Finally did solar in my JK

[NatersXJ6]

I’ve been messing around for a year or so with some solar components trying to set them up on the Jeep. Around Christmas, I finally tore the dash apart and ran wiring to the roof, the battery, and the passenger footwell.

Today I mounted the controller after making a little bracket for it.

Later this week 200 watts of Renogy panels will go in the roof rack.

I’m pretty happy, however, it was 102 in my garage today. That doesn’t bode well for the coming Covid Summer or hiding (social distancing?) from my family!

At least the Jeep will contain reliably cold beverages.?

 

[Buddha.]

Congrats. I finally got solar mounted on my travel trailer today after buying all the stuff on Black Friday. 400w of Renogy to a 100/30 Victron. Sun was pretty much set by the time I was done so I didn’t get much of a test.

 

[NatersXJ6]

Congrats. I finally got solar mounted on my travel trailer today after buying all the stuff on Black Friday. 400w of Renogy to a 100/30 Victron. Sun was pretty much set by the time I was done so I didn’t get much of a test.

Ha! isn’t that how it always goes? Maybe for the final connection I’ll start when I put the kids to bed so that I can finish when the sun comes up!

 

[NatersXJ6]

As a side note, the Victron manual pretty clearly states that the module is to be mounted vertically with the terminal strip down. For ease of routing wiring and seeing the status LED array, I really wanted the terminal strip facing sideways. I consulted with a couple of electronics engineering technicians and we collectively decided that since the whole controller appears to be solid state it shouldn’t matter and the terminal down thing is probably intended to keep stuff from falling or dripping into the terminals and shorting out.

We shall see... but I’m pretty confident that we are right. If not, I’ve had more expensive lessons in life.

 

[rayra]

Congrats on the install. How much of the roof does 200A cover and how did you choose to mount them, always 'deployed' / in use?

You might consider adding some short standoffs between the victron and the bracket, not that it's likely to get too hot in the footwell. But it wouldnt hurt.

 

[NatersXJ6]

Congrats on the install. How much of the roof does 200A cover and how did you choose to mount them, always 'deployed' / in use?

You might consider adding some short standoffs between the victron and the bracket, not that it's likely to get too hot in the footwell. But it wouldnt hurt.

I did a 1” standoff in the bracket itself. I also drilled the back of it out, so air moves to the actual Victron. Since it doesn’t have a heat sink, I’m guessing it doesn’t get super hot. I have computer fans on my air compressor under the seat, and might do the same to this controller if needed. I’m figuring that the inside of a Jeep in Fresno is probably hitting 150 or more, so I’m not expecting long life from this thing.

Once I got off my ******** and built the first bracket, I could probably do a different version in an hour if I need to add a fan.

It is only 2 panels, 42-1/4 x 39-1/8, and they will just bolt down to the expanded metal panel on my existing Gobi rack. They will run 100% of the time. I’m just hoping to offset my fridge use, it deep cycles and kills the battery in 4 days of summer time usage with no driving.
Of course, I used to have multiple cars, so the Jeep wasn’t driven every day, but I sold the extras last year, so I’m all-in on the Jeep now.

Anyway, it feels like an accomplishment. All I need is a few bolts from Lowe’s or other tomorrow to mount the panels. I guess tomorrow AM is about standing in line and hiding from the diseased masses.

 

[rayra]

I did a 1” standoff in the bracket itself. I also drilled the back of it out, so air moves to the actual Victron. Since it doesn’t have a heat sink, I’m guessing it doesn’t get super hot. I have computer fans on my air compressor under the seat, and might do the same to this controller if needed. I’m figuring that the inside of a Jeep in Fresno is probably hitting 150 or more, so I’m not expecting long life from this thing.
...

Good stuff. I saw the circular hole. Bracket looked so nice / suited I wondered if it was some sort of option part by Victron.

I've got Renogy PWM livign inside my 'power module' box in the back of my Sub, it's mounted with a tiny bit of standoff on the inside of the carpeted plywood lid of the box. Which is basically shut all the time, except when I'm using the 1000W inverter for some power tools. Black Sub in SoCal, know what you mean about 150F. (shrug) they're only passing a few amps even at their heaviest loads.
I put a 40mm 12VDC fan out of an old hard drive enclosure but I never actually wired it up. Dont seem to need it.

 

[NatersXJ6]

Bracket looked so nice / suited I wondered if it was some sort of option part by Victron.

Flat black is your friend when it comes to looking like a fab pro on the internet!