 20%.
I'm looking for recommended parts and configurations to achieve my goal. I measured 2 spots on the roof for additional panels. One spot can handle a 42'x24' panel and the other location can fit a 58'x26' panel. There's currently one open plug for the Zamp box on the roof.
Also, does anyone know the location of the existing solar controller. I found the inverter under the bed and a box that I did not open labeled "12 volt."
Thanks!
Mark
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05-20-2019, 11:07 AM
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#2
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Rivet Master
2012 25' FB International
Trent Woods
, North Carolina
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 3,120
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AM Solar is the recognized expert on solar and I suggest you talk to someone there. You can buy kits or components and do it all yourself. I cannot really talk to the twin, but on my Queen the solar controller was under the bed, all the way forward, to the port side of centerline. Look for a little box with flashing lights when the sun is out, one of the wires is yellow. By the way, I traashed that piece of junk as it is not a multi-stage controller, unless they have upgraded it.
Larry
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05-20-2019, 11:18 AM
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#3
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2 Rivet Member
2019 25' International
Evergreen
, Colorado
Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 46
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Thanks! I'll give them a call.
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05-21-2019, 11:05 PM
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#4
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2 Rivet Member
2019 25' International
Evergreen
, Colorado
Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 46
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05-22-2019, 12:59 AM
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#5
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Rivet Master
2018 25' Flying Cloud
Portland
, Oregon
Join Date: Oct 2017
Posts: 1,316
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Most of the electrical stuff will be under the curb side twin bed, probably crammed into the rats nest area at the head of the bed with the inverter.
If you are going to do the work yourself AMSolar is one stop shopping. AMSolar is also a great place to do the whole job for you if you like. Lew Farber (Lewster on this forum) is also a real pro at this kind of work.
I pulled out the stock inverter, added a Victron Hybrid Inverter, lithium, Victron solar, etc. I know that’s more than what you are talking about, though. Here are a few pictures which might spark (pun intended) some ideas:
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05-22-2019, 08:42 AM
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#6
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2 Rivet Member
2019 25' International
Evergreen
, Colorado
Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 46
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Thanks Daleyocum,
Can you see the circuit breaker from my pics?
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05-22-2019, 08:48 AM
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#7
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Rivet Master
2018 25' Flying Cloud
Portland
, Oregon
Join Date: Oct 2017
Posts: 1,316
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Coolio
Thanks Daleyocum,
Can you see the circuit breaker from my pics?
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Sure though they aren’t obvious. There are self-resetting circuit breakers integrated in the black terminal strip along the top of that picture of the grey junction box. It’s the one with the copper strip.
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05-22-2019, 09:11 AM
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#8
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2 Rivet Member
2019 25' International
Evergreen
, Colorado
Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 46
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So do I need to add another circuit breaker when I replace the controller and add 2 more solar panels?
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05-22-2019, 09:21 AM
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#9
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Rivet Master
2022 25' Flying Cloud
NCR
, Ontario
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 3,077
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this is our schematic of wiring in our AS 22FB
breakers as used as a safety device. we also use them instead of fuses.
we also use the ones that can be used as a cut off switch
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05-22-2019, 09:41 AM
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#10
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Rivet Master
2018 25' Flying Cloud
Portland
, Oregon
Join Date: Oct 2017
Posts: 1,316
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Coolio
So do I need to add another circuit breaker when I replace the controller and add 2 more solar panels?
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I wouldn’t think you’d need to change any of the breakers (that would be hard anyway) though you may have to swap out the fuse coming from the solar controller. Current is both coming into and coming out of those breakers, it’s a tad unusual. Some breakers are from current sources and some are from loads. The solar controller is on it’s own fuse to the buss bar.
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05-25-2019, 11:43 AM
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#11
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Rivet Master
2018 27' Globetrotter
Apollo Beach
, Florida
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 1,401
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Coolio
So do I need to add another circuit breaker when I replace the controller and add 2 more solar panels?
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Am Solar recommended a 40 Amp breaker at the positive output connection on my Victron 100/30. You can see pictures of my installation on my Solar Show and Tell thread. I can’t link it like I’d normally do since I only have cellular internet access. You add the breaker to protect the wire from the controller to the busbar. The resettable breaker on the busbar protects the wire to the batteries.
