How To Use Solar Panels With A Prewired Furrion Solar Port

How To Use Solar Panels With A RV/Trailer/Fifth Wheel Pre-wired With A Furrion Solar Port

Solar panels have become popular among campers that do a lot of dry camping, also known as boondocking. RV and trailer manufacturers noticed this a couple of years ago and have put pre-wired ports on new models. Large brands like Grand Design and Forest River are two manufacturers that have done it.

These ports make it easy not only to recharge your RV house batteries when you are out camping but also when your trailer is in storage and you want to trickle charge the batteries.

I have been to a couple of RV dealerships that have tried to sell me solar panels that are compatible with these Furrion ports, but the fact is that you can connect any compatible third-party solar panel.

If you’re looking for the easiest way to use a solar panel with the Furrion solar port, I recommend the Acopower 100W solar panel (click to view on Amazon), paired with the Acopower Furrion adapter.

ACOPOWER Portable Solar Panels,100W Foldable Solar Panel Suitcase 12 Volt Monocrystalline Solar Panel kit with Waterproof 20A Charger Controller for Camping, Power Supply and Emergency Backup

Check Price at Amazon

The panel above is compatible with the Furrion port as long as you also get the Furrion adapter.

ACOPOWER Adapter fit for Solar Panel Suitcase-Furrion 2 Pin Connector & Anderson Anderson Connector

Check Price at Amazon

I also recommend using an Acopower extension cable. That’s all you need, and most people don’t need more than 100W to charge their RV batteries. A 100W panel like this won’t output more than 10A, and is safe to use with the Furrion solar port.

To make your boondocking experience even better, I highly recommend getting a portable power station. For example, the Ecoflow River that has an expandable 288Wh battery capacity, three AC outlets, USB A and C ports, among other features.

The River can be charged with the Acopower panel above as long as you connect the included MC4 to XT60 adapter to the built-in bypass which doesn’t go through the charge controller.

Today I’ll show you how to use the Furrion solar port and share my solar panel recommendations.

The Adapter You’ll Need To Connect Third-Party Solar Panels To Furrion Solar Ports

The Furrion solar port is a rare 2 pin port, not found on most solar panels. You can probably imagine why they would do this (hint: they make proprietary solar panels that use this port).

Most solar panels nowadays come with MC4 connectors, so what we need is an adapter that will turn these MC4 connectors into the 2 pin connector used by Furrion.

The Lixin MC4 to 2 Pin does exactly that.

Lixin MC4 to 2 Pin

LIXINTIAN 10AWG 2 Pin Power Industrial Circular Connector,for Furrion,Solar Panel Suitcase,Forrest River RV Ports

Check Price at Amazon

Note that the female MC4 connector is the positive (red) wire, and the male connector is negative (black). This is compatible with most third-party panels from companies like Renogy, HQST, Newpowa, etc. It’s important that you buy the right adapter for your solar panel.

If you have a solar panel that has a positive female MC4 connector, and a negative male MC4 connector, the adapter you’ll need is the CNLEIFU MC4 to 2 Pin adapter.

What Makes A Solar Panel Compatible With The Furrion Solar Port

The Furrion ports I have seen (yours might be newer and different) have a 10A limit. 10A is 120W, so we want to stay below that to not blow a fuse.

Another thing you must know is that the Furrion pre-wiring is basically just an electrical wire going to your batteries with a fuse on it, nothing more. So you need to use a solar panel with a solar charge controller to prevent overcharging.

Related Post: Renogy Lithium Vs Battle Born Batteries

The Furrion solar port on your trailer will be the same no matter if you have a Grand Design or a Forest River RV.

Is There An Official Furrion Solar Panel?

Yes, Furrion has now released a 100W panel that includes a charge controller and the Furrion connector, so you don’t need to buy additional adapters.

Furrion 100W Portable Kickstand Solar Panel - PWM Bundle Kit, 100-Watt-Rated Output, High-Efficiency Monocrystalline Cells, High-Transmittance Bypass Diodes, Ultra-Clear Tempered Glass - FSPK10MWT-BL

Check Price at Amazon

Solar Panel Recommendations Compatible With The Furrion Solar Port

Now, let’s look at a couple of good solar panel options that come with a built-in solar charge controller. Paired with the Lixin MC4 to 2 Pin, you’ll be able to plug these panels into the Furrion port.

The links below take you to the product page on Amazon.com.

Renogy 100W Portable Foldable Monocrystalline Solar Panel – I have two of these, one with and one without a solar charge controller. I use them with my power station, but it’s also a great choice to charge RV batteries with. The adjustable kickstand makes it easy to angle the panels towards the sun, and the included protective case keeps it protected during travel. The solar charge controller tells you amperage, battery voltage, and charging status. Paired with the Lixin MC4 to 2 Pin it will work with your Furrion port.

Acopower 100W Portable Solar Kit – The Acopower 100W solar panel is one that sticks out because of the solar charger bypass. This allows you to charge both a power station and a 12V battery at the same time. To use this with a Furrion solar port, you would need the Acopower Furrion Adapter. Paired with a power station like the Jackery Explorer 500 that lets you use regular 120V electronics like TV, computers, and CPAPs, you could use the Acopower solar panel to recharge both your 12V trailer batteries and the portable lithium battery.

Renogy 12V 100W Monocrystalline Bundle Kit Solar Panel – You could also buy a solar panel kit like this that comes with a charge controller. You would connect the MC4 wires to the charge controller (female to positive, male to negative), then connect the positive male MC4 connector from the panel to the female MC4 connector you set up in the charge controller, and the negative female from the solar panel to the negative male from the charge controller. The charge controller clearly shows where the solar panel wires go vs the output wires to the battery.

