Using Solar Panels With a RV With a Pre-Wired Furrion Solar Port

Campers who take part in a lot of dry camping, colloquially known as boondocking, have recently utilized solar panels to a great extent. Solar cost has dropped since 2010, solar energy is environment-friendly, and convenient, so switching to solar when moving makes sense.

RV manufacturers have been taking note of this new trend of using solar on the go, so they have been adding pre-wired ports on the newer models.

Brands such as Forest River and Grand Design are already into it, with other manufacturers. These ports make it much easier to recharge your camper house batteries outside and when your RV is in storage and some trickle charge is required.

Many RV dealerships are trying to sell you solar panels compatible with Furrion solar ports, so always ask about it while buying an RV.

How to Use Solar Panels With A Furrion Solar Port 

This article will detail the nitty-gritty of using Furrion solar panels in campers and trailers. It is not complicated, but it requires some practice until you get the hang of the process. Here’s all you need to know:

How to Check If Your Solar Panel is Compatible With a Pre-Wired Furrion Solar Port 

Usually, the Furrion ports come with a 10A limit, which roughly translates to 120W. You would want to stay below that number, not accidentally blow a fuse. Furrion pre-wiring is electrical wires going into your batteries with fuses. There isn’t anything else in it.

So using a solar panel with a charge controller will effectively prevent overcharging and overheating. Essentially, a Furrion solar port of your RV will be the same, regardless of whether you own a Forest River or a Grand Design.

Adapter Required to Connect Third Party Solar Panels to The Furrion Solar Port 

The Furrion port is a rare 2-pin port that isn’t usually found on most solar panels. The reason this is so is mostly that companies make proprietary solar panels that can use this port. Solar panels nowadays usually come with MC4 connectors, so you need an adapter that can turn those MC4 connectors into 2-pin ones used by Furrion. 

The female MC4 connector is the one colored positive red, and the male one is the negative black one. These wires are compatible with most 3rd party panels from manufacturers such as HQST, Newpowa, renogy and zamp and others.

Make sure you purchase the proper adapter for your solar panel. If you have a solar panel with a positive female MC4 connector and a negative male one, you will need a CNLEIFU MC4 to 2-pin adapter.

Cable Extensions To Use if Required 

Solar panels usually have relatively short cables, so if you were planning to place it very far from the port, chances are that won’t be possible. We recommend using MC4 extension cables between the adapter and the solar panels.

The Windynation MC4 extension cables might be helpful in this case. There are different lengths to choose from; if worse comes to worst, you can tape them together with electrical tape for convenience’s sake.

Before buying cables, consider the amperage your panel is expected to output. For example, a 100W panel can not output more than 6A. Make sure you know how to gauge the cable ampere to avoid exceeding a voltage loss of 3%. 

Connecting the Solar Panel To The Furrion Solar Port

Attaching the solar panel to the Furrion solar port is quite easy. Simply connect the 2-pin plug to the Furrion adapter on your RV. See that the female and male positive and negative connectors are joined appropriately. The positives must be aligned, as should the negatives.

Note that the longer the extension cord is, the faster it will lose charge, so make sure your extension cord is just sufficient for your needs and not too long. Chop off the extension cable according to the desired length, and attach it to the plug according to the positive and negative alignment.

Solar Panels That Are Compatible With The Furrion Solar Port 

Let’s look at a few good solar panel options that come with built-in solar charge controllers. Once paired with a Lixin MC4 to 2-pin connector, these panels can be plugged into the Furrion port. The Renogy 100W monocrystalline solar panel, with or without the solar charge controller, can be used with your power station. The adjustable kickstands make it easier to angle the solar panels toward the Sun.

There is an included protective case to keep it safe during travels. The solar charge controller can see the amperage, charging status, and battery voltage. You will usually see charge controller in two types mppt or pwn offered by many major american solar panel brands catered towards the American customers.

The Acopower 100W solar kit features a solar bypass, allowing you to charge your power station and a 12V battery simultaneously. You will need the Acopower Furrion adapter to run it with a Furrion solar port.

If paired with a power station such as Jackery Explorer 500, you can use regular 120V electronics such as computers, TV, CPAPs, and more. Be it a portable lithium battery or a 12V trailer battery, and you can change both with these. With the Renogy 12V 100W monocrystalline bundle solar panel kit, you get a charge controller in the package.

You can connect the MC4 wires to your charge controller- male to negative, female to positive- and connect the positive male MC4 from the panel to the female MC4 you set up in the charge controller, and similarly, the negative female from the panel to the negative male from your charge controller. 

Finally, some Renogy MC4 extension cables will be needed to connect the Lixin MC4 to the 2-pin plug to the charge controller. Make sure you connect the male to the positive on the charge controller.

Conclusion 

That’s all about using Furrion solar panels in your RV. Charge your power stations on the go, without a hitch, and with the help of the charge controllers, avoid your RV from overcharging or overheating. The benefits of a portable RV coupled with Furrion solar panels are the best combination on the road!