Solar Panel Installation

[Jamesb]

Scott. ... Awesome job. I’m trying to think if you had any solar on your Wildcat ? We are now just sitting here waiting for the Sun, and the results.

[scottz]

Originally Posted by Jamesb

Scott. ... Awesome job. I’m trying to think if you had any solar on your Wildcat ? We are now just sitting here waiting for the Sun, and the results.

I only had one panel on the Wildcat. I put 4 panels on the power hungry Montana. Also went from two to three batteries. I would have more batteries if there was room. So far we have not boondocked for more than a couple days, so I can't report on how well the system works; maybe this summer.

[scottz]

Originally Posted by Lucky23

Scott do you have a picture of your battery setup and which model number you used.

Thanks Bobby I have same model 3160rl legacy with Onan 5.5 genset

The small space in the battery compartment limited me to 3 batteries so I chose 100AH 12V AGM's. I put each battery in it's own case. I could not figure out how to put the tops/vent lines on each case so I just plumbed the main vent line into the compartment. I figure it will ventilate the whole compartment, not just the battery case. In any case, AGM's don't gas that much.

These are the ones I used, but just because that was what was available locally. Two of them are Werker purchased a couple years ago, the third is a new Duracell. Any AGM should work; or you could choose a different battery option. I had AGM's in my last trailer that were 8 years old and still going strong when I sold it.

[Lucky23]

Thanks Scott great pics and info for inverter & solar panels plan to do this sometime next year in anticipation for the bucket list trip to Alaska.

[scottz]

I forgot to mention, I welded a couple pieces of angle iron in the bottom of the battery compartment to support the weight of additional batteries and to keep them from shifting position. I thought the bottom of the compartment was a little light.

[Lucky23]

Thanks for that info I'll check that out.