New Anderson PowerPole Mount

[Paulbeard]

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Currently -> Frida: 87 Tizian Red (mostly) Vanagon GL Westfalia w/ 2.0L ABA conversion
Formerly -> Steward of a 73 Super Beetle (Beater) and 67 Beetle 1300 (Little Max) both names by POs

[designer]

Jay - do you have a thread on here that details your Solar setup? Sorry off topic - trying to take it off topic though

I need to get serious about my Solar -> Aux setup and am curious as to what you have, specifically. (if it's not classified )

On another note Kam - i've always practiced the same on disconnection ... always covered the panels as I was told by a sambanista back in 2009.
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87 Syncro Westy : 2.5l

"It is that annoying, accelerating downhill so I can make it up the next hill in the same gear. Foot to floor hoping I can get out of the way of other cars getting onto the highway." - somebody on here around 2013.

[thatvwbusguy]

My solar setup is really simple. I have a 100W Monocrystaline panel mounted to the roof bars that feeds a 20A MPPT controller. Wiring is 10AWG and goes directly to the auxiliary battery.

I used to carry a flexible 100W panel with me to track the sun during the day, but I never really needed it, so I sold it to a friend. My power needs are pretty minimal and working 2 jobs generally keeps me from camping for extended periods of time.

If you use a bi-directional ACR like the Blue Sea Systems 7610 and want to ensure that all of your solar power is dedicated to the house battery, install a ON/OFF toggle switch on the ground wire to force isolate the batteries while camping. You just have to remember to flip the switch back to the ON position to resume automatic operation.

A good deep cycle battery under the passenger side of the rear seat is still the best bang for the buck. I consider Trojan batteries to be a pretty good balance of cost vs. value.
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Jay Brown
'85 Zetec Westfalia
Newmarket, NH


If you want others to be happy, practice compassion.
If you want to be happy, practice compassion.

[Vanagon Nut]

Hi folks.

Have users of the Anderson Powerpole connectors found they're holding up after a lot of repeated connect-disconnects?

Has anyone found a "chassis mount" Anderson or similar connector that has proven to be weather proof? (hasn't allowed corrosion to creep down the wires on body)

I'm thinking of making a remote flexible solar panel and considering ways to mount the connector at the rear pillar vent area.

Thanks

Neil.
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1981 Westy DIY 15º ABA

1988 West DIY 50º ABA

VE7TBN

[izzydog]

I've had the 75 amp Anderson Power Poles for almost 10 years now. They are holding up great.

I have two, 120 watt flexible panels attached to about 50 feet of heavy gauge speaker wire. I store the panels in the upper bunk.

I ran my connection from my battery, (under rear seat) out the fire wall and into the engine compartment, around the compartment to the license plate door.

When I need to plug the panels in, I just pop the license plate door open and plug in. The connectors stay relatively dry and clean in there and I didn't have to punch a hole anywhere in the body or pop top. The license plate door is a big hole in the body! Use it!

[Vanagon Nut]

[izzydog]

Hey Neil. The only potential issue I see with your idea is that the glass on your rear window will cut your solar gain - possibly significantly.

Since I'm able to move my panels around during the day, I've noticed that dirt on the panels, angle of the panels or anything that casts even the smallest shadow on the panels will clobber the amp output.

Maybe you could test out your panel on a sunny day and hopefully prove me wrong...

[Vanagon Nut]

[vwhammer]

I use the PowerPole connectors every day at work and have used the same sets, connecting and disconnecting, repeatedly 5 days a week for 7 years and honestly I can't recall ever having a failure.

I work in a research and development lab so our set ups usually do not see too much in the way of bad weather other than some occasional water and sub-zero temps in our environmental chamber so I can't say much on corrosion resistance.
However, I suspect with some proper sealing heat shrink on the connector you could slow down anything like that.


Perhaps you can sort a way to use something like this for moisture protection.
https://powerwerx.com/anderson-1441g1-1442g1-powerpole-splash-boot

There is also a possibility that that site has some other stuff as well.
I did not look too hard.

[Vanagon Nut]

Thanks vwhammer!

Ok. So they are obviously quite robust. My concern would be water getting in to the (female?) contacts at connector on body while the panel is unplugged.

Maybe this?

http://andersonconnect.com.au/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=317

or other trailer type connector. i.e. for this application, Anderson Pole connectors may not really aren't needed. (power only goes in)

Neil.
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1981 Westy DIY 15º ABA

1988 West DIY 50º ABA

VE7TBN

[jimf909]

[Gnarlodious]

Some Wiki editor is obviously enjoying a fantasy session. The correct term is genderless.
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Vanagon ’83 diesel AAZ w/Giles injection, 5spd 4.57R&P+TBD and a '78 diesel Rabbit

[jimf909]

[vwhammer]

There really is no substitute for the right crimper.
You might get lucky and find on that works but who knows how many you will have to try first.

I have the PowerPole crimpers.
They work and were not that expensive.
We have some crimpers at work that are pushing $800 so I am definitely ok paying $50 or 60 for some.

I also have a cheap set of ratchet crimpers I got from amazon that I should try sometime on the powerpoles just to see if they work.
They do a lot more different styles of terminals but they still ended up being like $35 or something.
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Pretty normal daily driver build
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=708418&highlight=

4x4 build
https://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/volkswagen-vanagon-4x4-conversion.162055/

[jimf909]

[Gnarlodious]

Strange but OK. I have been using PowerPoles for 25 years and never heard the word ‘hermaphroditic’ to describe them. Amateur radio, RACES and Search & Rescue has always described them as ‘genderless’ connectors.
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Vanagon ’83 diesel AAZ w/Giles injection, 5spd 4.57R&P+TBD and a '78 diesel Rabbit

[jimf909]

Here's another option for panel mounting PowerPole connectors. It's not as plug'n'play as the connector below and it also doesn't have a water resistant cap but it allows setting only one pair of connectors (maybe this is what Kamz used?). I'm looking to set a single pair at the front and rear of the van to connect an aux. solar panel to find the sun wherever it is in a 20' -25' radius around the van.


https://powerwerx.com/anderson-1463g1-powerpole-mo...MOEALw_wcB

[jimf909]

[kamzcab86]

[jimf909]