installing solar power in a westy

[Timwhy]

Made a start today..

Panel on.

Cables to controller routed

Controller and meter fixed.

Need to route cables to two batteries now.....masking tape removed.










Need to swop out the screws for nice black ones too....these were all i had to hand

Taking shape and looking good! Nice work!

[The Bobdogs]

Why not put the controller inside the wardrobe..? It ain't exactly pretty and once it's all connected there's going to be load of wire hanging out of it's a***!

[ninja.turtle007]

Made a start today..

Hehe - snap!

Just waiting for my meters to arrive from China to finish off the install. It's in and working, but I can't see how much it's making until I add my ammeters.

Did you manage to find a ammeter that would measure up to 15A? Will your ammeter measure in and out?

[keith]

Why not put the controller inside the wardrobe..? It ain't exactly pretty and once it's all connected there's going to be load of wire hanging out of it's a***!

I did consider it....slightly concerned about it getting knocked as things went in and out..don't think they look took unsightly.....my cable holes are behind the controller so should look pretty tidy with luck.

[keith]

Made a start today..

Panel on.

Cables to controller routed

Controller and meter fixed.

Need to route cables to two batteries now.....masking tape removed.










Need to swop out the screws for nice black ones too....these were all i had to hand

Taking shape and looking good! Nice work!

Cheers....need to sort out a good / easy route from the wardrobe to the drivers seat base....behind the cupboards and fridge....

Any tips Tim?o

[Timwhy]

I routed my wires behind the fridge and stove with the use of a giant zip tie. I liked the fact that it was flat and easy to get down behind everything. I taped wires to it and pulled then through.

[keith]

I routed my wires behind the fridge and stove with the use of a giant zip tie. I liked the fact that it was flat and easy to get down behind everything. I taped wires to it and pulled then through.

Is there a hole at the bottom....where your zip tie comes out....or did you drill one?

[Timwhy]

Small space

[CJH]

Did you manage to find a ammeter that would measure up to 15A? Will your ammeter measure in and out?

I did. I went for this one in the end. It has a bigger range than I need, but the seller assures me it'll read from -100A to +100A. It uses a shunt, which I'll place in the earth side of the circuit, so that it'll monitor the entire leisure circuit - sometimes positive, if I'm just charging, sometimes negative, if I'm just 'consuming'.

The seller was really helpful and quick to respond. I've also ordered this one from him to monitor volts and amps from the panel. Both of these meters will require a separate power source, so I'm adding a 3xAA battery back and a push button, so the batteries will only be used when I'm reading the meters.

Even though I've ordered these digital meters I'm still really taken with the analogue meters from emy351 on ebay. This one will measure -20A to +20A, and she has others coming in that will do -50A to +50A and -100A to +100A. Emy351 has been very helpful indeed, and although her analogue meters are more expensive than the Chinese digital meters, they do look nice and I may well go for them instead. I've wired the solar panel such that the cable is joined using Tamiya/Kyosho connectors, so I can insert the meters quite simply. I'll probably see how well the digital meters work before either mounting them permanently or deciding to go for the analogue meters.

[Timwhy]

I routed my wires behind the fridge and stove with the use of a giant zip tie. I liked the fact that it was flat and easy to get down behind everything. I taped wires to it and pulled then through.

Is there a hole at the bottom....where your zip tie comes out....or did you drill one?

I'll take some more pics in the morn and post them up

[keith]

Thanks Tim....

[keith]

Ive wired from the controller to the leisure now.....wasnt too bad.

Found a route from behind the drivers seat...back of the cupboard and fridge....thru the little gap that Timwhy pointed out....over the top of the water container (under the cupboard bottom) and finally thru the bottom of the wardrobe....very small gap.

I used a length of stainless weld rod to do my threading....and a bit of string.

It was dark when i finished so couldnt really get a feel for charging


Starter battery to do next.

[Timwhy]

Ive wired from the controller to the leisure now.....wasnt too bad.

Found a route from behind the drivers seat...back of the cupboard and fridge....thru the little gap that Timwhy pointed out....over the top of the water container (under the cupboard bottom) and finally thru the bottom of the wardrobe....very small gap.

I used a length of stainless weld rod to do my threading....and a bit of string.

It was dark when i finished so couldnt really get a feel for charging


Starter battery to do next.

NICE! Been trying all day to upload pics but the site was down. I'll upload the pics tonight if it can help others.

[Timwhy]

Here's some wiring pics of my Westy

Inside the closet Black wires on right from Panel, wires in the two middle holes are to battery, portable panel plug and the fuse box. Wires on the left are to the Propex Thermostat.



Wires passing over water tank. I drilled two holes with a forstner bit to allow room for all the wires.



Wires in the center storage compartment and to the back of the fridge. I know its a rats nest of wires but going behind that wall didn't seem practical and they are out of the way.



Two of the three house batteries under the sink



Aux fuse box

[keith]

lots going on in there Tim.

I managed to remove the "shelf" above my water container and go directly over the plastic tip....then thru the wardrobe base.

just need some p clips to finish it off......then onto the starter battery.

all seems happy this morning....says that its charging.

also now have a handy digital clock and temp gauge