ZAMP help for 2019 Minnie 2455BHS

[CliffordM]

Which of their kits would work for a 2019 travel trailer, it has the zamp plug on the side, but that's about all I know. I want to stick with lead acid or maybe agm battery, just looking to add a portable kit that would keep the battery going when mild boondocking, ie just running the fridge on propane and lights in the evening. I would still have my generators if we need a/c and obviously the other shore power type things. Thanks!

[Ray,IN]

When I Google ZAMP all the results are for racing helmets???

[creativepart]

https://www.zampsolar.com/

Ray, Winnebago has partnered with Zamp Solar for about 8-years. They make and sell panels, charge controllers, ports and portable solar kits. The majority of Winnebagos have a Zamp solar port on the side of their RVs.

PS. I never heard this before tonight but they are now owned by… Dometic Mobile Power Systems US.

[creativepart]

To answer the OP’s question would take a long time and we’d have to ask a dozen more questions. I’ll try to find some helpful links to get him started on this involved journey. It’s late here now, so give me time.

There is a lot more to this than the video but in essence it’s this easy:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ajo98l-mWE4

[creativepart]

To be better able to offer info, we'd need to know:

Does your Minnie have any solar panels on the roof? If so how many watts, and what charge controller?

The more info we have the more advice we all can provide. If you do not have any solar panels right now, you can add up to probably 400w but that's too much for a portable kit. The most common are about 100w or 200w of output. Be sure your Kit has a built in Solar Charge controller, like the one shown on the back of that panel in the video.

By the way Zamp has historically had high prices. You don't have to buy a Zamp portable kit. Zamp does have a unique plug on your RV and you may need to be sure to get a 3rd party kit with a zamp plug OR just get an adapter from the more common MC4 plug on most kits to the Zamp plug on your RV. Both simple and inexpensive.

[CliffordM]

So here is where I landed, I appreciate the video links and help!

I went with the harbor freight 100W Suitcase panel and their charge controller and connection kit. Seems to work well, connected to the zamp plug on the side of the trailer that is pre-wired to the battery. I haven't used it extensively, but for just a quick test, it did seem to put a charge on the battery and brought it up from 2/3 to full per the control panel indicators inside the travel trailer. I think the battery was closer to full than 2/3, but regardless, it did bump it up fairly easily. The only draw on the battery for this test was just the led lights and the residual resistance of the trailer.

I was wondering about the polarity situation, but at least for the kit I bought, it matched up perfectly.

[creativepart]

Great! Look how far you've come.

I'd suggest that you look into adding one more thing to your system, a shunt-based battery monitor.

The battery monitor inside the TT is practically worthless for the info it provides. With a shunt battery monitor it "counts" every amp going into and out of the battery, and depending on the model you install it then shows you the exact state of charge not some 1/3rd, 2/3rds, but 72%, etc.

Also, the monitor in your TT works on voltage. And, that's not helpful because the battery voltage is easily altered when charging is being applied. It's really only accurate when the battery is completely at rest and the reality is that your TT battery is never really at rest when you are camping.

The shunt is easy to install. And even some of the most expensive ones are between $100 and $200.

Here's perhaps the most popular one, but there are plenty of others:

https://www.amazon.com/Victron-Energ.../dp/B0BF636VBX