Outside solar connector

[Stephen]

I have a '93 Fleetwood Jamboree "c" class motorhome. I bought the Renogy suitcase kit. Works great, however, the battery is located in the step coming in the door. The suitcase kit comes with alligator clips. If I hook them to the battery I cannot close the door without crimping the wire. I want to put an outside connector wired directly to the battery so I can ditch the alligator clips and use either SAE or mc4. Since I know next to nothing about this stuff, I don't know what to get.

Does anyone have any suggestions as to what I should get?

 

[Almost There]

I used this:

https://www.westmarine.com/buy/mari...er-inlet--191991?cm_sp=Onsite-Recs-_-DY-_-PDP

While it is 3 wire set up, you can use it any way you want.

If that's too light a rating for you, there are 30amp ones available.

 

[tx2sturgis]

The battery tray under the steps is most likely open to the outside, underneath.

It should be easy to route the cables that way.

Let us know what you see under there.

 

[John61CT]

Anderson connectors

 

[jonyjoe303]

I would stay away from the SAE connectors, those can be hooked up wrong, you never know if the plus side is really plus or negative. 
The cheapest ones are the xt60, its all I use for everything 12 volts, they can handle up to 60 amps, easy to connect/disconnect. Only drawback you have to solder the wires to them.

 

[Stephen]

I’m still at somewhat of a loss. All of the suggestions given look good other than the fact that I wanted some sort of port that is weather proof and easy to connect to the panels. I would like to stay away from dangling bits that might get snagged on stuff on some lonely dirt road. I probably am not asking the right question!


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[John61CT]

The critical spec is how many amps.


Blue Sea and Marinco twist-lock ciggie style plugs and ports maybe 10A
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001U4ZZPK

Trolling motor plugs / ports may do, but not standardized.

This is good for up to 15A
http://www.perko.com/catalog/lighting_fixtures/357/watertight_deck_connection/


I would stick to Anderson myself, lots of fixing plates, even some weather-resistant booties available.

Examples https://m.ebay.com.au/sch/i.html?_nkw=anderson+external+mount

 

[willprowse]

Guys he is trying to charge his battery while it is in the compartment. He doesnt need a ac waterproof plug, and he doesnt need a high amperage plug. He needs to charge it somehow while the door is closed. Read his post again.

So he should run some wires by drilling some holes in one of the walls, or floor, next to the battery. You need to run the wires around some other way. Can you show us what your battery compartment looks like? Post some pictures.

I used to have a jamboree and it had a battery compartment on the step. If I were in your situation, I would find a light that is powered by that battery you want to charge, and hook the alligator clips to the wires that power the lightbulb. You will have to splice it in. You may not know how to do this. And you may not like having wires dangling next to a light out. But its probably the easiest way to access that battery. And your solar suitecase is low amperage, or produces a small amount of electricity, and most rv's of your size, have high draw lightbulbs, and thick wires that can handle the current from a tiny solar suite case.

Did that make sense? Find where the wires go that connect to that battery, and hook up your alligator clips to that. You could even hook up your solar suite case to the fuse block if you know where that is. That might be difficult to do for you though. Take some pictures to show everyone what your setup looks like.

 

[John61CT]

No, he very clearly asked for a "weatherproof" port & plug solution to easily dis/connect a portable panel setup to/from the battery box.

Not a permanent wired connection.

Nothing above has anything to do with AC, and it would be very easy for a set of panels to get above 10A, if not now then when adding more later.

I agree that is not "high amps", but Anderson PowerPole is IMO the best to standardize on, since they offer a wide range of interoperable options.

And are available in "mounted" form, so they don't dangle.

Trolling motor plugs are also very suitable and likely more weatherproof if a protected position is difficult.

 

[John61CT]

Which reminds me, these may be simpler

https://www.google.com/search?q=remote+charging+battery+terminal+OR+posts

Or these

https://www.google.com/search?q=welding+cable+connector

 

[John TF]

This is so basic that you may want to help from someone that has done lots of this .
With a lack of info on what you have , can only be very general .
1st off , any connections going to battery should be fused , right at battery , and best to fuse both Positive & Negative --[ all ] connections , even if the manufacture has not done this !
I would suggest mounting a electrical box in a convenient spot to reach for , when plugging in solar panel , the cheapest & easiest would be just go to the hardware store & use house-hold standard boxes , wire , outlet etc.
So look for outside / weather proof , outlet cover should have a spring loaded flap cover , use 3 wire plug - this way you would not be able to reverse polarity !
Also look for some type of conduit , to keep from chaffing , rubbing against wiring .
Can only guess without spec.s , you could use lamp cord - should handle low voltage / low current for charging .
If you start going with the specialty 12V / RV stuff , it can cost more , and fewer sources .
I do use this for my ham radio stuff , Anderson Power Pole brand , or West Mountain Radio .
You can find Anderson stuff that will handle anything , tow truck jumpstart cables , welding cables etc.

 

[akrvbob]

Use a standard 110 volt, 10 gauge outdoor extension cord between the panels and the RV. Wire a standard outside 110 plug outlet into the wall of the RV near the battery compartment. At the solar controller and solar panels just use two of the wires from a 110 plug ((the third wire. Will go unused) to go into each of them so it can’t be any simpler than plugging a standard extension cord into each.

At the solar controller use a female end so it can’t ever be plugged into shore power or a generator and fry the controller.

 

[Stephen]

I never said thanks, Bob. I think this is the way to go. Now that I’m here at RTR and in weather warm enough to do this without freezing, I’ll see if I can’t get it done. Now all I need is a drill and some extension chord!


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[Trebor English]

Now all I need is a drill and some extension chord!

The magic of multiuse.  The extension cord for the panel will work for the drill too.  Nothing extra to carry around.

 

[Stephen]

The magic of multiuse.  The extension cord for the panel will work for the drill too.  Nothing extra to carry around.

Not sure what you mean by that. The drill is to cut a hole to install the receptacle. Am I missing something?


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[Trebor English]

The extension cord that you have for the solar panel will work to power the drill.  You have one cord with two uses.  The cord for the solar panel is not limited to solar panel only use.  Some people have a solar panel cable with special solar panel only connectors and therefore they can't use that cable to power a drill.  Your need for an extension cord for the drill is solved by the same extension cord for the panel.  Since one cord has two uses you don't need to carry two cords where one is dedicated to solar panel use and the other is dedicated to occasional power tool use.

 

[Stephen]

Got it. I’m a bit slow this morning!


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