Omni solar upgrade

[rjt30114]

I have a 22 Omni BT 36 and I just upgraded and squeezed in 4 6V batteries under the stairwell was looking to get more solar from the roof. Has anybody upgraded or added more solar? If so, how much can you add?

 

[ducksface]

Why six volt?

Roof square footage is your only limit on solar panel installation.

No one ever answered me on why not to place panels on the rv rear wall.

 

[MCP-THOR]

Why six volt?

Roof square footage is your only limit on solar panel installation.

No one ever answered me on why not to place panels on the rv rear wall.

While panels on the roof would gather energy “much” of the time during daylight hours, panels on the rear would be less so. However, the rear panels would give the opportunity to more easily tilt and swivel particularly when parked. Not unlike deploying portable panels to get the optimal amount of sunlight.

I think you’re up to it!

 

[ducksface]

If
2000 watts of glue on panels fit on that rear wall
At
60% efficency
That's
1200 watts nominal, 1600 watts expected, 2000 watts sometimes during the day.

Wall has so much area that 100% efficiency isn't needed.

 

[OSU Sig]

How did you arrive at 60% efficiency?

 

[ducksface]

I don't.
It's an example of installing considerably more panels than the minimum amount of panels needed to meet maximum output to make the minimal watts required.

 

[DavidEM]

You probably have a 100 watt panel wired with 10 gauge to a PWM GoPower controller. You can probably add three more 100 watt panels wired series/parallel to minimize voltage drop to a Renogy or Victron 30A MPPT controller. Upgrade the wire and fuse from the controller to the battery to 6 gauge with a 30A fuse near the battery.

David

 

[Greybaer]

You probably have a 100 watt panel wired with 10 gauge to a PWM GoPower controller. You can probably add three more 100 watt panels wired series/parallel to minimize voltage drop to a Renogy or Victron 30A MPPT controller. Upgrade the wire and fuse from the controller to the battery to 6 gauge with a 30A fuse near the battery.

David

Probably correct, and this is the limiting factor - your controller and wiring. It's also how my 2020 BH35 came wired. I upgraded to 300 watts of panels by upgrading my cheapo installed controller to a 300 amp Zamp controller. To go any higher, I'd need to change the wiring as well.

With 300 amps and boondocking I can run my inverter fridge, heater, and a couple of installed bedroom fans all night, and still have 12.7v in the house batteries in the morning. That works great for us.

 

[MCP-THOR]

Probably correct, and this is the limiting factor - your controller and wiring. It's also how my 2020 BH35 came wired. I upgraded to 300 watts of panels by upgrading my cheapo installed controller to a 300 amp Zamp controller. To go any higher, I'd need to change the wiring as well.

With 300 amps and boondocking I can run my inverter fridge, heater, and a couple of installed bedroom fans all night, and still have 12.7v in the house batteries in the morning. That works great for us.

I presume you mean 30 amp controller not 300.

 

[Greybaer]

I presume you mean 30 amp controller not 300.

LOL yes! Wishful thinking I suppose.

 

[psdtime]

I have the "Solar Panel Plus Package" which changes the Go Power controller to 30 amp and requires a 30 amp fuse to be installed. It adds 2-200 watt panels to the roof for a total of 500 watts. This is what they schematic looks like.

 

[williamprunty]

2022 Magnitude RB34

I put 890 watts on the roof and pulling 478 amp hrs from 4 AGM batteries. Upgraded the controller to 50 amp and upgraded the wiring to handle 50 amps from the controller to the battery tray.

 

[rjt30114]

I put 890 watts on the roof and pulling 478 amp hrs from 4 AGM batteries. Upgraded the controller to 50 amp and upgraded the wiring to handle 50 amps from the controller to the battery tray.

Pretty much exactly the set up I want.

 

[williamprunty]

Installer

I had the solar upgraded at Glacier Rv and Solar in Kalispell Montana. They specialize in solar packages and upgrades.

 

[williamprunty]

2022 Magnitude RB34

I run everything off of the solar except for the stovetop, AC, bedroom Tv, microwave and washer and dryer.

So I run the outdoor kitchen fridge, main fridge, outside Tv, main Tv, lights, furnace, coffee pot and several outlets.

 

[rjt30114]

I had the solar upgraded at Glacier Rv and Solar in Kalispell Montana. They specialize in solar packages and upgrades.

That’s crazy because I am actually in South Dakota at the Badlands and headed to glacier on Monday

 

[williamprunty]

Owner

Andy is the owner. He has a small crew that works for him in a small building. I stayed the night on site and they hit the ground running the following morning. He does not carry an inventory so it take a couple of days to get the panels and controller. I’m guess a 6 to 8 hr job based on my experience.

https://glacierrv.com/