I did it and it works!!!!!! This is my very first 'real' solar panel. I have solar charged devices, but not an actual solar panel. I bought a kit off of ebay. I've always been intimidated by the different terms used for solar. Wiring is the same as 'regular' wiring except the wire is stranded instead of solid. I just followed the diagram. <br><br>There was already a hole through the floor of my van for a water line under the bed, near my auxiliary battery, so I ran the 2 wires from battery to the charge controller, then the 2 long wires from the charge controller...out through the water line hole and over to my new 100 watt solar panel. I'm able to park in the shade and place my panel out in the sun. It also came with a display that shows the power in the batter and the power being generated by the solar panel. <br><br>When I'm ready to move, I simply disconnect the solar panel, wind up the wires and store them under the bed with the battery and re-plug the hole. I'm going to experiment with the 1 deep cycle battery that I have currently for a while and then I am going to get 2 batteries with a larger capacity that are made for solar. My boondocking possibilities have really opened up now! Oh joy! No more RV parks...yippee!<br><br>If I'd known it was going to be this easy, I'd have done it years ago!<br><br>
I did it!
- Thread starter TxGypsy
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Congratulations! I'm dragging my feet for the fear of what I don't know as well. Glad you made it over the hump and with ease to boot. Gives me hope!<br><br> What's the size of your solar panel? Is it a folding model? How much does it weigh?
It's a regular 100 watt solar panel, so it doesn't fold. It's almost 4 foot tall by slightly over 2 foot wide. Weighs 25 pounds. If I'm traveling without the cargo trailer, I can just slide it in the back door of my camper van, otherwise it will be traveling in the trailer strapped to a wall.<br><br>I looked at the folding panels, but they are twice as much for the same wattage. My kit came with the 100 watt 12 volt solar panel, a 20 amp charge controller, a volts/amps display, 40ft of 10 gauge cable, MC4 connectors and Z mounting brackets for $220 with free delivery. It's hard to beat a deal like that.
It is new. I haven't posted a link to the listing because I am having some issues with the seller. After much argument he has finally quit arguing with me and is hopefully sending the parts overnight. I had asked if he would exchange the mounting brackets for 2 more pairs of connectors and he agreed. When I received the kit it was short a pair of connectors. I've lost count of the emails we've sent back and forth where he kept saying it was in there and I just hadn't found it. I assured him that I was not and idiot and had checked the packaging thoroughly before contacting him. Anyhow it boiled down to...oh ok...you wanted 2 of them. I resent the original email verifying that yes, I had asked for 2. Very irritating. However, he did ship it promptly and it arrived in good condition. So with that being said...here is the link.<br><br>http://www.ebay.com/itm/310673494631?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649<br><br><br><br>
Congratulations - solar power makes everything so much easier and enjoyable. You're going to love it!
LOL...of course now that I have this awesome solar panel the monsoon rains move in so that I don't have any sun!<br><br>I did want to post an update on the seller. He did overnight me the extra connectors. Though I had offered to pay for postage since I needed them overnighted to me, he didn't charge me for the postage. So I have no complaints about this seller. Having been a seller on ebay I understand that not everyone in the world is a competent and careful person and you have to ask them many stupid questions at times.....it just irritates me when I have to go through that as a buyer. So I am overall pretty happy with the product and would buy from them again.
