Solar install, 2016 3010 RE

[muzhunter]

I have a 2016 Big Horn 3010RE. Wanting to install a 200 W roof mount solar system. I do not care if the controller is inside the coach or not. My last trailer had a vent pipe that ran through the basement storage. Dropped the wires down the pipe then siliconed around them coming into the storage compartment. Made hook up easy.


Where is the easiest location to get the cables from the roof to near the battery location?

I was thinking the vent pipe for the washer/dryer? Then into basement storage then to batteries.

Ideas and suggestions please.

Thanks in advance Mark

 

[jbeletti]

Hi Mark,

If you choose to not use an existing vent pipe as you've done in the past (I've never done so), consider this...

Take a look at where I made a red dot on this image:

"If" there is a TV above your bedroom dresser and if there is wood trim around the TV that comes all the way down to the top of the dresser, I would likely bring my solar panel wiring down into the bedroom through the ceiling above the TV, route it down the wall, through the dresser top, behind the drawers into the toe-kick area and through an existing wiring hole going down through the floor into the utility area behind the storage bay. Then to get the wiring to the battery area, I'd route the wire down into the drop frame area, forward, then up into the battery area.

Consider going at least one wire gauge heavier than initially planned to compensate for DC voltage drop over this wire path length. Good luck!

 

[travelin2]

JB that’s a good route to consider but if it’s like our previous 3010 and our 3270 there’s a significant gap between the TV cabinet and dresser where the cables would be exposed without something creative to cover

I dropped mine down into the W/D closet then followed the vent pipe to under the dresser dropping down into the doorside LP compartment from there into the front genny basement to the batteries


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[jbeletti]

JB that’s a good route to consider but if it’s like our previous 3010 and our 3270 there’s a significant gap between the TV cabinet and dresser where the cables would be exposed without something creative to cover

I dropped mine down into the W/D closet then followed the vent pipe to under the dresser dropping down into the doorside LP compartment from there into the front genny basement to the batteries

Great idea Lyle. I would likely do the same but was unsure how deep the OP wanted to get into it or his capability. Some coaches (Landmarks perhaps), had the TV's boxed in and the wiring would be a bit hidden. But yeah, your routing is way more stealthy.

 

[muzhunter]

Thanks for info!!!

Lyle, looking at PICS did you drill hole through the roof or into the pipe? I would like to pop that cap off into the pipe then out in the coach, then hopefully get cap back on.

Let me run this past you. In the PIC (my trailer) there are 2 vent pipes just behind the AC unit. In the basement storage there are 2 covered utility runs. Looks like one has ABS in it. That might be easier? Down the pipe, out then into battery compartment.

Thoughts?

Thanks again
Mark

 

[travelin2]

Thanks for info!!!

Lyle, looking at PICS did you drill hole through the roof or into the pipe? I would like to pop that cap off into the pipe then out in the coach, then hopefully get cap back on.

Let me run this past you. In the PIC (my trailer) there are 2 vent pipes just behind the AC unit. In the basement storage there are 2 covered utility runs. Looks like one has ABS in it. That might be easier? Down the pipe, out then into battery compartment.

Thoughts?

Thanks again
Mark

Hi. I opted to drill a new hole near to but not right next to the W/D vent. You could I suppose do as you’re thinking, removing the cap.
The 2 vent pipes behind the AC come down behind the basement wall so you’ll need to get from there up to the front where the batteries are as you say. I have had the doorside utility run apart to run a piece of romex. It’s full!
My controller, breaker disconnects and inverter are mounted on the wall above my battery bank


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[muzhunter]

Got it installed. I took the cap off the vent pipe for the washer. Ran the cable down the pipe into the trailer, out of the pipe to the floor. From there there is a bunch of wires that run into the bottom of the dresser. through the floor into the propane storage , through that into the front storage/battery compartment. pretty simple.

Thanks for your suggestions.

 

[travelin2]

Got it installed. I took the cap off the vent pipe for the washer. Ran the cable down the pipe into the trailer, out of the pipe to the floor. From there there is a bunch of wires that run into the bottom of the dresser. through the floor into the propane storage , through that into the front storage/battery compartment. pretty simple.

Thanks for your suggestions.

Yep. That’s route my cables follow too!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[da7heaven]

I know this is an older thread, but hoping for guidance from fellow 3010RE owners. Heartland told me that our roofs are a single, laminated piece, making it difficult to mount things like solar panels without some sort of backer plate to beef up the structure. How did you guys mount your panels to the roof? Thanks!

