Our DIY RV Boondocking Power System - Complete Overview 

Thanks Bob. Hopefully, it will all sort itself out in the best way possible. Regards, Ray

Thanks, the system continues to evolve, in the summer I got new lithium batteries so redid the battery bay wiring - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-1f145rhB_e0.html and recently added two more panels so was a chance to redo the solar wiring - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-z0m7Ho0Gxmw.html Cheers! Ray

You're welcome. Cheers Ray

Cool! Have a great trip. :)

Awesome, you're welcome. Cheers!

Thanks! haha

You're welcome. Cheers Ray

You're welcome, happy to hear it helps out. Had a great time boondocking this past winter and the system work great! Cheers! Ray

There was one question I missed or did not find. Which Blue Sea battery disconnect switch did you decide to use and why? I see many options to chose from when I click on the link you provided Thanks in advance.

Thanks, Aaron, happy to share. The system worked great this last snowbird season boondocking down south. Cheers! Ray

Awesome! Hope the install goes smooth. Cheers!

You're welcome, the system is treating us well, takes care of our power needs fine, haven't had to do too much more to it other than use it. :)

haha, thanks. I know I'm not the most articulate guy but I give it my best shot. ;) Good to hear it's understandable. Cheers Ray

You're welcome. :) Here are a few recent videos where I updated some of the wiring - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-1f145rhB_e0.html and ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-z0m7Ho0Gxmw.html Cheers! Ray

Glad it helped. :)

West Side Drain u

You're welcome. :)

Thanks!

Thanks, really happy with. Cheers Ray

Thanks!

Awesome, happy to know the video is of use. Cheers! Ray

Ray, you're still using the same 1000 watt inverter? What's the life expectancy if an inverter?

Yes, same one, 7 years now. I've gotten my money's worth out of it. I'd guess most will run at least 10 years and maybe as much as 20. Usually what kills them is heat over time. It drys out the electrolytic capacitors causing failures and causes the boards and solder to get brittle leading to cracked connections. The fans are another weak point being mechanical they wear out.

Thanks. :) If you're interested I did a similar video last spring updating things as over the years the system ha s grown and evolved. Cheers, Ray Here is the link www.loveyourrv.com/our-rv-boondocking-power-systems-current-state-of-things-2022/

Your welcome. :)

What your seeing is a second nut on the post holding the solar controller's little battery temperature sensor, under it is the real nut that holds the cable in place. :) Cheers! Ray

You're welcome, thanks for watching. It's been a good setup for us. haven't had to change much for a while now, meets our needs. Cheers! Ray