Then you’d need some Renogy MC4 Extension Cables to make the connection between the charge controller and the Lixin MC4 to 2 Pin. Just make sure you connect the MC4 male to the positive on the charge controller (by the battery icon).

Extension Cables

Most solar panels have relatively short cables, so you won’t be able to put the solar panel very far away from the port.

Therefore, I recommend using MC4 extension cables between the solar panel and the adapter. I use and recommend Windynation MC4 Extension cables. You can choose from many lengths, and I have taped mine together with electrical tape to make them easier to deal with.

Before purchasing extension cables, you need to consider the total amperage your panel is going to output. A 100W panel will output about 6A, and I recommend using this calculator (click on Solar Cable Gauge Calculator) to get an understanding of how long an extension cable can be with a specific gauge before the voltage loss will exceed 3%. Below the calculator, you can also see the maximum current for different wire sizes.

What Can A 100W Solar Panel Run?

A 100W solar panel connected to your batteries will charge the batteries so you can use 12V appliances in your camper, like your water pump, furnace fan, 12V TV, and lights.

It will not power outlets or run your microwave, air conditioner, or 120V TV.

To power your outlets with your 12V batteries, you need an inverter that changes 12V DC power to 120V AC power. An example of an inverter like this is the KRIËGER 1100 Watt 12V Power Inverter. It’s wired to your battery, then you can plug your 120V devices directly into it.

Related Post: How Big Of A Solar Panel Do I Need To Recharge An RV Battery?

Since it’s a little bit harder to install an inverter than plugging in a cable, a popular solution nowadays is to buy a solar generator. A solar generator usually contains a 12V lithium battery, a solar charge controller, and an inverter that powers regular 120V AC outlets.

I use a EcoFlow Delta Max that has 2016 watt-hours and a 2400W inverter, so I plug my travel trailer into it with a Camco 15A to 30A.

This allows me to use the outlets and run everything in my camper. It even runs the AC on my short class C, but it only takes an hour to drain the battery when doing that.

I charge the EcoFlow with 200W of solar panels on my RV roof. When I plug the Delta Max into my camper, it charges my 12V trailer batteries as well.

I do, however, have a 100W panel kit installed on the roof connected directly to my RV batteries, otherwise the Delta Max would lose a lot more electricity just to trickle charge the batteries.

How Long Will It Take To Recharge My RV Batteries?

This question is hard to answer in one sentence without knowing the battery capacity and solar panel size, therefore I wrote a post that goes through this. Click here to view it.

Can I Use Goal Zero Solar Panels?

Goal Zero solar panels don’t have a charge controller built-in, so in order to connect one to a Furrion port, you would have to wire a charge controller in between. It would be possible with a Boulder 100 but not a Boulder 200 because of the amperage.

Let me know if you have questions by leaving a comment down below.

113 thoughts on “How To Use Solar Panels With A Prewired Furrion Solar Port”

  1. Jesse
    I have a Arctic Wolf with the furrion 10A port what is my best option for a solar panel set up the trailer does have an inverter on so I want to just charge my batteries looking at the acopower and the HQST 100W and I’m going to add a second battery

    Reply
      • Hi Jesse,

        Why the HQST 100W protable kit recommendation here and not one of the three (Renogy, Acopower, or Zamp) you recommended in your original article? I’m running two VMAXTANKS 6 Volt 225Ah AGM Batteries with a Furrion 2 Pin port.

        Thanks!
        Joe

        Reply
        • Hey Joe,

          Just because of the cost, I keep getting emails about recommending expensive panels and how they’re not different. But based on some of the reviews on the HQST panel, I do recommend the Acopower setup now. Especially since you have so much battery capacity. I like Zamp the most because they’re made in America, but they come at a cost.

          Jesse

          Reply
  2. How far can I run wires from batteries to inverter before I start to reduce port and How big a solar panel, like a 200 watt foldable can I use with this outlet?

    Reply
    • Hello Edward,

      Usually, the manufacturer specifies in the manual or elsewhere the maximum distance and gauge recommendations. It depends on the size of the inverter and its max amperage. You can use a voltage drop calculator to calculate the voltage drop of a specific Gauge wire, amperage, and distance. I recommend staying under a 3% voltage drop.

      With the Furrion solar port, the ones I know of have a 10A maximum amperage. Anything about 10A will trip the fuse.

      Jesse

      Reply
  3. I’ve got two 6 volt batteries any recommendations I have the furion port already built into to camper now what do I need and how big of solar panel?

    Reply
  4. My wife and I are looking at purchasing a 2020 Forest River Wildwood 22RBS. You can get a Green Package that comes with the 10a Furrion Solar Charge Pre-Wiring and Outlet. Ultimately, my wife and I want to be able to run everything (except the A/C) off of Solar Power if we so choose. But we are novices when it comes to Solar Power. We were originally looking at the Venture Sonic X that came loaded already with 4 100watt panels, a 250 Amp Hour Litihium Ion Battery, and an IC2000W Inverter w/100 Amp Charger. What exactly would we need to purchase and install in order to run everything except the A/C? Or to get the setup similar to the Venture Sonic X. Thanks in advance for the help!

    Reply
    • Hello Shane, sorry for the late reply.

      Wow, that Venture Sonic X setup sounds nice. Are you planning on full-timing? Otherwise, that setup might be a bit overkill.

      There are so many different ways to go, so it depends on what kind of setup you want.

      The Furrion solar port is nice to have because it is an easy way to keep your trailer batteries charged, but the batteries will only power your lights, fans, and water pump. You could do a big install similar to the Venture Sonix X with a kit like the Go Power Solar Elite kit which includes many of the things the Sonix X has except the lithium battery.

