What Portable Solar Panel will Work with My 2024 Braxton Creek Bushwacker with SAE Input Installed?

Question

Question:

Hello! I have a 2024 Braxton Creek Bushwacker +17FD, and I’d like to know what solar panel system is plug-in play for that camper. It has an SAE input on the driver side of the camper. Can you please tell me what all I need to charge the battery with a portable solar panel? And point me to the right size of solar panel for my RV. Thank you!

asked by: Richard C

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Expert Reply:

Hello Richard,

Happy to get you the right portable solar panel.

Our etrailer 100-Watt Portable Solar Panel with Charge Controller # e28VV is a great match for your 2024 Braxton Creek Bushwacker Plus 17FD because it’s designed to plug right into the SAE solar port on the side of your camper. That means you don’t need to do any fancy wiring, it’s ready to go straight out of the box.

This solar panel also has a built-in charge controller, which is super important. The charge controller protects your battery from being overcharged and makes sure power flows safely. Since your trailer’s solar port is wired directly to the battery, having this built in means you don’t need to install anything extra.

At 100 watts, this panel gives you plenty of power to charge your camper battery while you’re off-grid. It’s great for running small things like lights, the fan, water pump, and keeping your phone charged. It’s perfect for weekend trips or a few days of camping without hookups.

The panel folds up like a suitcase, has a carry handle and kickstands, and comes with everything you need to set it up fast.

What kind of appliances are you looking to use while boondocking?

expert reply by: Kate F

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etrailer Portable Solar Panel
(click to enlarge)

Ricky C.

8/1/2025

Wow. Thank you Kate for such an informative reply. That’s a great question, since we haven’t boon docked in it yet. But I’m thinking we’d want to maybe run the pump, furnace, refrigerator and lights. The refrigerator may be too much for solar I’m thinking? Hey Kate. What’s the model number for solar panel you posted picture of? Thank you!

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Rick C.

8/1/2025

Oh wait! Sorry. I see the unit and price below. ??

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Ricky C.

8/1/2025

Hey Kate, I have another question: What are the four red/black cable bundles for with this unit? I understand one red and one black to connect the panel to the controller, but then there is another set that comes with the unit. Seems like a lot of wiring. Also, does the controller hard mount to the trailer “permanently” by the battery area on my camper?

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Kate F.

8/1/2025

@RickyC To install the etrailer # e28VV 100-Watt Portable Solar Panel with the charge controller mounted inside your camper, you’ll need to reconfigure the wiring slightly from the default portable setup. Since the controller is not built into the panel, you can separate it from the panel and mount it permanently inside your trailer, ideally close to the battery in a dry, accessible area. The kit includes two pairs of red and black wires. One pair connects the solar panel to the charge controller, and the second pair connects the controller to the battery. In a standard portable setup, all of this is done outside. But for your custom install, you’ll use the first red/black pair to bring solar power from the panel to your camper’s SAE port. Then, inside the trailer, the SAE port wiring connects to the input side of the controller. The second red/black pair is then used to go from the controller output to the battery. This setup makes sure the charge controller is between the solar panel and the battery, which is essential for safe charging. Be sure to check that the SAE port is wired directly to the battery (most are), and confirm the polarity matches the controller's input, some trailers are wired in reverse, and if so, you can use an SAE polarity adapter to correct it. Once the controller is mounted and wired, using the system is easy: just unfold the panel, place it in the sun, and plug it into the trailer’s SAE port. The power travels through the SAE wiring to your inside-mounted charge controller, which regulates it before sending it safely to your battery. This gives you a tidy, semi-permanent install that keeps the controller protected inside while still using the portable panel outdoors. If you do not have batteries already, I would go with lithium because it gives you more usable power, charges faster, lasts much longer, and handles high-demand appliances better than lead-acid or AGM batteries. A 100Ah lithium battery gives you nearly the full 100Ah to use, while a lead-acid battery only gives you about half of that before it needs recharging. For running your furnace, water pump, lights, and especially a 12V fridge, lithium is the better choice. These systems draw steady power, and lithium handles frequent use and deeper discharges without wearing out quickly. If your fridge is a 12V compressor model, it can draw 4–6 amps per hour and run often, something lithium can easily support. Even if your fridge runs mostly on propane, lithium still gives you more reliable power for your other 12V needs and recharges quickly with solar. If it were me, I would not power the fridge for a boondocking stay, I would grab a yeti! Those things hold ice for days!

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Ricky C.

9/14/2025

@KateF Wow, that is a lot of great info. Thanks Katy! I’m a bit concerned about how to find the wiring from the SAE port to the battery’s terminal. I guess I’d have to do more searching around in there behind the sink cabinets etc. Bontrager owns the Braxton Creek Bushwhacker Plus 17 FD now. Maybe I’ll give them a call to find out where everything is at. Also, even though I’m somewhat handy, I start to get nervous about having to drill holes through to the outside. I really appreciate all your info Katie!

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Kate F.

9/15/2025

@RickyC My pleasure Ricky. If there were only a standard on where stuff is installed in the campers, reaching out to the manufacturer is a great idea as we do not have the schematics to the campers. Adding holes to the outside is always a daunting task, measure twice, drill once =) If you need anything else from my end, you know where to find me.

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See All (4) Replies to Ricky C. ∨

Ricky C.

9/14/2025

Thank you for this great detailed info, Kate. We haven’t made the move yet because I’m considering setting up a tandem battery rig. I just don’t know if I should go with lithium or the lead-acid battery that’s currently on there. I heard that lithium doesn’t do well in the cold, but I really don’t k ow how much camping in the cold we’ll even do. I have another question. What’s the best way to keep the battery, or batteries from going bad when they are sitting on the trailer not being used in the colder seasons? With the one battery setup I have now, I’m thinking just take the battery in the garage and putting on a trickle charger. But if I rig a two battery system, that’ll be a bit more of inconvenience to have to do that. Thanks again!

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Kate F.

9/15/2025

@RickyC The best way to keep your camper batteries healthy in the off-season is to store them fully charged and disconnected from the trailer, since even when “off” there are little draws that will slowly drain them. A charged battery won’t freeze in the cold, but a dead one can, so keeping it topped up is key. If you’ve only got one battery, bringing it into the garage and putting it on a smart trickle charger is perfect. The # CTEK56353 would be a great option. If you end up with two batteries, it doesn’t have to be a big hassle, if they’re wired in parallel for 12 volts, you can leave them connected and just put the charger on one positive and one negative post to keep both maintained. Lithium batteries are a bit different since they don’t like charging when it’s below freezing, but as long as you bring them inside and check them every couple of months, they’ll be fine. A small solar maintainer on the trailer is another good option if you don’t want to move them at all.

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Ricky C.

9/15/2025

@KateF Great info. Thank you for your time and efforts here!

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What Portable Solar Panel will Work with My 2024 Braxton Creek Bushwacker with SAE Input Installed?

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