Furrion Solar Port Question

[rideandfly]

Our Ollie does not have factory installed solar.  Installed an exterior Furrion Solar port on Ollie for use with our 100W Renogy Solar Suitcase. This system works fine with a single 100AH BattleBorn lithium battery.  Have seen charge rates up to 7 amps with the 100W Solar Suitcase.  Also using a 20Amp Renogy waterproof solar charger mounted in the battery compartment using 10/2 charge cables with MC4 connectors. Would like to start using a Renogy 200W Solar Suitcase with this system, but the problem is the Furrion Port is only rated for 10 amps.

Has anyone here modified their Furrion solar port increasing amperage to 20amps or any ideas on modifying this port to be able to handle 20 amps? During installation of the Furrion Solar Port used a 2" hole saw for installation, so I will keep this solar port housing installed.

Thanks,

Bill 2015 LE2

https://furrion.com/products/solar-port-inlet-black?view=base&variant=32719516270688

https://www.amazon.com/iGreely-Industrial-Circular-Connector-Suitcase/dp/B07RXHF3GF/ref=sr_1_5?crid=1LTZ0CV42B9E7&keywords=solar+port+connector&qid=1662133552&sprefix=solar+port+connector%2Caps%2C178&sr=8-5

 

[John E Davies]

There is no way to increase that 10 amp maximum, it is built into the design. I thought about this once and decided that I would replace the Furion port with an Anderson Power Pole double panel mount. 

https://powerwerx.com/panelpole-panel-mount-powerpole-black-dual

You do need to buy the additional connectors and special tools unless you know a tech or a Ham radio nut that has them. I “think” you could gut the Furion port and install this into the housing. No guarantees 😳

 

John Davies

Spokane WA

 

[rideandfly]

John,

Just found this video showing a few ways to make this modification.

At the end of the video he shows the Anderson/Powerwerx modification you discussed.

Will post the modification when done!

Thanks,

 

[SeaDawg]

I wonder (out loud) how Renogy's mppt controller works, when you daisy chain two panels, one as primary with the controller, one without?

They've sold many of these systems.  I'll just conjecture that they have some answers for you, if you call. Most rvs out there have a zamp or furrion port, with a 10 amp fuse.  Like John, and you, we have the furrion port, as we deemed it more weather resistant than the zamp port. Time will tell.

 

[rideandfly]

 

When I installed the Furrion solar port, my only reservation it was 10 amps. I like how it mounts and resist weather, but replacing the guts like John said with higher amperage components should work. 

Planning to buy another 100W Renogy suitcase panel and connect both 100W panels together with Renogy branch Y connectors for a parallel connection between both solar panels running - & + cables to the 20A Renogy Voyager controller. Believe the maximum current I should see will be 14 or 15 amps in very good solar charging conditions. The 20A Renogy solar controller that is normally mounted on the back of the solar panel was removed and mounted in Ollie's battery compartment with the lithium battery. Renogy indicated in their Solar Controller information (if I remember correctly) this is more efficient than leaving the Solar Controller on the suitcase solar panel.

Contacted Renogy and they said this plan would work fine.

Do you mean connect panels in series when you say daisy chain?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08T1Q8PF7/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A05654602L3XUQ70M87BV&psc=1

[Jps190]

If both panels are the same  (or close in specs) you are better off running them in series.  This increases your voltage but not your amperage. Since your controller is downstream from the port it will see the low amperage before it gets to your controller where it increases.

 

John

[rideandfly]

On 9/6/2022 at 9:47 AM, Jps190 said:

If both panels are the same  (or close in specs) you are better off running them in series.  This increases your voltage but not your amperage. Since your controller is downstream from the port it will see the low amperage before it gets to your controller where it increases.

 

John

John and Kim, Thanks for your post!

We must have been camping when you made this post.

Already made the Solar port modification increasing the 10 amp port to 20 amp port before seeing your post today.

Renogy website covering solar panel wiring, parallel, series, or parallel/series system. 
 

https://www.renogy.com/learn-series-and-parallel/

Renogy recommends wiring the solar panels parallel when using PMW charge controller to maintain output voltage for the controller to work in high efficiently. I see now why SeaDawg was asking if I was wiring the panels in series with a MPPT controller, we have a PMW controller, Voyager 20 amp waterproof controller seen on the Renogy website, I’m learning daily!

Here’s the original 10 amp Furrion solar port.

 

Purchased a 20 amp Zamp solar port and modified it to fit the Furrion solar port.

Used a belt sander to reduce the outside diameter of the Zamp port down to 1.70”. Made a rubber gasket to seal between the Zamp port and Furrion housing. Drilled four holes through the rubber gasket, and Furrion housing using the Zamp port’s existing holes as a template. Used a 1 1/8” or 29mm hole saw to drill through the Furrion housing so the Zamp port would fit.

Wanted the original Furrion lid gasket to seal the Zamp port properly:

Finished solar port:

[dewdev]

Nice job rideandfly.

Is there a way you can change the Furrion cover to say 20A?

[rideandfly]

dewdev,

After finishing the installation, thought the same thing. Will post if I come up with a nice looking way to make the change!

Thanks!

[rideandfly]

Forgot about having this Brother label maker, it may not last long, will see: