Nashinator Solar Panel

Goes Solar

Since we bought our 2006 17C  Nashinator several week ago, we have been incorporating several improvements to it, to make it more livable for us. Those changes include a 2000w inverter/charger, a 120w solar panel, (2) 6v golf cart batteries, monitoring stations, a built in LCD TV and DVD player, a wireless headphone setup, and some storage and other improvements. Following are the details of the solar system:

The solar panel is connected to the (2) 6v golf cart batteries via a charge controller. We have one EMM120w 120w 24v monocrystalline panel that is 32" x 42" purchased on Ebay from The Energy Mill. This is connected with 8 awg cables to a Morningstar Sun Saver SS-MPPT-15L controller, which is connected to the batteries. This setup works pretty well with good sunshine, producing up to 7a at 12v, which helps recharge the batteries, but buy no means keeps up with our daily use. We can usually last 2-3 days before needing a full charge. We replaced the (2) original deep cycle 12v batteries with (2) Costco 6v golf cart batteries. I had to buy slightly taller battery boxes, but they still fit in the same place on the front A frame as the others did. 

The panel is attached to the Nash's roof rack using a tilting mount of my own creation. The panel has a length of 1" x 2" aluminum angle iron screwed to each long side. In the corner of each channel is a 2" x 1/4" stainless bolt anchored with lock nuts. The base is made from two 62" x 1" x 2" aluminum channel screwed down to the rack with ss bolts and lock nuts. Where each of the four added solar panel bolts protrude,  I mounted stainless boat hinges down to the channel using ss bolts and locknuts. The 1/4" bolts go through the top part of the hinges and anchor with stainless wingnuts. I also fabricated lengths of 1" aluminum in 2' and 3' lengths so the panel can be supported at an angle, which because of the design can be in any direction, even compound angles. 

Because of this fortunate location, I was able to snake the cables down the waste vent which is just there at the roof  rack location., rather than use the undersized cables provided by Northwood which come up at the front end of the trailer. The cables exit the pipe around eye level and are fished down through the closet into the space under the rear dinette seat. From there, the cables are fed across to terminate in the area under the front dinette seat, where the charge controller and Xantres inverter/charge are anchored. 

 Here are photos:

Channel with hinges attached to bolts on panel. 

Panel shown with longer tilt brackets

Channel is bolted to roof rack

Cables going down waste vent

Brackets for angling panel

Charge controller

Golf Cart batteries