All Livinlite Products are now Solar Ready - Pre-wired for ZAMP SRRV Kits!
(http://livinlite.com/images/_products/solarready.jpg)
I will bet that ZAMP supplies these kits to LL for free and may even contribute something for the installation at the factory. Notice ZAMP's WARNING sticker to only use the connector with ZAMP solar systems. Total BS. Also the wire gauge doesn't really look big enough for more than about 100 watts of panels.
David
Interesting. Where does the wire go inside the camper? Are there any associated electronics, or is it just a plug/wire into the camper?
Is it an option to leave this "feature" off? Seems weird to put a proprietary plug on the outside of a trailer that has the battery(s) outside. It's VERY easy to add solar to most trailers without drilling holes in the wall. Even if you are a ZAMP fan, they have a portable solar kit that just clamps on to your battery or put this plug on the side of your battery box.
I recall these on the Rpod. IIRC they are for small 12v panels direct to battery. Gauge is light unless you use 36V panels but then you would need a MPPT CC.
Oh well...
Or add your own: http://www.amazon.com/Battery-Tender-081-0069-6-Terminal-Disconnect/dp/B000NCOKZQ/ref=pd_bxgy_263_img_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=01ARZ75GSQT6PF39J9R2
So looking at Amazon Zamp wants $325 for their 40 watt portable system and $500 for thier 80 watt portable system!!!!
http://www.amazon.com/Zamp-Solar-40P-Portable-Charge/dp/B00K1LBR1E?ie=UTF8&keywords=zamp%20solar&qid=1460406837&ref_=sr_1_7&sr=8-7
It's essentially a 40 watt panel with a stand and a small charge controller. and a bag to put everything in. If you are handy enough to design your own simple A frame stand you could easily put together a 100 watt system with a similar charge controller for under $200.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DCEKKQ0/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=20E5ONX31DFAM&coliid=IQV3K4PQX6P4P&psc=1
This, a fuse, some scrap wire and connectors plus a simple frame made with 1 or 2 2x2x8 pieces of lumber and a couple small hinges and you are producing 2 1/2 times the power of the 40 watt zamp system. You can use the money you save to fund a weekend of camping..... just saying :)
[quote source="/post/20450/thread" timestamp="1460400606" author="@tinkeringtechie"]Is it an option to leave this "feature" off? Seems weird to put a proprietary plug on the outside of a trailer that has the battery(s) outside. It's VERY easy to add solar to most trailers without drilling holes in the wall. Even if you are a ZAMP fan, they have a portable solar kit that just clamps on to your battery or put this plug on the side of your battery box.[/quote][p]You do need to think about where you put your solar controller, whether the panel is permanently roof mounted or portable. Most are not waterproof.[/p][p]
[/p][p]I had a small Morningstar controller fail when I left it outside with only the panel covering it from the rain. Water got into it and then- toast. I replaced it with a Morningstar potted waterproof controller. They cost a few bucks more than their non potted controllers. Beware of any controller with LEDs, switches, terminal screws, etc. Water can get in all of these. The Morningstar waterproof one was totally potted in epoxy, with none of the above.[/p][p]
[/p][p]So, I would mount the controller inside where it is accessible from a cabinet. Run the panel's wiring to it from the roof or wherever and then run the output to the converter or directly to the battery.[/p][p]
[/p][p]David
[/p]
[quote source="/post/20461/thread" author="@tlbones" timestamp="1460407555"]
It's essentially a 40 watt panel with a stand and a small charge controller. and a bag to put everything in. If you are handy enough to design your own simple A frame stand you could easily put together a 100 watt system with a similar charge controller for under $200.
[/quote]With a 40W 12V panel, who needs a charge controller?
[quote source="/post/20463/thread" author="@whoofit" timestamp="1460410289"]
Quote from: @tlbones" source="/post/20461/thread" timestamp="1460407555It's essentially a 40 watt panel with a stand and a small charge controller. and a bag to put everything in. If you are handy enough to design your own simple A frame stand you could easily put together a 100 watt system with a similar charge controller for under $200.
With a 40W 12V panel, who needs a charge controller?
[/quote]
You likely do (unless you have a very large bank of batteries - and don't mind risking damaging them). First I found this rule of thumb via google:
"The safest way to figure out if you need a charge controller is to take Battery Amp Hour Capacity and divide this by the Solar Panel max. power amp rating. If the quotient is above 200, you don't need a controller. If the number is less than 200 than you need a controller.For example if you have a 100 amp hour battery and a 10 watt panel, you take 100 and divide it by .6 (600mA) and you get 166.6. Since this is less than 200 you need a charge controller. If you have a five-watt panel in the above example you take 100 divided by .3 (300mA) and you come up with 333.3. Since this is larger than 200 you do not need a charge controller. However you still need a blocking diode, to prevent the battery from discharging to the panel at night. So as a general rule of thumb you don't need a charge controller unless you have more than five watts of solar for every 100-amp hours of battery capacity." --- Mrsolar.comI also found this warning about the above 'rule of thumb' -- about how you can ruin your battery/batteries with even a small non-controlled solar panel: [a href="http://www.sailnet.com/forums/electrical-systems/94547-do-i-need-solar-charge-controller.html"]>> Read this and reconsider not using a charge controller. <<[/a]
Quote from: @peislander" source="/post/20482/thread" timestamp="1460454372Quote from: @whoofit" source="/post/20463/thread" timestamp="1460410289With a 40W 12V panel, who needs a charge controller?
You likely do (unless you have a very large bank of batteries - and don't mind risking damaging them). First I found this rule of thumb via google:
"The safest way to figure out if you need a charge controller is to take Battery Amp Hour Capacity and divide this by the Solar Panel max. power amp rating. If the quotient is above 200, you don't need a controller. If the number is less than 200 than you need a controller.
For example if you have a 100 amp hour battery and a 10 watt panel, you take 100 and divide it by .6 (600mA) and you get 166.6. Since this is less than 200 you need a charge controller. If you have a five-watt panel in the above example you take 100 divided by .3 (300mA) and you come up with 333.3. Since this is larger than 200 you do not need a charge controller. However you still need a blocking diode, to prevent the battery from discharging to the panel at night. So as a general rule of thumb you don't need a charge controller unless you have more than five watts of solar for every 100-amp hours of battery capacity." --- Mrsolar.com
I also found this warning about the above 'rule of thumb' -- about how you can ruin your battery/batteries with even a small non-controlled solar panel: [a href="http://www.sailnet.com/forums/electrical-systems/94547-do-i-need-solar-charge-controller.html"]>> Read this and reconsider not using a charge controller. <<[/a]
Good advice for a battery maintainer with zero load on it, no circuit losses, no cloudy days and ignoring STC ratings but reality is somewhat different. Reality is a panel, if of the 12V variety, can be up to 36W for a 100 aH battery and double that for a 200 aH. Then you account for the quiescent load 9aH of battey drain by the propane detector.
So, no. I certainly do not need a charge controller with a 40W 12v panel with 225 aH of battery bank and actually using the bank to power the trailer so connected to it.
http://forum.solar-electric.com/discussion/4518/do-i-need-a-charge-controller