Recommended solar suitcase

boiseites

We have a 2021 320S and would like to add (portable) solar to it.  I believe that we have a plug-in for the solar. We would like to "suitcase" solar setup.  What is recommended? Size? Thanks!

Mellow_Yellow

Hi @boiseites - here is a recent discussion you might find useful: https://tab-rv.vanillacommunity.com/discussion/12876/need-advice-on-solar-suitcase-for-t-b-320s#latest
Many of us find this one easy to use and has a built in controller: Renogy 100 Watt Eclipse Monocrystalline Charge 20A Voyager Waterproof Controller Solar Suitcase, 100W-Waterproof 

boiseites

Thanks!

pthomas745

Usually, you try to match your solar wattage to your battery amp hours.  So, if you plan a bigger battery bank, you should consider more watts of solar.  There are many many types and styles of panels:  but at the very basic level, you need a panel, a solar controller, and the various wires that connect them.  And a way to connect to the battery. 

Renogy is popular, but no matter what you try, shop for the warranty and service of the various panels and companies.

You will hear that it is all rocket science....but after you have it up and running you will wonder what the heck everyone was going on about.

CharlieRN

While the 2021 320S BD has a plug-in (SAE) port, I'm not sure if that's the case for the non-Boondock models. This is easy enough to check, and adding the SAE port, if needed, is pretty easy.

As @pthomas745 suggests, it is good to have some idea of your existing (or target) battery storage (amp-hours) and add solar generation capacity (watts). As he notes, you will need the panel(s), a controller and the cabling to connect everything.

The Renogy 100 watt suitcase kit that @Mellow_Yellow mentions is good and includes all of the components needed. It is also reasonably priced and very easy to hook up however, it includes only clamps to connect to the battery. I'm not sure if the coupon is still available for the Renogy, but when I ordered mine, the discount reduced the price for the 100w kit to a hair over two Benjamins.

One thing not mentioned is the need for the connection to the battery to be fused. If your 320 has an SAE port, the connection to the battery will have a 10 amp in-line fuse. The Renogy clamp connection similarly comes with an in-line fuse but this may not be the case for all suitcase kits or for other connecting hardware.

Finally, keep in mind that truer words than the last two sentences of the response by @pthomas745 were never written.

Mellow_Yellow

CharlieRN said:

The Renogy 100 watt suitcase kit that @Mellow_Yellow mentions is good and includes all of the components needed. It is also reasonably priced and very easy to hook up however, it includes only clamps to connect to the battery. 

Thanks Charlie! I forgot to mention that I also purchased the following adaptor: CERRXIAN 50cm 10AWG SAE to Male & Female Adapter 10AWG Cable with SAE Conector for RV Panel Solar
My 2014 T@B 320 S has the SAE (Zamp) port. However, when I added the adaptor and plugged the Renogy into the SAE port, the Renogy controller didn't recognize the battery connection. Still puzzling over that one, might be a loose connection, but at least I got the direct battery connection to work and it is dead simple. Also to mention, as confirmed by @pthomas745 and others: the Renogy panel is effective, even in low light conditions. So even on cloudy days, off season, you should still be able to charge the battery. I have not yet experimented with winter charging, but it will be an interesting project this coming fall.
@boiseites - just make sure you get a panel with a built-in, weatherproof controller, such as the one I'm using. You can get also purchase just the panel and a separate controller, but the built-in controller is super convenient and well priced. 

pthomas745

@Mellow_Yellow the cable you listed should work right out of the box, from the MC4 wires from the controller directly to the SAE port on the trailer.  Question: are you trying to use that small "adapter" that comes with it? That would have the effect of.....reverse reverse polarity!  Or something.  Try without the small adapter.

Mellow_Yellow

Thanks @pthomas745 - I first tried without the adaptor and got a b01 (no battery connection) error code on the Renogy controller. My concern/question is that the adaptor cable mates the black wire to red and the red wire to black. If that is a non-issue, then I would need to figure out if the Zamp (SAE) port connection to the battery is active. As mentioned, using the solar panel charges the battery perfectly using the jumper cable connection direct to the battery terminals.

pthomas745

Thanks.  Electricity doesn't care what color the wire is.  And, yes, this cable needs the adapter. Try it that way.  Do your battery clamps connect to the MC4's also?

Denny16

It (electricity) does care when you plug hot/positive sore on a negative ground connection. 

pthomas745

Lol...I agree.  Which is why multimeters exist.

(My response was directed at that cable!)

ScottG

@Mellow_Yellow, there are too many variables at play here to make guesses. Start by tracing the entire circuit from the panel to the battery. You can do this physically (with your eyes and hand) or electrically (with the continuity feature of a multimeter). You need to be absolutely certain that + always connects to + and - always connects to -.

If you have done that and things still don't work, then it's time to dig a little deeper and figure out where exactly in the circuit the connection is broken.

Mellow_Yellow

Yay!!! Turns out, all I needed to do was to clean up the Zamp connectors and connect them to the battery terminals.  This is a big deal for me because this is first battery I've ever connected/disconnected. I connected the red wire to the positive battery terminal, but the Renogy controller said 'b02' (reverse polarity) which was resolved by adding the adaptor that came with the SAE connector. So now the solar panel is connected through the Zamp port and merrily charging away. 
One of the many things I am learning from my T@B, is to have a healthy fear of electricity and know what the rules are for safe engagement - I have a "note to self" directly on the battery, beside the negative terminal: "disconnect first, connect last". 

