Updated/ Upgraded RV Solar System

[Bigboomer]

Well I finally found the time to move the solar panels from the rack system I designed and implemented 4 years ago to the roof of the RV. The original design intent was to make the system portable from RV to RV should we decide to buy a new RV like we did in 2014.

Now I don't have to worry about getting the panels off the truck and onto the rack, especially as we get older.

After seeing how others with systems on their roof have had no issues with leaks or trade in RV values, I decided it was time to act.

In addition to moving the three (3) existing panels I added two (2) additional panels that we purchased on Ebay from the link that Brian Boone posts on his website.

So now now we have 1,130 watts of panels on the roof.

Due to the size of the panels I ran them long ways side to side of the RV and I will be able to tilt them when we are stationary for extended periods of time.

I used a lot of the existing aluminum framing from the rack to make the angles and tilt arms to secure the panels to the roof.

I also added a combiner box on the roof where I ran all the panels in parallel to the box with 8 GA wire and then ran 2 GA welding wire from the box to a new breaker panel. From that panel I ran 2 GA wire to the charge controller for the batteries.

The balance of the system including the charge controller were existing.

So here is the recap of the system:

Solar Panels - 1,130 watts

Midnite Solar Classic 150 MPPT Charge Controller

Magnum 2810 Pure Sine Inverter with remote monitoring/ controller.

6 - Sun Extender 6 volt 305 Amp AGM Batteries for a total of 915 Amps of storage

Trimetric 2030RV meter to monitor the batteries off a 500 Amp shunt.

2 - electric subpanels, first where 50 amp shore power is brought into from the Progressive EMS. The first panel holds the breakers for the AC, fireplace heater, etc. which are high amp draws.

From the first panel I have a 30 amp breaker that services the Inverter which has a 30 amp transfer switch. The service back from the inverter is wired into the second panel which provides the balance of the RV's 110 volt power including the residential frig, microwave, etc.

The last part of the system I wired a 40 Kwh/mth Primus 40 Wind Turbine to the batteries with a amp meter and cutoff switch.

Here is a link to the photos I took while I was working on the updated system.

http://s962.photobucket.com/user/myb...Solar%20System



Here is also a link to more photos which show the original rack system -

http://s962.photobucket.com/user/myb...Solar%20System

[mjammersc]

Looks like a nice smooth transfer. I wish I had bought the hydraulic crimper when I did mine though the hammer anvil seems to have worked fine. I like the bracket setup you did as well with the pins. That is one aspect of mine I may redo at some point if I can figure out how to do it and not need to change the roof mount side. I take it no issues with the cross wise mount and the wind catching the panels? I almost went that route as well but wasn't sure about having the ends up as high. Anymore with the size increase in panels and amount of roof protrusions, crosswise is proably the best way to get the max amount of panels up there.

[DQDick]

Very cool!

[DarMar]

As usual, great work Les!

[Bigboomer]

Thanks folks. It was a little struggle to figure how to orient the panels but once I was able to get the two additional ones inexpensively it forced my hand to run the panels cross the arched roof. The aerodynamics should be the same and the larger panels are on the down slope of the roof as well.

Looking forward to Quartzsite to get then tilted!