Pre-wired for solar???

[slaflamme]

My husband and I just picked up a 2017 Chateau 31W. How can we find out if it is pre-wired for solar?

[DavidEM]

Look on the top. If it is prewired there will be a "solar port or cap" as Zamp calls it, a place to hook up solar panels with wiring, typically 10 gauge to a place near the batteries where you can install a solar controller. Sometimes prewired also means a solar controller is in place.

This is what Zamp a big supplier of RV solar systems, says about pre wiring:

"I have a Zamp Solar Ready sticker on the side of my RV, what does that mean?

If an RV is “solar ready,” it means that the RV came pre-wired for our solar products with either a 3-port roof cap, a single port roof cap, or a side-wall port. However, each manufacturer does it slightly differently—some include full wiring, while others only wire from the roof to the batteries.

If your RV came with a Zamp Solar sidewall port, all you need to do is pick one of our portable solar kits and plug it in. That’s it!

If your RV came equipped with a solar port roof cap (single or triple) and a charge controller, you’ll just need to choose one of our roof mount expansion kits, mount the panel(s), and plug them into the solar port roof cap.

If your RV came equipped with a solar port roof cap but not a charge controller, you’ll need to get one of our roof mount expansion kits AND a charge controller. Then you’ll need to mount your panels, wire your charge controller, and plug in to the solar port roof cap.

Still have questions? Feel free to contact us if you need more help figuring out what products will work with your solar ready RV."

David

[Chateau_Nomad]

Originally Posted by slaflamme

My husband and I just picked up a 2017 Chateau 31W. How can we find out if it is pre-wired for solar?

Go up on the roof and look for an MC4 connector. It is used as a connector for rooftop solar panels. The wires will run down through the roof to a solar charge controller.

On class C motorhomes, Thor usually installs a Go Power brand 10amp charge controller - on the side of a cabinet just inside the door in the entry step well.

[slaflamme]

Thanks for the responses. Took a look and saw nothing on the roof other than air conditioner, vent covers and TV antenna. Does that mean I can't put solar panels on the roof?

[rtaggio]

Originally Posted by slaflamme

Thanks for the responses. Took a look and saw nothing on the roof other than air conditioner, vent covers and TV antenna. Does that mean I can't put solar panels on the roof?

No, it just means that you have to run your own wires, which IMO is better, as the prewired Thor solar is barely enough to keep house batteries charged.

Wire gauge used by Thor is inadequate for any "real" solar install.

[Chateau_Nomad]

Planned properly, you can run cables down through the reefer vent. You want to mount your solar charge controller as close as possible to your house battery bay.

IMO, a basic solar install is one of the easiest projects to do, and one of the most beneficial in the long run.

[sportcoupe]

Originally Posted by rtaggio

No, it just means that you have to run your own wires, which IMO is better, as the prewired Thor solar is barely enough to keep house batteries charged.

Wire gauge used by Thor is inadequate for any "real" solar install.

Prewired doesn't charge house batteries at all because no controller or panel is installed.

Prewired for solar by Thor just installs the twin 10 awg wiring. Plenty large enough unless you are dead set on paralleling a large bank of panels.

[Chateau_Nomad]

If you don't find anything on the roof, I SERIOUSLY doubt there is ANY solar pre-wiring. On trailers, Thor called "pre-wiring" installing a small port for portable panels.

On motorhomes, usually since 2019, Thor installed the roof connector AND a 10amp charge controller. I'm not sure if they called that "solar prep", "solar ready" or "pre-wired for solar", but that was the norm.

Regardless, it isn't that hard (or expensive) to do a "starter solar install" that will at minimum keep a basic battery fully charged. Planned properly, you can start small and upgrade/expand as you so desire.

Around $300 will get you about 200 watts and an MPPT controller. Shop around... most of the components are made at the SAME manufacturing facility in China, then re-labeled by 3rd party sellers.

[slaflamme]

Thanks for all the helpful replies. My husband has back problems and I recently had heart failure (thankfully on the mend) so we will probably pay the price of an install. Will be talking with a local company to see what suggestions they have. I'm thinking Mppt will be the one choice for both northern and southern conditions. Would love to go lithium, but that is out of our budget right now. Still studying all other components.

Again, thanks!


SL