      You can build a more affordable setup if you pick your own parts, and I suggest watching Will Prowse’s video about a simple DIY 400W solar setup here.

      For a very simple setup that won’t require any installation, you could get a Renogy 100W solar panel and a 2P adapter to connect to the Furrion solar port. Then an Ecoflow Delta power station that you could plug your trailer into with a 15A to 30A adapter. You could then get a second Renogy panel to recharge the Delta with. The Delta comes with an adapter that lets you connect the Renogy panel via the MC4 connectors.

      This is just the tip of the iceberg, so let me know if you have any specific questions.
      Jesse

      Reply
    • Hello Mike,

      To charge the Jackery, connect the MC4 to 8mm adapter to the MC4 connectors coming out of the panel before it reaches the solar charge controller.

      Looks like a flooded lead-acid battery, so you need to choose flooded/wet on the charge controller.

      Let me know if you have any questions.
      Jesse

      Reply
      • thanks jesse. Would you reccomend I use the Jackery 500 to power my RV (which I assume will also recharge the battery at the same time? In otherwords I’d only use the panels with the Jackery and charge/power everything off that? Would I be better of with the Jackery 1000 then since I’d have additional devices like the water pump pulling power off the Jackery?

        Reply
        • I have tried to plug my camper into the Explorer 500 and about half of the time it will overload directly and shut down. I think it’s because my camper batteries aren’t always at a full charge, and the initial spike is enough to shut the Explorer 500 inverter down. For that reason, I would go with the Explorer 1000 since its inverter is twice as powerful. Then you could also run things like a coffee maker.

          I have been using the Yeti 1000 to power my camper for about a year now, but I have realized a lot of power is wasted (about 30-80W) because it keeps trickle charging the battery even when it’s full, so you can’t leave the inverter on 24/7. My solution to that is to charge the camper batteries with a separate solar panel directly at the same time, which has significantly decreased the number of watts the battery charger uses from the Yeti to about 4-10W.

          Hope that wasn’t too confusing, let me know if you have any questions.

          Jesse

          Reply
          • I usually turn the inverter off a couple of hours after the sun has gone down to save battery, but it’s not usually below 50% when I go to bed even if I work or watch TV at night with the camper still plugged in. It’s easier in the summer than in the winter, but it depends on the day. It takes monitoring and planning to rely on the sun with a portable power station, but it all depends on how much electricity you need.

  5. Great Article Jesse, thank you
    What batteries do you recommend? This unit came with 1 group 24 minimum rated, approx 7”x 12”
    There is space for 2 group 24 approximately 14” x 12” total battery space
    I would like to replace with either 2 group 24 or 1 largest reserve battery that I can find
    Your recommendation please….group 27s will not fit in battery box
    I plan to purchase the 200 amp package with controller and 10 or 20 foot cables and 2 pin adapter
    Will 2 panels connect into 1 cable to the adapter.

    I have the 2020 forest river coachmen 22XG with the furion connection
    Again thanks

    Reply
    • Hello Bob,

      Regarding battery recommendations, it depends on how much you’re looking to spend and how much you go camping. For example, with 200W of solar, you’ll generate about 60Ah on a sunny day, so a 100Ah battery would be nice so you can keep them above 50% charged even if you use a lot of power.

      With two 100Ah batteries, you’d have even more extra power stored for cloudy days, which is what I would do, but that is obviously twice as expensive. Here is an 85Ah group 24 AGM battery that I think would perform well with solar panels. AGM batteries are safer to discharge to lower than 50%. The lead-acid batteries that come with most trailers shouldn’t be discharged lower than 50%, just an FYI.

      With the solar panel, I assume that you mean a 200W package with a controller. You can connect two panels with MC4 connectors with an MC4 Y Branch, connected the positives to one adapter, then the negatives to the second adapter.

      Unfortunately, the Furrion port can only handle 10A.

      Jesse

      Reply
  6. I have a 2018 Forest River Wildwood Heritage Glen Hyper-Lyte, I’m looking for a solar panel(s) to keep my batteries (dual) charged while in storage so when I bring it home to get ready for a trip, I can turn my refrigerator on and get it cooling down and it doesn’t take forever. The refrigerator operates off electric or propane. What do you suggest?

    Reply
    • Hello Steve,

      Hmm, I’m a little bit confused. Do you leave the batteries in the camper for several months in storage and want a small solar panel that will keep them charged? Or is the plan to leave the refrigerator running between trips and you want a panel that will keep the batteries charged enough to leave the fridge on propane? Even if you keep your battery charged, the fridge is going to take a while to get cool if it’s been off.

      Let me know what I’m missing and I’ll give you some solar panel recommendations.

      Jesse

      Reply
  7. Yes, the batteries are the trailer in storage and no, I don’t want to leave the refrigerator running while in storage. I want to be able to charge the batteries in storage so when I bring the trailer home to get ready for a trip, I can turn the frig on and let it start cooling and not have to wait to charge the batteries and then cool the frig. Hope that helps.

    Reply
    • Gotcha!

      In that case, a small panel like this (click to view on Amazon) would be sufficient. If there is a battery disconnect I recommend switching that on so the batteries are disconnected from the trailer. If the batteries are disconnected, the smaller 20W model is most likely enough to keep the batteries at a full charge as long as it gets enough sunshine. If they’re not disconnected, small things like the propane alarm will slowly drain the batteries.

      If you want to use the Furrion port, you’ll need an SAE to 2P adapter like this. You might want an SAE extension cable so you can place the panel in the sun. Make sure the polarity is correct (positive to positive, negative to negative).

