Solar panel wires

[kjoverbeck]

2015 R-27

I see the 2 wires coming out of the smokestack but where do they terminate?
Thanks Kent

 

[Red Raven]

If like my 2014 R27 the wires should terminate in the aft end of the port locker At the Morningstar Duo solar controller.

Curt

 

[kjoverbeck]

Thanks for the reply Curt. I currently have no solar panels. Are you saying I have a controller already in the battery compartment.? I would not think so but at least I know where to look for the wires.
thanks, Kent

 

[Red Raven]

No, if you don’t have a solar panel you likely do not have the controller either. The wires should be in aft end of the port cockpit locker though.

Curt

 

[kjoverbeck]

Thanks again. I should be good to go now.

 

[kjoverbeck]

Well, I thought I would be good to go but that's not the case. No wires with loose ends terminate in the locker. I can see all the wires coming into the locker and none color coded like at the stack, yellow and white with red tracing. In the battery compartment, there are two sets of wires labeled "solar" but they are just coiled up and zip tied to a cable.

How about it factory guys. Any suggestions? Thanks, Kent
2015 R-27

 

[scross]

If you are thinking about installing solar, it’s a fairly easy project. If you don’t have solar wires in the smokestack, you could run them through the rear roof and down the cabin/cockpit door frame like I did. The solar panel and solar controller the factory uses are a bit out of date. New solar technology is much improved. One of the best additions to my boat yet!
See photos in my album and instructions in the link below.

gallery2.php?g2_itemId=70468

viewtopic.php?f=24&t=9821&hilit=Solar+roof+diy#p67789

 

[kjoverbeck]

Thanks for the reply. However the problem is that I have solar wires at the smokestack but am unable to find them at the other end.

 

[Red Raven]

Kent,

The two wires in the battery locker are likely the charging wires that run from the solar controller (which you don’t have installed) to the batteries (house and start). Perhaps the wires from the stack are coiled up somewhere else in the port locker. They could be tucked up behind the cockpit liner a bit. My solar controller is mounted in the aft end upper port side of the port locker. I’ll take a look tomorrow and see where they enter the port locker as well as the routing to the controller.

Curt

 

[Salty7]

Kent, I had the same challenge on my tug. I eventually found the unlabeled wires coiled up in the port deck locker, I used a tone generator to locate them which I bought from Harbor Freight. In my case the wires at the stack had changed color in the sun so I was looking for the wrong colors in the locker. They are pretty good sized wires, maybe #10 so you should be able to find two unconnected rolled up wires in the locker.

 

[kjoverbeck]

I agree Guys. That's where they should be. I'm curious as to just where they enter the locker. Looks to me as there is just one route. tony, what is a "tone generator" and how do you use it? I searched for it at Harbor Freight but got no results.

 

[Red Raven]

I just checked the solar panel wires in the port locker on our boat. They are either 10 or 12 gauge yellow and red wires. They enter the starboard fore top corner of the port locker from the port fore corner of the engine compartment. They are tied into a large main bundle. From there they run in the bundle to the aft end of the compartment on the starboard wall near the floor. It then separates from the bundle and runs along the port locker aft wall near the floor under the negative buss bar and finally up to the controller in the aft top port corner of the port locker.

Curt

 

[kjoverbeck]

Thanks Curt. I'll check it out tomorrow. I have been looking more around the upper port side.

 

[Salty7]

Try Googling cable tracing kit. A tone generator is connected to the wire you want to trace, the generator puts a distinct sound on the wire, usually a warble tone. As you move the separate matched receiver closer to the wire it will get louder. So, if you connect the tone generator to a wire on the stack and take the receiver into the port compartment it should lead you straight to the wire you are looking for. In my search there were several starting at about $35. Harbor Freight calls theirs a Cable Tracker, it's online for $24.

 

[kjoverbeck]

I found them! They enter the starboard fore top corner of the port locker from the port fore corner of the engine compartment. They are tied into a large main bundle as Curt said. However they did not exit the bundle and were hidden. I just lucked out when in trying to see wires in the bundle, I spotted one that said SOL. In moving it some more SOLAR appeared. They were bright red and yellow. Different color from what's on top.
Thanks to all who responded.
Cheers, Kent

 

[Red Raven]

Good deal! Congrats! Have fun hooking up panels and a controller. I would recommend getting an MPPT controller as scross suggested.

Curt

 

[kjoverbeck]

Thanks for the info Tony. I bought the Cable Tracker but was un able to use it as I did not have a very small Phillips screwdriver needed to install the battery. However, I now have a new toy and it's pretty neat.

 

[Salty7]

Congratulations, it sounds like you are well on the way to setting up your solar system! I'm sure you will find the need for that tone generator somewhere along the way, it's of those tools that I hardly ever use but when I need it there is no substitute. Good luck with the rest of the installation.