Is a coleman solar controller "plug and play"

[chin_k]

If you decided not to split the black wire, here is what you can do. Cover the solar panel like Bob says, or you go careful with the bare wire terminal, since it can give you sparks if you hit the positive wire with anything that is grounded.

1, disconnect the positive solar wire on the old controller.
2a, measure the voltage from the *solar* negative terminal and *battery* positive terminal. If you see ~12V, then it is negative grounded controller.
2b, measure the voltage from the *solar* positive terminal and *battery* negative terminal. IF you see ~12V, then it is positive grounded controller.
3, label the wires with a masking tape or whatever way you want.
4, disconnect all the wires from the old controller, put a wire nut or tape on the positive wire, or better, remove the fuse by the battery.
5, connect the positive wire from the battery, and the combined black wire (I assume it is negative....) to the battery (-) of the Coleman controller.
6, see step 2a and 2b above to figure out which grounding type is the Coleman controller. It should be negative grounded, just like the old one.
7, connect the positive solar wire, and you are done with electrical connections.

[Flame]

Thanks Chin. Well I am not even close to wiring yet. The original "hole" where the old one is mounted is NOT just a little trim. It is 1 3/4 inch too short!! And a little too tall also. I really don't want to cut that much fiberglass so I have to rethink this. I believe I will build a simple "box" to mount the coleman to and screw the box to the wall. Won't be "flush" mounted but it sits way out of the way of anything so should be good. Has anyone ever done this?

[chin_k]

No, I have not, but you can probably can get a C-channel aluminum extrusion, or a C-channel wood/plastic pieces (check the picture framing section in crafting stores, or lumber section where they are selling trim and crown molding), use a miter to cut the 45 degree, and use it to go around the space between the Coleman and the fiberglass.

If you are handy with a router or want to play around with wood, you can make an enclosure anyway you want for it.

[Flame]

Great idea. I actually think I have some of that channel wood in brown woodgrain from my mobile home repair job awhile back!! I'll let you know what I come up with! Thanks!

[Flame]

Well, my Coleman solar controller is mounted and working fine!! I bit the bullet and decided to go ahead and cut the fiberglass out almost 2 inches wider than the original. Glad I did because it sits flush and looks great! It reads 13.2 volts but I am plugged in to shore also. The blue lightening bolt light is flashing showing it is in bulk mode for now. Batteries are pretty much fully charged though! I assume this is normal for now? Anyway...taking my time to pull the felt material back and cut the fiberglass and run some new wire the complete project took me 2 hours. But I'm very happy with it. When I switched the button to amps it reads only .1 amp I believe. What's up with that? Is that as should be parked under a carport and hooked up to shore power?

[caconcourse]

Thanks Chin. Well I am not even close to wiring yet. The original "hole" where the old one is mounted is NOT just a little trim. It is 1 3/4 inch too short!! And a little too tall also. I really don't want to cut that much fiberglass so I have to rethink this. I believe I will build a simple "box" to mount the coleman to and screw the box to the wall. Won't be "flush" mounted but it sits way out of the way of anything so should be good. Has anyone ever done this?

Very sorry for the misinformation. Although they didn't make too many changes over the various model years, there were some, and I forget that all the components are not exactly the same. I chose the Coleman controller after a long search because it was flush mounted and the flange dimensions were identical to "my" old factory panel. I was more concerned with covering the hole and keeping the wires behind the panel than thinking about the hole being too small. Even in your case I wouldn't hesitate to expand the width of the hole 1 3/4" as long as the flange covered the opening. Making a box works fine too.

I used a jigsaw to cut the fiberglass, but it's messy, and would probably recommend a hacksaw blade with a handle as a cleaner option. I would pull back the liner and cut it but leave a margin so it still could wrap around the new opening.

Anyway, the Coleman controller has been a huge improvement, so I don't think you will be disappointed. One thing to do during your wiring installation is to remove the 7.5 amp in-line fuse at the batteries in order to disconnect the batteries from the controller. The fuse is located at the battery and on mine is on a black wire that connects to the battery + terminal. I think I blew that fuse right away when I was hooking things up.

Ha ha, looks like your last message came out while I was typing. Good for you. The amps will show as next to nothing (your .1 amp) because your batteries are already charged so no current is being drawn from the solar controller. I wondered for a long time why the current never seemed to approach the solar capacity, but it was because there was no demand. If you unplug your shore cable and turn on some lights or the fantastic fan, you will get a better idea of the soar current available.

[chin_k]

I don't think you can get much out of the solar panel if you are under a carport. You can try to run down the battery a bit by unplugging it from shore, and running the fridge (I think it is the biggest user of DC unless you have an inverter) and turn on some lights. Then you may have to pull your rig out of the carport and see the difference in the current (amp). I would just wait until next time when you have to move the rig, however. It is not a good idea to crank the engine just for moving a few yard.

[Flame]

Clay, and everyone else, for future reference I used a electric cutting tool from harbor freight. a buddy used his to cut my countertops to install a new sink in my house. I was BLOWN AWAY with what all it can do!! Called a variable speed oscillating multifunction power tool. Chicago electric made this one. harbor freight number ITEM # 63111 You can angle the blade anyway you need it. No pilot hole needed. Just stick the corner of the blade in whatever you are cutting and it digs in and goes!! You will find HUNDREDS of uses for this tool. Naturally I had to run down and buy my own. And...you can buy replacement blades for it at any hardware store!!

[dirksgoat]

Thanks Chin. Well I am not even close to wiring yet. The original "hole" where the old one is mounted is NOT just a little trim. It is 1 3/4 inch too short!! And a little too tall also. I really don't want to cut that much fiberglass so I have to rethink this. I believe I will build a simple "box" to mount the coleman to and screw the box to the wall. Won't be "flush" mounted but it sits way out of the way of anything so should be good. Has anyone ever done this?

Very sorry for the misinformation. Although they didn't make too many changes over the various model years, there were some, and I forget that all the components are not exactly the same. I chose the Coleman controller after a long search because it was flush mounted and the flange dimensions were identical to "my" old factory panel. I was more concerned with covering the hole and keeping the wires behind the panel than thinking about the hole being too small. Even in your case I wouldn't hesitate to expand the width of the hole 1 3/4" as long as the flange covered the opening. Making a box works fine too.

I used a jigsaw to cut the fiberglass, but it's messy, and would probably recommend a hacksaw blade with a handle as a cleaner option. I would pull back the liner and cut it but leave a margin so it still could wrap around the new opening.

Anyway, the Coleman controller has been a huge improvement, so I don't think you will be disappointed. One thing to do during your wiring installation is to remove the 7.5 amp in-line fuse at the batteries in order to disconnect the batteries from the controller. The fuse is located at the battery and on mine is on a black wire that connects to the battery + terminal. I think I blew that fuse right away when I was hooking things up.

Ha ha, looks like your last message came out while I was typing. Good for you. The amps will show as next to nothing (your .1 amp) because your batteries are already charged so no current is being drawn from the solar controller. I wondered for a long time why the current never seemed to approach the solar capacity, but it was because there was no demand. If you unplug your shore cable and turn on some lights or the fantastic fan, you will get a better idea of the soar current available.

caconcourse, did you or anyone put inline fuses that match the fuses on the panel on the Mark 15?

[caconcourse]

caconcourse, did you or anyone put inline fuses that match the fuses on the panel on the Mark 15?

I did not add any fuses when I replaced the controller. There is already an in-line fuse near the battery. I replaced the 7.5A fuse with a 20A fuse when I added two more 50W panels (150W total), because the panels could exceed 7.5A of output.