RV solar panel wiring question

[Bigrr63]

I'm installing panels on my roof passing cables through a gland into pass-through storage and to the inverter/charger. Can I branch off these and run wires to an external plug (Xt 90 for example) to plug in a portable panel(s) when needed?
Should I fuse that line?

Thank you for any insight,
Steve

 

[Rednecktek]

One array per controller. You can bring wires down to your system and run another set of wires to an external jack, but if your external array is different from the roof array, you'll nerf one array or the other.

Best idea for having an optional array is to wire your external port to its own MPPT controller and to the batteries. Each SCC will do what it can and ignore the other one so they'll play along nicely.

 

[Rocketman]

If you carefully select the ground mount panels so they work well with your roof mount array - yes you can. They will just be another parallel string. You will want the Vmp string voltage on the ground to be as close as possible to the Vmp string voltage of the roof array.

If you end up with three or more parallel arrays they need fused.

However, I would just get another mppt and have the roof array going to one and the ground array going to a separate mppt - just like what @Redneckteck suggested. It is much easier and you will collect more solar because when shade happens - it will only nerf part of one array.

Good Luck

 

[Bigrr63]

One array per controller. You can bring wires down to your system and run another set of wires to an external jack, but if your external array is different from the roof array, you'll nerf one array or the other.

Best idea for having an optional array is to wire your external port to its own MPPT controller and to the batteries. Each SCC will do what it can and ignore the other one so they'll play along nicely.

Thank you, I will get a separate MPPT.

 

[Bigrr63]

If you carefully select the ground mount panels so they work well with your roof mount array - yes you can. They will just be another parallel string. You will want the Vmp string voltage on the ground to be as close as possible to the Vmp string voltage of the roof array.

If you end up with three or more parallel arrays they need fused.

However, I would just get another mppt and have the roof array going to one and the ground array going to a separate mppt - just like what @Redneckteck suggested. It is much easier and you will collect more solar because when shade happens - it will only nerf part of one array.

Good Luck

Thanks, the portable panel has a much lower voltage.

 

[Bigrr63]

So, I've realized the portable panel would be useless, it's a 48v system and the panel is 12v so I'd need a boost controller anyway to push any power to the 48v battery. Talk about a DOH! moment. Your answers made me step back and think about the system I'm putting in.
thanks again

 

[Rocketman]

You still can do a ground array - get 4 panels hook them up in series, then connect to your ground mount mppt.

That’s if you decide you need more solar.