Anderson for me. Sure connections. Always found they worked a treat. Ran mine thru Setec.
Solar The Solar Panel Thread
- Thread starter cruza driver
- Start date
I took the Setec out on the weekend and the AUX in is already in use. I'll trace it another time. So the plan at the moment is to connect the fridge to a VSR (6mm) then to the house battery. Run some 6B&S to the car Anderson, replacing the 6mm from the fridge, to the house battery then use that same car Anderson for the solar.
The thing about the Anderson 50amp, for me, is crimping them to the small 6mm wire.
Hey all,
Looking at putting solar on our van.
I was under the impression that the charge controller would hook straight onto the battery terminals, but a few of you have hooked it into the setec unit.
What is the general consensus from the rest of you, is that the way to go??
Setek AUX or direct to Battery terminals??
Cheers
Roh
Looking at putting solar on our van.
I was under the impression that the charge controller would hook straight onto the battery terminals, but a few of you have hooked it into the setec unit.
What is the general consensus from the rest of you, is that the way to go??
Setek AUX or direct to Battery terminals??
Cheers
Roh
Hi roh,
Our panel, fitted by the Jayco factory has the solar regulator connected directly to the battery.
Not sure which way is better but it works a treat.
Jas
Our panel, fitted by the Jayco factory has the solar regulator connected directly to the battery.
Not sure which way is better but it works a treat.
Jas
Mine is Direct to the Battery which is what Setec recommend in the manual, Just make sure your regulator doesn't exceed 14.8v output
When connecting smaller wires to an anderson I usually solder it instead. In fact it is the best way to go for 6b&s as well if you don't have the right crimping tool. have a look at this for a few tips on how to solder a battery connection.
Either way will work OK as long as your panel regulator does not exceed 14.8v (as the captain points out). i have mine connected directly to the battery for two reasons.
1 the aux in circuit of the setec has a blocking diode in series which will produce a small amount of voltage drop. This is not a huge concern but is there none the less.
2 The main problem with using the setec aux in is that if your battery is discharged to 10.5v the setec will disconnect the battery from your loads to protect the battery. unfortunately this will also disconnect the aux in from the battery as well so your panel will be unable to supply power to recharge it. The only way to get the setec to re-connect is to bring up the voltage of the battery or plug the setec into 240v.
for most of us it is a rare occurrence to run the battery that low but the possibility does exist.
Roh,
Solar regulator is connected directly to the battery. The solar guys say not to connect to the Setec as you end up with a regular connected to a regulator (Solar -> Setek).
Also, there are the other reasons as stated above.
Others recommend that the solar regulator be as close to your battery's possible as this improves battery charging.
For the moment, I have my 200W folding solar panel directly connected to one of the 2 x 100AH batteries via the solar regulator and am running a 2,500W inverter to power everything (coffee machine, toaster, kettle, various chargers, microwave, washing machine, computer) except the air conditioning unit. It is coping very well.
More information in this post "Who needs a powered site..."
Good luck,
Rohan
Hi all, has anyone had anything to do with these panels http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/New-130-.../330865237965?pt=AU_Solar&hash=item4d091adfcd
Was thinking of running two of them into the Redarc BCD1240 http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Redarc-B...=AU_Car_Parts_Accessories&hash=item1c24262629
I'm no expert so is this arrangement ok?
Cheers.
Was thinking of running two of them into the Redarc BCD1240 http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Redarc-B...=AU_Car_Parts_Accessories&hash=item1c24262629
I'm no expert so is this arrangement ok?
Cheers.
Should be no problem mate - so long as the combined amp output of the panels don't exceed 40A.... I already got the BCDC1240 in will be doing the panel mission soon to Probably go for a single 200 or 250 panel though. Any reason why you plan on going for 2 panels rather than one bigger one?
Thats the same mob I bought my 200w panel from they were great to deal with and the panel has been great so far
My 80w folding Solar Panel turned up 2 days after ordering itlayball:
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Hey CD, how has your folding panel been going?
Interested in doing similar.
Hey macca, I have only used the panel once so far on the HC forum trip, It was 4 days and 3 nights and it worked a treat. It was still charging in the shade too.The other trips have only been 1 or 2 nighters so I didn't take it.
On the RV control panel it lit up all for lights for the condition of the battery and its never done that even when plugged into 240v.
I never checked the batt voltage though because of this :smile:
The legs of the panel are a little flimsy but I can live wth that for the price
On the RV control panel it lit up all for lights for the condition of the battery and its never done that even when plugged into 240v.
