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Adding an external Solar Panel Port

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    Sharon_is_SAMSharon_is_SAM Administrator Posts: 9,506
    @Sunfellow - please see the above thread regarding a solar port install.  Other threads are available by doing a forum search.
    Sharon / 2017 T@B CSS / 2015 Toyota Sienna Minivan / Westlake, Ohio
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    berggerbergger Moderator Posts: 1,009
    A solar port can be very easy to install.  You can, and most people do, wire it directly to the batteries.  That is what I did.  If your batteries are in the tongue box simple drill a hole through the box and attach the plug.  Then attach the wires to the battery terminals using ring connectors.  The other way is to wire the plug directly to your existing charge controller.  If you do this just make sure your controller can handle the factory panel on the roof and the additional 200 watts of panels you want to use.  

    I also have two Jackery Solar Saga 100 watt panels that I use.  Just remember if you wire it directly to the batteries you need to have a charge controller for the panels.  I use a Goal Zero 20 amp weather resistant charge controller that my panel or panels plug into then I plug into the solar port on the trailer.  It only cost me $99 for the controller and the solar plug is only a few dollars.  I like this method over wiring the plug into the onboard charge controller as it gives me not only a permanent solar system on the trailer but also a completely portable system that I can use for the trailer or anything else I need to charge if camping without the trailer.  
    2021 T@b 400 BD  "Vixen Gail" 
    2018 Nissan Titan Pro 4X "Big Bird"
    Leadville Colorado
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    bjn2bjn2 Member Posts: 86
    edited April 12
    @Sunfellow I added a port to the side of our 2023 320s BD's tub. I used a Zamp SAE solar port despite its reversed wire colors compared to most of the world's other manufacturers. The Zamp port is better designed (the cap stays on) and is molded from stiffer material than the cheap alternative I compared it with. 

    I reused the wires going to the tub in our trailer. If your BB-equipped trailer doesn't have battery and solar wiring to the tub, my solution wouldn't work.

    When I installed a lithium battery inside our trailer, I ran new wires from the existing solar controller to the battery. That left the previous wires to the tub available to connect to the tub port I installed. I then extended those wires to a new Victron controller I installed near the lithium battery. 

    One option I considered was to drill through the side of the trailer to add a Zamp port. The downside of that is accessibility if you need to set up panels on the other side. You could potentially put a port on each side, wired together, as long as you only use one side at a time. 

    I have a 200w suitcase panel and a 20 foot 10 awg extension cable. My suitcase has no controller. I've marked the polarity of the port and I'm careful to make sure the polarity from my panel matches the port's polarity. I use an SAE gender swapping adapter as needed. I may reverse the way I have the Zamp port connected so I don't have to use an adapter, and I'd change the labeling to show polarity. There are no markings on the Zamp port.
    Utah-based
    2023 T@B 320 S Boondock
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    SunfellowSunfellow Member Posts: 28
    edited April 13
    Thank you
    Sharon_is_SAM 
    bergger 
    bjn2 

    Very helpful! 
    David Sunfellow
    2022 T@B 320-S Boondock "@ngel"
    Sedona Arizona
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