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onanysunday
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Country Coach intrigue 32 ft (((((Solar install)))))
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onanysunday
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I had some PV wire from my original kit which I am not going to use and buy something of better quality. So I'm using it to figure out my length I need to buy. So I do have a question. Do I want to try to have those PV wire connectors under the solar panels or can they be out exposed with some clamps. I have not decided yet if I want to try to make rods and be able to manually get on the roof and tilt those panels. Panels are not yet installed and just sitting on the brackets for now. Inside that closet where the PV wires come through I came in about 15 in from the side and once that trim piece is in the corner I will just need to put a little sheathing on a short section up top.
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Sandkist
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Much much better to have them underneath the panel and even better to have them tucked inside the C channel frame. Do you have any of the clips that mount to the panel frame? They make it easy to keep the wiring and connectors under the panel.
Sandkist
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The circuit breakers are a great way to disconnect your panels but really doesn’t offer any circuit protection for your system.
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onanysunday
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I ran the numbers and don't need fuses.
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onanysunday
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onanysunday
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onanysunday
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Well I read somewhere online that you shouldn't drill into the frame of your SunPower solar panels. I had drilled a real small pilot hole and realized it's a piece of box and the inside is filled with plastic. I assume to strengthen it. I didn't see any wires running through there. The short side of the frame is just a thin piece of aluminum and easy to drill and put in a nutceet. Anyway I had to re-engineer my mounts. The panel that runs long ways left and right needed an additional four pieces of angle aluminum to be able to pivot. And each one of those installed with two bolts so they can't rotate. Then the side that pivots which is sitting down on the strut channel needs to come up a little bit so it will pivot up and clear. I wanted to be able to pivot either side left or right and was able to get 25° if I elect to tip them up and use the brackets. Just a few minutes to do that if I'm not getting enough sun when we are out boondocking. Close to being done with fabrication and now I can start doing some wiring. Other than the refrigerator. That's going to be a pain in the ass to seal the back side of that so air doesn't come in around it into the coach.
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onanysunday
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megadesertdiesel
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will angling them really help that much? Seems like alot of fussing around to climb up there and tilt them and then remember to drop them down before you head home.
I do like the Unistrut mounting, makes less random holes in roof.
I do like the Unistrut mounting, makes less random holes in roof.
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onanysunday
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I just figured worst case scenario if we have very little Sun in the middle of winter at least give myself the option. I really don't plan on tilting them unless I need to. I could have both panels tilted in probably 5 to 10 minutes. We are planning on traveling all over the country with this thing. Going to do harvest hosts which is always boondocking for the most part.
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onanysunday
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