Solar upgrade January 25, 2017, 09:39:26 am I purchased a 30 foot 2002 LD. The motorhome is equipped with solar, one panel. Can I add additional panels without upgrading the the other components?Thanks!Mark
Re: Solar upgrade Reply #1 – January 25, 2017, 10:04:09 am Quote from: NADAZE! - January 25, 2017, 09:39:26 amI purchased a 30 foot 2002 LD. The motorhome is equipped with solar, one panel. Can I add additional panels without upgrading the the other components?Thanks!MarkMark, I added 2, 85w panels (total of 3) to my '02 and would not have had to upgrade the original Heliotrope charger but did upgrade to the next size up (the "B" I think) while doing it. If you add additional panels, it makes sense to upgrade the controller. In the scheme of things, they are not that expensive. No wiring changes were necessary.Chris 1 Likes
Re: Solar upgrade Reply #2 – January 25, 2017, 10:49:39 am JMO, but before adding "pieces", it might be a good idea to read this "solar primer" to determine one's solar power needs and determine the appropriate "play well together" components to achieve that goal. Solar panels are only one component of a functional system, and solar technology has developed enormously in the past several years. Not necessarily an inexpensive undertaking, but, in the long run, a well-planned, matched/coordinated system of upgraded panels and components, i.e., charge controller, batteries, multi-stage converter, will pay off in efficiency.RV Solar EducationAs ever, YMMV.Joan 1 Likes
Re: Solar upgrade Reply #3 – January 25, 2017, 11:01:48 am "Can I add additional panels without upgrading the the other components?"Up to a point. The limiting factors (other than roof space) are the charging controller and the wiring. The Heliotrope HPV-22 or HPV-22B controller that was used in most Lazy Dazes of that vintage can theoretically handle up to 400 watts of panels. However, the factory's wiring from the panels to the controller and the controller to the batteries isn't as heavy-gauge as one would like. You can push more power through it, but the higher you go, the more voltage drop in the wiring will waste the energy produced by your panels.I'd say Chris's setup--three 85 W panels--is about at the upper limit for the factory wiring. If you want to go beyond that, you'll probably want to replace the wiring and perhaps the controller as well.When adding solar panels, they should match the existing panels in wattage and voltage (Vmp rating). That may present a problem, because 85 W panels of the type used fifteen years ago are not exactly common nowadays. You might want to consider replacing the old panel you have now altogether, substituting a couple of modern 100 W panels. At $140 apiece or less, they're not expensive, and they will perform more efficiently than your old 85-watter. Just a thought. As an Amazon Associate Lazy Daze Owners' Group earns from qualifying purchases.
Re: Solar upgrade Reply #4 – January 25, 2017, 12:56:13 pm A 2002 LD, with one panel, has 10-gauge wiring, from the panels to the controller.This is OK for one or two small 85-watt panels but if anymore are added, the lead-in wiring should be changed to a larger wire, any resistance in a charging circuit is very inefficient. This is an example of where spending a few extra dollars pays off.Voltage drop, in changing circuits, should be less than 3%, preferably near 1%.The chart below can help determine what size wire is needed. Wire run lengths are calculated as round trips.Marine Wire Size and Ampacity | West MarineLarry
Re: Solar upgrade Reply #5 – August 13, 2017, 02:12:36 pm For anybody who's contemplating a solar power system upgrade, I'd like to put in a good word for Victron. I've used a number of different solar charging controllers over the years, and helped friends install others, but I've ended up settling on Victron. The main reasons are 1) their products are well engineered and built; 2) their software is well designed and constantly updated (both very rare in this industry); and 3) their technical support is the best I've experienced from any solar equipment manufacturer. The last is probably the most important. I've dealt with solar industry companies that refuse to talk to an end user; some that refer all questions to local dealers (who may or may not have a clue); and some that simply don't respond to queries at all. Victron's techs have answered all my questions promptly, passed on my suggestions to their engineering staff, and in short have never let me down.Victron's software, as mentioned, is excellent. I used to put up with crude LED or LCD text-only displays that showed one or two pieces of information at a time. Getting access to more data meant scrolling through endless menus on a two-line text screen. Altering the controller's settings (as when changing from flooded-cell to AGM batteries) often required buying a serial-to-USB adapter and then running crude, DOS-like software on a PC. But Victron's MPPT controllers, including their least expensive model, can connect to their inexpensive Bluetooth dongle, which talks wirelessly to any Mac, PC, iPad, iPhone, or recent Android device, using Victron's free software. That makes a big difference.The VictronConnect app gives you lots of information, presented in a clear, easy to understand form. Compare the iPhone screenshots below with what you're seeing on your current Heliotrope, Morningstar, Blue Sky or other controller's display. And note that with a Bluetooth setup, you don't have to run wires to a wall-mounted display panel, or cut a hole in your wall to mount said panel. It's all wireless, and you can read your charging system's status from anywhere in your rig (first screenshot). If you have Victron's SmartLithium batteries (which I hope someday to own), you can read individual cell values (third screenshot). You can also see the system's history for the past couple of weeks (second screenshot), to track how your batteries and panels are doing over time. And it's not just a read-only display--you can adjust the controller's settings (fourth screenshot). No adapter cables or PC software are needed.Finally, while I've been focusing on solar charging here, Victron's Bluetooth dongle can plug into their popular BMV-702 battery monitor, so you can use the VictronConnect software to check on your ongoing power consumption and battery state. It's also compatible with Victron's "Multi" series inverter/ chargers. (You'll need a separate dongle for each device.) And again, you won't have to run wires to a cluster of wall-mounted display panels, as I did in Skylark. All the info you need is on your phone, tablet or laptop. It's a really slick system.Cons? Well, Victron's equipment is not the cheapest way to go. An entry-level setup--15 amp MPPT controller and Bluetooth dongle--costs about $150. (That's what I'm currently using in my truck and in my Airstream.) You can get a less expensive controller elsewhere, if you don't mind putting up with a three-digit LED display and a few blinky lights. ;-)And their low-end solar charging controllers lack the ability to tailor charging to the batteries' temperature, rather than to the temperature at the controller. External temperature compensation is important because even if the controller is mounted in the battery compartment, their temperatures can differ quite a bit. In practice I haven't found this to be a problem, but it would be better to have external temp comp on all Victron's controllers.But no controller I've found--and I've tried a few and researched others--is perfect. Victron's look to me like the best overall set of compromises. If you're planning to upgrade your system, they're worth a look. 2 Likes
Re: Solar upgrade Reply #6 – August 13, 2017, 03:04:40 pm I have the Victron BMV700 and was considering getting the BT dongle for it. I also plan to add 100-200 watts of portable solar panels but first need to make a few trips to determine my usage. Hopefully in a couple weeks we'll be able to get into the mountains where air conditioning isn't needed so I can figure that out. Victron is on my short list for solar controllers.Thanks for your review.
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