Project Choose Your Own Adventure

[ScottyB]

What kind of solar setup are you planning?

i really need to post a proper wiring diagram but the parts rundown is:

• Renogy 100W rigid panel (purchased, en route)
• 10ft of MC4 cable extension (purchased)
• VmaxTanks 125ah AGM battery (purchased)
• BlueSolar 75/10 MPPT solar charge controller (purchased)
• BlueSea Systems 6-circuit fuse block (purchased)
• 30amp breaker between battery/solar controller (purchased)
• cheapie voltmeter mounted in a cig lighter socket (purchased)

the panel will mount horizontally on the forward roof curve and i'm going to make brackets that will allow me to swivel the panel upward or downward to either hug the roof contour for transport or flip up to better catch the sun.  i intended to originally run a flexible panel that would flush mount on the roof countour directly but those panels have too many issues with heat, vibration, and efficiency when bent around a curve.

i considered a PLM charger but due to our panel size/mounting limitations, and the fact we'll be parked under partial shade sometimes, i wanted to get the most out of any lighting and MPPT's do it best.  they've also come WAY down in price, to the point where it just wasn't a big deal to spend an extra $50 for that level of tech.

our power needs are minimal but required - charging for phones, lantern, and battery packs, powering a small stereo and roof vent fan, and running our LED lighting for the galley, exterior, and cabin.  we'll occassionally charge a laptop or run a small travel hairdryer.  no power refrigerated cooler, TV, A/C unit or microwave...and we will probably only run lights for an hour or two at night.  we don't intend to be in the trailer at all during the day when we'll be out hiking/fishing/adventuring, unless weather is completely inclement.  the solar setup will let us camp wherever we want and not be limited to either whatever battery charge we can string out from home or having to only choose sites that offer power hookups.