 

[centerline]

there are a few ways to mount panels to the roof, but as i do it for hire, I use uni-strut.... its a clean low profile installation.
the layout is made where I want the mounts, then I pressure wash the areas and wipe it down with acetone..... then i make my precise marks where i want the mounts located and lay a heavy bead of Dicor Roof Lap Sealant the entire length of where the uni-strut piece needs to be located.. then i press the uni-strut into it, and use a couple of 3/4" screws to mecanically attach the strut to the roof, and cover these screws with sealant.... then i dress up the caulking so that there is no place for water to set in a divot, and once the roof sealant cures, the mounting structure is firmly attached, and no place for it to ever leak.

I use the 11/16 high uni-strut, and after the panels are bolted in place, the top surface of the panels are about 2"high off the roof... low profile so that very little wind can get under them....

the roof structure is "laminated", as in thin plywood, so there isnt much to grip with a screw, but the rubber membrane is adhered to the plywood and the plywood is adhered to the trailer, so as long as you have sufficient surface area, the panel mounts being glued down would either have to lose their adhesion and peel up, or the rubber roof would have to lose adhesion and peel up "all at once", because its a rigid structure after its all installed and it cant start to peel up at a corner and slowly get worse, it STAYS PUT...
the screws add a questionable amount of securement, but they do keep the rails in place until the sealant cures.... ive never had any of my installations fail, but then it really doesnt take much to keep panels in place as long as the wind cant get under them with enough force to cause a lifting or buffering/vibration action.....

 

[da7heaven]

there are a few ways to mount panels to the roof, but as i do it for hire, I use uni-strut.... its a clean low profile installation.
the layout is made where I want the mounts, then I pressure wash the areas and wipe it down with acetone..... then i make my precise marks where i want the mounts located and lay a heavy bead of Dicor Roof Lap Sealant the entire length of where the uni-strut piece needs to be located.. then i press the uni-strut into it, and use a couple of 3/4" screws to mecanically attach the strut to the roof, and cover these screws with sealant.... then i dress up the caulking so that there is no place for water to set in a divot, and once the roof sealant cures, the mounting structure is firmly attached, and no place for it to ever leak.

I use the 11/16 high uni-strut, and after the panels are bolted in place, the top surface of the panels are about 2"high off the roof... low profile so that very little wind can get under them....

the roof structure is "laminated", as in thin plywood, so there isnt much to grip with a screw, but the rubber membrane is adhered to the plywood and the plywood is adhered to the trailer, so as long as you have sufficient surface area, the panel mounts being glued down would either have to lose their adhesion and peel up, or the rubber roof would have to lose adhesion and peel up "all at once", because its a rigid structure after its all installed and it cant start to peel up at a corner and slowly get worse, it STAYS PUT...
the screws add a questionable amount of prevention, but they do keep the rails in place until the sealant cures.... ive never had any of my installations fail, but then it really doesnt take much to keep panels in place as long as the wind cant get under them with enough force to cause a lifting or buffering/vibration action.....

Thanks @centerline! I had hoped there were rafters every 18-24 inches like I've seen on other installs (where they seem to be using 1-1/2 to 2 inch screws). I was leaning towards the uni-strut channel idea as well. I hadn't thought of using Dicor (except for the screw hole areas); thanks for that idea. Is it the self-leveling kind?

 

[centerline]

Thanks @centerline! I had hoped there were rafters every 18-24 inches like I've seen on other installs (where they seem to be using 1-1/2 to 2 inch screws). I was leaning towards the uni-strut channel idea as well. I hadn't thought of using Dicor (except for the screw hole areas); thanks for that idea. Is it the self-leveling kind?

yes, the dicor lap sealant is self leveling.....

I dont bother with finding a roof truss because it doesnt matter as long as the plywood is attached to them (which is usually done with sealant and not mechanical fasteners)...
screw thru the rubber membrane into the plywood with a screw on each end of the strut channel and your good..... the sealant definitley wont come loose if the Rubber roof is cleaned well before applying it....

there is also this type of mounting, which can be "glued" on as well.... corner feet for the panel to set in, but with some brands, the panels will set higher off the roof, as there are several different manufactures of this type of installation brackets, and different colors...

https://www.amazon.com/Alrska-Bracket-Outdoor-Plastic-Photovoltaic/dp/B09X4LSHXW/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?crid=17PK60SVPC4P5&keywords=solar+panel+mounting+feet&qid=1674429697&sprefix=solar+panel+mounting+feet%2Caps%2C246&sr=8-2-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEzWDk5UDVUUUJPNUMmZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTAyMjk5MTMxQVZOVlYzSTdETkdQJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTA2NzQ2MDAxVzRLSkxCT0pGMk1MJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==