Solar Prep wiring location 2022 Momentum 21G

[rvoelker]

Newb question:

I've searched and searched (online and on the trailer) but for the life of me I can't seem to locate where the wiring for the Solar Prep goes. Maybe I'm just no good at searching so now I gotta ask here(and because I can't seem to get through to Grand Design customer service)

Here's what I have and was told is 'Solar Prep':
300 Watt solar panel mounted on roof
MC4 roof mount connector
Wiring that disappears into the trailer

Here's what I am after:
Where does the wiring terminate so that I can install a charge controller?

Here are my assumptions:
..I'm guessing that the 'prep' would bring a pair of 10ga wires to some logical location and just be capped or terminated in some way. Another pair of wires probably goes to, or close to, the battery tray on the tongue.

I've seen some pictures of other models where the wiring ends up in the pass-through storage area. I don't have that and I've found nothing in the door-side outside storage compartment (other than the tire pressure prep and end cap lighting switch)

...any one have any ideas on where the wiring goes for this model?

Thanks!

[Country Campers]

rvoelker

If you have "solar prep" you do not have the solar panel on the roof or the solar charge controller.

Solar prep only has the Jaboni port on the roof and a pair of 10 ga. wires that should terminate behind the nautilus panel on the drivers side of the pass thru, it may be behind a plastic cover or tied to the roof of the storage in that area.

If you have the solar options you will have the panel on the roof as well as the solar charge controller located in the same area as the wires in the front pass thru and the wires from the panel will be attached to the charge controller.

Brian

[acoleman43]

I have a 2021 21G with the solar package. The solar charge controller and inverter are under the closet in master bed. You access through exterior storage. My guess is that's where the wiring terminates. See drawing below for how mine is setup. I hope this helps

[rvoelker]

FOUND IT!

..thanks for your tips!

Here's a few more data points:
A.) I was told that the unit only had "Solar Prep". When the salesman scaled the ladder and spotted the panel he popped back down and said, "yep, Solar Prep"
...agreeably, I found it odd that GD would put a panel up there and nothing else, and I never got a complete build list from the dealer (and as mentioned, I've all but given up trying to reach GD Customer Service).

B.) When I removed the access cover in the exterior storage compartment - low and behold - there was the Jaboni MPPT controller, along with the BlueTooth (BT-2) module!
...I remounted it squarely(it was askew) and then fired up the Solar App and connected. Works likes charm (as it had been since day 1, apparently)

No inverter, however. Perhaps it is located closer to the converter and I just need to search behind more panels. (not a big deal to me as I am happy just to have decent solar charging for the batteries).

I do appreciate both of your responses and had been standing by for an email from this system if a comment was added - never came and figured no one had commented. I was only coming back to add a "Here's where I found it" note!

Thanks again...

[Country Campers]

Glad that you found it and glad that you have Solar and not Solar prep. Being as this has the Solar package you should have a 1000w inverter , somewhere, it may be on the ceiling in the pass thru or near the MPPT controller.

Brian

[ncitro]

rvoelker Does your unit have the 12v compressor refrigerator? I know Grand Design is starting to use these, and when they do they equip the trailer with a single solar panel and charge controller to allow for use while boondocking. I don't believe an inverter is provided in these cases since the fridge is 12v.

[rvoelker]

ncitro The refrigerator that is installed(Norcold N8DC) is indeed a 12V compressor model so it sounds like you're probably right.

...I'm going to conclude that no inverter associated with the solar system is hidden anywhere.

Rich

[ncitro]

rvoelker Yeah so in that case your solar panel will recharge your batteries, but will not do anything to power your 115V circuits. Obviously down the road you can add an inverter if this is something you desire.

[rvoelker]

Not to drag this on further(oops, already did that!), if I did add an inverter later to power the 110v outlets how does one introduce that 110v into the existing circuitry, or would I want to isolate it's output?
...didn't I read that only some circuits are wired to 110v from/when a battery inverter is installed
...didn't I read that an inverter wants to have some sort of cut-over/in device, like the generator uses? (It seems to make sense to isolate the various 110v sources from each other. (Generator, inverter, shore power)

[acoleman43]

Not to drag this on further(oops, already did that!), if I did add an inverter later to power the 110v outlets how does one introduce that 110v into the existing circuitry, or would I want to isolate it's output?
...didn't I read that only some circuits are wired to 110v from/when a battery inverter is installed
...didn't I read that an inverter wants to have some sort of cut-over/in device, like the generator uses? (It seems to make sense to isolate the various 110v sources from each other. (Generator, inverter, shore power)

Our 21G has the solar/inverter package. It comes with a 1000W inverter. Obviously 1000W is not enough to power all AC loads. You will have to separate some of the AC loads from shore power/generator for the inverter. You will want to make sure the total of all AC loads that have been separated for the inverter is less than the power rating of the inverter (in the case of the 21G it would be less than 1000W). You separate the AC loads for the inverter by adding a sub panel for the inverter AC loads that total less than 1000W.

The 21G setup works like this: You have your main AC panel (in the case of the 21G it is an AC/DC panel with charger/converter all-in-one unit).

All AC loads are wired to this main panel EXCEPT those wired to the AC subpanel.

One of the circuits in the main AC panel is for the inverter (in my case a 15A switch).

This 15A inverter circuit goes to the AC input of the inverter.

The output of the inverter goes to the AC sub panel. In the case of the 21G there are 3 AC outlets wired to the inverter sub panel. One outlet is in master bed, one in the bathroom and one by kitchen sink.