Thanks. Here is an explanation from the Bogart Engineering FAQ C1. The debate rages: which controller is best PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) or MPPT (Maximum Power Point Tracking). Why did you choose PWM technology instead of MPPT for your SC-2030 Solar Charger? Click for answer A very good question! They BOTH have good and bad. Plenty of hype has been written already. Here's my (Ralph's) view:The "good" for PWM: It is simpler and lower cost technology. Under some common circumstances--it can actually deliver more amps to the battery. That could be when:(1)days are moderate or warm, with few clouds.(2) batteries are charging at over 13 volts, (in a 12 battery system) which they almost always are when actually CHARGING.(3) Panel voltage is properly matched to the battery voltage, for example "12V" panels are being used with a 12V system.PWM is actually more "power efficient" than MPPT--which means less total power loss in the controller itself. So heat sinks in the design can be smaller (and less expensive). Missing in most analysis of MPPT is that there is always a conversion loss with MPPT, which tends to be higher the greater the voltage difference between battery and panels. That's why PWM can actually beat MPPT under circumstances described above.Some places that analyze MPPT assume that panels with 30V open circuit voltage are being used in a 12V system. Any good MPPT system will easily provide better performance in that case. They also may assume batteries are charging at 12 or even 11 volts, which is unrealistic. Lead acid batteries are typically below 13 volts only when discharging, or perhaps charging with very little charging current--meaning the actual potential gain in amps is not great.The benefit for MPPT becomes apparent if you use panels not voltage matched for the battery. If they are not, MPPT will utilize more of the potential energy of the panels. For example, if you use 24 volt panels to charge a 12 volt battery system you must use MPPT, otherwise you would be using your panels very inefficiently. If you are trying to use PWM in that case, you are misusing the PWM technology.Another potential benefit with MPPT is that if distance between panels and batteries is far, smaller wire can be utilized by running panels at higher voltage to the batteries. Running at twice the voltage reduces wire size to 1/4, which for a long run can be a significant saving in copper wire.If temperatures are low enough, the slightly less power efficiency of MPPT will be compensated by the higher panel voltages, which will result in a little more battery current. But in actual measurements we made using a commonly sold MPPT solar controller, this would occur at temperatures less than 55 F degrees (in full sun, when charging at more than 13 volts), where there is a slight advantage to MPPT in my location (Boulder Creek, near the California coast). As temperature drops below that (in full sun) MPPT will get some advantage, such as could occur at high elevations in Colorado in the winter. Potentially this would be maximum about a 2.5% improvement in amps output for every 10 degrees F lower in temperature (or 4.6% per 10 degrees C colder. I'm using data from Kyocera KD-140 panels.)There can be theoretically optimal situations (that I don't personally experience where I live) where MPPT could give some advantage: that is when solar current is present, but the batteries are quite low in charge--but because loads are high and even greater than the solar current the batteries are still discharging despite the solar current. Under these conditions the voltage COULD be at 12.5 volts, or even lower. Again, using data from Kyocera panels, ("Normal Operating Conditions") there is a theoretical maximum gain over PWM of 20% current assuming NO MPPT conversion loss and no voltage drop in the wires to the panels, at 20C (68F). With PWM, the voltage drop in the wires in this case would not affect the charging current. Now if in addition you lower the temperature to below freezing at 28 degrees F (while sun is shining) you might actually get up to a THEORETICAL nearly 30% gain while the batteries are discharging.The only REALLY BAD part of MPPT, is all the hype surrounding it--for example one manufacturer advertises "UP TO 30% OR MORE" power harvested from you panels. If you are using solar panels properly matched to the batteries, 30% ain't gonna happen unless it's EXTREMELY cold. And your batteries have to be abnormally low in charging voltage--which tends not to happen when it's cold (unless you assume the battery is still discharging while solar is happening). Virtually all the analyses I've seen touting MPPT on the Internet ignore the conversion loss, assume really cold temperatures, assume unreasonably low charging voltages, assume no voltage drop in the wires from panels to batteries, use STC conditions for the panels (that the marketing types prefer) rather than more realistic NOCT conditions, and in some cases assume panels not voltage matched to the batteries.The other thing that is misleading about MPPT, is that some manufacturers make meters that show both the solar current and the battery current. In almost all cases for a well designed MPPT type the battery current will be greater. The engineers making these know better, but it is implied (by marketing types?) that if you were NOT using MPPT you would be charging your batteries with only the SOLAR current that you read on their meters. That's not true, because the PWM BATTERY current should always be higher than the MPPT SOLAR current. It is the nature of the MPPT that maximum power occurs when the current is lower than the maximum, so they must operate there to get the maximum power. So to properly compare the two you need to compare MPPT with an actual PWM controller in the same circumstances.Finally, the reason we went to PWM is that I was anticipating that panel prices were going to drop (which they certainly have over the last 5-10 years!) and that the small advantage of MPPT (under conditions where the correct panels are used for the batteries) would not justify their additional cost and complexity. So my thinking, for more total benefit per $, put your money in an extra panel rather than a more expensive and complex technology.

Oh wait did you just say that recommendations are based mostly on HYPE, and word of mouth, and don't actually analyze the actual reality of the situations? that possibly the information is more based on some sales hype of some sales location, and it spreads like the rest of the accurate (lol) and useful information on the web today ? That possibly the quality of the unit itself , the units actual efficiency (vrses claimed) how it is wired, and how it is actually used are important? Gosh I couldn't believe that would be true :-) Thanks for . . . thinking.

haha, yup, I think it comes down to what a person's budget is and where best to allocate the funds to build a balanced system. Not saying my PWM over MPPT decision is the right one for everyone, just what I think works best for me.