      I haven’t done this myself, but it’s how I would do it. Let me know if you have any questions.
      Jesse

      Reply
      • Thank you Jesse for your assistance on this, I don’t have a disconnect for the batteries, but I don’t think it will take an electrical wizard (which I’m not) to install one.

        Thanks again, and I’ll reach out to you if I have anymore questions.

        Reply
  8. Have you tried all these? The first solar panel is low quality and very low efficiency. Yes price isnt bad, but wouldnt make many top 5 solar panels. The others havent tried or know of anyone who gas one so cant say. But was curious if you have truly reviewed each type?

    Reply
    • Hey Jeff,
      I’ve seen them all in action perform well except for the first one you mention. I’ve removed it and I am going to buy one myself and test it out and see if it’s worthy. I added it based on the good reviews I’ve seen.

      Thanks for your comment.
      Jesse

      Reply
  9. My 2021 Forrest River Alpha Wolf 26DBHL came with a 50 watt roof mount factory installed solar panel. Works great. Also came with the prepared furrion 10amp port to add an additional solar panel. Question, do I need an additional charge controller to run my new portable 100watt solar panel or am I good just plugging in my solar panel and furrion adaptor?

    Reply
    • Hello Ryan,

      I’m pretty sure the Furrion port is wired directly to your battery even though a 50W panel was installed as well, so yes you’re going to need an additional charge controller. I’d call Forest River to be sure, but it might be easier to order a charge controller and test it with the port.

      Jesse

      Reply
  10. Similar question to Steve’s on 8/14. My 2018 Salem Hemisphere has the 10 A Furrion port that I’d like to use solely to trickle charge my batteries. I’d like to roof mount a flexible solar panel. My 2 batteries run separate systems. 1 does the coach 12V system and the other just the inverter. I do not have battery disconnect. Any recommendations?

    Reply
    • Hello Doug, sorry for the late reply.

      Just so I am understanding you correctly first, you’re looking for a smaller panel to connect to the Furrion port and a larger one to mount on your roof? Is the plan to leave the panels plugged in for several months while the camper is in storage?

      Jesse

      Reply
      • Jesse. Thanks for checking back. I am only looking for one flexible solar panel to roof mount just to keep the batteries charged during summer storage. They will be removed during winter storage.

        Reply
  11. I bought a 100W Acopower for my 2020 forest river rv. It has a dual battery set up and i can put the gator clips from the solar panel directly on a battery and get a voltage reading. But, when I plug it in to the trailer, it has a Furion 10A plug, I get a code on the display of b03 / bLv.
    What am I doing wrong? and What does that mean?

    Reply
    • Hello Mike,
      Try disconnecting the panel from the charge controller (the MC4 connectors), then plug the Furrion cable in again and see what the charge controller does. Let me know if it doesn’t help.
      Jesse

      Reply
    • Hello Mike,
      Alright, sounds like either a blown fuse or a miswired Furrion port. Do you happen to have a multimeter so you can test the voltage on the port?
      Jesse

      Reply
  12. Hello , Jesse, I purchased a Noma brand 100 watt solar panel. I have a 2019 Freedom Express RV , It has the Ferrion solar port. A Ferrion solar cable is compatible to the RV but not the solar panel. The end connections at the panel do not pair up. Also they are quite expensive, Is it possible to wire the panel to the RV using proper size wire. Positive to positive, negative to negative. The trailers has an inverter, will I get results. Thanks from Canada 🇨🇦

    Reply
    • Hello Brian,

      I’d need some more info to help you. Does the solar panel have a charge controller on it? If so, what does the connector look like?

      I found this Noma 100W kit that comes with a charge controller and SAE connectors. Then you would need the SAE to 2P adapter. It’s important that the panel is wired via a charge controller, so let me know what you have and not.

      Jesse

      Reply
  13. What type of solar panel or panels do you use with your Goal Zero Yeti? Thanks I just purchased a 2018 Crossroads Sunset Trail Grand Reserve 28ft bunkhouse. Upgrading from a Coleman pop-up. I have two Honda EU2000 generators.
    I want to stop using them and go with a solar generator instead. We plan on boondocking most of the time since there are numerous state parks near us. What would you suggest as a good setup for this rig. Thanks some much for your input.
    Randy

    Reply
    • Hello Randy,

      I have two Renogy 100W with the kickstand and two Renogy 100W panels mounted on the roof. I connect the panels to the Yeti with an MC4 to Anderson adapter. They’re also wired in two parallel pairs with two pairs of MC4 Y branches.

      Regarding a setup, it depends on how much electricity you need and for how long. You won’t be able to run your AC or even microwave with most power stations. I have the Yeti 1000 and it can run my microwave but not AC. Let me know what you plan on powering with the solar generator and an estimate of how many hours per day and I’ll be able to give you some recommendations.

      Jesse

      Reply
  14. I left a comment earlier but it looks as though it is no longer here. Just wondering what the best solar generator and panel combination would be for a 28ft travel trailer. Need it for everything but the AC. Thanks for any suggestions you have. Randy

    Reply
    • Hello Randy, sorry for the late reply.

      I would go with the Ecoflow Delta and one of the Renogy panels. Either this kind with the built-in stand or this kind that you could either install on your camper roof of or put on the ground as well.

      If you buy two panels you’ll connect them together in parallel with an MC4 Y Branch. Ecoflow includes an MC4 adapter so you can connect third-party panels.

      The Ecoflow Delta has six AC outlets, can output 1800W, and has a 1260 watt-hour battery capacity. That means that it will run a microwave for about an hour, or a 50W TV for about 21 hours.

