Need ID help with solar connector type

lazulibunting

Hi, I'm new here. I bought a 2005 T@B a few weeks ago. I want to purchase a solar panel, but can't find any info about the appropriate connector type. My T@B has a capped outlet on the outside of the propane/battery case. The wires attach to a charge controller/inverter, then go to the battery. Does anyone know what the name of this type of connector is? It has 4 prongs, and is about the size of my thumb. Any help and advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

Verna

It looks like something from the marine (boating) industry. I've never seen one like that, but I'm not around larger boats.

source3

Not commonly used anymore, but some trailer connections used to use this 4-pin round type.  I bet the previous owner had this connector laying around and used it.

jkjenn

I would probably swap it out for a Zamp Quick disconnect or go straight to the battery.

source3

FYI:  the Zamp quick connect is not proprietary.  It does provide a weather resistant connection.  Can buy via many vendors.  I think Napa carries them too.  http://www.vetco.net/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=12127&gclid=CjwKEAjwycaqBRCSorjE7ZewsmUSJABWzM54oZ2IQwcVkBiJzmeIIHva7HawuUoTSYGDzJaXXIvp4RoCOlTw_wcB

Nomad

The auto stores (Napa, etc) carry 16 gauge connectors. You need 12 gauge or less.

source3

PXLated said:

The auto stores (Napa, etc) carry 16 gauge connectors. You need 12 gauge or less.

That was the problem! 10 ga. here http://www.elecdirect.com/product/truck-trailer-parts-connectors/vehicular-molded-connectors/2-pole-assembly-10ga-point-12-inch-flat-type-black-white

Nomad

I know, we're not helping with what you currently have but if you decided to switch to the Zamp style, I'd contact the factory to get the plug they use on the propane cover as it's all set up to connect to the battery.
Now, back to your plug - Where is it mounted, on the T@B body or the propane cover?

lazulibunting

It is on the left lower side of the propane/battery cover, allowing access from outside without opening top of cover.

source3

source3 said:

Not commonly used anymore, but some trailer connections used to use this 4-pin round type.  I bet the previous owner had this connector laying around and used it.

I suggest reading up on how portable solar panels are commonly connected so you have a better understanding what the heck the previous owner (PO) was doing.  Make sure it was wired correctly!  

Typical setup:  solar panel -> charge controller -> battery -> inverter (DC to AC).  Now, the installer may choose different plugs (like the one you have) or the 2 prong discussed above to provide a quick disconnect for portability.  Choose the correct disconnect plug that you are comfortable with.  

Nomad

Your plug looks like it has four connections inside, the Zamp just has two, pos/neg to the battery. Are all four wired to something inside the cover?
Since it's on the cover I think I'd just replace it with a shiny new Zamp style connector from the factory - unless of course all four wires are actually being used and you can figure out what they are.

Verna

Lazulibunting, if you were to order a Zamp Quick Disconnect from Elsie at the Pleasant Valley factory for around $30 + shipping, you would receive a 2 conductor waterproof plug-in that mates with the Zamp brand of solar panels that the Little Guy Teardrop store sells (golittleguy.com and select "store" at the top of the page).  There is about 18" or so of 10 gauge wiring on it that would connect to your battery.  You could replace your 4 conductor plug with the 2 conductor plug.

Zamp makes their solar panels with the waterproof PWM controllers attached to the rear of the solar panels.  Then, there is about 20' of wiring that would connect to the battery via the quick disconnect plug.  The panels are portable so you can move them with the sun's movement.

What you have now has the controller/inverter inside your tool box, which is not compatible with the way that Zamp has their solar panels wired.  If you are knowledgeable about solar panels, then you could use what you have, and you could use another name brand of solar panels that may or may not cost less.  Your controller, depending on which kind it is, would cost between $30 to $200.  If there is a separate inverter, then that cost goes up, depending on how many watts it will handle.  What I am not familiar with is the fact that you have a 4-conductor plug.  Are there only two wires connected to the converter from the plug and then two wires going to the battery from the inverter, or are there more wires? 

I'm not sure if you have the solar panels that were used on your T@B.  If not, sometimes it's easier to start from scratch, unless you can figure out exactly what you have and how to adapt it to solar panels that you may need to purchase.

Good luck. Ask if you have more questions.

Nomad

Verna's da man (err, gal).

lazulibunting

Verna said:

Lazulibunting, if you were to order a Zamp Quick Disconnect from Elsie at the Pleasant Valley factory for around $30 + shipping, you would receive a 2 conductor waterproof plug-in that mates with the Zamp brand of solar panels that the Little Guy Teardrop store sells (golittleguy.com and select "store" at the top of the page).  There is about 18" or so of 10 gauge wiring on it that would connect to your battery.  You could replace your 4 conductor plug with the 2 conductor plug.

Zamp makes their solar panels with the waterproof PWM controllers attached to the rear of the solar panels.  Then, there is about 20' of wiring that would connect to the battery via the quick disconnect plug.  The panels are portable so you can move them with the sun's movement.