I never checked the batt voltage though because of this :smile:
The legs of the panel are a little flimsy but I can live wth that for the price
I'm no expert, but it is my understanding that some panels srop working if partially shaded, so if you have 2 panels and one is in the shade the other will still work, however, with one panel you may get no effect from the panel.
Please correct me if I have misunderstood.
Yeah I was sorta thinking along those lines, I know what your saying with the cells in shade, I will send some emails and ask some questions before I decide which way to go. Basically I'll either have 2 120w panels one on each side at back or 1 200w panel across the back as they are 1580 long. After reading your results with solar setup and waeco im sure 200w will be plenty providing it's still efficient in shade/part shade. At this stage I'd prefer not to have a portable panel.
Cheers.
Solar panel in the Shade---- Sure they won't be as effective as when they have full on sun but with the advances in technology, I have a mate with solar panels on his van and they still give really good power even when his cover is over the top of the van... I would say if you are lucky enough to get a nice shady spot to park your van the chances are you would park the whole van in the shade not half of it, otherwise what would the point be.
Burnsy - the BCDC will simply transfer the power it gets from the panels to the batteries - So if the Panels are putting out 15A then that's ± what will go to the batteries - the 40A figure is just the maximum the the BCDC can handle and output. Also even if you had enough panels to output 40A it is unlikely that your batteries would ever be flat enough to accept that sort of charge anyway resulting in the BCDC only really outputting would the batteries will allow (resistance)
Burnsy - the BCDC will simply transfer the power it gets from the panels to the batteries - So if the Panels are putting out 15A then that's ± what will go to the batteries - the 40A figure is just the maximum the the BCDC can handle and output. Also even if you had enough panels to output 40A it is unlikely that your batteries would ever be flat enough to accept that sort of charge anyway resulting in the BCDC only really outputting would the batteries will allow (resistance)
I also think we take the whole battery and need to keep them fully charged every day thing a little to seriously....
In my previous camper - a Jayco Swan outback - I had a 260AH AGM Battery... I would charged it fully using 240V at home. Then go from Melbourne to Robe (no connection to car apart from Fridge and lights of course) free camp for 6 days, using TV, TV antenna, 150W inverter for Laptops, 12volt water pump, ipads, lights etc. (Fridge running on Gas)
And then drive all the home to Melbourne and the Battery would still be at 75% when we got home.
In our Expanda, I have 2 120AH AGM's - Same thing 5 days of free camping using all manner of accessories and the batteries barley get down to 80%.. (Fridge running on Gas).
Just saying - My view on this is that unless you are planning on doing any more than 5 day at a time stints and will be using something like a 2000W inverter regularly during this time then I would quetion the need for anything other than a 240V charger that you pretty much leave at home and just charge the batteries using that.
--- Say's he with the BCDC1240 and Xantrax 40A 240v Chargers ----
Still food for thought...
In my previous camper - a Jayco Swan outback - I had a 260AH AGM Battery... I would charged it fully using 240V at home. Then go from Melbourne to Robe (no connection to car apart from Fridge and lights of course) free camp for 6 days, using TV, TV antenna, 150W inverter for Laptops, 12volt water pump, ipads, lights etc. (Fridge running on Gas)
And then drive all the home to Melbourne and the Battery would still be at 75% when we got home.
In our Expanda, I have 2 120AH AGM's - Same thing 5 days of free camping using all manner of accessories and the batteries barley get down to 80%.. (Fridge running on Gas).
Just saying - My view on this is that unless you are planning on doing any more than 5 day at a time stints and will be using something like a 2000W inverter regularly during this time then I would quetion the need for anything other than a 240V charger that you pretty much leave at home and just charge the batteries using that.
--- Say's he with the BCDC1240 and Xantrax 40A 240v Chargers
----Still food for thought...
Unless you only have battery zero you may need that top up :eyebrows: then theres the whole time of the year thing daylight savings etc :smile: :flame:
True, Single 105AH or 120AH battery and you may have an issue - - - Of course the very simply solution to that before spending $$$ of a Generator or solar Panels and Regulator - would be to simply by another Battery
Day light Savings, yes, I guess like the dairy farmers if your battery or solar panel doesn't want want wake up earlier then you may have an issue ;-)
Day light Savings, yes, I guess like the dairy farmers if your battery or solar panel doesn't want want wake up earlier then you may have an issue ;-)