2018 Sonoma TT with GoPower "Solar Ready"

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an RV or an interest in RVing!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

a_shifter

Member
Joined
May 8, 2021
Posts
5
Location
Central AZ
Hey all,
New full-timer here trying to determine if I need to reverse solar connector polarity on my (2nd owner) travel trailer.
Here's what I know:
  • 2018 Forest River Sonoma 2202RTS
  • GoPower "Solar Ready"
  • Solar (SAE) plug on front of unit does not say ZAMP or other.
  • There was a GoPower decal but not much left. Nothing I can see about reverse polarity.
Here's what I've done to determine:
  • Checked continuity from SAE plug to frame/ground/negative battery terminal. No continuity on either terminal.
  • Checked for battery voltage (set to 20V DC) at both terminals. Nothing. Reversed probes. Nothing.
  • Checked for continuity from positive battery terminal. Got battery voltage at BOTH SAE terminals...
This doesn't seem right...I can accept hearing I'm being a bonehead, but I want to make sure I get my polarity right.
Can anybody offer some insight?
Sure appreciate it!
 
Oops... Just saw that apparent contradiction:
Checked for batt voltage with both probes to SAE terminals. Reversed. Nothing.
Checked for continuity from positive battery terminal. Got continuity (not voltage) at both SAE terminals.
 
Hi A_shifter. I'm not quite sure I understand exactly what's being tested, but If you're testing the continuity of the wires that run from the roof of the RV to the house-battery, they should be passing through a solar controller first. That's not always the case, but it's true more often than not. The positive output wire from the solar panel should be connected to the controller's positive (+) input connection, and the panel's negative (-) wire to the controller's negative connection. The controller's output connects directly to the battery terminals.

Do you have solar panels, or are you simply checking the existing wiring? The term "solar ready" can mean different things. It can mean that a sealed rooftop fitting has been installed, and a wire route has been designated to make it easier for you to run your own wires, or it could mean that the wires have already been installed and you just need to install some solar panels. Some manufacturers skimp when it comes to "solar ready" wiring. Depending on what's installed in your RV, and how well you want your solar system to perform, you might find that it's a good idea to install your own wiring.

Kev
 
Do you have solar panels, or are you simply checking the existing wiring? The term "solar ready" can mean different things. It can mean that a sealed rooftop fitting has been installed, and a wire route has been designated to make it easier for you to run your own wires, or it could mean that the wires have already been installed and you just need to install some solar panels. Some manufacturers skimp when it comes to "solar ready" wiring. Depending on what's installed in your RV, and how well you want your solar system to perform, you might find that it's a good idea to install your own wiring.

Kev

Thanks Kev,

Yes, I'm discovering this "Solar Ready" thing is a cheap (but probably expensive) sales gimmick. GoPower does not make it easy to discover what it means on a given model of RV, so I think I'm going to take your advice and just run my own wiring with a charge controller. For now, I just need to trickle charge by batts, so this'll be easy enough.

Sure appreciate the reply!
 

Latest posts

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
131,670
Posts
1,382,734
Members
137,455
Latest member
MtnRV
Back
Top Bottom