The 12V (#4) lead in the 7-pin harness is the 12V power source from the chassis, and when the tow-vehicle engine is idling the alternator drives the voltage higher thus activating the Orion to charge (permitting programming is correct). However, depending on the chassis manufacturer's setup this source comes in one of three common forms...
This is one of the coolest campers we have worked on. The client used to live in a Tiny Home. Now he has moved into a camper that is about the same size. We installed 540 Watts of solar power and substantially upgraded his battery bank. This camper is designed to be very energy (and space) efficient, so the solar power we installed should go a long way towards powering his light DC loads.
This client elected to go with a Refrigerator Vent Combiner Box instead of our usual Roof Combiner Box because they didn’t want to have another hole drilled into their roof. The Refer Vent Box utilizes the existing hole that is used to vent the refrigerator, but it can only accommodate up to four solar inputs. It’s not a bad option if you’re definitely not going to expand, but it is obviously limited. The Roof Combiner Box we manufacture allows for eight solar inputs, doubling the possible capacity.
This weekend camper came to us to have a small solar system installed with the potential for future expansion. The SP100 solar panel we installed will help power his light DC loads while the camper is in use. When the camper is not in use the solar power will help keep his batteries charged and in good health. We also installed a Victron BMV-702 Battery Monitor to allow him to easily monitor the charge level of his battery bank.
Our 100W Victron complete charger kit is ideal for small installations like this. You can expand up to 200W and the robust, marine rated, MPPT charge controller is ideal for a wide range of applications from boats and campers to gate openers and security systems. The Bluetooth communication dongle reports system status to a smart phone without the need to mount a meter. If you only want one or two panels, this is the way to go.
We get several Cab Over Camper projects each year. This particular camper will have ample power for a variety of DC loads. The 320W solar charger will keep the 220Ah AGM battery bank healthy for many years.
