Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
 



Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 01-04-2015, 09:13 AM   #21
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Southern California
Posts: 206
Default

Tony-
Thanks for the detailed answer to my mounting question. Can you tell me more about the need to mount the panels higher off the roof "for cooling" as you say above? I am new to this solar thing and want to understand the need to cool a panel.
__________________

__________________
Fun Finder 2006 X189FD sold
Fun Finder 2012 X189FBS sold
2020 Lance model 2075
2016 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel 4x4
jbfunfinder is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-05-2015, 05:33 PM   #22
Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Crownsville, Maryland
Posts: 32
Default

JB,

Where do you plan to mount your golf cart batteries? I see that Tony has elected to use AGM's mounted inside under the seats.

I want to install wet cell Golf Cart's on the tongue, but don't know if there is enough room for that.
__________________

__________________
Gerry & Linda
2014 214WSD
2007 Ford Expedition
getzold is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-05-2015, 10:17 PM   #23
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Southern California
Posts: 206
Default

Getzold-
I will be suspending the two Trojan T-105 6v golf cart batteries in a cage I am welding below the floor and directly foward of the right tires. This location on my FF X189 FBS is approximately below the vertical line that runs between my cargo door and the refrigerator.
I am trying to find the sweet spot to achieve all of the following: Does not add to the tongue weight - rather moves the approximate 130 pounds closer to the axles, keeps the length of the cables from the solar panels to the controller to a minimum, locates the controller near the batteries, does not reduce my cargo space, vents the battery gases without an elaborate system.
Yesterday I cut all of the angle iron I need for my battery cage and I will be welding in the next few days. I call it a cage, but it is really more of a suspended double rail not unlike what Cruiser welds across the tongue for the original equipment installation. I am using 1" angle with a hinged drop down on the forward end for easier raising and lowering of the batteries in their boxes.

FYI, I measured and established that the two batteries in separate plastic boxes would indeed sit side by side (not end to end) behind the LP tanks, but I did not want to add around 70 more pounds of tongue weight.

I plan to mount one solar panel initially and see if that will serve our occasional dry camping needs. However, I have purchased a 20 amp controller which will handle two or three panels should one not do the job. The cables will descend through the refrig vent and through the cargo area rear wall where the controller, fuses, and disconnect will be located. I have ordered a separate digital meter which will be cut into an interior wall and is connected to the controller by a cat 5 cable.

I will take pics of the whole thing and post them if I can figure out how to do that...may have to ask one of you how to post pics.

Jamie
__________________
Fun Finder 2006 X189FD sold
Fun Finder 2012 X189FBS sold
2020 Lance model 2075
2016 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel 4x4
jbfunfinder is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-05-2015, 10:36 PM   #24
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Southern California
Posts: 2,142
Default

Jamie, we can easily tell you how to post pix. If you can weld, posting is a piece of cake! I have always wanted to be able to weld, but it'll never happen -- I have trouble handling a hot glue gun, for pete's sake, never mind a welding tool.
profdant139 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-06-2015, 04:48 AM   #25
Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Crownsville, Maryland
Posts: 32
Default

Jamie,

Thanks for the reply. Looking forward to seeing the pictures of the install. Sounds like quite the project.

Gerry
__________________
Gerry & Linda
2014 214WSD
2007 Ford Expedition
getzold is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-06-2015, 07:49 AM   #26
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: North Georgia
Posts: 466
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by jbfunfinder
I will take pics of the whole thing and post them if I can figure out how to do that...may have to ask one of you how to post pics.
I use a free off-site image hosting site called "Tiny Pic". It will allow you to upload an image and then copy and paste the URL here to display photos. Once you do it a couple times, it's super easy. Note: just ignore all ads that display and don't click anything other than what is desrcribed below:

http://tinypic.com/

1) Click "Browse" to locate your image on your PC (I alway use .jpg and not sure what other formats it supports). In the Explorer screen, select your image then click "Open" at the lower right. You will now see your file name in the window next to "Browse". NOTE: I just discovered that if you use Explorer it will display "Browse" ... if you use Google, it will display "Choose File" ... either way, it's still basically the same. Also, be patient ... really large files can take a minute.

2) Click on "Resize" which opens a dropdown box of various sizes to display. My photos are usually between 1 and 2.5 Mb so I usually select the largest ... 17" screen 1024 x 768. If you photos are smaller, you might pick a smaller size.

3) Click the big green button "Upload Now".

4) A security screen will come up. Click "Play" which will usually run a short ad video (or not) but it will display a specific phrase that you need to type in where it says "Your Answer". It is case sensitive. Click "Upload Now" again below after typing in the phrase. The upload time is dependant on the size of your photo and your PC and your internet connection ... be patient. Just before it's ready, it will display "Click here to view" .... Ignore that !

5) A list of various URLs will display immediately after you see "Click to view". Select the bottom option "Direct links for layouts". Click on the URL to highlight it, then right click to "Copy"

6) On the FF forum message body, click on "IMG" from the tools at the top then paste the URL you copied from TinyPic. Then click "IMG" from the top again to bracket the URL you pasted. Then click Enter on your keyboard to go down a line (I just do this to ensure completion).

7) Click "Submit" at the bottom and wait .... be patient

On TinyPic, click "Upload More" to add more photos ... just repeat the process. Sometimes if you do this right away, it will skip the security screen and just upload the next chosen picture. If you are posting more than one picture, wait until you're finished before you do Number 7.



__________________
Ex Owners of a 2015 Fun Finder 214 WSD
2016 Ram 2500HD with 6.4L Hemi
Travels with Yoly is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-07-2015, 06:43 PM   #27
Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Australia
Posts: 31
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by jbfunfinder
Tony-
Thanks for the detailed answer to my mounting question. Can you tell me more about the need to mount the panels higher off the roof "for cooling" as you say above? I am new to this solar thing and want to understand the need to cool a panel.
My understanding as solar panels get hot they lose efficiency as our temperatures rise above 110 f.

On the AGM batteries I use Standby Batteries that have came out of Telecom communication Towers standby batteries. These are kept on float and might only called upon 2-3 times per year.
Routine maintenance have these replaced every 3-4 years and with a advertised life of 12 years they are excellent buying at 1/3rd of the new AGM price. We pay about $300.00 for a good 100ah 12V AGM, where I pick these below up for $75.00 used about 3 years old.
http://saything.co.jp/fiamm/catalogue/fit_eng_Jul20.pdf
If it was not for this cheap source I would be using LI batteries considering they can discharge to 5% vs AGM should really only be discharged to 60%. Plus Li batteries weigh 1/3 of AGM and accept charge and discharge rates of 100 amps.....I reckon they stack up even at 3 times the price of AGM.
But not at 6 times the price as with ex standby AGM batteries.
__________________

__________________
Cheers Tony
244RBS Funfinder 2012
Jeep Grand Cherokee 3 ltr CRD
Australia
hotqld is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3
Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Fun Finder RV, Cruiser RV, or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 04:07 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
×