17 replies to this topic

[PNWalaskanCamper]

I got a '73 Alaskan CO last fall, and I am doing some work to prepare it for this summer camping. Currently, it has been setup with a battery and isolator that charges it from the truck under one of the benches, so all the wiring is in the lower half, no power going to the top.

I would like to add some solar panels to the top, and the biggest planning obstacle I have run into is how to neatly run wires from the top to the bottom half without it looking like a mess. Does anyone have pictures of their setup, or suggestions?

Before I was considering solar, one idea I had was using coiled, spring like wire, like the type you used to see on cigarette lighter car chargers and things like that, to bring power from the bottom to the top half for the lights and vent fan, but once I decided to do solar, I realized I was going to need much thicker wires than those could handle. 

 

How are people who have added solar to their roofs bringing power to the bottom half, but still allowing for the movement between the two, and not having a big bundle of wires getting in the way of things?

Any ideas or pictures would be extremely helpful, thanks!

Attached Thumbnails

• 

[Vic Harder]

Nice looking rig!  As for wires, is there not already a bundle going up for the ceiling lights/fan?  I recall seeing pictures of newer Alaskans that appear to have one.  The solar panels don't need wires thicker than 10AWG, and only two of those, so you should be able to include those in the existing bundle, or not?  If I was rewiring the ceiling, I'd include separate fused power wires (16g) for the lights and the fans.  A single ground wire (12g) would work.  Overall, that would not make for a very thick bundle.  

 

I hope that helps.

[PNWalaskanCamper]

On these older models (as far as I know) there wasn't any electrical connection between the bottom and the top. Both AC and DC (from the vehicle) ports were on the outside, drivers side, into the upper portion, so I guess it would be a dangling plug that you would connect to the vehicle, or shore power.

I haven't seen any newer ones in person, and not many pictures either, although I think I found a picture of what looks like a coiled wire connector from a somewhat newer one, which is one option I had been considering. I guess I just don't know much about what the "correct" way to do this would be, and I am concerned about premature wire wear, or snagging on something in the camper and ripping it out, or pinching when the top lowers if I do it wrong.

Attached Thumbnails

• 

Edited by PNWalaskanCamper, 06 April 2023 - 09:30 PM.

[PNWalaskanCamper]

Here a photo of the interior of mine. the previous owner had done some renovations, and it looks like they had run new wires under the ceiling, but they aren't connected to any fixtures, and the wires don't have any connection to the bottom, where the actual battery setup is.

Attached Thumbnails

• 

[PNWalaskanCamper]

Do solar panels need any special type of wire? Or could I splice in this type of wire to go from the interior ceiling to the lower half of the camper? If you just need 10 gauge, it seems like this could work pretty well for me.

 

https://www.wireandc...ed-5ft-extended

[Cowgirl in Mt]

My son helped me put in a new Lithium ion battery, new inverter, charger, solar, dc to dc MPPT charge controller. He started it and I am almost done, just need to install the solar panel. In the upper area is the shore power plug in and battery charger that works from shore power. Everything else is in the lower area under the seat.

Attached Thumbnails

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Edited by Cowgirl in Mt, 07 April 2023 - 03:17 PM.

[Cowgirl in Mt]

I will be covering the coil with black plastic like you referenced above in a 1.5 inch size.

[PNWalaskanCamper]

That looks like a great setup, I'm researching different MPPT charge controllers right now, but definitely thinking about getting that Renogy one. 

Do you know how you are going to attach the solar panels to the roof? That seems to be a bit of an issue for lots of Alaskans, since the roof is so thin. I've been thinking about gluing and screwing an aluminum T track to the roof, making sure to screw into the wood beams, then mounting the solar panels to the track. This way I can move the panels around a bit, or remove easily if I need to, and don't have to make as many holes in the roof.

I watched this video that gave me the idea,  https://youtu.be/uvM...7afUWM?t=1014  

but he is using much heavier duty metal track than I would use, I would use wood working aluminum T track, like this:

Attached Thumbnails

• 

[Cowgirl in Mt]

I’m going to something like that. I will post pictures when it’s installed! I bought all my renogy stuff from eBay. They have an eBay store for returns and refurbished items. I saved a lot of money that way.

[PNWalaskanCamper]

That's a great tip, thanks. I have just been shopping on amazon, but I will look on ebay too.