Solar Panel Installation Report

[KJRitchie]

I noticed Tsunami's AS is a 2016 with the A/C hump. Mine doesn't have that hump. Looking at the OP photos the panels are almost level using the feet that come with the panels.

Kelvin

[lewster]

Originally Posted by KJRitchie

I noticed Tsunami's AS is a 2016 with the A/C hump. Mine doesn't have that hump. Looking at the OP photos the panels are almost level using the feet that come with the panels.

Kelvin

Optical illusion!! I have always used extended length feet for Airstream installation. They are placed on the outside rails to level the panels, which is not possible using AM SOlars regular 3-hole rocker foot mounts.

I had the super tall feet made for the new, ducted air raised roof of the 2015+ model years.

[Gene]

Lew, I do recall you had big feet.

Gene

[lewster]

Originally Posted by Gene

Lew, I do recall you had big feet.

Gene

Yep. Even bigger ones now with the higher roof curve for the ducted A/C


Lew Farber
RVIA/RVDA Nationally Certified Master Tech
ABYC Certified Master Marine Electrician
Master Tech Energy Systems, Inc.
AM Solar Certified Installation Center*AMS Lithium Batteries
Lifeline AGM Batteries**Magnum Inverters***Victron Energy Components
541-490-6357

[tsunami]

Installed the IPN Pro Remote today, final piece of the system. Agonized over location. So the question is: when I plugged the RJ-11 cable in the IPN Pro it lit up and displayed Battery 13.2V Volt/AMP +773.3A when it finally settled out. Then I connected the 18/2 twisted pair and the Volt/AMP went to +0.0A. Would this indicate a problem. The AS is indoors under florescent lighting.

[tsunami]

Photo of IPN Pro after plugging in RJ-11.


Sent from my iPhone using Airstream Forums

[alano]

If you connected the IPN remote without connecting the twisted pair from the current shunt, the fact that it displayed 773A doesn't surprise me, since the IPN remote is looking for a very small voltage drop across the shunt and you left the IPN remote input unterminated. After connecting the shunt, the IPN remote should indicate the current drain from the battery when you start turning on various loads in your trailer.

[tsunami]

I'm heading out to the barn to disconnect shore power and start turing on fans, lights, and inverter. More to follow. Thanks

[lewster]

Originally Posted by tsunami

I'm heading out to the barn to disconnect shore power and start turing on fans, lights, and inverter. More to follow. Thanks

You need a re-boot. Remove the battery power from the Blue Sky system (should be the black marine circuit breaker with the yellow stalk). This will re-set the iPN-PRO remote as well and all should be good to go.

[tsunami]

Rebooted system. See photo


Sent from my iPhone using Airstream Forums

[tsunami]

Disconnected shore power. Turned on all lights, both fantastic vent fans, bath and shower exhaust fans (no refrig or furnace turned on) and watched the volt/amp numbers dropped to about -8.5.


Sent from my iPhone using Airstream Forums

[tsunami]

Only things left to do is a very little wiring cleanup and to reinstall the plywood seating surface and cushions. Ready to get me some free power!!!


Sent from my iPhone using Airstream Forums

[lewster]

Originally Posted by tsunami

only things left to do is a very little wiring cleanup and to reinstall the plywood seating surface and cushions. Ready to get me some free power!!!Attachment 261317Attachment 261318


sent from my iphone using airstream forums

LOOKING GOOD!!!:d

[switz]

Yes, solar power is free but only after the really stiff initiation fee....

[KJRitchie]

I'm trying to pull the trigger on a 200w roof system and I have two choices for monitor and controllers:

1. Bogart Trimetric 2030 monitor panel pair with the Bogart PWM 30amp SC 2030 solar charger. Cost for this system is $343 which includes the 500amp shunt and 4 wire cable harness and temperature sensor. I like the way the solar controller is paired with Trimetric 2030. There are profiles set up that you can choose for each brand of batteries of which Lifeline is included. One of the charging parameters is to allow the batteries to be charge over 7% which according to what I've read is needed to fully charge AGM lead acid batteries.

2. Blue Sky 2512i HV MPPT solar controller paired with a Blue Sky IPN Pro Remote. The cost of this set up is about $531. If I have to get the surface mounting box for the controller then that is another $40.

Will I really benefit from an MPPT system with only 200w on the roof? I can't see adding more panels to the roof int he future as my roof real estate is limited. I do plan to set up a quick connect to the roof system so I can add 200w of portable panels.

Kelvin

[alano]

The MPPT controller will be more efficient than a PWM controller and the BlueSky battery monitor integrates well with the charger. I'd pay the difference.

[lewster]

The Blue Sky is a better system. Plus, Bogart's reasoning for not offering an MPPT controller seems spurious at best. He's beginning to sound a lot like 'Angry Bob' 😄


Lew Farber
RVIA/RVDA Nationally Certified Master Tech
ABYC Certified Master Marine Electrician
Master Tech Energy Systems, Inc.
AM Solar Certified Installation Center*AMS Lithium Batteries
Lifeline AGM Batteries**Magnum Inverters***Victron Energy Components
541-490-6357

[BoldAdventure]

You will be happier with that Blue Sky controller.

[switz]

Our first system was in the Classic and has the TriStar MPPT 60 because of the 800 watts of initial solar panels. We are adding one and perhaps two more 100 watt panels in May. Two additional panels would will bring the TriStar closer to it's rated capacity of 800 watt at 12Vdc (since solar panels really create about 75% of the lable plate power, the ten 100 watt panels could, in theory, create about 750 watts on a bright day).

Making changes to the parameters is a chore as we have to remove the cabinet it hides in to access a data port to make changes to the firmware. When we changed from the four Lifeline 6ct batteries to one lithium iron phosphate battery with the same 12Vdc 600 amp-hour capacity we had to change several of the parameters in the firmware. We have been pleased with it's performance to date.

The 23D has it's roof completely full with five 100 watt solar panels. We selected the BlueSky 3024iL controller and it does an excellent job as well and is easier to program than the TriStar. In my opinion, the BlueSky IPN-Pro Remote provides more user friendly capabilities than the TriStar Meter 2 remote provides.

YMMV

[tsunami]

As stated in the Young Frankenstein movie, "It is alive!!!". After spending about 5 minutes programming, via the IPN-Pro, and validating inputs, I pulled my AS out of the barn, on this very cloudy day and the system sprang to life. More to follow.


Sent from my iPhone using Airstream Forums