Hi Slim, I did the install myself with panels and mounts I bought from Renogy when I was down south the last 2 winters. You can find more info on my panel installation and some other folks installs where they used mounts that allow the panels to tilt. Check out my blog solar category here - www.loveyourrv.com/tag/solar/ Cheer Ray

Thanks, I got the negative buss bar from a local solar shop in Yuma if I remember right. But you can something similar on Amazon - www.amazon.com/Blue-Sea-Systems-BusBars-100A-250A/dp/B01IHPJAUK. Cheers Ray

Thanks. I knew about those connectors but shipping and the price made the ones I choose a more attractive option for me, but those are easier to install for sure. ;) Yes, you can charge with both at the same time, no problems. I find that usually the solar will take the lead since it is capable of producing the higher charge voltages needed. When I plug in I just leave the solar on as well. I guess I'm saving the campground some money! Actually, some places charge for electrical so it would be a good thing in those cases. Cheers Ray

It varies a lot with weather mainly. We can sometimes go a week or two without it. But if we get lots of clouds and rain we need to use it more often. Also, it sees more action in the short mid-winter days, where you only get maybe 4-5 hours of good sun. If we tried to be hardcore energy misers we could almost get rid of it, but we like our electronic luxuries and my wife likes the night time heat at around 66F so the furnace fan can really eat up the AHs during a cold desert night. ;) At least now with the better charge converter, the runtime is fairly short.

Thanks for the reply. Do you use your buddy heat at night while sleeping or only during the day?

Only when awake. But that sure saves on propane and battery life in the winter when it can be dark and cool my 5 PM. Still lots of hours left till bedtime.

Thanks, I don't think it matters, as far as I know, the breakers don't have polarity, they should work either way. Cheers, Ray

Thanks, if I was putting the batteries into a sealed storage area I would go with AGM type versus wet cell lead acids, unless in a very well ventilated battery box. When under heavy charge current its common for the lead acid batteries to gas a bit. You wouldn't want the hydrogen sulfide gas building up in a storage area.

Thanks for the input.

TheSleepyGuy inverter

I got mine from Northern Arizona Wind and Sun - www.solar-electric.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=battery+monitor

Both the solar controller and the InteliPower can be charging the batteries at the same time. Thanks! :)

thanks i didn't want to blow up my intelipower and am working out solar for hopefully next summer

The dual fuel would definitely be a nice option to have.

Thanks. Most lead acid batteries are looking for a charge current rate when in bulk mode of around 10% of the total amp hour capacity. So for a bank like mine, 4 Interstates 464AH, it would be around 46.4 amps. I could have went with a 45 amp charger but I like the little extra headroom and I'm not maxing out the charger. Cheers Ray

Not sure, came with the truck when I bought it used, some kind of fiberglass aftermarket addon by the looks of it. It says LUND on it. Cheers, Ray

Thanks! They should coexist fine. The one with the higher charging voltage will take over as the batteries reach full charge and finish off the final charging phases, usually that is the solar controller. They generally can be set for 14.8 volts which most deep cycle batteries like my Interstates, for instance, like to see. At that point, the OEM charger will most likely be in float mode since it will see the higher voltage and think the batteries are charged. Cheers Ray

Okay, good to know. One more puzzle I have is about the air conditioner and microwave; Would you know if they are hooked directly to the generator and bypass the built-in inverter on a Roadtrek like mine (2004)? This is where I would love to see a diagram like the one you created. That was really well done.

I would say yes.

I could charge at the same time but that wouldn't work great as they were different batteries so the charge wouldn't be balanced. What I used to do was charge them separately then just have the single 12 volts as a backup reserve in case the 2 golf cart batteries got really run down. Came in handy on the mornings when leaving instead of taxing the slide and landing jack motors with a weak battery bank I could switch over to a fresh battery. Cheers, Ray

I haven't researched it much myself but I believe mixing can reduce efficiency if the voltage or amperage specs on the panels are very different. Depending on the type of charge controller used and whether they are wired in parallel or series. It would be worth researching it.

