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Old 07-21-2018, 01:12 PM   #21
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You are probably right~ A "Plan" is always better than No Plan~~~
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Old 07-21-2018, 01:18 PM   #22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by creativepart View Post
I just drill into the roof and screw the supports down. If you've ever put dicor under a roof mount, screwed the mount down with screws into the fiberglass roof and then covered the mount with dicor... AND then later gone to the trouble to remove that mount you'll quickly learn that it's super strong and really difficult to get that mount to release.

I'm pretty sure the Dicor could hold it all by itself. Don't sweat the "joists" such as they are.

Also, don't rush this. Trying to "get this done this week" when you haven't even decided what to purchase, where to get it from, how to wire it, etc is a recipe for trouble. Take your time. Put together a system on paper. Figure out what and where to buy and even then take time to look at the RV and where everything will go. Don't forget to preplan the wiring and controller locations, etc.

Take it a step at a time and you'll be happier with your system.
All valid points...on that note...Besides Camping World...what company is good for RV supplies???
Is there a better mfg. of panels to look for??? And the controller as well. You are definitely right~ I need to do some more research.
I will go with the "Just screw it down and seal it with Dicor" approach. That makes it alot easier already.
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Old 07-21-2018, 01:35 PM   #23
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For a controller, Zamp is common since it is what Winnie uses. I have also used Morningstar. I like the way all 30 amp load can be watched to see if anything is on.
Morningstar Prostar PS-30M,Solar Battery Charge Controller,PWM 30 AMP 12/24 V

This is off ebay for $128. I have seen them for less.
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Old 07-21-2018, 02:51 PM   #24
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I bought a 30 amp GoPower controller that will charge two separate battery banks so both my house and starting batteries will charge. Personally, I don't think the efficiency of the MPPT controllers are worth the extra expense for most RV applications, but it's up to you.

Before you use Dicor, check the sealant call-out list on the Winnebago site for the sealants specified for your rig. Typically, Dicor is intended for rubber roofs and is not the recommended sealant for fiberglass roofs.

I know I'm going to hear from those who've used Dicor without any problems but I prefer to stick to the recommended sealants whenever possible. Whatever you use, don't glop it on 1/2" thick and 1" all the way around like many do, it's totally unnecessary. It's the thin layer of sealant between the item being mounted and the roof (or under the screw head and in the screw hole) that does the work. The rest is just an ugly waste. I don't know what it is about RV manufacturers and owners but you'd never see sealant glopped on a well-kept boat like you do on RVs. Can you tell this is one of my pet peeves?

"Just say'n"
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Old 07-22-2018, 01:26 PM   #25
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I installed mine 5 yrs ago. I made my own mounts using 1.5" angle aluminum cut into 3" pieces. Attached one piece to the aluminum bottom of the panels on both sides near the end (4 PC's per panel) and made matching pieces for the roof. Attached the roof mounts to the panel mounts with with a 1/4" bolt and screw so the base can swivel and align with the roof curvature. Placed the panels on the roof with mounts attached. Used 3M 5200 Marine Adhesive/ Sealant under the roof mounts and used a #8 SS wood screw thru the center of the roof piece with the adhesive under the roof piece. I mounted mine across the roof. The panels are raised about 3/4" above the FG roof for circulation. Ran the wiring under the panels. Has worked well with no issues. You need to use a raised mounting system if you are mounting across the roof due to the curvature. Also does not create a barrier to water draining off the roof. I also have a clear path on both sides of the panel to access the roof.
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Old 07-25-2018, 04:59 PM   #26
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I put two full size residential Mono Crystalline solar panels on our Winnebago Voyage. One is an LG and the other is a Solar World for a total of 580 watts. I use a MPPT controller and added two more Trojan T105 batteries for a total of four. I made the panel brackets using 2" aluminum angle, used Stinless screws and Dicor to seal. We have been all over the USA twice now with these panels installed and they are fantastic. 28 plus amps into the batteries in full sun. Total cost, panels, MPPT Controller (purchased from Amazon), 2 T105 Batteries, Welding Cable, 2000 watt pure sign wave inverter, metal for battery mounts and solar panels, MC4 connectors, circuit breakers, etc, under $900. The trick is doing all of the work yourself and finding the solar panels cheap. I purchased my panels from the business that put them on our home and shop. I simply asked for any end of model year or similar and found these for $100 each. Since then I have purchased two more Solar World 300 watt panels for the same price. There is no reason to use overpriced Camping World panels. Space on the roof is the only limitation to the size of the panel, and I can say for certain that they work great. Our Voyage has the HVAC in the basement so clearly I had the space.
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Old 07-25-2018, 05:50 PM   #27
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Check out Home Depot for panels. I bought two of these but haven't installed them yet:

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Grape-So...W-US/301024442

Monocrystalline panels cost a bit more but, I believe they are worth it. I had 220W on my previous TT but decided to bump it up to 360W, because the 220W wasn't enough but because we now have a wheelchair lift and will use more battery power. Then again, aside from the lift, we're pretty frugal with our battery use, having come from a sailboating background.

