The four solar panels are wired in parallel -- that is, all positive posts are wired together in a daisy-chain configuration, and all of the negative posts are wired similarly. This maintains the voltage of the panels, but increases (sums) the amperage.
We used #10 AWG "tray" cable -- water and sunlight resistant, and UL approved for use without conduit. From the last panel, the wires enter the bus roof through a rubber grommet. The grommet is a common item in the electrical department of Home Despot.
The wires from the solar panels terminate at this power distribution block (top). From the bottom, we'll run fatter wire for the longer run to the rear of the bus, where the batteries, control charger, etc are located.
DC wiring requires thicker (smaller guage, or AWG number size) wires for longer runs. There are several tables available on the internet.
The batteries will be located on the rear deck. These babies weigh in at 130 lbs each -- good thing I eat my spinach! :o) This size is about as heavy as I'd ever want to mess with in a mobile application.
We built the base from 3/4" plywood, primered, painted, and bolted to the deck. To that we attached 2 sections of 2" x 1/8" angle iron. The batteries will be held fast to this base using 1" angle iron and 3/8" all thread. See next update!
Another view of the base.
We'll use 4 of these 6 volt batteries, wired in seires/parallel to provide the juice we need at 12 volts.
To understand the series/parallel thing...look at the first picture of the 4 batteries -- you can see they are in two groups of two. If we take two 6-volt batteries, connect the positive terminal of one to the negative terminal of the other, we'll essentially have a 12-volt battery when a load is applied to the 2 remaining unused terminals. This is series wiring.
Now do the same thing to the other two 6-volt batteries -- you now have two 12-volt batteries. Wire the two unused positives, and the two unused negatives for a parallel connection -- just like the panels, it keeps the voltage the same, but increases amperage.
Never, by any means, connect the positive to the negative of the same battery. Always wear gloves, eye-protection and clothes you don't care about. Read books, talk to experts and get educated before fussing with big batteries!
Rhonda whipped up some curtains using materials from our now-obsolete bedding. (Obsolete because we're going from a queen-sized bed to a full.)
Two pieces of sheet are sewn together to make a somewhat heavy curtain -- thick enough to let a little light in, but still provide some insulation and total privacy. The method and hardware for hanging is very simple -- nylon cord stretched between two screw-eyes and held in place with barrel-locks. Total cost: About $1.50 per window. Yeah!