Checked it out. Mixing panels will kill the efficiency. I think I have room for two 100 panels so I will go with that for two batteries. On another note, do you have any advice for which insurance carriers cover full timers? Which are better then others? My current carrier (allstate) has a caveat that covers my RV for 30 days but won’t cover full time. BTW, I’ve heard that insurance companies won’t pay theft claims unless there is evidence that there was a break in (which is wrong Imho ). There are many RV’s that use the same key and locking mechanism for the locks on under carriage storage so anybody that has the same RV, has the same key. Not very secure if everybody has a key to your house. Also, if anybody breaks into your RV and steals anything, make sure there is proof that there was a break in or the insurance company won’t pay the claim. Use a screwdriver to jimmy the lock or break out a window before calling the police. It’s ashamed people do something illegal to make a claim but it’s a bigger shame that a insurance company might use a loophole to not pay out for exactly what you have been paying them for. Insurance companies know that some RV’s use the same key and if someone has that key, it will not leave a sign of forced entry. I’m sure there are a lot of RV’ owners that assume their stuff is secure because it is locked (wrong) and if something gets stolen, they assume the insurance company will cover it. (wrong).

haha!

Yes, 5 panels weighing about 16 lbs each plus 3 more batteries at about 60 lbs each, plus the electronics and wiring. I weigh my rig twice a year and still have around 500 lbs margin on the trailers GVWR, not great but not overloaded even with full tanks. In recent years we've stopped carrying 2 bikes and one of the 48-pound generators plus fewer tools than I used too. If you add something you have to take something of equal weight out. The truck can take the weight no problem being a 1 ton dually. One reason I chose the Cougar fifth wheel model I did was a large Cargo Carrying Capacity for a smallish trailer, nearly 3000 lbs. Cheers, Ray

It's a dual switch and I only used it because I had it from a previous dual battery setup. I fI didn't have it already I'd likely have gone with this single one - amzn.to/2qs70LH Cheers Ray

I don't think the wind turbines output enough power for the hassle of setting them up and transporting them. I bet they vibrate the rig too. When the wind is blowing running the generator is more acceptable since the wind drowns out the noise anyway. About 4-5 hours would bring back the 464 AH bank back to 90% charge with the generator.

The place I got mine doesn't have a link they are a regular bricks and mortar type marine supply store. But, the same box is available here, maybe they have something you can use. - www.allbatterysalesandservice.com/browse.cfm/2,619.html

No, I never plugged mine in that way. There was one video where I discussed different options, one being that option, but I don't do it myself. I just have a couple separately installed outlets, basically glorified extension cords for using when on inverter power. My 1000 Watt Inverter Installation Explained - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-yV2xJiHSbfU.html

Ideally, you want about 100 watts per 100AH of battery capacity. But like you said it depends on usage and of course how much sun is happening and for how long. I didn't ground my solar panel frames to the RV frame. Some do for lighting I guess. I wired all my negative DC loads back to the battery banks negative post except for the OEM RV circuits which use the RV frame in many cases as a negative return path. I left it as it was. The InteliPower chassis ground connection is on the AC input side of it. I imagine it's a safety ground to prevent the RV frame from becoming hot in case of an internal failure. Cheers Ray

+Love Your RV - in that case I will leave the ground from the battery floating. One more question . Do you do anything special when you run your generator and turn the battery charger on? I was wondering if I have to turn the mppt off and the inverter off ? Don't know if the battery charger will interfere with the solar if I run my generator during daylight hours. Thanks for all you do for us newbies.

No problem they can coexist quite happily. Both adding charge to the battery at the same time. Also, no problem running the inverter at the same time, unless your battery bank was severely depleted. In that case, most inverters would just go into low voltage shutdown not harming anything.

