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What size charge controller are you running? Are you combining the 400 with the rooftop or using a separate charge controller? Thank you for watching!

I said it three years ago in this video!!! LoL I'll have my lawyers call Jason. RV Solar 101 : Everything a Beginner Needs to Know ! ruclips.net/video/sG6bErD3ZFA/видео.html

Propping on logs or rocks is a good idea, I'm always surprised how fast you can kill grass when you lay the panels flat. Every year around the solstice, I just start laying my panels flat on the ground. When it's time to leave, like this morning, burn marks all over the ground like a UFO landed... lol

@@DIYOutdoorLife Ya got me there, pal! 🤣

@@DIYOutdoorLife Funny you should mention this. I just took off two 100W flexible panels from my shed roof that I've had permanently installed up there for about three years now because I noticed this spring they didn't seem to be producing power. I checked them with a voltmeter and zero watts. So I laid them on the grass thinking they wouldn't burn the grass. Wrong - two burn marks. It begs the question: why would two panels producing zero watts still leave a burn mark on the grass? And while I'm at it, do you know of any way to recycle solar panels?

@@twloughlin oh boy, hot without a output is not a good thing... lol I'm tempted to pin this comment because you encountered something that I've seen many many times. When you leave the flexible panels out, they go bad quickly. I don't think this information is readily disseminated. As for recycling, don't get me going, this thread will go on forever ... Solar panels are easy to recycle, they separate the materials and they can actually harvest a lot of valuable raw items from them. The industry is so far behind here. my county transfer station has a place that will take them for free. Some solar installers will take them as well. If you do a little homework, there's some companies that will pay you for them. , It is annoying, and unnecessarily cumbersome.... I hope it gets better

Anytime, thanks for watching the channel!

Be careful, solar panels become addictive... lol pretty soon you have to start doing modifications to carry them all

Hah, or have a yard sale to move some of the excess! 😏

I'm glad to hear you're putting out more electrical content, it'll be fun to tune in! Good job with the channel. The 100 CIGS as a fixed panel has been doing a great job. I've been banking 300 to 400wh a day with it. It's not always oriented perfectly, based on my campsite setup, but that's more WH than I use in an average day. On days that I use the inverter or higher current/longer duration DC items at camp, deploying some portable panels keeps me topped. as you know, one of the goals when building your system is autonomy time, I'm up to ~7 to 10 days without any solar/average loads... makes everything else easy. Good to hear from you and glad to hear you're making content, thank you as always !

Congratulations, that's very exciting! Youll love the t@g, it's a nice, long lasting, simple teardrop ⛺️

Appreciate it, thanks for watching the channel!

Good stuff, thanks for watching the channel!

I wouldnt, you can get a very solid complete charge out of the profiles on those standard chargers. I don't think it's worth changing anything if you're sticking to AGM.

I know I already responded to this comment, I must've put it in the wrong place... lol I would stick with the same charger/converter, no need to upgrade. If you're gonna go with the AGM battery bank, You'll be fine with the standard parameters of that converter. If you go lithium, as you said, it would be worth doing the other upgrades. Thanks for watching!

That is correct. Sometimes we do systems that have as many as five solar charge controllers! I have two on my camper right now, highly recommended.

@@DIYOutdoorLife Thank you. I am buying this 220 watt system today!. :)

I would say it isn't too much of a concern if you are using charge controllers from the same manufacturer. If one is putting out higher voltage than the other, like you might get from different products from different manufacturers, the one putting out lower voltage may not feed the system any current. Why? Because that's how higher and lower voltages work. It gets complicated because the wire runs will drop voltage, too, depending on how much current is in them. Because of the voltage drop over wires, a charge controller should put out at least some current. If the controllers are "talking to each other", it's through the voltages they see at their respective outputs. I had a two-controller setup going this past weekend in my driveway to test a new setup. One set was much further away from the battery than the other. Both sets of panels were cranking out 150W. I was using the Victron 75/15 MPPT solar charge controller for both. YMMV. Edit: I would expect each charge controller, at least the good ones, to increase their output voltage to achieve whatever power it thinks it needs to output. So I don't think you'll ever see the high-low voltage problem. However, there could be some weird dynamics where they are "fighting" each other in increasing battles of voltage. I don't think that would happen since resistance in the system acts like a damper, and the charge controllers, at least the good ones, tend to have smart algorithms.

That's always a great way to set things up. DC voltage drop is a real thing, you want to make sure that you're using the proper size wires or running duplicate wires like you did. 10 AWG will carry 30A without heating up, but it's always more efficient to add some more copper like you did! Thanks for tuning in !

