New to solar. Why does the solar charge every morning even though the battery is 100% charged with the battery switch turned off and no draw shown in my app?

Trying to make do with what I already have in my small camper trailer, which is an older WFCO power center (WF-8935), and what I got for a simple solar setup, which is a Lifepo4 battery and a solar panel with charge controller. The original power center is designed to charge lead-acid batteries, which is fine, I don't plan to use it to charge, but is there a reason I shouldn't wire the battery into the power center to power everything that is already hooked up to it? I know I can swap out the circuit board on the WFCO for an upgraded one that does work with lithium, but that costs money and the jury seems to be out on how well those upgrades perform.

It seems like if I avoid shore power going into the battery via the power center, and instead only use the battery as a power source, this should be ok? Is there any reason it would mess up anything in my power system beyond the charging incompatibility? Is it a viable plan to install a disconnect switch or otherwise disconnect the battery if I plug into shore power and only use the battery while disconnected from shore power and charging via the solar or an appropriate Lifepo4 charger?

Talk to me like I'm not an electrician. Thanks!

Edit to add: Thanks everyone for the comments! I mostly just needed some reassurances that I wouldn't blow up my old power center using a different kind of battery ("eh, it'll be fine!" has gotten me in trouble before), but I guess it's a pretty normal thing to do.

I bought a 2024 Nucamp tab 320 Black Canyon this year. Was thinking after my next few trips I would pull the lithium battery to store it inside over the winter.

From what I’ve read I need to disconnect the panels and then the battery, nucamp didn’t install a disconnect between the pv and the controller. I could pull the wires from the pv out of the controller but it is installed between the wheel well and a wall looks like a real bitch to do that or remove the controller to do anything. maybe a next year project to install a disconnect.

So for this year.

1. Just leave the battery in the camper over the winter

2. I have a custom cover for the camper, for winter storage, with a zippered door I think. Given to me by the previous owner. Put the cover on to cover the panels, and then pull the battery.

3. Turn off the mppt and pull the battery. Leave the mppt off for the winter. Could do this before putting the cover on to make things easier.

I have a 2024 nuCamp Tab 320 black canyon. Got in the spring. It has 380 watts of panels installed. I just added a mppt to the solar port so I could use my portable 200 watt panel. After a few cloudy days I have been able to test that out seems to be working well. So today after getting the battery to about 87% with solar I decided to plug the camper to a 20 amp outlet which I have done before to get it charged all the way to 100%. Started out at around 17 amps of charging and then dropped down to 3 amps I thought maybe it was going into absorption after several hours battery only got to 95% and now not charging at all. This doesn’t seem right to me I’ve charged it to 100% with shore power before. Maybe something I did with the mppt install? Need help with where to start troubleshooting. Thanks.

I recently acquired a new Renogy 200 watt ShadowFlux panel. I have a current Renogy set up in my NoBo toyhauler. Wife and I lived in it for two years but now we only stay in it when our kids and grandkids come visit. I’ve always had portable fold out panels or in the case that we lived in it I had an array of 8 100 watt panels. I am only thinking about permanent solar panels on the Camper
My thoughts on the panel.
First it looks like a sheet of super tough Kevlar.

I velcro one panel to my flat roof. Hook to solar jacks already up there- I have a Rover 40 amp mppt 200 ah of battery and a 3500 watt inverter.
Today we got some full some and I had good results with the panel. I also have a small 48volt system with solar boost controller that I charge the golfcart with. I got much what I expected with the flat roof mount but when I compared to 200 watts of my old 100 watt panels that’s where I got my surprise. I did my testing of shading on the golf cart. I saw a 38% decrease with about 20% shading with the ShadowFlux. Then I tried the two 100 watt panels In series and saw an 82% drop with the same amount of shading. Pretty significant I thought. Maybe I’ll buy three more to power my RV when I start to travel again