      Let me know if you have any questions.

      Jesse

      Reply
  15. Hello,
    I have the 10a Furrion prewire and 2 6V batteries on our Cougar. The 100W Renogy Eclipse we are looking at has a 20a controller. Does it matter that it’s 20a vs a 10a port? Or would that just allow for expansion with a higher rated fuse install? I understand we would need an adapter to connect to the Furrion port and possibly extension cables. Just looking to keep things topped and go out longer. Thanks.

    Reply
  16. Thanks for all the information. I was looking at the Ecoflow delta and the MAXOAK Bluetti EB240. The camper I have has a furrion solar power port. I was wondering if I should use an ACOPOWER 120W power kit for the battery and a separate solar panel for the generator I decide to use. Any information on which generator is best would be great. Thanks so much for you input. This is all new to me and having someone to bounce ideas off of is priceless.

    Reply
    • You could use the Acopower 120W solar panel with both as long as you disconnect the charge controller when you want to use the solar generator. Personally, I would get a separate panel for the solar generator so you could be charging both at the same time. Then you could also plug your camper directly into the solar generator and not waste too much electricity to trickle charge the battery.

      Yeah, both the Delta and the EB240 are great. The EB240 won’t run the microwave, but it has a lot of battery capacity, ports, and a great charge controller. It’s also nice that Bluetti includes the MC4 to DC adapter so you don’t need to buy any other cables to connect third-party solar panels.

      The Explorer 1000 is another good one that is more portable than the Bluetti, but with not as much battery capacity (1002Wh vs 2400Wh).

      Reply
  17. Jesse,

    Thanks so much for all you help and input. I think I am leaning toward the Ecoflow delta even thought it does not have as much battery capacity as the EB240. What solar panel and wattage do you recommend for the Delta?
    Thanks,
    Randy

    Reply
    • I would probably start out with a single 100W panel like the Renogy 100W with kickstand, or if you’re alright with something less portable (size-wise), the regular Renogy 100W panels are great. I would get 200W worth of solar, but it all depends on your needs. If you’re already charging your camper via the Furrion port your trailer batteries will always be fully charged, so you can use the Delta to power 110V electronics instead of it charging the batteries.

      If you’re ok with installing something on the roof of your camper, a single 200W panel like the Rich Solar 200W is also an option. Depending on the floorplan, it’s pretty easy to wire MC4 extension cables down via the fridge vent and into the camper.

      You could also just go with a Rockpals 100W panel which is very portable and lightweight, but won’t hold up as well in wind or rain.

      Reply
  18. Hi All – this has been really informative to read through but it didn’t solve my problem but im sure that someone here can help. I have a 100watt Renogy panel. I purchased the 10am Renogy charge controller. I have an RV with the Furrion solar port. I have the panels connected to the controller but am not sure if i should wire the Furrion wires into the BATTERY port or the LOAD port on the Renogy controller.
    Im thinking that it should be battery but wasnt sure.
    Thoughts?
    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Hello Johnny,

      Yes, the wire going to the Furrion solar port should be wired to the battery section of the charge controller. The LOAD is for if you would like to power 12V devices off of your batteries.

      Reply
  19. Hi Jesse, I have a 2019 Coachmen Mirada, pre-wired with Furrion 10A system, 2- 6V batteries. What is your recommendation for a 100W solar system, roof mount?

    Reply
  20. I have a 2020 Forrest River wolf pup with the Furrion solar port on the camper side. It has factory installed 50 watt panel on the roof. We have a 100 amp lithium battery. Will a 50 or 100 w solar keep the battery charged while camping. I know I need an adaptor cable but otherwise just plugs in? Thanks for the help.

    Reply
    • Hey Nancy,

      Nice setup! Whether a 50W or 100W panel would be enough to keep the battery charged depends on how much battery power you use every day. If you run your furnace for an hour, a 12V TV for two hours, leave lights/fans on all day, and charge devices with 12V/USB ports for a couple of hours in your camper, I would go with a 100W panel. If you only use your battery to power LED lights, the water pump, and a bathroom fan, a 50W panel could very well be enough.

      That 100W+50W will generate about 45Ah on a sunny day, which won’t be enough to recharge your battery if it’s down to 20%, but it will cover the kind of use in my first example above.

      Just make sure you choose one that includes a charge controller, like the Renogy 100W Suitcase with the 20A controller. With the adapter connected to the panel, all you have to do is plug it into the Furrion port.

      If you feel like the cables are too short, you can use MC4 extension cables which come in different lengths.

      As always, the most important thing is that you monitor the battery level. Never let it drain completely.

      Let me know if you have any questions.

      Jesse

      Reply
    • No, it’s fine as long as the panel doesn’t output more than 10A. It just means that the charge controller can handle a maximum of 20 amps. The 100W panel it comes with, in this case, will only output around 6 amps during peak sun hours, which is below the Furrion port limit. If it came with a 200W panel it would be too much for the Furrion port, but 100W is safe.

      Jesse

      Reply
  21. This is a great post! I have a dual 6V battery setup in our camper, wired in series for 12V, with the furrion plug. It was mentioned above some type of controller to prevent over charging the batteries. Is that just buying a solar panel with “charge controller”. I want to make sure I get the right setup as I’m using this as a winter storage charger (Wisconsin) so I don’t have to take the batteries out and don’t want to overcharge. Thanks!!

    Reply
    • Hey Brent,

      Correct, as long as there is a charge controller between the panel and the Furrion plug, you are good to go as long as the panel itself is a 12V panel that won’t output more than 10A.