When the trailer is connected to shore power or the generator is running, all AC loads wired to the main panel receive AC current, including the inverter. If there is AC current running to the inverter, the inverter allows the AC power to "pass through" the inverter output to the sub panel (which powers the 3 outlets). This way all AC loads are powered when connected to shore power or the generator.

When there is no AC power, and the inverter is switched on, the inverter inverts DC power to AC power and provides AC power to all AC circuits connected to the inverter ( in my case all circuits - the 3 outlets - in the sub panel). All other AC loads from the main AC panel will not have any power provided, including the inverter....but that's OK because the inverter will take the DC power from the batteries at this point.

So, if you want to connect an inverter with a rating of less than 3000W, you would have to add a subpanel and do some re-wiring of the AC circuits.


Another option is to install a 3000W inverter to power ALL AC loads (for 30 amp units). For 50 amp RV's you would need (2) 3000W inverters - one for each leg. You would connect shore power/Generator directly to the input of the inverter. You would connect the main AC panel to the output of the inverter. No sub panel required. This way all AC loads are connected to the inverter, including air conditioner, microwave...everything. You would want to make sure your battery bank is sufficient to power the loads desired. You would also benefit from a large solar array to keep the battery bank charged.

You can see how it is easy to go down the EXPENSIVE solar rabbit hole

I hope this makes sense and is helpful.

[ncitro]

rvoelker AColeman is exactly right. It can however be much simpler than that. I did a simple inverter system for my in laws where we installed a inverter and he just plugs his shore cord into the inverter when he wants to use it. We actually wired in an outlet on the side of his camper so that he just plugs his shore cord right into the inverter outlet and he is all set. He has to manually turn his converter off to avoid the snake eating its tail, and keep an eye on his loads, but for making coffee and running a hair dryer and TV it works great.

[rvoelker]

This forum is awesome...thanks for the data.

Conclusion: We're mostly boondocking/disbursed camping and really don't need/care for 110AC. The mystery of the solar inverter and it's presence/location has been solved.

Maybe some day I'll add one(have one in the basement, I think) "just because it's there", but at this point probably not.

[ncitro]

This forum is awesome...thanks for the data.

Conclusion: We're mostly boondocking/disbursed camping and really don't need/care for 110AC. The mystery of the solar inverter and it's presence/location has been solved.

Maybe some day I'll add one(have one in the basement, I think) "just because it's there", but at this point probably not.

That's great. Depending on your 12v use you probably could also add additional panels to help with battery charging if needed.

[rvoelker]

After much digging (in the trailer and online) I'm circling back around to put some finishing touches on my original question - "what solar parts would/could I have and where are they?"
..this post is mostly for posterity and future reference. Thanks to everyone who chimed in.

My 2022 Momentum 21G TT HAD the following solar parts installed
- 175 Watt Solar Panel, roof mount (initially was told it was a 300 watt. It's not)
- Jaboni MC4 roof connection
- Wiring from the panel to the control panel area (behind a close-out panel in the right forward storage area) and on to the battery
- MC2430 MPPT Solar charge controller and BT-2 Bluetooth adapter
FWIW- this particular charge controller had a printed label with the word "Jaboni" on it but I doubt it actually came from Jaboni. This model of MPPT controller is all over the place and branded by whoever wants to stick their name on it.
- An AC Breaker in the breaker panel titled "Inverter"
- 120V Molex style inverter pre-wiring stubbed in near the charge controller area.
- I use the Apple AppStore app named "Solar" to connect to and control the charge controller (There is a Renogy branded identical app that works, too). Admin password is 135790123

My 2022 Momentum 21G TT did NOT have the following solar parts installed
- Solar Charger Remote Pane, RM-6
- Magnum Dimensions 1000w inverter, CSW1012 (as listed on the GD website for this model) or CSW2012 2000w inverter(as I have seen in pictures for this model)
- Magnum Dimensions Remote Start Switch, CSW-RS
- Magnum Dimensions Transfer Switch, CSW-TS20-HM24
*All of these parts are listed on the Grand Design website for this model and floorpan.

I agree that it's easy enough to finish off the solar, and certainly one would not need to match factory - especially if it is going to be done up right like some of the systems ya'll talked about.

This pretty much wraps up my original question but like many things has only caused more...
Dealer said it had "Solar Prep". Agreeably and as pointed out, this is more than Solar Prep.
While I have some of the parts, I don't have what I think goes in to the factor "Solar Package".
Without a formal as-built feature list for what I paid for(Ref my inability to reach anyone at GD), I wonder if I should have had the missing pieces or maybe be looking for an IOU from GD due to materials shortages? (yeah, I know pigs can't fly)

Now...on to the other matters such as why the Punch sub woofer is not powering on, why my Carefree patio awning over extends, why the TCL Roku has a flashing LED, and...lets see...I am sure there was something else!

[ncitro]

rvoelker Things are a mess right now with what is shipping vs what you see on the floor. Basically you get what you get when you pick it up. They reserve the right (and frequently do) change the configuration on the ordered units to suit what they have available for components. They mentioned at the National Rally that they literally do not know what will be on a truck coming in until they open it up on the dock. Your only recourse for that is during the PDI, if you see something amiss you can refuse to buy it, or try to work it out with your dealer.

I do know one of the changes recently is they are starting to use DC compressor refrigerators. Separate from the solar prep or solar package, they are putting a solar panel and controller on these rigs to allow for boondocking since they do not have a propane option. I suspect that is what you have, and therefore would not have an inverter or any of its remote controls.