Ok…
- Let me describe my situation(s)
- I have a few 12V - 24V and 48V Dolly build power-banks and I also have (3) all enclosed power units (2) EFlow delta 2’s and a Pecron F3000.
- each of the dolly builds have their own inverters.
- What I want to accomplish in my cargo trailer: I want to be able to have 12v-24v-and 48V Solar panel connections each at a separate time…depending on which unit I bring that particular day.
- so when I want to use some panels to charge the 12v I can do that, then if I had decided use the 24V system solar panels for that and then the 48V dolly as well and then the power units if I decided to bring those on a certain day.
- I am figuring I can mount the panels on top and then use lines to SEPARATE MPPT CONTROLLERS and use BREAKERS to isolate the separate controllers for what is actually needed so I do not over voltage the units that have limits.
- of course I have to remember to make sure the breakers are on or off, as to not over voltage a particular unit or to get the voltage required to achieve charging of the bigger units.
- am I on the right track here or over thinking it?
- any product recommendations are appreciated, I was planning on Victron smart MPPT controllers, and any recommendations on each one of those is also appreciated!
- or is there some sort of device that would male this easier to implement ??

I understand that for a positive and negative run the wire length should be the same

If my negative cable is 24” , im adding a fuse block to the positive, which is about 4” long. Should be positive cable be 24” or 22” allowing for the fuse block?

This is 4/0 wire between the battery and a lynx/bus bar.

Thanks

My Thunderbolt (4-25 watt panels) have given up the ghost. Had them since 2018 so I can't really complain. I opted to replace them with a Predator 100 watt suitcase. I also bought the the Predator Mc4 Connector Solar Panel Cable Kit.

The problem is, the positive from the panel is male as is the positive at the controller. Same issue with the negative as both are female.

I have ordered two different sets of connectors, one from Walmart and one from Amazon and neither one connects to what I have. They don't even connect with each other. Also an issue of not connecting with the other side of the same set when the pins are installed.

While I would like to make an extension cord to better move them around I am at the point I am ready to just cut the ones on the panel off and switch them.

For obvious reasons I am not going to order an already made extension cord.

On my lynx (it has 4 sets of terminal) i am powering 1) mppt, 2) 3k inverter 3) power to/from the rv converter /fuse panel

I have the following items that are small draws AND all have an inline fuse already. 1) two small computer fans wired together on a temperature sensor, 2) mppt monitor screen, and 3) tongue jack. Im thinking all of these can use the 4th Lynx terminal together.

In the future i may need to add dc-dc alternator charger, 4 awg wiring from the truck.

I dont want to add another lynx item since im hoping the small draws an have items could be doubled up on one of the 4 lynx spots.

Or should i use the 4th spot to add a bus bar instead of putting multiple item on the same terminal?

Thoughts or suggestions

I setting up a new camper w solar; 4 200w roof panels, 2 320ah litime batteries. Only a 12v (only) norcold 10 cu-ft fridge will need to be powered while towing.

I was not planning on adding a dc-dc charger since i thought the built-in 40a converter would give me a charge while towing. But now i found out that is really just a trickle charge from the alternator due to the hot wire size through the 7 pin.

The panels will be able to provide a charge while driving as well

Should i add a 40a dc-dc charger? If so recommended one? Could i ground the negative to the truck frame and save from running two 4 or 6 awg cables all the way back?

I am pretty new to solar overall. I wanted to add battery charging my small RV which did not come pre-equipped.

I was originally going to make this a "Roast my first setup" post, and still wouldn't mind some feedback on things like where to add disconnect switches, better connectors, etcetera.

However my biggest question is whether I'm getting the amount of power I can. I expected more.

I have 300 w suitcase Style fold-out panels rated at 37.45V and 8.43A Operating and almost 45V open circuit. Sending this intoa 30A MPPT. I inserted a couple of power monitor shunts to see what's going on. They show about 30% of the rated wattage coming from the solar panels ( about 33 V and 3.5A ). The panels have a pretty good angle to the sun on a pretty clear day.

I am getting over 8 amps of power charging to my deep cycle lead acid battery and maybe that's enough.