Keep in mind that panels intended for residential application operate at higher output voltages than those intended for RVs. Not that they can't be used for RVs but will require different controllers, etc. Beware of vendors on Craigslist selling leftover residential panels unless you really know what you're doing.

In general, panels have become a commodity and I think you can be pretty safe buying based on price as long as you stick to the more prominent brands.
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Old 07-25-2018, 06:11 PM   #28
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I am at the Winnebago Annual Rally and I stand corrected, the gelcoat layer IS glued to the 3/16" 3-ply plywood layer below it, and that is glued to the insulation panels below it.

Some lower priced Winnebagos, the Insight and Outlook models that were just launched, now use a glued down membrane layer over the plywood.
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Old 07-25-2018, 06:37 PM   #29
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2004 Itasca Horizon Roof Solar Panels

I don't know if all Winnebago roofs are built the same, so I will describe my roof construction and show you pictures of my solar installation over my bedroom.

Note: We mounted the solar controller under in the AC inlet area, which is located under the washer dryer... and ran the wire up the right side of the washer and TV cabinet. Then we drilled a 5/8" hole in the roof to fish the wires to the solar panels. And we fished the solar wires from the solar controller under our bedroom dresser (passenger side) and then drilled into the battery compartment. It worked out very well.

My 40' DP from Winnebago uses a interlocking-styrofoam roof, which has minimal metal trusses, and a top and bottom 1/8 inch luan-plywood. That's it! It's not my favorite roof construction, but it's looks good on top and bottom (inside where you see the vinyl roof).

If I were to mount my 4 solar panels on my RV roof again, I would not use any screws. However, I would still use polyurethane sealant by Quad... that stuck very well to the roof.

However, polyurathane sealants are not UV proof so you paint them. (They say not to use oil base paints, but we used a Rustoleum paint that has worked great for the last 3 years... and the sealant still looks new.)

We would also recommend you add an aluminium "L-Bracket" to the leading edge of the front solar panel. This will prevent wind from getting underneath the solar panel. And while it may or may not be necessary, when you are driving into a headwind, I felt better knowing the L-bracket was preventing wind from getting under the front solar panel, and therefore all the solar panels mounted "downwind."

FYI, we have viewed videos of a semi-truck's "slipstream" on YouTube and noticed there is not much wind pressure hitting the roof. So solar panels mounted under 4" high are pretty save from 70MPH driving speeds and 20MPH component headwinds. That's 90MPH!

...And because the slipstream is above the solar panels the pressure on the solar panels is probably half of that. Still I have to recommend adding the L-bracket, because I think you should do all you can do to prevent a solar panel from flying off your rig and hitting the car behind you. This could be deadly!

We did not use the 3M double face tape. We just used Quad Polyurethane and painted the huge gobs of sealant laid 3/8" thick over each solar brackets.

Note: Our green roof is from Rhino. We elected to spray our roof with Rhino SolarMax after wind damaged our roof. And this is a nice upgrade. We recommend any Polyurea Coating over the rolled approach to recoating your roof.
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Old 07-25-2018, 07:02 PM   #30
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Your roof does have metal joists and Winnebago can supply you with detailed drawings that can help you locate them, give them a call. I've read recently that some have had problems with getting responses from Winnebago but, when I called in January 2018, they were very helpful.

