Advise On Solar Panel Fitting on Kontiki 645 Before Heading For The Sun

[centerman]

Hi
I have fitted 3 x 130amp leisure batteries in my Kontiki 645 motorhome and am now about to start fitting 2 x 85w solar panels on the roof. I have read that I should fit the controller as near to the batteries as possible to keep the wiring short as possible.
To keep the job neat I intend fitting the controller in the wardrobe from there to the Solar panel will be about 10ft, then the wiring to the batteries would be about 14ft does this sound ok ?

Brian

 

[centerman]

Hi
What wire distance in feet do you think your batteries are from controller it will give me an idea


Brian

 

[centerman]

Thanks for that, perhaps I may need to alter my cunning plan and fit controller in with batteries or just above the locker can then get that last run to about 4ft also. Will wait and see what other users tell me about how they fitted their wiring and how it works.
Thanks for the advice

 

[DJHobby]

Solar panel

I was really fortunate for the whole installation, cable through gland on roof entered a top storage locker, see link for controller.

http://www.wildcamping.co.uk/forums/wild-camping-motorhome-chat/34600-solar-panel-technicians.html

I could then run cable through original electrical conduit, into base seat storage area, then to L/Battery. Cable you see in images, that it and, it is all, including controller, hidden by a curtain.

Cheers.

Hi Brian
For your info my controller sits under seat in the dining area about 4 ft from the battery housed under the drivers seat Solar panel is a good 10ft away 195w feeding. 2leisure batteries .

 

[Brian the snail]

Hi Brian,

Just make sure you use 6mm cable from controller to batteries to minimise voltage drop.

Good luck

Clive

 

[centerman]

Advise on Solar Panel for Kontiki 645

Well fitted both panels on roof and wired down into wardrobe. I have the EC200 Electronic Control System made by Sargent electrical service Ltd and referred as the Swift Group PSU 2007 STD +. The fuse allocation on front of unit shows number 8 = 20 amp (yellow) charger. So can anyone let me know is it ok to wire the solar panel wires direct to that connection instead of running cable through to battery bank? note 6mm is recommended wire size but not sure if that would fit in to solar controller as cable down from panels has 4 wrote on outside of wire and that is a tight fit in screw block. On yutube note some use same cable through controller to battery? So what do you all think then.

Cheers Brian

 

[Mossystone]

Well fitted both panels on roof and wired down into wardrobe. I have the EC200 Electronic Control System made by Sargent electrical service Ltd and referred as the Swift Group PSU 2007 STD +. The fuse allocation on front of unit shows number 8 = 20 amp (yellow) charger. So can anyone let me know is it ok to wire the solar panel wires direct to that connection instead of running cable through to battery bank? note 6mm is recommended wire size but not sure if that would fit in to solar controller as cable down from panels has 4 wrote on outside of wire and that is a tight fit in screw block. On yutube note some use same cable through controller to battery? So what do you all think then.

Cheers Brian

Hi Centerman. Like you I thought that wiring into the back of the existing panel would save a lot of work. I am still holding off doing the work in the hope of an answer to this question. Please let me know if you have the answer or have tried wiring this way. I also thought that breaking into the existing wiring and using a connecting block would overcome the wire size issues.
Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[bigross255]

Hi
I have fitted 3 x 130amp leisure batteries in my Kontiki 645 motorhome and am now about to start fitting 2 x 85w solar panels on the roof. I have read that I should fit the controller as near to the batteries as possible to keep the wiring short as possible.
To keep the job neat I intend fitting the controller in the wardrobe from there to the Solar panel will be about 10ft, then the wiring to the batteries would be about 14ft does this sound ok ?

Brian

I also have a 645 and i am looking at adding more leisure batteries as the one in the van floor wont be enough for me, where did you fit your other batteries?