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solar controller wiring vent or combiner box


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I have a black tank vent about 15 ft form my batteries horizontialy. I can come down to basemant there or install a roof combiner near front of camper. One way longer wires on roof and other longer wiring to controller. Which is best

Edited by GlennWest

2003 Teton Grand Freedom towed with 2006 Freightliner Century 120 across the beautiful USA welding pipe.https://photos.app.goo.gl/O32ZjgzSzgK7LAyt1

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I found in my RV going down the vent pipe was not as easy as many seem to state. 

In my RV when I ran the wires from my roof combiner down the black (or gray) tank vent I discovered there is a couple of 30 degree junctions (bends) in the PVC piping.  It took some extra pushing and jiggling to get the wires down.  If the pipe would have gone straight down it would have been a lot easier.  Trying to go from the bottom to the top, I couldn't get the wires pushed up to the top.  I used #2 flexible wire.  

There was a little additional work to fish the wires out the exit hole in the pipe at the bottom.  I didn't want to make an overly large hole to seal up once I got the wires routed.  I had to get the wires right to the hole and then work to bend them to get them out of the pipe.  I think I drilled a 1" hole with a hole saw.  

Al & Sharon
2006 Winnebago Journey 36G 
2020 Chevy Colorado Toad
San Antonio, TX

http://downtheroadaroundthebend.blogspot.com/

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4 hours ago, GlennWest said:

I have a black tank vent about 15 ft form my batteries horizontialy. I can come down to basemant there or install a roof combiner near front of camper. One way longer wires on roof and other longer wiring to controller. Which is best

You might consider using a Voltage Drop Calculator to calculate the voltage drop for each of your wire routing options and pick the one with the least voltage drop. 

Al & Sharon
2006 Winnebago Journey 36G 
2020 Chevy Colorado Toad
San Antonio, TX

http://downtheroadaroundthebend.blogspot.com/

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Vent pipe is closer than I was thinking. Only be about 2 foot difference. Looks different inside than outside. Lol. My tank looks to be a straight drop. But what I would do is put a cotton ball on a string. Put in hole and use air to push it out the top. Tie rope to string and wire and pull it through. Seen cotton balls go hundreds of feet through many turns. When I many years ago ran the wiring to my house. Had DW watching at power panel when I shot the cotton ball to her. She screamed. 

2003 Teton Grand Freedom towed with 2006 Freightliner Century 120 across the beautiful USA welding pipe.https://photos.app.goo.gl/O32ZjgzSzgK7LAyt1

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On 5/3/2020 at 12:14 PM, GlennWest said:

I have a black tank vent about 15 ft form my batteries horizontialy. I can come down to basemant there or install a roof combiner near front of camper. One way longer wires on roof and other longer wiring to controller. Which is best

Does your controller have seperate battery voltage sensing leads? If so, run appropriate size wires from the controller to battery and don't worry about the length. My controller is about 25 ft from the batteries and works just fine. 

Richard Shields

Gladstone, MO

95 Bounder 32H F53

460/528 stroker engine

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