How do I? Solar, inverter in my new to me Montana

[WanderBC]

I am new here and to Montana, but not new to 5th wheels, this is the third one and I have moved the Solar panels, six 6 volt batteries, inverter, heart interface and solar charge controller that came on the first 5th to the second and now I'm researching how or the best way to do this on the 2007 2955RL.

I have three solar panels 120, 100 & 80 watts, a Soltek 20 amp solar charge controller, a Freedom 458 2000 watt inverter. In the last 5th wheel (a Frontier W243) I installed a sub panel.

I have read that the Iota distribution pane can be used as both a panel and sub panel, has anyone done this, how did you do it, do you have pictures? You can see my last install at www.wanderbc.wordpress.com, yes we spend most of our time boondocking or around here in the bush.

Thanks, and this site is great!

martin

PS, it's really winter around here and the 2955 will be sitting in the corner of the dealers lot for a while yet, all I can do is visit.

[Ozz]

Welcome Martin, I would suggest a transfer switch to shunt your Inverter to the breaker panel, just manage the loads that way, rather than install and wire another panel. That is what I did on mine.
I couldn't get the link to work.

[Carl n Susan]

The original link gas some extraneous characters. Try this one
http://wanderbc.wordpress.com/

[WanderBC]

Update

Yesterday I ordered an IDP-240SB to replace the existing IDP-240B. The SB means split bus, I will run the input to the inverter from the panel side and bring the output side into the sub panel side. This solves the problem of where to put a sub panel and I won't have to do extra work if the exiting wires are too short to go to the sub panel.

Going to put the solar controller and inverter control panel above the microwave, have already removed the panelboard and picked up a piece of black ABS today.

[2 for Him]

Wander BC
You have obviously done this more than I have, but with the cost of heavy wire to the inverter and controller and the voltage loss it might be better to move them closer to the batteries. Just MHO.
Tom

[WanderBC]

4 6 volt golf cart batteries are going into a vented "box" in the front storage compartment. the inverter will be suspended from the aluminium frame work in the basement compartment, I have 10/3 cable from the last time I did this and will run that to the distribution panel times 2.

The 12 volt run will be less than 3 feet and the 115 run should be about 10 feet, I'm using 2/0 gauge welding cable for the 12 volt side.

Where the line loss becomes important is from the solar panels, the only place to put the controller and the inverter control panel is in the deadspace above the microwave the DW doesn't want them in the bedroom. I'll run the wires down the fridge vent to the controller, then out to the batteries, in the past I used 10 gauge, because of the run length I am thinking of at least 8 gauge if the price difference is reasonable I might use 6 gauge.

That's the plan today......

Martin