@@DIYOutdoorLife I found the SAE connectors don't like 35amps, which is a setting on my generator charger. I used a Laser Heat sensor to identify any thermal issues. My setup is 100% custom 800ah lifePO4. setting 25 amps is fine so that is what i limit the current to for those connectors. I know they are not the best but they are good for quick setups and pick ups. The 10 awg wire is limited by the SAE connector for sure but i generator charge in parallel anyway. So that's 4x25amp=100amps, Not going to shake a stick at that. Don't worry each charger gets fed into a bus bar on its own isolated line.

I know that game very well, the slightest movement goes from 50 W to 80 W!! lol

Hahaha... don't hold your breath

I am combining MCT to SAE as i did not feel like making custom cables. I was unable to find a cable that offered a MCT connection in the length and size i wanted. From what i gather SAE is good for pack up and go setups, nothing permanent because the connections can corrode. I did Find the SAE 10awg connector could handle 25 amps fine, we are talking just connectors not wire length. I have four SAE connectors setup to charge from my generator with four chargers in parallel when i have no sun. The chargers can be set from 15/25/35 amps, The 35 amp setting was creating too much heat on one of the connectors so i fast charge them at 25ax4=100amps. 800ah LifePO4 Battery's, I use a laser heat sensor to detect thermal issues, HIGHLY recommended.

In my early solar experiments years ago, I was using power poles. Why? I make my own cables, and I can never remember which MC4 connector is positive and which is negative. With powerpoles, the minute you identify the + output, you can crimp a red powerpole on it. These were panels that came with ring terminals. And then when I was installing an MC4 cable gland, I had to verify, by crawling in the camper, which connector was + and which - before making an extension cord.

@@major__kong power poles are the way to go!

@@DIYOutdoorLife For small arrays. Once you get above 48V, it gets painful. The powerpole is open at the back, so you can imagine voltage leaking there if it gets wet. When it's not plugged in, it's easy to touch the front. The MC4 connector is probably more appropriate for safety above 48V.

Don't go above 20a if using it. They are likely indicating that their wire size is 12 AWG or smaller. I would recommend not using it anyway, you could easily just get to the battery and do a better job. Then you could use whatever size you want.

If you can store/use in a waterproof location, a MPPT is the way to go. If you charge control is gonna be left outside and might get rained on, you're better off going with a waterproof PWM. Anything between 10 and 20 amp will work for your situation . Let me know exactly how you want to install it and I can see if I can point you in the right direction .

I preface with we're weekend warrior campers on the dry California Central Coast. We avoid camping in the rain like the plague. We'll cancel reservation to avoid camping in the rain. Not our thing, anymore. Looking for your BRAND name suggestions for: 1) Connect Ecoflow 110w folding solar panels with OEM MC4 connectors (that we can extend with our MC4 extensions) to a 10amp controller (either type will suffice, moderate price and expected longevity preferred). Your suggested/trusted brand name and model # is the request. 2) A connecting cable BRAND NAME and model # to connect the suggested controller to our TT via its OEM Go Solar! solar port. Sorry if I'm not using the correct vernacular or putting things in linear verbiage. This is why I haven't resolved this issue in over a year of ownership. 🤷🏽‍♂️

@@CC_Marauder this controller is dynamite, keep it dry though amzn.to/4bg7t5H

@@CC_Marauder this is a good wire that you could use for your solar on the side. You're going to have to do a little bit to set it up properly though. Unfortunately, they don't make the perfect plug for this affordably . You're going to want to check the polarity on your camp SAE, use the proper side of this cord, cut the other end off and wire into your MPPT. If you need help, let me know, happy to provide assistance amzn.to/3S0laiz

You are indeed very generous with your efforts to assist. I'm just not DIY savvy enough to get all of this to see it through to fruition. Thats entirely on me. Thanks again for your personalized effort(s).

Yes, you cannot run through two charge controllers. For use with a PPS, cut right into the solar before it goes through the charge controller and it will work great.

Thank you, it's really nice to hear that. The video is helpful. Thank you for watching the channel!

Thank you, that's really nice to hear and I appreciate you watching the content!

You know it, I'm getting excited!

Haha... we'll see if I get my royalties

Haha... I noticed that ... scary!

Gotta talk about solar near the solstice!

Yes, you can run wind turbines and solar at the same time. You would get separate charge controllers for each, but they would both be connected to the same battery bank, and charge simultaneously. Thank you for watching the channel!

Thank you, we're excited 👍

It's great to hear how well your system is working, the CIGS is an all-around solid way to go solar!

They are both fantastic, they are built to last for decades. There are nomad series is convenient, but it is silicone based and is best used for temporary applications.

