Best path for solar panel wire Coleman 192rds - Dutchmen Owners
Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×

Go Back   Dutchmen Owners > Dutchmen Brand RVs > Travel Trailer
Click Here to Login
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 10-12-2016, 06:00 PM   #1
JRR
New Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Decatur
Posts: 3
Alabama
Best path for solar panel wire Coleman 192rds

I am trying to install a solar kit on my Coleman 192 RDS. Anyone know the best path from the roof to the batteries on the tongue? I really don't want to drill holes in my roof if I can help it. I also intend to mount the charge controller and inverter in the passthrough area, so I need a path to there, as well. The refrigerator vent is an option, but once into the camper, I don't see a clear way to get the wire the length of the camper, and I can't seem to find an egress point from the sewer vent. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Thanks.
__________________

JRR is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-12-2016, 08:31 PM   #2
Senior Member
 
hddecker's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: kamloops
Posts: 2,152
British Columbia
Welcome to the forum, JRR.

Regardless of the which you chose, fridge or vent stack, the problem is getting the wires to the charge controller, then the batteries. The only way that I know of getting the wires there, is to open up the belly pan. If you remove the fasteners on the side closest to the stack you drop the wires down, you can gain enough room using 2x4s to fish the wires to the pass through. Then on to the batteries.

Once you open the bellypan, you might want to drop the whole thing and cleanup the mess Dutchmen left in there.
__________________

__________________
Jim

When I was a kid I was going nowhere fast, now I'm an old man I'm going everywhere slow.
hddecker is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-13-2016, 01:13 AM   #3
Site Team
 
wahoonc's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Sprung Leak
Posts: 3,157
North Carolina
Welcome to the forums!

I would go down the fridge vent, then follow the wires that run in the base cabinets to the batteries. Might have to pull a few cabinet bottoms out. I am not familiar with your floor plan, so I may be all wet with this. Another possibility is to run them down the fridge vent all the way to the underside of the trailer then us a wire loom and lead them to the front. Might have to poke a few holes in the floor, but I would rather have them in the floor than the roof. If I get a chance I will see if I can look at a 192 in the next couple of weeks (any excuse to look at RV's is good enough for me! ) and come up with a suggestion.

Aaron
__________________
There is madness to my methods
2015 Coleman CM16FBS(traded) 2016 Concord 300DS
2015 Ford Fusion Hybrid following along
wahoonc is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-13-2016, 01:19 AM   #4
JRR
New Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Decatur
Posts: 3
Alabama
The problem I'm having with the fridge vent is I may have to butcher the cabinets and I don't really want to do that. Also, the tub is in the way. Here's the floor plan:

http://www.dutchmen.com/media/8612/192rd.jpg
JRR is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-13-2016, 02:50 PM   #5
Senior Member
 
ewarnerusa's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Helena, MT
Posts: 606
Montana
I couldn't find ways to hide wiring behind stuff in my camper either, so I just ran wires through conduit and ran it down a corner and then along the edge of the floor.
__________________
2012 Aspen Trail 2710BH | 470 watts of solar on the roof | 2x6V GC batteries | 1500 watt PSW inverter | Micro Air on A/C | so far strictly boondocking
ewarnerusa is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-13-2016, 04:16 PM   #6
Senior Member
 
snakebitten's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Alvin
Posts: 727
Texas
Quote:
Originally Posted by ewarnerusa View Post
I couldn't find ways to hide wiring behind stuff in my camper either, so I just ran wires through conduit and ran it down a corner and then along the edge of the floor.
Yea, I kind of have the same idea if I was going to do any significant upgrades or modifications. I would figure out some way to build a permanent raceway that could serve for getting anywhere front to back. I'd prefer to do it from underneath and then have junctions that enter into the cabin through the floor. If done really nice, the point of entry could be under\inside of cabinets.

I wouldn't design it for any single item, but rather a method for rewiring the entire RV if needed. It's just too risky to try to tear into walls and discover how and where some of these factory wires come and go.
__________________
2017 Aerolite 213 RBSL-ND
2018 Wolf Pup 17RP Limited (Tiny THauler)
2018 F150 King Ranch 3.5 Beast
2003 Ram 2500 Cummins (can't kill this beast)
snakebitten is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-13-2016, 05:29 PM   #7
JRR
New Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Decatur
Posts: 3
Alabama
I'm not seeing a clear method for getting the wires into the trailer itself. Underneath is the tarp underbelly. I don't want to compromise that if I can help it. I am thinking about taking off the sewer vent cap and just dropping a weight on a string down it to see if I can access it behind a wall in the trailer. It has to be in the shower compartment somewhere.
JRR is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-13-2016, 06:00 PM   #8
Senior Member
 
ewarnerusa's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Helena, MT
Posts: 606
Montana
I would say stick with your refrigerator vent idea. Take off the louvers behind the refrigerator on the outside of the camper and you expose the clear pathway up to the roof vent.
__________________

__________________
2012 Aspen Trail 2710BH | 470 watts of solar on the roof | 2x6V GC batteries | 1500 watt PSW inverter | Micro Air on A/C | so far strictly boondocking
ewarnerusa is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Dutchmen RV or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.


All times are GMT. The time now is 04:54 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Copyright 2020 Social Knowledge, LLC All Rights Reserved.
×