The joists are metal so an inexpensive, Harbor Freight metal detector should locate them fairly easily. If I recall, they're farther apart than you'd expect.
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Old 07-26-2018, 05:45 AM   #31
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Hi there MyKidsDaddy!
I am also adding a solar system to my 2005 Sightseer. After watching numerous U-tube videos, I have tackled the project myself. I am not and electrician or a mechanic! I installed two 100 watt panels to the roof, in the rear section. I made my own brackets using 1-1/2" aluminum angle (didn't like the z bracket design) and attached each solar panel using 2 brackets on each side. I used #12x1 SS screws and a lot of Dicor sealant. Wires are routed down through the refrigerator vent, to the space under the fridge. Charge controller mounted on the wall outside of the fridge. Storage batteries and 5000w inverter mounted on a sliding rack in the storage compartment next to the door. The install was not too difficult if you have the time. So far, I can run everything except my A/C! The system should run it, but I keep blowing fuses between the batteries and the inverter. Although I just replaced my A/C, I still draw too many start-up amps.
I don't expect the 200 watts to produce enough to use exclusively solar. I have 4 more 100w panels to mount on a ground frame when I am Boondocking! Good Luck!
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Old 07-30-2018, 06:08 PM   #32
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Ok, I just installed 300W 3ea. panels on my 2018 fiberglass roof. I communicated with Winnebago on roof electrical wires and structure, received prints which were useless. So I drilled holes and mounted the panels on brackets from Renogy. Do not use the screws that come with the brackets too long. I suggest 1 inch screws and if fiberglass roof use Pro Flex clear from Genoco for sealing. For EPDM roof use Dicor self leveling. I purchased 3ea. Renogy monocrystal panels and a Sky Blue MPPT controller. Don't waste your money on PWM controllers. You want to do parallel connection so you don't exceed voltage input. I have a 2018 Sightseer 33C with built in 1000W inverter. You need an inverter if you are going to watch TV or use small appliances or even charge your phones and use a lap top. Good luck with all the information. Look at kits on line to get an idea. But kits are usually more expensive than building your own set up.
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Old 07-30-2018, 06:36 PM   #33
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Quote:
Originally Posted by miataman View Post
Don't waste your money on PWM controllers.
MPPT vs PWM isn't a slam-dunk decision, there are pros and cons and PWM controllers are far from being a waste of money. There's no question that MPPT controllers are more efficient, but at what cost? From what I've read, the efficiency gap is greatest in cold, cloudy climates, less so in warmer, sunny climates. For smaller arrays, it may be cheaper to add wattage to your panels than to pay the extra $ for an MPPT controller. Here are a couple of sites with some info on this issue:

https://mozaw.com/pwm-mppt-solar-charge-controller/

http://www.truckcamperadventure.com/...-should-i-buy/
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Old 07-30-2018, 08:07 PM   #34
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Quote:
Originally Posted by miataman View Post
Ok, I just installed 300W 3ea. panels on my 2018 fiberglass roof. I communicated with Winnebago on roof electrical wires and structure, received prints which were useless. So I drilled holes and mounted the panels on brackets from Renogy. Do not use the screws that come with the brackets too long. I suggest 1 inch screws and if fiberglass roof use Pro Flex clear from Genoco for sealing. For EPDM roof use Dicor self leveling. I purchased 3ea. Renogy monocrystal panels and a Sky Blue MPPT controller. Don't waste your money on PWM controllers. You want to do parallel connection so you don't exceed voltage input. I have a 2018 Sightseer 33C with built in 1000W inverter. You need an inverter if you are going to watch TV or use small appliances or even charge your phones and use a lap top. Good luck with all the information. Look at kits on line to get an idea. But kits are usually more expensive than building your own set up.
I agree that MPPT Controllers are the way to go and putting the panels in parallel is also a good decision simply because if one panel is shaded it will not act as a resistor. I installed 2 residential panels on our Voyage and used a MPPT controller. The input voltage is about 36 volts from the panels and this has been working great for 2 years now. BTW you do not need to spend big$ on solar, the controller was purchased from Amazon for $200 and the panels were $100 each new old stock from the company that put solar on our house. One panel is a Solar World and the other is a LG, 580 watts total for both. The photo of the monitor panel was in partial sun, I see about 28 amps input to the batteries in full sun light.
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Old 07-30-2018, 08:50 PM   #35
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If you're going to be using the higher voltage, residential panels, it's my understanding that you'll definitely need an MPPT controller.
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Old 07-31-2018, 07:07 AM   #36
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If you're going to be using the higher voltage, residential panels, it's my understanding that you'll definitely need an MPPT controller.

Yes that is correct. The MPPT Controller that I used is: SolarEpic MPPT 40A Solar Charge Controller 150V PV input Tracer 4215BN, currently available from Amazon for $160 which is $40 less than what I paid a couple of years ago This controller has been working flawlessly for over two years now (I hope I did not jinx myself by saying that)

It is my understanding that when you start dealing with voltages over 36 VDC that an electrocution hazard is present. My panels are in parallel so I am right at 36 VDC in full sun.