I would love to go to that meet up, let me see what I can do! Matt and Wendy are the best, they definitely helped out in the decision-making process with their great videos

I will get into this into a bit of a 202 video. These panels have MC4 connectors, this is the industry standard and most common. Solar panels can hook to each other in series, or in parallel by using branch connectors. It's very easy to do. it requires just a little bit of information to know how to maximize the performance of combined panels and to not overload a charge controller. we will definitely cover that soon, thank you for asking!

@@DIYOutdoorLife Thank you! 😁

Thank you, I appreciate you watching!

Hahaha, she just went to the vet Monday, they said her weight was perfect. I think the camera adds a few pounds… LoL

My Hiker came with an MC4 junction on the roof, it couldn't be any easier, I just plugged it in. If you do not have that option, look through my solar playlist for where I installed the rooftop solar and charge controllers on the Bushwhacker . Use 3m wire management clips and wire loom to run it neatly down the face of the camper. This is a fast and easy way that doesn't involve drilling.

Yes, it's not perfect, but it will absolutely work. If you can easily access your battery, using a plug like this is even better. It's fused, heavy gauge, and very easy to install as solar on the side. If you're battery is in a larger box or container, you have to get the pass-through option. amzn.to/3Xt9nwq

They are cheap and you can get them anywhere, that's a big plus. With any deep cycle lead acid battery, as long as you keep them topped off and avoid deep discharges, they work great and last a long time.

Awesome, thanks for your input. The 36’ 5th wheel I just bought has 1 that is only a year old but the 2nd battery needs to be replaced. I thought it would be best to have 2 of the same brand. I just ordered the Goal Zero 200 watt solar kit and iGreely SAE battery connector after watching your videos. I’m attempting to do this set up myself with the help of your videos. Thank you again for putting out your solar content. Yours has been the best user friendly for beginners.

@@dpeterson5105 that's great to hear, I appreciate that you're following along and watching the videos! The Goal zero 200 kit comes with a waterproof 20 amp charge controller attached to the panel . It will have an SAE plug that will go directly to your igreely, it should be very easy. Just make sure that you have your polarity right and youre all set. If I remember correctly, I think both the Igreely and the goal zero kit have a sae polarity plug included. You may not need it, but if you do, you'll have a spare!

I have never had an issue with VHB, except when you try to remove it. I actually have a friend who works on skyscrapers, they use VHB to attach devices where the wind speed is incredible and the risk is high. Quick to find out the way to prep your surface, you might even want to get VHB primer made by 3M. Check online, you'll find info on the best way to prep the surface for your membrane.

You're set up seems to be perfect for that 12 SK, definitely a great panel.

@@DIYOutdoorLife Congratulations on your new Hiker trailer. It looks like a good layout. Lube the hubs and be safe.

@@davidelliott400 let the maintenance begin! Thank you!

That's a solid set up! I might make a video where I show how to prep the surface and use masking tape to help line it up. Like anything, once you've done the first one they become pretty easy.

@@DIYOutdoorLife I found a tall son with long arms really helped me do my rooftop install :)

@@J4Julz tall people come in handy sometimes 😂

If you can get it inside, out of the weather, an MPPT is the way to go. My preference is definitely Victron. If it's going to be outside, you're gonna have to get a waterproof option, and it will likely be PWM. Let me know where you want to install it and how much you have, and I'll send you a direct link. Also, check out the videos on my channel featuring charge controllers, I install them on a Bushwhacker. They should be in the solar playlist.

You're always one step ahead of the game. I have a whole video dedicated completely to shade tolerance, comparing different panels. I hope to get it out in the next couple weeks. CIGS is actually not proprietary, it's fair game for any company to construct panels this way. Although companies are doing a good job adding more diodes for shade tolerance, the CIGS is still in the league of its own for its longevity and toughness.

Exactly, the first iterations were that long ribbon shape, not very practical to use for tiny campers.

I have the long version installed on one side of the roof vent fan. I filled in extra lap seal for an area where mine overlapped each other, so I used Tape on the outside edges. That way I can get underneath the panel. I have another 100-watt CIGS panel for the other side that I haven't installed yet.

They have a few options, but they're flexible panel is a renogy and silicon based. I hope they're able to start sourcing these panels.

They're definitely all stars!

These are my favorite videos to make, I'm gonna have to keep getting new campers... lol

Lots more solar videos coming…lol

Definitely some impressive technology, thanks for watching!

Well, then they wouldn't be a tiny camper. I hear they're making some bigger models, stay tuned.

@@DIYOutdoorLife if they build bigger models 6x12x5 I definitely will buy one. Thanks for letting me know.

That's great to hear, I hope to be able to make a ton of Hiker mod videos this year. Thank you for watching the channel!

Thank you, I appreciate you watching!

I have already been using it a ton, I'll be at 20 overnight this week... lol

Thank you, I think I got it fixed, I had a lot of trouble at first with audio.