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Battery disconnect switch with solar panel

Printed From: r-pod Nation
Category: Forest River r-pod
Forum Name: Maintenance Issues, Tips and Tricks
Forum Description: Have you ever wondered how something works? Found a good way to do something? Discovered the hard way what NOT to do? Share them here.
URL: http://www.rpodNation.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=4865
Printed Date: 29 Mar 2024 at 4:53am
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Topic: Battery disconnect switch with solar panel
Posted By: becod
Subject: Battery disconnect switch with solar panel
Date Posted: 18 Oct 2019 at 10:40am
Is it necessary to hook up a battery disconnect switch with a solar panel on a r-pod 189?  If so, where to place it on the inside?



Replies:
Posted By: Kingskerswell
Date Posted: 22 May 2020 at 11:54am

I have only recently installed a solar panel (SP) so bear with me on a 7 month delay to try and answer your question.  As a general rule I believe a battery disconnect is very important on a travel trailer purely and simply from the fact that there is always going to be small electrical loads on the battery even with everything supposedly shut off.  I also feel it is much safer as I am not impressed with the electrical wiring standards on trailers I have worked on. So when our trailer is at its storage location and not being used I always turn my disconnect switch 'OFF'.  

However, during our SP install I found the SP manufacturer (Renogy) recommended connecting battery power to controller prior to SP feed to controller. This created a dilemma with the added battery disconnect switch because upon switching 'ON' it meant I would be ignoring their SP connection protocol. 

So, as a result of installing my battery disconnect switch I now have an additional operation which is to first remove the fuse on the SP/controller feed prior to disconnecting the battery and conversely after reconnecting the battery to re-install the fuse on the SP/controller feed.  My disconnect switch is installed on the outside of my battery box for ease of access.




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