      Jesse

      Reply
  22. Thank you, Jesse, for sharing your knowledge and passion. We just want to maintain our RV battery – we only have one battery and dry camp all the time. All we have now is the Furrion 10A Solar Port. Seems like we need the 1) Lixin MC4 to 2 Pin And then 2) either of A) Renogy 100W Portable Foldable Monocrystalline Solar Panel or B) Acopower 100W Portable Solar Kit and 3) an extension cable? Correct?

    Do we need a panel that has a charge controller? Or can we just get the panel with our Furrion Solar Port.

    Is the advantage of the Acopower – that there are essentially plugs that you can charge phones etc on? That would be a nice option – now that I think about this a bit.

    We have a small camper so size is important. Thanks again. This is a daunting subject to wade into lightly.

    Reply
    • Hello Jeffrey,

      If you get the Acopower panel you need the Acopower adapter. If you get a Renogy panel you need the Lixin adapter. Extension cables are optional for both.

      Yes, you need a charge controller between the panel and the port. You could buy a panel and a charge controller separate but that requires more work and wiring.

      The advantage with the Acopower panel is the built-in bypass which lets you charge solar generators if you would like. For example, a solar generator like the Ecoflow River includes an MC4 to DC adapter so you can charge it with the Acopower panel. Solar generators have charge controllers built-in, which is why a bypass on a solar panel can be useful. Other than that, it’s very similar to the Renogy suitcase.

      I recommend the Acopower setup in this post because the panel and the adapters are from the same company so if you have any issues it will be easier to deal with. It’s also very easy to set it up. I don’t think it has USB ports to charge phones though.

      Let me know if you have any questions, hope I didn’t make it more confusing.

      Jesse

      Reply
  23. Happy New Year and thanks for sharing your knowledge! We have a Furrion 165w solar panel and a Furrion 25A charge controller in the pass through of our travel trailer. These were installed by the manufacturer. I would like to add a second panel. What would I need to do to install the Renogy 175W panel as a second panel?

    Reply
    • Hey Brian, happy new years!

      First, you need to make sure that the wiring can handle the amperage. Since a 165W and a 175W panel output almost 20A together (when wired in parallel), I would want it to be 10 gauge wire. 12 AWG could be acceptable but I’d make sure first that the two panels don’t output more than 20A.

      So if you can, check the wires between the panel and the charge controller, and the charge controller and the battery. Since they installed a 25A charge controller, the wiring between the controller and the batteries should be at least 10 AWG.

      I’d need to know how the first panel is connected to the charge controller before I can tell you how to connect a second one. If there are visible Mc4 connectors on the roof, you could install a second panel next to it and connect the two in parallel with an MC4 Y branch. Then I would put a 25A in-line fuse on the positive wire between the charge controller and the two panels.

      If your first panel is wired directly to the controller it will be a little harder.

      Last but not least, you should know that combining two panels in parallel with different voltages will most likely decrease the power output since the total voltage will be determined by the panel with the lowest voltage. Depending on the voltage of your 165W panel, the loss could be 10% or more.

      Let me know if you have any questions or can tell me more about the specifics of the setup and I’ll get back to you.

      Jesse

      Reply
  24. We have just purchased a trailer which has a fridge that only runs on electricity. While we will mainly be in a campground with power, we would like the option to run it if dry camping. The trailer (Wildwood) is prewired for solar. What would we need to do to be able to run the fridge? Would rather not attach anything to the roof. Thanks for your help!

    Reply
    • Hi Jan, sorry for the late reply.

      Is it a large residential fridge?

      If it only runs on 110V electricity you would need an inverter to turn the DC power into AC. I assume it’s a pretty large fridge as well, which means that you would need to supply more than the 10A the Furrion port is capable of. The fridge in my camper uses around 300W, and if you have a residential fridge it’s going to use a lot more than that. So even if you would hook up a lot of panels, you would need a large battery bank to be able to run the fridge all day and night.

      Unfortunately, the easiest way would be to get a gas generator.

      Reply
      • Hi Jesse, Like Jan, I have a wildwood, Furrion 10a Solar port and an EverChill Fridge. Its 12V 10.7 Cu.Ft. You would hope they designed the thing to run off the solar. I have two lead acid batteries. I have a gas genny, but during the day when I’m out, I was hoping the solar capability would keep it running and the food cold… Because its 12v it should work. My concern is will 100W solar do the trick? I’m glad I found this thread, as I was going to just go get a 200W panel…

        Reply
        • Hi,
          A fridge like that draws 2.5-9 amps depending on what it’s doing, while a 100W solar panel typically generates 25-30A in a full day of sun.
          So if it’s sunny and not too hot in the camper, it should be able to charge the batteries enough to keep the fridge going. At night you’d have to run the generator to fully charge the batteries.

          You usually don’t want lead acid batteries to go below 50%, so if I were you I would buy a 100W panel and test it for a while, to see whether it’s enough or not.

          You could also just buy a 200W panel with a charge controller and connect it directly to your batteries with clamps, but then you don’t get the convenience of using the Furrion solar port.

          Reply
  25. If I am using the Furrion solar port it says 10 amp on it, can I use a 20 amp panels, and do I need to replace the fuse to a 20?

    Reply
  26. I have researched these solar panels for months now and still don’t know what to buy. I have a 2017 Forest River with a 10A Furrion port. Some of the panels you recommend above are no longer available. Some of the links send me to panel that are 20A and I’m not sure about that. I just want to plug in a solar panel that will charge my battery. This one is cheap enough: https://www.amazon.com/Renogy-50W-Monocrystalline-12V-Controller/dp/B083K9H37W/ref=pd_di_sccai_4?pd_rd_w=JjL7f&pf_rd_p=c9443270-b914-4430-a90b-72e3e7e784e0&pf_rd_r=6FQXZ8AVG3WJ076215SC&pd_rd_r=01ec55d9-f963-4437-8f50-39e737ff4447&pd_rd_wg=CJPIO&pd_rd_i=B083K9H37W&psc=1
    If I buy that, which connector would I buy and which extension cable? Please and thank you!

