Solar space on 4369?

[FlaRider]

Gary, is that your 4018 DSDP that is shown on the link above? Do the panels tilt so you can get up on the roof to do maintains?

[ghaynes754]

No that's not my rig in the 4018 photo. Not sure how they are attached to the support frame but will try to find out and post here.

[NWLanding]

Originally Posted by FlaRider

Gary, is that your 4018 DSDP that is shown on the link above? Do the panels tilt so you can get up on the roof to do maintains?

The photo is of our 2016 DSDP 4369 coach. The panels don't tilt. I'm not sure what you mean about maintenance. There are no areas with lap sealant under the panels that would need to be maintained. I didn't want tilting panels because I don't want to be going on the roof or having to concern myself with parking the rig at an angle to optimize the angle that they face. After four months of use and observing the daily graphed values for PV voltage and PV amperage I don't see the need to worry about it. The shading from the awning railing is quite minimal.

[ghaynes754]

NW the photo asked about was from my reply in post #8. This is a DS4018.

[ghaynes754]

Canuck here's an aerial and tentative layout on my 2017 DS4369. I'm not sure where they put the Travl'r if you don't have my setup with the KVH in motion towards the front. If they mount the Travl'r in that front space then it allow some more room for panels.



Visio-DS Solar 160 panels.pdf

For planning purposes on the photo, the square gray metal piece on the middle AC unit is the ground plane for my stubby cell antenna. It is 12x12 inches.

[Canuck53]

Thanks looks good.

Are you going to run panels in series? If so how many together?

Interested to see the final design or even proposed design.

[joes2901]

I had limited room on the roof so I decided to use the most efficient mono crystal solar panels (3 255 watt Mitsubishi) and mounted them on a rack that allowed cool air underneath and cleared the bathroom sky-lite and some vents. The rack material can be found at solar supply stores. The rack can be made high enough to be level with the top of the 2015+ DSDP and up RVs.

[ghaynes754]

Canuck no final decision on series or parallel. If series it would be 6 per leg. I have two 6 gauge solar wires to the basement. Leaning towards using a Magnum PT-100 controller since it would integrate well with the existing Magnum setup and I don't really have any room in the front panel area for another charge controller panel. Also plan to swap out the standard Magnum 2800 for a Hybrid 3000. Much more flexible.

[Canuck53]

Gary,

Did Newmar install the 2 runs of 6 gauge wire?

[ghaynes754]

Bit of an update.

Canuck, yes, one run is standard and I did a special for the second run.

On the 4018 I posted the picture about the panels do not tilt. They are secured simply by being bolted/screwed to the frame so can be removed for service work.

Being able to tilt would not allow as much room for the number of panels side by side, at least on the DS. I'd rather have more panels and lose a some efficiency rather than less panels that tilted and the additional work to tilt and lay flat. But that's just me. Others that want to get every ounce out of the panel will want to tilt and also park parallel to the sun track.

[Arizona Lizards]

Originally Posted by ghaynes754

Canuck, I am going through this now with my solar guy, Marvin Braun, PrecisionRV. He just did a DS4018 with 2000W on the roof using a custom rack system and 1200ah of lithium batteries. See photos here:

2000 Watt 1200 Amp Hour Newmar Motorhome Solar Power System - Precision RV

Since I have both the Travl'r and a KVH in motion on my 2017 we are looking a 10-12 160W panels. With the Sat antennas not as much room as on the smaller 4018. Travl'r is behind the 2nd AC unit and offset to drivers side. KVH antenna is just behind the front cap. I did ask if I could specify location and was denied by the head engineer at Newmar due to structural and wiring considerations.

If you put them over the top of the AC units then they will be above the side rails and raise the overall height of your coach.

That is my coach! I think! Marvin did this for us this spring. We have a 4041, not a 4018. Reason I am sure it is ours is that we were the first he did with the rails installed.

[ghaynes754]

Connie and Lisa, yep I think you are right. Not sure why I was told a 4018. And how do you like your setup?

[Arizona Lizards]

Originally Posted by ghaynes754

Connie and Lisa, yep I think you are right. Not sure why I was told a 4018. And how do you like your setup?

Looked at the video this morning, It is definitely our 4018 a 2016 not 2017. We love our system. Marvin did a fantastic job! He installs a solar system not just solar, if that makes sense. I would recommend him to anyone for their install or to fix what might not work on the install you have. We are still learning how to use it to the maximum potential. Marvin is available for help at any time. Well worth the time and money.
I would recommend him, without hesitation, to anyone that wants a quality system.

[FlaRider]

Originally Posted by Arizona Lizards

Looked at the video this morning, It is definitely our 4018 a 2016 not 2017. We love our system. Marvin did a fantastic job! He installs a solar system not just solar, if that makes sense. I would recommend him to anyone for their install or to fix what might not work on the install you have. We are still learning how to use it to the maximum potential. Marvin is available for help at any time. Well worth the time and money.
I would recommend him, without hesitation, to anyone that wants a quality system.

Very impressive setup. Marvin didn't waste any roof too space. Looking at the video, you moved the batteries to the first compartment on the passenger side. Do you have any problems keeping the batteries from getting to hot/cold? Are you full timing, I would think loosing that front compartment for storage had to hurt. Did you recoup the old battery compartment for storage. Anything you would do different now that you have spent some time with it?