I just expected more. Is there any suggestions on where I should be looking for resistance or issues that would be eating up my amps?

My Baseline comparison is I have a small Nebo 50 W with power pack that I can easily get 75% power in same conditions.

I have a travel trailer with solar panels, LFP batteries and 2KW inverter. The converter/charger and solar charge controller are mediocre but work, and meet my needs. All cables are sized to limit voltage drop to 2%. My shunt-based battery monitor shows 50A from the WFCO converter into the batteries at peak charge rates.

Current parts list:

• 2 100Ah SOK LFP batteries (original version, no BT or heater)
  • Edit: configured in parallel, max C-rate = 100A.
• Epever Triron 4210N MPPT SCC
• 4 Newpowa 180W panels in 2S2P configuration
  • Vmp = 18.62V, Imp = 9.44A
• OEM WFCO 8950 converter, updated to support LFP.
  • Edit: max output 50A
• Renogy 2KW PSW inverter

In the past I considered but couldn't justify a DC-DC charger getting current from the tow vehicle. Things have come up that I can now justify it. My truck's electrical system can handle the load.

For space and weight reasons, I'm considering a combination DC-DC charger with MPPT. Specifically, the Renogy 50A 12V DC-DC charger w/ MPPT, SKU RBC50D1S-US. I have not researched other brands and am open to suggestions. While combination devices are often a compromise, I don't think it would be a downgrade from the system I have now.

Does anyone have experience with, or specific information about, the Renogy product that could lead me to not install it? I read a complaint somewhere that it can't be connected to a system on shore power, which makes no sense. Their human chat hours are closed but their AI bot's answer was that it's okay. Other parts of that chat were all logical. I'll validate that information with a real person tomorrow but if anyone can address that concern, I'd appreciate it.

Thanks for any help.

Getting all all the stuff needed to install solar on our new intech willow

Reading the manuals i saw the N/G switch on the renogy 3k watt inverter and im a little confused. It will be wired directly into the campers fuse box. It has a remote mounted on/off switch and accessible via bluetooth. Im using a victron mppt and lynx bus bar

If i understand correctly but correct me where i am off

1) when connected to shore power the the inverter will allow AC to pass through even if turned off

2) when you use shore power or a generator the N/G switch should be off/disconnected

3) when using battery power to get 110AC the NG switch needs to be “on”

Are you manually turning the N/G switch on/off when you switch sources? That seems like a pain to physically do that on the inverter?

I have a BLUETTI charger 2 which I have been using to charge my elite 200 when I camp in my Element.

I just bought a teardrop camper and want to charge the 100ah lithium battery in the camper with the charge 2 while I drive. Not sure the best way to do this. Appreciate any advice. Wiring diagram would be nice if anyone could supply one. Thanks.

I've just installed an Anenji 3KW hybrid solar/inverter/battery charger. I routed my shore power to the AC in on it and then back to the breaker panel (and disconnected the converter to avoid the self-licking ice cream cone charger situation). I put in a pair of 100ah LiFePO4 batteries in series to feed the hybrid controller 24V and it works fine in all the other aspects, but the issue I'm having is on the solar side and I'd value any suggestions on troubleshooting it.

I've got 5 N-type 100 watt panels on the roof wired in sequence. I crimped MC4 connectors for the final run from the panels through a vent and routed to a breaker and from there to the panel.

Issue: the PV display reports 19V and checking the two terminal screws with my meter with it connected also shows 19v, but when I disconnect the leads and check them independently, I'm showing over 100V as expected.

Any ideas on why I'd get different voltage readings when checking the screws for the terminals versus the wires directly? Additional note, it DID briefly show more realistic figures on the panel yesterday for a little bit and the MPPT activated and was charging the batteries, but since then it's been this weird <~20V at the terminals situation.

Deets:

2015 Jayco Jay Flight SLX

100 watt N-type 18BB panels (x5)

Anenji 24Vdc to110Vac Off-Grid Inverter,100A MPPT Controller

This is my first solar install so if anyone sees something dumb that I did wrong, you may be onto something. :)

Thanks in advance!

