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Solar Component placement advice request
Hey Folks,
I've got a 2003 23.5 Twin King and am looking to upgrade my house batteries to LiFePO4 and looking for some component placement advice. I'm planning to go with a Victron 100|50 MPPT charge controller and victron smart battery charger. I also have a Xantrex Prowatt inverter from a previous rig I plan to use. Ideally I'd like to maintain as much existing storage as possible so I'm considering opening up the lower part of the Vanity (next to the entry) and mounting the inverter to the outer shell of the battery compartment.  I haven't figured out the rest of the placements so am curious where others have placed the components necessary to make this upgrade. 

thx.
A 2003 23.5'  'TK
Re: Solar Component placement advice request
Reply #1 –

Hi Paul, welcome to the group. I have a '99 'TK, and I just replaced my old panels with 450 Watts, four 100W and one 50W, All Renogy monocrystalline 33 cell panels.    Amazon.com: Renogy Solar Panel 100 Watt 12 Volt, High-Efficiency Monocrystall...      Amazon.com : Renogy 50 Watt 12 Volt Monocrystalline Solar Panel (Compact...      I also put in two SOK-206 LiFePO4 batteries SOK Battery 200ah 12V LiFePO4 Deep Cycle Battery | Lithium Solar Battery –... in the existing battery box.  I put a two KW True sine wave inverter   Amazon.com: Novopal Pure Sine Wave Power Inverter 2000 Watt 12V DC to...  into the space just aft of the forced air heater, in front of the wheel well.  One feature of this inverter is that it fit through the opening for the drawer.
    Another location I considered, more out in the open for the inverter, is just behind the driver seat on the wall of the bathroom. I didn't have that spring panel that some TK LD's have.  Shoe-horning it all in to fit was a chore.  RonB

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RonB (Bostick) living in San Diego
Original owner of "Bluebelle" a '99 TKB
Re: Solar Component placement advice request
Reply #2 –
How many batteries are you planning on adding?

Your options are very limited for more than two.

I just had AM Solar upgrade my solar to 850 watts and added four batteries to my 2017 TK, the only reasonable place for the batteries, charge controller and 3000 watt inverter was in the passenger side rear storage compartment, lost about half to the upgrade.

But I did gain the existing battery compartment as storage.
Dave

2017 TK
Re: Solar Component placement advice request
Reply #3 –
Hi Paul;  Like Dave your 2003 is built on an E450 chassis, so you have more weight capacity than my E350 has and a little bit more room. I'll see if I can come up with some pictures.  RonB
RonB (Bostick) living in San Diego
Original owner of "Bluebelle" a '99 TKB
Re: Solar Component placement advice request
Reply #4 –
Bear in mind that if you use the existing battery compartment, you neither need nor want outside venting. because the battery BMS's should shut them down for unacceptable temperature conditions, most have decided to insulate them from the outside and vent to the interior. For our FL, I pulled the tray and mounted a pair of GC2 form-factor batteries, a direct replacement, and did appropriate insulation and inside venting. Choice of inverter will depend on intended use - ours powers microwave and all inside outlets, used also for hair dryer, accessory charging, and very brief portable electric heater time - so 2200W worked well. The microwave uses the most power, so check if your inverter will do the job, if so intended. Our stock nuker had problems with the inverter, so I switched that out. Larry with a similar setup had no issues. Cutting and hacking can leave a mess that is hard to disguise if you need to rethink the original plan...

Also, when laying out the solar setup, plan for comfortable maneuvering on the roof for cleaning and maintenance.

Steve
2004 FL
2013 Honda Fit
Re: Solar Component placement advice request
Reply #5 –
"Also, when laying out the solar setup, plan for comfortable maneuvering on the roof for cleaning and maintenance."
---
Steve makes a very important point; much the same as the adage, "Measure twice, cut once." Good advice to plan the layouts carefully for the maximum numbers/sizes of panels anticipated; badly positioned panels make it very difficult to tippy-toe around to clean and/or work on the roof.  ;)
2003 TK has a new home
Re: Solar Component placement advice request
Reply #6 –
As Joan and Steve mentioned, leaving space on the roof is critical for regular maintenance of the various elements up topside. This includes the panels themselves.

