Solar pre wire

[bwaysteve]

In the process of wiring my 65 Ambie.What should I run for future solar before I put the inside skins on.I assume 6 or 8 ga. but how much? My plan is to use a ladder support that mounts in the 4 holes on the TV pickup bed to mount the panels which could be stored when not traveling.

[arodriguez60]

How many watts are you going to put?

[DaveFL]

and how far from where battery is located?
Where do you store safely between uses?

[bwaysteve]

Hey Dave,
Batteries will be between rear and last axle.I can put the TV anywhere.I would think 200-300 watts.All lights are led will probably have Microwave as largest Item.Plan on stereo,LCD TV,Laptop.
I would store in my Barn covered.

[lewster]

Originally Posted by bwaysteve

In the process of wiring my 65 Ambie.What should I run for future solar before I put the inside skins on.I assume 6 or 8 ga. but how much? My plan is to use a ladder support that mounts in the 4 holes on the TV pickup bed to mount the panels which could be stored when not traveling.

Steve,

Just as a point of reference, we at AM Solar use 6AWG wire now to connect the panels (we use a combiner box at the roof) to the charge controller, and then the controller to the batteries. This is good for systems up to 400 watts in the solar array. We now use 4AWG for larger systems up to 1200 watts.

Let me know if you have any other questions.

[bwaysteve]

Originally Posted by lewster

Steve,

Just as a point of reference, we at AM Solar use 6AWG wire now to connect the panels (we use a combiner box at the roof) to the charge controller, and then the controller to the batteries. This is good for systems up to 400 watts in the solar array. We now use 4AWG for larger systems up to 1200 watts.

Let me know if you have any other questions.

Thanks Lewster.Have your site bookmarked and plan to have you do an install.( will give me an excuse to visit your state.)How much 4g should I run before I button up the panels?1 run,Two?

[lewster]

Never hurts to have too much wire!

You will need one pair for the run up the fridge cavity and out onto the roof that will connect the solar array to the charge controller and one from the controller to the batteries. Best to leave extra length coiled up for each run at both ends.

As a German buddy of mine says (he installs hi-tech wiring in custom homes) " vire ist cheap....labor ist not!". You sure don't want to be a little short on any of the runs, as any connectors or splices have the potential for voltage drop.

While you're at it, it would make for a really easy (and quicker) installation if you got the voltage sense probe and the battery temperature sense probe NOW from AM Solar and ran them from your intended battery location to the intended charge controller location along with the battery charge line.

[bwaysteve]

Originally Posted by lewster

Never hurts to have too much wire!

You will need one pair for the run up the fridge cavity and out onto the roof that will connect the solar array to the charge controller and one from the controller to the batteries. Best to leave extra length coiled up for each run at both ends.

As a German buddy of mine says (he installs hi-tech wiring in custom homes) " vire ist cheap....labor ist not!". You sure don't want to be a little short on any of the runs, as any connectors or splices have the potential for voltage drop.

While you're at it, it would make for a really easy (and quicker) installation if you got the voltage sense probe and the battery temperature sense probe NOW from AM Solar and ran them from your intended battery location to the intended charge controller location along with the battery charge line.

Thanks,I will call you after Thanksgiving to get the specifics on this.Steve