    Reply
    • A panel like the Renogy 100W W/ 20A charge controller is fine since the panel won’t output more than 10A. As long as the total amperage of the panel is less than 10A it’s safe to use but you should always check the specifications of the panel before plugging it in. The 200W option wouldn’t be safe since it will output more than 10A.

      You could use the kit you link to but you’re going to have to put it all together. You would also need some solar panel cable wire with bare wires on one end, and the MC4 to Furrion adapter. The short tray cables with the ring terminals in the kit won’t be used.

      You’ll have to connect the wiring to the charge controller and make sure that the positive MC4 male connector from the panel goes to the positive input on the charge controller (by the solar panel icon), and then the positive wiring from the controller (by the battery icon) needs to go to the red female MC4 connector on the adapter that plugs into your camper. If you haven’t done something like this before I suggest getting help from somebody that knows what they’re doing, but it’s not too complicated. Just make sure you can follow the positive wire from the panel to the Furrion adapter, and the same with the negative wire.

      Reply
  27. I have the Furion port on my camper, I just bought a renogy solar package- the 100 w panel + 30a PWN controller. but didn’t see this fantastic article until after I ordered it. You listed getting the mc4 extension cables, and the lixin mc4 to 2 pin. I ordered both of those, but I can’t figure out in your connection instructions how that’s going to all work with the controller.

    You said:

    Then you’d need some Renogy MC4 Extension Cables to make the connection between the charge controller and the Lixin MC4 to 2 Pin. Just make sure you connect the MC4 male to the positive on the charge controller (by the battery icon).

    But how will the extension cables plug into the charge controller? That connection seems like it’ll be for bare stripped wire on one end, and mc4 to the 2 pin adapter on the other end?
    I’m sorry, I’m very confused, if you could help I’d appreciate it. I’ve read this so many times otherwise I wouldn’t write.

    Reply
    • Hi Kevin,

      That’s my bad, I realised now that the link goes to the wrong cable. This is the Renogy solar cable it’s supposed to go to. Really sorry about that.

      You can return the Windynation cables or you can cut the connectors off on one side of each and strip the wire. Just make sure you cut and connect them on the right end, so the positive wire from the charge controller connects to the red MC4 female connector on the Lixin adapter.

      Reply
      • That makes a lot more sense. So I basically will still have that cord by cutting off one end on each of the cords I bought? I really appreciate your advice and help and speed! Renogy should pay you.

        Reply
        • Wouldn’t that be great! 😉

          Correct. I suggest cutting off the female connector from the red wire and the male connector from the black wire to make it easier to see which wire goes where when you set it all up.

          Reply
  28. Great forum. I have a HF 100 watt panel I want to connect to two renogy panels then to a Renogy 40 watt Rover. The HF panel has sae and the renogy has the standard connector. Can I use connect all three of them before the Rover?

    Reply
    • Is the plan to connect it all to the Furrion port? If so, that would most likely exceed the amperage limit. The Furrion ports I have seen have a 10A limit, and three 100W panels would generate around 15-20A.

      If you’re connecting the Rover (I assume you mean the Rover 40A charge controller) directly to the 12V batteries and not using the Furrion port, I’d use an SAE to MC4 adapter (click to view on Amazon) for your HF panel, then a 3-to-1 MC4 Y branch to connect them all in parallel. Then connect it to the charge controller with some Renogy 10AWG wiring.

      Before connecting it all, make sure all the panels are 12V and that the total amperage won’t exceed the limit of the charge controller. And again, don’t connect it to the Furrion port.

      Reply
  29. I just bought a 2021 Highland Ridge Open Range Ultralite LT2910. We will pick it up this Thursday!
    It has a 50 amp service. It is solar prepped for use with Furrion products. You mention the setup for 30 amp, would it be the same for 50 amp? We plan to do a lot of dry camping so I would like to run everything except the AC with solar. This trailer has two ACs a 15k and a 13.5k so I don’t think it would be feasible to do that on solar panel. We plan on buying a portable generator. We have always roughed it in the past with just a tent so this is a whole new world for us with a huge learning curve.

    Reply
    • Awesome, congrats on your new camper!

      Yep, it’s the same for 50A campers.

      When you connect a 12V solar panel to the Furrion port, it’s going to charge the house batteries that are used to power 12V items like lights, water pumps, awnings, and fans. It will not power the outlets or the microwave. To do that you can either get a gas generator or a solar generator. The most power-efficient way is a gas generator.

      I use a solar generator similar to the Jackery Explorer 1500 to power everything except the AC in my camper. But it’s nowhere close to as efficient as a gas generator since it will only run a microwave for a little over an hour.

      One way to have a mix of the two would be to get a 100W panel that you plug into the Furrion port, then a smaller solar generator like the Ecoflow River Max (click to view on Amazon) and use that to charge your devices. The Acopower panel I link to in the article can be used both with the Furrion port and the Ecoflow solar generator, the only difference is that you bypass the charge controller when connecting it to the Ecoflow.

      With the 600W inverter in the Ecoflow, you would be able to charge your devices and power smaller devices like a TV, laptops, etc, but not the microwave.

      Let me know if you have any questions.