__________________
2021 Northern-Lite 10-2 & F350 DRW PSD, 600W Solar/Victron/600A BattleBorn
146 nights 31,000 miles (first 10 months!)
Sold: 2018 GT27Q, 74 nights 12,777 miles
Sold: 2017 FC25FB, 316 nights 40,150 miles
Sold: 2013 Casita SD17 89 nights 16,200 miles
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05-31-2019, 05:36 PM
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#12
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2 Rivet Member
2019 25' International
Evergreen
, Colorado
Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 46
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Hey guys,
I have my 390 watts of panels wired and mounted. Now it’s time to replace the factory controller with the Victron MPPT 100/30. I need a little help with putting the wires in the right places. Does anyone have time to draw lines on my picture indicating which wire goes where?
Thanks,
Mark
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05-31-2019, 08:04 PM
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#13
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2 Rivet Member
2019 25' International
Evergreen
, Colorado
Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 46
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Is the green wire in this picture the negative from the solar panels? I'm assuming I need to remove it from the negative bus bar and plug it into the negative PV slot in the controller.
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05-31-2019, 11:41 PM
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#14
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Rivet Master
2018 25' Flying Cloud
Portland
, Oregon
Join Date: Oct 2017
Posts: 1,316
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Coolio
Is the green wire in this picture the negative from the solar panels? I'm assuming I need to remove it from the negative bus bar and plug it into the negative PV slot in the controller.
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Yes green is typically negative from the roof so you’d disconnect it and run it into the controller.
Note the the roof SAE solar prewire connectors might have a different polarity than your panel. I think those connectors are Zamp style but not sure. Test that with a multimeter by plugging in the panels and verify that green is negative and yellow is positive. If it’s reversed then reverse it going into the solar controller or on the roof on the panels.
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06-01-2019, 07:27 AM
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#15
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2 Rivet Member
2019 25' International
Evergreen
, Colorado
Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 46
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I believe I have everything wired correctly. Now I need to add the shunt, temp sensor, and BMV-712. Any tips? Also, where to I connect the temp sensor on the battery. I’m not sure which positive to connect to.
Thanks!
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06-02-2019, 12:48 AM
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#16
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Rivet Master
2018 25' Flying Cloud
Portland
, Oregon
Join Date: Oct 2017
Posts: 1,316
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I don’t have a temperature sensor since my lithium batteries have that built in.
While it’s tempting to mount the BMV712 down with everything else and bluetooth to it I must say I’m glad I mounted mine where it’s easy to see. We seem to check it all the time. I mounted ours in the hall next to the bathroom door. There’s a triangular panel on the back side of that area (in the bath) that is removable making fishing wires possible. Wires then emerge at the bottom and go behind the bathroom sink.
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06-02-2019, 11:58 PM
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#17
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2 Rivet Member
2019 25' International
Evergreen
, Colorado
Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 46
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Good idea!
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06-03-2019, 10:17 AM
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#18
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2 Rivet Member
2019 25' International
Evergreen
, Colorado
Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 46
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I noticed that I have one black wire going from one battery going directly to the inverter, and the other black wire on the other battery going directly to the negative bus bar.
How do I wire this so that only one wire goes directly from the battery to the shunt?
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06-03-2019, 07:03 PM
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#19
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Rivet Master
2018 25' Flying Cloud
Portland
, Oregon
Join Date: Oct 2017
Posts: 1,316
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Coolio
I noticed that I have one black wire going from one battery going directly to the inverter, and the other black wire on the other battery going directly to the negative bus bar.
How do I wire this so that only one wire goes directly from the battery to the shunt?
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That’s strange. In most installations the two batteries are wired in parallel inside the battery box and then a single positive and negative goes to the rats nest. I’d wire it that way if I were you I’d put the shunt in series with the negative. Negative from the battery would go to the negative bus bar and positive to the positive busbar/circuit breakers and put a 200 amp breaker in series from the battery. That also gives you a handy way to turn off all power in the trailer.
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06-04-2019, 03:55 AM
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#20
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Rivet Master
2012 25' FB International
Trent Woods
, North Carolina
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 3,120
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Not weird, that is the way Airstream does it. Mine was the same. You have to do some rewiring when adding a battery monitor. I have helped some club members with that when they added battery monitors.
Larry
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