Solar Panel

[buckland]

I recently bought an Eagle. 2001 Tacoma w/ airbag suspension. I decided to buy a 90 watt mono-crystal solar panel which I believe I will mount for travel in a slide out set-up under the bed extension and put a plug on the wall of the camper. I do not want to have to park in the sun. This being so, when I am settled in somewhere I simply will slide out the panel and with 16 ft 10 gauge wire, plug in. I have made a tripod mount setup for the panel so it could either be moved/tilted about the site,(the tripod was made from the discarded legs off the speaker stand crank I use to raise the top of the camper) or put up on the roof if I want. This is also good for us folks up here in cold country. I plan to put the panel in the garage window and keep my battery charged through the winter.

The question I am having a hard time getting info on is where are my red/black solar wires inside the camper? I see them in the flex-conduit on the left side of the ply roof supports and they vanish down (?). I looked in the battery box, in the left cabinet by the water tank and pulled the front of the fuse panel off. I have not found any red/black wires except those at the battery terminal to IBS-Dual battery relay. No "coiled" red/ black wires to be found..... so the project is on hold. If you have a 2011 Eagle and know where these wires are... please let me know.
If you know of any sites where someone explains their steps to set up solar please send that along as well. Much obliged

Rob

 

[buckland]

I recently bought an Eagle. 2001 Tacoma w/ airbag suspension. I decided to buy a 90 watt mono-crystal solar panel which I believe I will mount for travel in a slide out set-up under the bed extension and put a plug on the wall of the camper. I do not want to have to park in the sun. This being so, when I am settled in somewhere I simply will slide out the panel and with 16 ft 10 gauge wire, plug in. I have made a tripod mount setup for the panel so it could either be moved/tilted about the site,(the tripod was made from the discarded legs off the speaker stand crank I use to raise the top of the camper) or put up on the roof if I want. This is also good for us folks up here in cold country. I plan to put the panel in the garage window and keep my battery charged through the winter.

The question I am having a hard time getting info on is where are my red/black solar wires inside the camper? I see them in the flex-conduit on the left side of the ply roof supports and they vanish down (?). I looked in the battery box, in the left cabinet by the water tank and pulled the front of the fuse panel off. I have not found any red/black wires except those at the battery terminal to IBS-Dual battery relay. No "coiled" red/ black wires to be found..... so the project is on hold. If you have a 2011 Eagle and know where these wires are... please let me know.
If you know of any sites where someone explains their steps to set up solar please send that along as well. Much obliged

Rob


Thanks for the email. I did get into the space through the 2"x12" panel left of the seat over water tank and stuffed way back was indeed a coil of red/black wire! THANKS!
Well then on to my next step...... ( I sure wish there was a wiring diagram of the camper).
Are these, the wires I found coiled, the wires that come directly from the roof or do they first go to the fuse box?
(I could do a continuity test but don't want to introduce current into the system). I traced thenm and they 'seem' to be headed into the bundle that goes to the area beneath the heater.
I intend to put the solar controller in the battery box and the run the wire through the water tank area to the wall of the camper where I will install a plug.... and do the same on the right side of the camper right out of the battery box. This will allow me to plug in the panel on either side of the camper.
So any and all suggestions, warnings.. "don't do what I did's" and directions to site links where I could find install steps to review.

Thanks again