      Reply
  30. Hi, my friend has the Furion 2-pin solar port on her Twilight 2100 RV. What adapter and extension cord should she uses to connect the Jackery 100 watt Solar Saga panels (4-pins) to the Furion port? She has 3 x 100 watt Solar Saga panels, and she has the Jackery 1000 and Jackery 500 solar generators. What adapters, extension cords to use to make all of these connect and work together?

    Thank you, in advance for your prompt reply.

    Reply
    • Hi there,

      That’s a tricky one, since she would need to connect a charge controller between the solar panel and the solar port on the RV. If it’s a 10A port, she would also only be able to connect one of the panels since two would exceed the 10A limit. The reason it’s tricky is that I don’t know of any charge controller that can take an 8mm connector, so she would have to cut some wires.

      Honestly, I would just plug the RV into the Jackery Explorer 1000 with an 15A to 30A adapter (if it’s a 30A RV) every now and then to keep the RV batteries charged up.

      Reply
  31. Hey Jesse,

    Looking at getting a 2021 or 22 Wildwood FSX 179DBK, which has a 12V only fridge. It’s claimed that that fridge will run for 40 hours on 2 Group 24 Batteries. The fridge is the 11Cu-Ft Everchill. (they did some tests here https://www.forestriverforums.com/forums/f113/everchill-12v-only-refrigerator-review-208664.html)

    Assuming minimal other load (maybe charging a few cellphones and a couple of LED lights in the evening) would a single 100W panel connected to the Furion port be enough to keep the batteries topped up? a moveable 100W panel is significanly more ideal to me than installing 2 + a charge controller on the roof.

    Reply
    • Hi,
      A 100W panel will generate around 5-6A per hour, or 30A per day if it’s sunny all day.

      According to the post, they expect it to use 55Ah per day. So even if you had a total of 100Ah, you’d only make it a day or two.

      You could get something larger like the portable Renogy 200W but then you can’t use the Furrion port since it would exceed the 10A limit.

      Honestly, a fridge that only runs on 12V is not very ideal for boondocking, even with solar panels, since they still use a lot of electricity.

      Reply
  32. I want to power a security camera and a Wi-Fi router as well as keeping my battery charged- the camper is pre wired for furion 10a – what do I need for a solar system. Thanks John.

    Reply
  33. Hi Jesse,
    A very helpful article! I am adding 2 of 80W bare panels in parallel (so about 9A total at about 19V) as supplementary charging to an existing 225Ahr AGM battery bank. I am putting a MPPT charge controller in the trailer close to the batteries. I need to put in a bulkhead connector in the outside trailer wall for the solar panel cables. I was wondering if a Furrion connector would be an appropriate and better-sealing connector/cover than the more generic automotive SAE connector for this. What do you think?
    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Nice, I like that idea.

      Sure, either Furrion 2 pin connectors or SAE work.

      I can’t say which is more weatherproof, but SAE connectors are more popular which means there are more options and reviews. I would go with SAE for this reason.

      Just make sure you get a connector that can handle the amperage and the gauge of your wiring. You’ll also need a soldering gun for the Furrion connectors unless you find a pre-made one.

      Reply
  34. Hi Jesse,

    I really appreciate your article. I was hoping to replicate this option you listed:

    Acopower 100W Portable Solar Kit – The Acopower 100W solar panel is one that sticks out due to the solar charge bypass. This allows you to charge both a power station and a 12V battery at the same time. To use this with a Furrion solar port, you would need the Acopower Furrion Adapter. Paired with a power station like the Jackery Explorer 500 that lets you use regular 120V electronics like TV, computers, and CPAPs, you would be able to use the Acopower solar panel to recharge both your 12V trailer batteries and the portable lithium battery.

    I don’t know if the links don’t work quite right or what but I can’t seem to confidently piece it together (can’t find the board with the charge controller and the by-pass to charge the Jackery at the same time) – Also, could I use the Jackery to plug a cigarette lighter inverter into to run the tv for the after hours (no generator) time?

    Thanks for any assistance.
    Jonathan

    Reply
  35. How do you know you can’t plug a 200W solar panel into the Furrion port? That 10A label could be misleading.

    Reply
      • We have have a 2022 FR Sanibel with the 10 amp furrion plug. Bought the Renogy 100w suitcase panels w/20 amp charge controller. we also swapped out the lead acid battery for two slightly used 12v 100ah AGM batteries wired in parallel. Batteries seem to charge okay. Problems happen when we turn on the 1000 watt Magnum inverter which is only connected to the fridge. This was pre-installed. When we turn it on within in a minute or two the battery is at 88% and the supposed battery drain continues quickly. Within 10 to 15 minutes it is down to 30%. I say supposedly because the batteries will reflect 100% when the inverter is then shut off. In a post awhile back you said an that the system would need to supply more than the 10A Furrion port is capable of. we are not solar savy. This thread has been very helpful and any guidance you could provide would be helpful.

        Reply
        • Hi,
          So the fridge is plugged directly into the inverter? And do you get the battery percentage from the inverter? A battery will drop in voltage when under load, so it makes sense that it drops down, but not to 30%.

          Reply
  36. You recommend the ACOPOWER 100 but it has a 20 Amp output? The Furion connector has a 10 Amp max but you state that panel will never output more than 10 Amps. Can you explain?

    Thanks

    Reply
    • I think reading all the others this should be fine as it is more a function of what the panel puts out? Closer to 6 Amps?

      Reply
    • Hi,
      The 20A you see is the max amps the solar charge controller can handle, but it’s not what it outputs if it’s only connected to a 100W 12V panel. The same would be true if it was connected to a 50A solar charge controller.

      A 12V 100W panel will output about 6A and not blow a 10A fuse, and that’s all that matters with the Furrion port.

      Reply

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