These same panels on our home (32 solar World 300 Watts) each have their own individual inverter made by Enphase that ups the 36 VDC to 220VAC, so each panel can produce power independent of the other. I believe that this is ideal and why I put the panels in parallel on the RV, one will not affect the other.

Had I put the RV panels is series there would be 72VDC going into the controller which would have allowed the use of smaller gauge wire from the panels to the controller, but then if one panel is shaded and the other is not the shaded panel acts like a big resistor.

As you may have noticed, I enjoy discussing this subject and always want to learn more. I have found YouTube to be a great place to learn (use caution and common sense not all videos are accurate) about all kinds of things.
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Old 04-22-2019, 12:42 PM   #37
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Im just starting the process and....

Im just starting the process and am just figuring out how to get the wires from the roof down. I notice that Covered wagon used the path Im looking at. I figure I can run tubing from each panel (im mounting two 100w) to the fridge roof vent. Down behind the fridge to the electrical compartment.

My first question for all you knowledgeable people is would it be easier to remove the fridge to do this? Im looking at the space I have to work with if i leave the fridge in and I could do it but ......

Is it easy to remove the fridge? I've removed and installed one many years ago but I'm wondering about the Winnebago construction and techniques.

Thanks in advance

Quote:
Originally Posted by CoveredWagon View Post
Hi there MyKidsDaddy!
I am also adding a solar system to my 2005 Sightseer. After watching numerous U-tube videos, I have tackled the project myself. I am not and electrician or a mechanic! I installed two 100 watt panels to the roof, in the rear section. I made my own brackets using 1-1/2" aluminum angle (didn't like the z bracket design) and attached each solar panel using 2 brackets on each side. I used #12x1 SS screws and a lot of Dicor sealant. Wires are routed down through the refrigerator vent, to the space under the fridge. Charge controller mounted on the wall outside of the fridge. Storage batteries and 5000w inverter mounted on a sliding rack in the storage compartment next to the door. The install was not too difficult if you have the time. So far, I can run everything except my A/C! The system should run it, but I keep blowing fuses between the batteries and the inverter. Although I just replaced my A/C, I still draw too many start-up amps.
I don't expect the 200 watts to produce enough to use exclusively solar. I have 4 more 100w panels to mount on a ground frame when I am Boondocking! Good Luck!
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Old 04-22-2019, 12:47 PM   #38
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A couple of suggestions. Run the wires from your panels to a weatherproof wiring box on your roof. You could just pair the wires inside the box or add a small copper bus bar. Then run just one set of wire down through the Fridge vent... if that's where you want to run them.

This will be better than dealing with two sets of wires now and give you the opportunity to add panels or change panels easily in the future without dealing with the wiring that runs into the RV.

Of the solar installs I've seen on Youtube most seem to include removing the fridge to better control where the wires go and to anchor them to studs properly.
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Old 04-22-2019, 01:02 PM   #39
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I was actually thinking ...

I was actually thinking about using the fridge roof vent as my "waterproof box". It would be easy to pipe into and lots of room to mount a buss bar or to use split nuts to attach the wires together. I would have to cut the bug mesh off but that will be easy to replace after doing the wiring.

Im going to run #8 or #10 (or bigger depending on what size i can get under the controllers lug) to the controller from the roof.
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Old 04-22-2019, 03:37 PM   #40
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Im just starting the process and am just figuring out how to get the wires from the roof down. I notice that Covered wagon used the path Im looking at. I figure I can run tubing from each panel (im mounting two 100w) to the fridge roof vent. Down behind the fridge to the electrical compartment.

My first question for all you knowledgeable people is would it be easier to remove the fridge to do this? Im looking at the space I have to work with if i leave the fridge in and I could do it but ......

Is it easy to remove the fridge? I've removed and installed one many years ago but I'm wondering about the Winnebago construction and techniques.

Thanks in advance
The difficult part is keeping the wires away from the hot metal tubing on the back of the fridge. No real suggestions other just examine the enclosure for places where you can attach a cable tie to the wall to hold the wire(s) in place. I did this twice on RV's. It is a bit of a pain.

For the waterpoof box (i.e. combiner box) go to Lowes or Home Depot and buy a 6"x6"x6" gray plastic water proof box in the elect department. They should be paintable.
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