The panels will need frequent cleaning of their surface as well as below them to remove grime and accumulated leaves.

I also had AM Solar do our install. I had drawn up what I thought was a doable design. AM Solar tweaked the design slightly until we agreed on the final configuration as seen in my included photos.

AM Solar used cardboard cutouts and placed them on our roof. Note that our LD is a 27’ RB so your design will be different, however the concept is the same. See what fits and leave room topside to physically move around. I tend to crawl about to avoid going over the edge.

Have fun with your install.

Kent

2015 27' RB "MissB.Haven"
Re: Solar Component placement advice request
Reply #7 –
One place where a drone comes in mighty handy is taking a straight-down photo of your rig's roof to help in planning solar panel layout. Cardboard cutouts are best, though, for a final check.
Andy Baird
2021 Ford Ranger towing 2019 Airstream 19CB
Previously: 1985 LD Twin/King "Gertie"; 2003 LD Midbath "Skylark"
Re: Solar Component placement advice request
Reply #8 –
Yes, used my drone to take photos of my 2017 TK roof, before and after my solar upgrade.

Removed the TV antenna to fit five 170 watt panels.
Dave

2017 TK
Re: Solar Component placement advice request
Reply #9 –
I have the same layout, with a '94 model. I put the one 375W panel between the escape hatch and the AC unit it fit perfectly there. Ran the cables through the fridge vent and down under the fridge inside the cabinets.

In the cabinets I found enough space between the drawers to fit the victron mppt and the battery monitor and drawers close without any issues. No space wasted. I haven't gotten an inverter, but I see space to the right of the furnace that could fit a small one...

You can get batteries that are lithium that fit exactly in the same place as the current golf cart ones. The BattleBorn 100Ah 12V GC2 LiFePO4 Deep Cycle Battery are supposed to be the same size. I didn't get lithium yet since the acid ones still had juice and have been fine for 2 years.
1995 23.5 Rear Lounge
Re: Solar Component placement advice request
Reply #10 –

Hi Tom; thanks for the pictures. I put my 300W (3 panels) in the same space you did. And a 50 watt panel on the passenger side of the escape hatch.  The 3 panels are almost 4" high to avoid shadowing from the AirCon as much as possible.
   I put my DC to DC Renogy charger where you put the MPPT controller.  As you mentioned the space with the forced air heater , just in front of the wheel well, was big enough for the inverter I used.
   Additionally I put two S.O.K 206 AH batteries in the battery box. I removed the slide out tray. I got a fresh water tank heater (12v) and put it next to the batteries, but I could have put it under them. Two batteries are 412 Ahours. Over double the 100AH of the BattleBorn.   Amazon.com: Facon 12" x 18" RV Tank Heater Pad, CW-T1218, Use with Up to 50...   I have a manual switch to enable it if I think it might get near freezing.  The battery door was sealed and insulated, and the standard LD compartment door seals, applied to the edges of the door, and greased with silicone grease, are water tight.   RonB

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RonB (Bostick) living in San Diego
Original owner of "Bluebelle" a '99 TKB
 
Re: Solar Component placement advice request
Reply #11 –
Quote from: Andy Baird  - 
cardboard cutouts are best, though, for a final check.

Make templates out of cardboard for every readily available size of solar panel. it's much easier than using a tape measurer while laying out the best design on the roof. Less possibility of mismeasuring.
Leave room for the cables and junction box, as well as access.

Larry
Larry
2003 23.5' Front Lounge, since new.  Previously 1983 22' Front Lounge.
Tow vehicles  2020 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, 2001 Jeep Cherokee
Photo Collection: Lazy Daze