I went for best bang I could for my budget and got Interstate 6 volt golf cart batteries. They run around $600 for 4 giving around 230 usable AH and usually last 5-7 years. AGM is more expensive and Lithium even more expensive but they charge faster and don't give off fumes. Lithium is also much less heavy. However, there are pros and cons to each, type. I can't comment too much on AGM or Lithium as I haven't personally used them. The cheaper wet cell lead acid has worked well for me mainly because I have a well-ventilated place to keep them and I don't mind the periodic maintenance they require and the extra weight hasn't been an issue. When I bought them several years ago Lithium technology was much less mature and even more expensive, so it wasn't much of a choice. It seems to be getting more mainstream now and prices are dropping. I'll have to see where it's at in a few years when I'll be looking for replacements. Here is some good info - www.solar-electric.com/learning-center/batteries-and-charging/deep-cycle-battery-types-comparisons.html www.solar-electric.com/learning-center/batteries-and-charging/lithium-battery-technology.html

Thank you Ray

If you factor in price and battery bank footprint the 6-volt batteries are the best bang for the buck in my opinion. Most 12-volt lead acid deep cycle batteries have half the amp hour capacity of 6-volt ones so it's basically a wash power wise. 6-volt batteries are taller so take up less space footprint wise. If money is less of a concern then high quality 12 volt AGM batteries or Lithium become options. Cheers Ray

I'm from British Columbia and we need a special extra license if trailer GVWR is over 10,400 lbs. Ours isn't so I can tow with a regular BC drivers license.

GC2-XHD-UTL

When boondocking most things stay in 12-volt mode, then I use the inverter for anything that absolutely needs AC to run or charge off of.

Thanks, I used a trial version of a program called SmartDraw and an online photo editor called Pixlr. Cheers Ray

No, I left it in place, My Intelipower is mainly for dry camping. Gives me the fastest charge when using the generator to charge up the battery bank when it has become low due to excessive power use by us or a few cloudy days. When on full hook ups I decided to still use the OEM converter, may as well wear it out, and conserve wear and tear on the Intelipower. My batteries still get a good charge because the solar charge controller is charging as well and takes the lead since it can produce the higher voltage needed to charge my golf cart battery bank properly. Most of the time on full hookups, the batteries are just sitting in float mode. If I did want to disable the OEM charger converter it would be as simple as turning off the breaker for it or unplugging it and plugging the Intelipower into an outlet.

Thanks Ray that is what I am going to do should work the same just charging right in the battery compartment instead of a approximately a 20 ft run on #6wire

Thanks Ray just going to turn it off and use the good charger just plug it into an outlet. Putting 4-12 volt AGM in at the same time. Next 400 watts of solar.

Hi Ray. Would mind telling us the Make, Model and Amp rating of your OEM Converter? Thanks

Blue Sea I have a parts list at the end of the blog posting - www.loveyourrv.com/diy-rv-boondocking-power-system/

Hi David, the parts used are all linked in my companion blog post - www.loveyourrv.com/diy-rv-boondocking-power-system/ Cheers Ray

I don't have too much capacity left since we are full timing in only 30-foot fifth wheel. So I'm at about max I feel comfortable with. Still about 700lbs under the 10,000lbs GVWR but I like a little safety margin. Especially since I boondock and sometimes fill the waste tanks right up before waddle into the nearest dump station. Luckily the bank is plenty big enough for our needs. A larger fifth wheel could likely handle 6 or 8 batteries or you could always go with Lithium if you have enough cash. they are much lighter. Cheers Ray

I'm not sure what you mean by the solenoid, which part are you referring too?

Love Your RV between the engine battery and the house battery is the isolator. Do I need the marine switch and a circuit breaker or what is the best option?

You shouldn't need anything if it is an OEM setup. The isolator is a disconnect when the key is off. However, it wouldn't hurt anything to add a switchable breaker so you can easily disconnect if wanted to. Size the breaker to protect the wire from overheating. There are charts online

Love Your RV once I have the circuit breaker can I have the water pump and lights running if they are connected right now to the engine battery and only turn on when the keys are on? I have a Toyota winnebago warrior 1993

No. They both can charge the battery bank at the same time.

Yes, I have a cable from the negative bus bar to the trailers frame to provide a return path for the RV's 12-volt circuits. Some of them use the chassis as a ground.

I thought so, Thanks.

Yes, I use it as a battery charger for my portable generator

They are 2/0 gauge wires. I had a friend custom make them for me. He had a hammer crimper and the lugs. It's not too difficult. I have a video online on him making wires up - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-ARKwl7lxHWo.html Cheers, Ray

Thank you Ray... I love all your videos! My wife and I are going full time (working from the road)...leaving end of May heading towards Mt Whitney/Alabama hills.