What you have now has the controller/inverter inside your tool box, which is not compatible with the way that Zamp has their solar panels wired.  If you are knowledgeable about solar panels, then you could use what you have, and you could use another name brand of solar panels that may or may not cost less.  Your controller, depending on which kind it is, would cost between $30 to $200.  If there is a separate inverter, then that cost goes up, depending on how many watts it will handle.  What I am not familiar with is the fact that you have a 4-conductor plug.  Are there only two wires connected to the converter from the plug and then two wires going to the battery from the inverter, or are there more wires? 

I'm not sure if you have the solar panels that were used on your T@B.  If not, sometimes it's easier to start from scratch, unless you can figure out exactly what you have and how to adapt it to solar panels that you may need to purchase.

Good luck. Ask if you have more questions.

Thanks, Verna. My charge controller/inverter is a single unit and is inside the trailer in a cabinet under the sink. It has a 12 volt cigarette lighter type outlet on it, as well as 2 USB outlets so charging items directly from the solar panel is possible. The guy I bought the trailer from kept the 100 W solar panel he had to put on his new RV. He said it only had 2 wires/connectors. I was hoping to buy the Renogy folding 100 W suitcase, but the emails I exchanged with their tech support were completely unhelpful. They just said it wouldn't work and did not volunteer any info about their connector types. The Zamp panels are way too expensive for my budget. I have looked all over for what is available. I can't find anyone who can tell me anything about this 4 pronged outlet. I think there are only 2 wires going to the CC/I from this outlet. I'll take a better look and get back to you. 

Verna

Here's what my research has found:

While I like the price of the Renology panels, their controllers are not waterproof, but Zamp's are. My research has shown the controller is better at the portable panel(s), rather than at the camper. But, if your controller is not waterproof, by all means shelter it inside. The lost Amps would be less expensive than having to replace a controller that got wet.  

I want 200 watts in a suitcase form, which Renology doesn't have. By the time I bought two 100 watt Renology panels, found a waterproof controller, bought the wiring and connectors, built a wooden suitcase, I would be close to what Little Guy's Store wants for their 200 watt Zamp suitcase. Don't forget to buy the $99 VIP annual membership to the store for 20% off to save some money, if you're going to spend over $500 (I think that's the break even price-correct me if I miscalculated in my head!). (No, I am not a Little Guy employee, just a volunteer.)

So, I do need to question you about what you are calling your controller/inverter. I've not seen the two of them combined. What is the brand name? It sounds like an inverter with the plug-in into the 12V plug, but I do admit that I don't know everything. I'm curious about it. 

If you do already have your controller, and if it's amps will handle what the 100 watt Renology suitcase puts out, then you're ready, after you replace your plug with one that is compatible with the suitcase panel you purchase. I've only seen the mountable quick disconnect in Little Guy's store, but you can buy the mating quick disconnect from Amazon or even in a sporting goods store at their trolling motor section. Then you can splice the mating quick disconnect to your wiring and plug it in. Then just watch it charge your battery!

By the way, the photo Little Guy is using for their 200 watt Zamp is my current setup. 80 watt Zamp connected to my Silver Shadow, and taken this past January at Coyote Howls campground in Why, AZ. It worked marvelously!

Questions?

Nomad

Verna - Are those plugs for trolling motors 12gauge or only 16 like you find in automotive stores.
In my experience, that waterproof controller is important - unless of course you want to hide one inside. Can't count the number of times a quick shower has developed while my panels were out, many times when I wasn't anywhere close by to store them away or protect them.

lazulibunting

Renogy has a suitcase available without the controller, that is what I was thinking of buying. I'll take a pic of the device I have and get more info on it. I'm just going by what the previous owner told me. There were no documents with the T@B for anything. I'm figuring this out as I go. I appreciate your input!!

Nomad

I didn't do as much investigation as Verna - I was hitting the road as soon as the T@B came in so no place (or the tools) to mess with things even though I like to tinker so took the path of least resistance and got the Zamp 120w which was plug-n-play. Thought at the time it was expensive but now that I've read about others solar builds I not sure it was. Sure works well, best investment I made (other than the T@B itself) :-)

Verna

PXLated said:

Verna - Are those plugs for trolling motors 12gauge or only 16 like you find in automotive stores.
In my experience, that waterproof controller is important - unless of course you want to hide one inside. Can't count the number of times a quick shower has developed while my panels were out, many times when I wasn't anywhere close by to store them away or protect them.

They are the same gauge as the waterproof connection that LG puts on the side of the tongue box. They're either 10 or 12 gauge (pretty sure 10) because I had to use the yellow 10/12 gauge splicers. 

And I agree that the waterproof controller is very important.  And I love the plug and play, too.

Verna

lazulibunting said:

Renogy has a suitcase available without the controller, that is what I was thinking of buying. I'll take a pic of the device I have and get more info on it. I'm just going by what the previous owner told me. There were no documents with the T@B for anything. I'm figuring this out as I go. I appreciate your input!!

