No Port For Solar On The Side

BigHorns · Dec 15, 2019

We're in our third month in our 2019 Bighorn 3925MLP 5W. It has the GoPower Solar On The Side sticker on the side but the actual port to plug in has been completely illusive. Everything I have read says this port should, literally, be on the side of the RV. It is nowhere to be found ANYWHERE. Can anyone point me to what I'm missing?

Jesstruckn/Jesstalkn · Dec 15, 2019

The only place I have ever seen it is up front by the landing leg switch.

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BigHorns · Dec 15, 2019

Jesstruckn/Jesstalkn said:
The only place I have ever seen it is up front by the landing leg switch.

That's where I've read it should be. Only thing I have next to the landing legs switch is a vent from the batteries.

Oregon_Camper · Dec 15, 2019

I remember another Heartland member having his GoPower "solar ready" question His was inside the RV, close to the heater. He had a sticker inside his RV that refers to installing the PVM Solar Controller inside the RV.

BigHorns · Dec 15, 2019

Oregon_Camper said:
I remember another Heartland member having his GoPower "solar ready" question His was inside the RV, close to the heater. He had a sticker inside his RV that refers to installing the PVM Solar Controller inside the RV.

Wow. Not sure I get that. But I have no such situation. I have the typical sticker on the right side front of the 5W indicating the port is installed. I also have a PWM Charge Controller showing 13.2 volts on it. Not sure what it's connected to if not the tiny little solar panel glued to the roof. But no port for the Solar On The Side.

cookie · Dec 15, 2019

The Solar on the Side sticker is a brand name sticker not a location.
The controller may only be wired for battery charge only.

Peace
Dave

danemayer · Dec 15, 2019

Earlier builds were pre-wired with lightweight wire for a small solar panel and I think the port was up front. Newer builds have a solar panel on the roof, wired to a controller that in turn provides some power to the batteries. It's a small, complete system. If you want to add to it, you probably have to add panels, put in heavier wiring, and get a larger controller.

Dmetcalf · Dec 30, 2019

Did you check out the roof to see if there already was a smaller 20a solar panel installed..? Our 2019 has the same sticker but I found a small solar panel installed on our roof.

LBR · Dec 30, 2019

BigHorns said:
Wow. Not sure I get that. But I have no such situation. I have the typical sticker on the right side front of the 5W indicating the port is installed. I also have a PWM Charge Controller showing 13.2 volts on it. Not sure what it's connected to if not the tiny little solar panel glued to the roof. But no port for the Solar On The Side.

View attachment 63454

Would love to hear back if you had resolved this yet?

You can add the plug on the side easily. The wires simply go directly to the battery circuitry with the + having a fuse.

BigHorns · Dec 31, 2019

Dmetcalf said:
Did you check out the roof to see if there already was a smaller 20a solar panel installed..? Our 2019 has the same sticker but I found a small solar panel installed on our roof.

Yes, I do have a small panel on the roof- appears to literally be glued down. Sounds like you are confirming what I've suspected that it takes the place of a solar port on the side of the 5W- which eliminates the quick-connect for a larger portable solar panel.

What I'm also curious of is a 12V pigtail I have hanging loose in the battery bay ready to be connected to something. I'm hoping to have a chance soon to run that down and see if it's maybe solar-input related by any chance.

Thanks for your reply.

- - - Updated - - -

LBR said:
Would love to hear back if you had resolved this yet?

You can add the plug on the side easily. The wires simply go directly to the battery circuitry with the + having a fuse.

At this point, I'm resolved that the tiny solar panel on the roof has replaced the port on the side of the 5W. Kind of aggravating that I can't simply plug in my 120 watt portable panel as expected. The sticker is completely mis-representing. But- it's easy to rectify as you note. I'll probably add the port.

Dmetcalf · Dec 31, 2019

I too have a pigtail that is not connected to anything in the front compartment..? Maybe some one here knows more about this ..?

danemayer · Dec 31, 2019

Dmetcalf said:
I too have a pigtail that is not connected to anything in the front compartment..? Maybe some one here knows more about this ..?

A picture would help.

BigHorns · Dec 31, 2019

danemayer said:
A picture would help.

Here ya go...

And that's not lightweight wiring either. Pretty hefty stuff.

- - - Updated - - -

And here's a pic of the little charge controller in the bay. About the same gauge wire as that empty pigtail. Makes me wonder. This controller is obviously attached to the tiny panel on the roof- I assume. But I still wonder if that pigtail is somehow connected. Hoping I can get down there today and trace it.

danemayer · Dec 31, 2019

Use a volt meter to see if there's 12V DC on those wires. If so, turn the battery disconnect OFF. If you still have 12V there, the power could be coming from the solar panel and might be a connection point for a ground-based panel.

BigHorns · Dec 31, 2019

danemayer said:
Use a volt meter to see if there's 12V DC on those wires. If so, turn the battery disconnect OFF. If you still have 12V there, the power could be coming from the solar panel and might be a connection point for a ground-based panel.

Thanks, Dan. Yes, that's exactly what I'm counting on to be the case. In which case I could easily put the connector back on the side- or somewhere.

BigHorns · Dec 31, 2019

danemayer said:
Use a volt meter to see if there's 12V DC on those wires. If so, turn the battery disconnect OFF. If you still have 12V there, the power could be coming from the solar panel and might be a connection point for a ground-based panel.

No such luck. With all power on, the pigtail reads 13.2 converter voltage. With shore power off, it reads 12.5 battery voltage. With disconnect off, no voltage on it. So, it's basically just 12v battery power hanging there. Could be handy though.

Dmetcalf · Jan 2, 2020

mine has this covered plug directly under the Solar on the Side decal. Not sure what it is for ..? Looks like a coax inlet but all of my tv coax connections are on the opposite side of the trailer.

Oregon_Camper · Jan 2, 2020

Dmetcalf said:
View attachment 63530

mine has this covered plug directly under the Solar on the Side decal. Not sure what it is for ..? Looks like a coax inlet but all of my tv coax connections are on the opposite side of the trailer.

That is the port you would plug a portable Solar Panel into. From there...it should be wire to the battery bank.

Dmetcalf · Jan 2, 2020

Oregon_Camper said:
That is the port you would plug a portable Solar Panel into. From there...it should be wire to the battery bank.

Thank you ..!!

Matt750 · Jan 2, 2020

Oregon_Camper said:
That is the port you would plug a portable Solar Panel into. From there...it should be wire to the battery bank.

Make sure it is hooked up to the battery bank. On our CY 4007 the wires are just laying next to the batteries. The connection point on the side is the same as my Deltran battery tenders (and I’m sure other tenders). I typically plug in the main 50amp wire when in storage, but I could just plug in a battery tender to the “solar port on the side” to maintain batteries. Nothing in between the port on the side and batteries.

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