Denny16

Glad you got it sorted.
cheers

boiseites

Ok, everyone, thanks so much for your input.  But, basically, I am pretty sure that we have the connection for solar to our battery.  So, if that is the case, do we just need the everything listed on that Amazon.com listing about? Will we just have to plug in/connect the solar to our solar connection? I know, keep hitting me over the head with it and I will eventually understand!!

pthomas745

@Mellow_Yellow let me see if I can get this straight.  Your SAE connections at the battery were corroded and you needed to clean them up?  You put the red wire on the positive side, white on the negative side.  All good.  Then the MC4 to SAE cable (which we looked at last week).  You plugged that cable into the adapter (still good) and then the cable adapter combo into the SAE port? 

Whew!  Too a while to get here, but you made it!

Sharon_is_SAM

@boiseites - what Amazon list?  If you have a solar suitcase with a built in controller and the cables have an SAE connection, then you can plug in to the tub solar port. 

pthomas745

@boiseites That is a 100 watt solar suitcase, and would have everything you need.  Look closely at the "frequently bought together" list and add those extension cables and the other cable for the connection to the battery.  Then we can help with those adapters and all that confusion.    (Deep breaths...)

boiseites

@Sharon_is_SAM The very first response from @Mellow_Yellow did not actually give an Amazon link, but I put in the info and found it -- https://smile.amazon.com/Renogy-RNG-KIT-STCS100D-SP-Monocrystalline-Controller-100W-Waterproof/dp/B01NADR1CI/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Renogy+100+Watt+Eclipse+Monocrystalline+Charge+20A+Voyager+Waterproof+Controller+Solar+Suitcase,+100W-Waterproof&qid=1620271185&s=lawn-garden&sr=1-1
So, it sounds like this link will provide everything we need?

Mellow_Yellow

pthomas745 said:

@Mellow_Yellow let me see if I can get this straight.  Your SAE connections at the battery were corroded and you needed to clean them up?  You put the red wire on the positive side, white on the negative side.  All good.  Then the MC4 to SAE cable (which we looked at last week).  You plugged that cable into the adapter (still good) and then the cable adapter combo into the SAE port? 

Whew!  Too a while to get here, but you made it!

Exactamundo! In addition, the SAE connections were not even connected to the battery. They were just tied off inside the tub.

Mellow_Yellow

Thanks @Sharon_is_SAM - A genuine Canadian "sorry" for not including the link @boiseites. I use Amazon.ca, not Amazon.com and didn't want to steer you wrong. 
Does the 2021 have the SAE port on the side of the battery box? If it does, you should also get this adaptor. The panel comes with 'jumper cable' style connectors, but if you use this part instead, you can connect directly to the battery without opening the battery box This is the US$ link: https://www.amazon.com/CERRXIAN-10AWG-Female-Adapter-Conector/dp/B07T5Y2HQZ/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=CERRXIAN+50cm+10AWG+SAE+to+Male+&+Female+Adapter+10AWG+Cable+with+SAE+Conector+for+RV+Panel+Solar&qid=1620272527&sr=8-1

Denny16

Yes, the 2021 TaB320 has the SAE connector on the side of the tongue box.
cheers

pthomas745

@Mellow_Yellow Oh, my goodness.  Good for you for working your way through this. 

Sharon_is_SAM

@boiseites - oh, I get it now.  Yes, and ditto what MellowYellow says.  Get the adapter if you have the solar port on the side of your tub.  Much more convenient to just plug in.

Homebodyatheart

I was looking for a lightweight solar suitcase that was simple/plug and play. I bought the ACOPower suitcase, weighs in at just over 8 pounds vs 40+ pounds of Renogy or Zamp(at the time I was looking.)

As for Amazon lists, I made an Amazon wish list where I store items that others have recommended. I may or may not buy them, but they are all in one place and I’m not wasting time trying to remember which group I saw it on and when. 

CharlieRN

Renogy also has an ebay website where the prices sometimes differ from those on Amazon. Right now the latter is less for the 100w suitcase but it was the reverse a while back. Worth checking both - the Renogy store also often has good prices on accessories like extension cabling and connectors.

Mellow_Yellow

Homebodyatheart said:

I was looking for a lightweight solar suitcase that was simple/plug and play. I bought the ACOPower suitcase, weighs in at just over 8 pounds vs 40+ pounds of Renogy or Zamp(at the time I was looking.)

@Homebodyatheart The ACOPower suitcase with the built in controller is also 2x the price of the Renogy and the description on Amazon does not indicate it is weatherproof. I do not pack my solar suitcase around. It goes from the TV to the RV and back. So the weight saving is less of a factor than the price and durability.

pthomas745

I know the waterproof controller is a selling point, but a suitcase with a separate controller would also work. And, may be a bit less spendy.   My controllers have always been inside my propane tub, where they are protected from the elements. I also feel it simplifies the connections ( the less I have to mess with MC4 connectors the better my world is), and people who claim to know these things think the controller closer to the battery is a bit more efficient.

boiseites

Again, thanks much for all your comments and suggestions.  I feel more confident now about purchasing!

Basil48192

I've inserted this photo on other posts, but I agree with pthomas745 about mounting the controller as close as possible to the battery.  I actually purchased the Renogy Suitcase with the PWM controller mounted on the back (it was actually cheaper than purchasing it without a controller).  However, I wanted the efficiency of the MPPT controller and bluetooth capability....so I purchased a separate Victron controller and mounted it in my tub.  I ran a quick connect port to the bottom of my tub.  Now, when I am dry-camping, I just plug the suitcase into the port and use the Victron controller.  I left the original controller on the back of the suitcase.  If camping with friends that need extra chargin power, I can always just swap the connectors and connect my suitcase to their battery using the orignal alligator clips.  

pthomas745

What type of "quick connect" did you install?