You're very welcome. Yes, I'm really curious about your equipment.  Patiently waiting for your input. 

Nomad

Verna - When I tripped on my chord and broke my connector I looked all over for a 12 gauge or better replacement and found nothing but 16 gauge so it's good to know the trolling motor ones are heavier - Hopefully I won't need another as I bought spares once you fine people's here steered me to them online.

Verna

PXLated, I broke two of them, so I have extras, too.  Plus I keep my electrical repair kit handy.  It is well stocked!

lazulibunting

Ok, here are some pics of the controller. There is no label, no brand name, nothing on it anywhere, other that what is shown in pics. Help?

Verna

I think you have a very early model of a solar controller.  The ones that are manufactured today are 3/8" deep, 4"x4", or a similar size, digital display with printed circuit boards that are small.  Yours reminds me of telephone equipment from the 70's!   

So, your 4 conductor connector probably only has two wires connected that go into this convertor, and it then comes out of the converter to go to the battery.  But, the inverter part will only allow you to get DC voltage out of it, and not 110V for things like the receiver of a satellite dish.  It is probably not a pure sine wave and shouldn't be used to plug laptops or other electronic gear into.

My advice is to purchase a newer solar controller, a newer connector to replace the 4 conductor plug, a new solar panel of your choice, the necessary wiring, a new inverter and a mating connector (like the 2 conductor ones PXLated and I have been talking about).

So, if you want the Renogy 100 Watt suitcase you can have it, but I hope with a new controller.

Where to now?  It's your decision on how to proceed. 

And, by the way, I'm leaving tomorrow for a weekend of camping and won't be back until Sunday night.  I don't mind brainstorming this with you, but I'm planning on being out on a kayak fishing, talking to friends, enjoying the out of doors, and I won't have much time for computer work this weekend.  I can help next week.  

lazulibunting

Thanks very much for your help with this! I'll do my research over the next few days and try to decide what Id like to upgrade to. That would seem like the best plan, if this stuff is that outdated. Have a wonderful weekend outside! 

lazulibunting

In case anybody was wondering, my ID ?s are solved. The charge controller is from a kit that Harbor Freight sells right not. It's not very old. And the 4-pronged connector is a trailer light connector that can be purchased at eTrailer. I joined a solar forum and asked the same questions with the same photos and got the answers right away. Thanks for your input. 

Michigan_Mike

I found the information you're referencing (and photo shown below) this afternoon, while reading through some of this thread.  If it were me, I'd scrap that particular controller and find a more efficient controller.  the 4-pronged plug was a Hopkins Towing Solutions 4-Pole Round Car End Trailer Connector.  It sounds like the guy who owned the trailer before you Jerry rigged the panel and controller up (with the 4-pronged plug) or made use of what he had in his garage.   Renogy makes a nice panel, but like most portable units today, they all came about and are designed via Zamp's early technology and headway into the solar market.  

lazulibunting

Mike, do you and Verna own stock in Zamp or what? If I could afford that, I would love to install, but it's above my budget right now. This was installed on my T@B by the original owner. The second owner, who I bought it from, used this and said it worked great. I don't think I need to reinvent the wheel. If I can make this work for a while, I can save up for a better system. Or maybe not. This older T@B is low-tech compared to the new ones. That's what I love about it. Harbor Freight grade might be good enough for me, If it works, it works.

Verna

No, Mike and I don't own stock in Zamp.  We are very satisfied customers of Zamp and have had very good experiences camping with them.  

We are not familiar with your equipment, so we can only give you our experiences with our Zamps.  If you're satisfied with what you have, then go with it.  You asked a question and I gave you my best answer.   My answer did have Zamp in it because that is what I am familiar with.

Michigan_Mike

lazulibunting said:

Mike, do you and Verna own stock in Zamp or what? If I could afford that, I would love to install, but it's above my budget right now. This was installed on my T@B by the original owner. The second owner, who I bought it from, used this and said it worked great. I don't think I need to reinvent the wheel. If I can make this work for a while, I can save up for a better system. Or maybe not. This older T@B is low-tech compared to the new ones. That's what I love about it. Harbor Freight grade might be good enough for me, If it works, it works.

I wasn't suggesting you buy a Zamp controller.   I do own a generation l model (one of the first made) 80 watt Zamp panel, I do like the panel and upgraded it with a more efficient solar controller (helps it charge quicker), but also own a 50 watt Renogy panel that is permanently mounted on the side of my garage.  My earlier "suggestion" above was to replace the solar charge controller, as there is better and more efficient technology available for around $30.  

It's certainly your choice to use whatever equipment you want, and please don't be offended by any suggestions provided here on the forum because there is a wealth of experience, knowledge and information spread out among the members (who willingly provide it) and this is what the forum is about.  I'm on a budget too and cannot afford some of the equipment other members own so I certainly know the feeling.  But if I can help another member based on my personal experiences of using similar equipment and any additional knowledge gained from others I'll continue to do just that.  People have choices, can glean whatever information and tips provided via the threads posted here and it is also available for future/potential owners to benefit from as well.