Dutch Star Solar Prep?

[Dmars]

We just purchased a new to us 2022 Dutch Star 3736. The build sheet says it has solar prep wiring with 6 gauge wire. There is a sticker in the cabinet above the steering wheel that says Solar prep. I removed that panel and it is a spaghetti factory of wires but none are 6 gauge. There are also so many things mounted on that wood panel you couldn't get a charge controller to fit. Also none of the other wires are marked. I haven't been up on the roof yet to look at that yet. My question is this, do they usually mount the charge controller there or is it usually in a storage bay? Any ideas where those wires are? I sure appreciate any help!
Thanks,

Dennis

[Dmars]

To follow up on original post. I found the two wires and another cat 5 type wire with phone type end in the storage bay next to battery compartment. These must be from the roof. That make sense to me. They must want you to run your own wires to the batteries and the battery temp wire. Does the cat 5 type wire go up into the cabinet by steering wheel for a remote screen? I can't think of anything else it would be.

[Dutch Star Don]

Yes, the Cat5 type wire is for a display only. It has an end on it compatible with Zamp solar. Once you install a Zamp controller in your pass thru bay, you can plug in the cable to the controller and then use the other end in the cabinet above the driver to add a display.

Many of the other brands like Victron, are wireless and you can add a display using Bluetooth. Here is mine with the Zamp display. You're right there is not much space for anything else in the panel above the dash. I made a spacer, so the Zamp display stuck out from the panel and overlapped a couple of other displays.

[MarkS]

Don, I'm planning on installing solar in my 2021 DSDP w/ solar prep. I am wondering if you have experience in finding the solar prep wires on the roof. I'm seeing elsewhere that you remove the metal cover plate and cut the fiberglass under the plate, but people are claiming the wires are not necessarily under the cover plate location and can be a bear to locate. Any tips or recommendations you can share would be helpful! Thanks! Also, any suggestions for how to cut the fiberglass? I don't want to accidentally hit something located directly under my cut. Do you recommend using a cutting wheel instead of a jig saw or hole saw? Thanks!

[Dutch Star Don]

Originally Posted by MarkS

Don, I'm planning on installing solar in my 2021 DSDP w/ solar prep. I am wondering if you have experience in finding the solar prep wires on the roof. I'm seeing elsewhere that you remove the metal cover plate and cut the fiberglass under the plate, but people are claiming the wires are not necessarily under the cover plate location and can be a bear to locate. Any tips or recommendations you can share would be helpful! Thanks! Also, any suggestions for how to cut the fiberglass? I don't want to accidentally hit something located directly under my cut. Do you recommend using a cutting wheel instead of a jig saw or hole saw? Thanks!

Remove the plastic beauty cover from the kitchen Fantastic Fan. Once you remove it, you can see inside the ceiling. The wires are typically just to the rear of the Fantastic Fan. Once I knew they were there, I cut the hole in the roof. It also allows you to make sure they're not in the way when you cut.

When I did mine, I mounted a small waterproof box, like this one over the hole I cut. It allowed me to work on the wiring and make all the connections inside the box and be easily accessible.

https://www.amazon.com/Zulkit-Dustpr...51&sr=8-9&th=1

[blh427]

I used a circuit tracer to find out exactly where the wires were located under the roof. The wires were near the metal plate on the roof but not directly under it, I then used a 1-1/2" hole saw to cut through the fiberglass and the wood underneath, in the location indicated by the circuit tracer. I was careful to stop cutting as soon as I was through the wood.

[LAG18971]

Originally Posted by Dutch Star Don

Yes, the Cat5 type wire is for a display only. It has an end on it compatible with Zamp solar. Once you install a Zamp controller in your pass thru bay, you can plug in the cable to the controller and then use the other end in the cabinet above the driver to add a display.

Many of the other brands like Victron, are wireless and you can add a display using Bluetooth. Here is mine with the Zamp display. You're right there is not much space for anything else in the panel above the dash. I made a spacer, so the Zamp display stuck out from the panel and overlapped a couple of other displays.

Attachment 388107

So if I am understanding this correctly, the cabinet above the dash where it says “Solar Prep” is not the location for the solar controller, only the location for an additional display. And that the solar controller is located near the cargo battery bay.