Actually one other question....does the 200 Amp catastrophic fuse also act as a positive bus bar?

Yes. I have recently added a second cat fuse when I found one that could attach right to the battery lug - www.loveyourrv.com/installed-catastrophic-fuse-rv-battery-bank/ But I left the other one in place anyway as it makes a good buss bar. :)

Thank you again for all the information. One last quick question, what cable did you use from the charge controller to the to 40A breaker? The charge controller I used previously used wouldn't take much larger than 8 gauge. Thanks again

Nice system! Between solar array and charge controller the fuse is mostly there to protect the wire from overheating in a short circuit situation, so a lot depends on the gauge, there are tables to figure it out. circuitwizard.bluesea.com/ I usually look at the max current I would expect then make sure the wire gauge can handle that without much voltage drop and go up about 10 - 20% for the fuse size. I like to put my breakers near the charge controller so it's easy to flip them both off.

Thank Ray for your information.I think I should be able to figure out the size I need. Have A Good Day....

I guess it depends on your power needs, but this last 6-month trip we were off the grid for about 2/3rds of it and only needed to run the generator for a recharge about 20 hours. I'm actually a little worried I didn't exercise it enough. :) I think it's because I made sure to oversize my battery bank for our needs. We rarely fall below 85% capacity on an average day and have lots of extra to last for a few cloudy days. Also, because of this much of the charge time is in the lower current absorption mode where an MPPT controller offers little benefit. As for a wind turbine, I decided against one as its too complex and figured they would make annoying vibration. There must be reasons you see so few boondockers with them, mainly small rigs that lack the space for solar panels. If I needed any more power for cloudy days I can just add a few more panels, I have the space on the roof for 4 more if I needed them. Cheers! Ray

Yes, still working well, we just are finishing up a 6-month snowbird trip to the southwest, dry camped much of the time. Only put on less than 30 hours on the generator. Our solar controller does an excellent job of charging the batteries, I make sure they stay topped up with water, and every few months I equalize them.

What you can run on it depends mostly on the batteries. 4 batteries like I have can run everything in the RV short of the AC unit. You would need a 2000 watt inverter. To run an AC you would likely need 8 batteries and they would still run down pretty quickly, not very practical. I have chosen not to run the microwave or other high wattage items like a coffee maker, toaster, hair dryer, etc so I could save money by only buying a 1000 watt inverter. If I want to use the microwave, etc. I'll fire my portable generator.

Love Your RV cool I'm looking into boondocking but definitely would want all the comforts! I'll have to go for a 4000 watt inverterter lol. Tug a trailer behind me full of batteries. 24/7 air conditiioning!

I never see the full potential of the panels as that is a lab rating. with most panels, you're lucky to see 75-80%. My panels are rated for just under 6 amps each. Also, with weather and sun angle I'm rarely in a perfect condition for long. For the odd time, it may exceed that, the controller is smart enough to drop the extra energy and keep pumping out 30 amps.

+Love Your RV yeah, I never see full potential either. thanks

Thanks, I used a trial version of a product called Smart Draw - www.smartdraw.com/ Worked pretty well.

How did you avoid the watermarking of the trial copy?

Mike Astley I didn't need a high res copy so didn't need to use the export function just hit print screen for a jpg.

Thanks! :)

Can't say as I've never tried one. When I installed the Bogart SC2030 3 1/2 years ago I felt it in combination with the Trimetric battery monitor was the best bang for the buck for a small system like mine. But 3 1/2 years is a long time for high tech stuff so must admit I don't know if the newer stuff is any better or not. All I can say is I'm happy with the setup. I have and it has served our needs well over the years. www.loveyourrv.com/what-do-we-power-with-500-watts-of-rv-solar/ Cheers! Ray

@@LoveYourRV Thanks.

