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LearningMore · 10-02-2021, 01:36 AM

I am planning a solar install and will be installing the charge controller in the front pass through, near the batteries.

There is a blue and black pair of wires that are accessible in the hatch in the cabinet above the bed. I pulled the wires out (was easy, no resistance) and they end in cut ends in maybe 2'. I thought the 'solar ready" wiring goes from the roof, to the bedroom overhead, and then down to the batteries, but my wire seems to end at the cabinet.

Any ideas where the wire down to the battery might be? There is also a red/white pair of wires that is in the same area, but it seems to continue on elsewhere, but it doesn't seem to head down, so I don't think that is it.

I have a portable solar panel that I can plug into the side port so I plugged it into the roof port and with a multimeter and I confirmed that the roof port is connected to this blue and black pair of wires.

Is this the design? Any thoughts or help is appreciated.

ttavasc · 10-02-2021, 10:41 AM

Did you check the red/white wires with a voltmeter? Those are the wires that run to the batteries. I recently added a 12v GPS tracker to my 23DBS and installed it in the compartment where these wires are located. Since I don't currently have any roof top solar I just tapped the red/white wires for the 12v to charge the tracker. These wires are hot even with the battery disconnect switch in the OFF position so I also added a toggle switch so I can cut the draw to the tracker if needed.

LearningMore · 10-03-2021, 12:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ttavasc

Did you check the red/white wires with a voltmeter? Those are the wires that run to the batteries. I recently added a 12v GPS tracker to my 23DBS and installed it in the compartment where these wires are located. Since I don't currently have any roof top solar I just tapped the red/white wires for the 12v to charge the tracker. These wires are hot even with the battery disconnect switch in the OFF position so I also added a toggle switch so I can cut the draw to the tracker if needed.

First off - GREAT idea about using those wires to install a GPS tracker.

Second, I was able to find the cut ends of the red/white pair of wires and as you said, they were at battery voltage even when I turned the battery disconnect. So if one were to follow the Zamp design the blue/black pair would be input to the solar controller and the red/white would be the connection from the controller to the battery, and my trailer is wired correctly for that.

I have decided against the Zamp box on the roof top and will be connecting my panels using standard MP4 connectors and then send one pair of wires down into the trailer via a cable gland or outdoor J box. Now I'm, investigating the wire path from the overhead down to the pass through were I am installing the charge controller.

Doc Sarvis · 10-04-2021, 10:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LearningMore

I am planning a solar install and will be installing the charge controller in the front pass through, near the batteries.

There is a blue and black pair of wires that are accessible in the hatch in the cabinet above the bed. I pulled the wires out (was easy, no resistance) and they end in cut ends in maybe 2'. I thought the 'solar ready" wiring goes from the roof, to the bedroom overhead, and then down to the batteries, but my wire seems to end at the cabinet.

Any ideas where the wire down to the battery might be? There is also a red/white pair of wires that is in the same area, but it seems to continue on elsewhere, but it doesn't seem to head down, so I don't think that is it.

I have a portable solar panel that I can plug into the side port so I plugged it into the roof port and with a multimeter and I confirmed that the roof port is connected to this blue and black pair of wires.

Is this the design? Any thoughts or help is appreciated.

I found a red/white and a blue/black in the overhead above the bed. The red/white go to the battery with red hot. The blue/black to the port on the roof. The blue being the positive. Worked great which is unusual for me with electricity.