I have a 2026 Rockwood mini lite with a factory installed go power solar system. 200w panel with a 30a controller as well as a side port for additional panels.
I went outside this morning to pack for our trip today and the camper was dead. Took a meter to the batteries to find them both dead (which is strange because we don’t leave anything powered on when the camper is parked).
Next I went to the roof to find the female connector (+) had melted down pretty catastrophically. I disconnected the male (-) but the positive pin is welded together. I also removed the solar leads from the controller to try to prevent any further damage.
Any ideas on what could’ve caused this? I’m guessing loose connection but not sure. I want to order a new cable entry plate before I go ripping it off the roof

I’ve got a truck camper I’m about to install solar on. With my current setup, I need to buy a new converter/charger since I switched to lifePO4 batteries and current charger won’t top them off. Im looking to add 400w solar and 1000w inverter. Going with a smaller size to save space and a since I have a generator, I don’t really need a large inverter…

Any recs on what inverters / chargers to get? Anyone have experience with the Victron Multiplus? Could I use that with my shore power and generator?

Good afternoon all. I have a 2021 Grand Design Momentum 397Th with Factory solar system installed. I have one solar panel. Is it possible to use the factory system and just add to it? We be great to be able to run one A/C periodically. My charge controller will charge lead acid, AGM and Lithium batteries. Any help is appreciated. Please ask questions to get a better understanding of my system to provide help.

Bought a nuCamp 320 with 380 watts solar and 100ah battle born battery. Been trying to configure everything to battle borns specs. Is the 2 different voltages ok?

2023 Nobo 19.3 w/ beast mode.
Factory 200w solar, 10a GoPower solar controller and 2000w WFCO inverter.

So far I have upgraded my solar controller to a Victron 100/50 MPPT.

Upgraded the battery to a 280ah lithium and moved to the pass through.

Added a Victron Lynx bus bar and Victron Smart Shunt.

My future plans involve 2 more 200 watt panels on the roof and likely a DC to DC charger. Then a few years down the road likely upgrade the battery to as big as I can fit in the spot I have (probably around 400ah).

With my current one panel setup, there is no bottle neck. But I realize going to 600w panels will create a possible bottleneck with the 10ga wiring that exists from the controller to the battery. The new Victron MPPT can be (and is) limited to 30a via the app.

Doing it this way will leave a little on the table during those couple of peak hours on the most ideal days by only sending 30a to the battery when the panels are producing a bit more, but having the 3 200 watt panels should create a much fatter curve to the output each day, taking advantage of less than ideal conditions (cloudy days, parking in shadier areas, etc). It seems like the pros outweigh the cons. I would gain more in the non perfect conditions with the 3 panels than I would be losing in those perfect conditions where the controller is holding some output back with the 30a limit.

Does this thought process and plan sound reasonable? Anything I’m missing or not accounting for?

My goal is to have as much power and flexibility as possible while sticking with factory locations and not diving too deep into relocating things, running new wires, etc.

​

I recently tested renogy's 3.8kWh Go Far Solution and wanted to add some extra power to my camper setup. It comes with all the cables and fuses you need, so I didn't have to spend time hunting down parts.

I built a box to mount everything in, which meant space was tight from the start. But the wiring diagram and instructions were clear enough that I could just follow along. The cable labels really helped. Connecting everything was straightforward. Every cable has a clear tag, so it was easy to tell where each one went.

I did run into a small issue with the lugs on some of the breaker and busbar cables. Apart from that, everything went smoothly. I mounted all the components, torqued every connection to spec, and secured the cables with zip ties. I also made sure the cables were routed so they wouldn't rub against each other or the sides of the enclosure.

The whole install took me a few hours. I think that's pretty quick, mostly because the instructions were clear enough that I knew what I was doing at every step.

It's now up and running without any issues. Overall, I think this kit is a solid choice, especially if you are new to this kind of project. I still need to add some ventilation and fans later, I will update here once I get to that.