Yes, we use it most of the day to power our computers. Anne's iMac and my 17-inch laptop, plus a little TV time some nights for our 43" LED TV. Then when sleeping, we turn it off. In hindsight, we could have likely made due with a 400-600-watt inverter. But last winter we boondocked for 4 months and only has about 15-20 hours of generator time the rest the solar system was enough. So we are happy with that. :)

I looked up the specs on your inverter and it is reasonably efficient. Only .8A draw at idle. I've seem some that draw 4-5A or more doing nothing. Not the kind of thing someone worried about capacity would allow.

I didn't want to because that will be unique to each person's setup, the longer the wire run the larger that gauge required to avoid voltage drop and overheating of the wires. There are calculators online to figure it out. ie. www.freesunpower.com/wire_calc.php

Ya, 3 volts won't charge much. ;) I assume you are talking about the charge converter?

Yesa. I tore into my fuse panel to do some trouble shooting and found a meckuva hess. And l let Forest River I was not impresses. The neutral wires were all ganged up on terminals when there were plenty of terminals for one on each and one was not even tight. Thus this caused bad connections and burnt insulation. Little more melting and it would have made it back far enough to short out. Poor poor installation. So I found that trouble but that was not my trouble for the dead battery.

Wow, glad you found that i before anything major happened!

Sorry I don't understand what you mean, I don't have an MPPT

rephrase, so the charge controller and Inteli-power can be hooked to the batteries with same cable

Well, they each have their own plus and minus output cables but they do both go to the same place, negative and positive terminals of the battery. If you mean can they be charging at the same time then yes they can.

They are 100-watt panels, usually see at best 5 - 6 amps from each so together the max out at about 30 amps. not sure where you are getting 50 amps from?

USD $ The RV manufacturer uses the chassis as it's negative return line.

Yes

Thanks, Mike. I believe a Class T fuse is used for the catastrophic fuse because it is very fast acting. A friend gifted it to me, he does solar installations. Looking back I may have went with something like this - amzn.to/2hpQSEL It attaches right on the battery terminal.

Thanks! That does look like a nice solution.

Cheaper to stick with 12 volts. The RV electrical systems are 12 volts and I already owned the 12 volt inverter.

A 30 amp fuse that location would be blowing all the time due to normal currents. ie. My charge converter puts close to 60 amps into the batteries when charging fully.That fuse is extra just a final failsafe device in case something catastrophic happens. 4 golf cart batteries can supply a heck of a lot of current quickly. Many people don't bother with them, but I think it's a good idea. Say I shorted a circuit while working on it or the inverter dead shorted and it's breaker failed.

The panels are wired in parallel because I was using a PWM controller. Back in the day, MPPT controllers were much more expensive vs PWM type It made sense for a small system to take the savings and add more panels. Remember you are watching an almost 6-year-old video here. Prices and equipment selection have changed quite a bit now. Also, there are advantages to wiring in parallel. One is better shading tolerance and the other redundancy if one panel fails or degrades the others aren't affected by it. www.renogy.com/learn-series-and-parallel/ "Strictly parallel connections are mostly utilized in smaller, more basic systems, and usually with PWM Controllers, although they are exceptions. Connecting your panels in parallel will increase the amps and keep the voltage the same. This is often used in 12V systems with multiple panels as wiring 12V panels in parallel allows you to keep your charging capabilities 12V." As far as fusing the panels you know less than you think you do. Please read this article www.windynation.com/jzv/inf/how-properly-fuse-solar-pv-system "Solar Panel fusing Commercially made solar panels over 50 watts have 10 gauge wires capable of handling up to 30 amps of current flow. If you connect these panels in series, there will be no increase in current flow so fusing is not required for this string. This is not the case when you have panels connected in parallel, as when connected in parallel the system current is additive. For instance if you have 4 panels each capable of up to 15 amps, then a short in one panel can draw all 60 amps towards that short-circuited panel. This will cause the wires leading to that panel to far exceed 30 amps causing that wire-pair to potentially catch fire. In the case of panels in parallel, a 30-amp fuse is required for each panel. If your panels are smaller than 50 watts, and use only 12 gauge wires, and 20 amp fuses are required."

I’m still confused why he would cross the Batteries instead of just parallel creating more amp hours. Or just series creating more bolts. Wiring the batteries that way just a waste and fire hazard