Solar panel test.
Submitted: Sunday, Apr 28, 2013 at 14:05
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Member - graeme W (WA)
Added another panel to the hilux roof and just did a simple test of amps. Have a basic mppt wellsee regulator and two auxillary batteries. Both agms with a 65amp in the engine bay and a 120 amp under the tray at the back linked with 8b@s cable. Panels are 120watt and 160watt with separate 6mm cables joined to a short legth of 8 b@s at the regulator to help carry the current of the two 6mm cables. Have two fridges one a trailblazer 60 litre and an 80 litre waeco that draw about 9 amps combined. The traiblazer is wired direct to the load of the regulator and the waeco is wired to the back battery both with anderson plugs.With both fridges running in full sun the amp reading on the panel side was 10 amps and on the battery side the reading was a little over 5 amps. I presume the amps used by the fridge wired to the regulator are consumed and therefore dont read at the battery so therefore the panels are just supplying a little more than is being used and the only way to test full output would to be run the batteries down a little over night. As the reading was a little higher on the battery side i also presume the cheap regulator is adding a little to the amps produced as well.Will do another test with the batteries down a bit to try and find maximum output.
Cheers graeme.
Reply By: Jason – Perth - Sunday, Apr 28, 2013 at 21:07
Sunday, Apr 28, 2013 at 21:07
G'day Graeme,
Just one questions if I could, as I'm not that familiar with the solar regulators that have INPUT/LOAD/BATTERY connections.
Was there a particular reason why your fridges were split across the load / battery connections? (hoping I read your post right).
I do think your right in that the difference between the solar current and battery current will be close to the load current.
Cheers
Jason
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509964
Follow Up By: Member - graeme W (WA) - Sunday, Apr 28, 2013 at 21:58
Sunday, Apr 28, 2013 at 21:58
Hi Jason. Both fridges are on one side of the tray back to back and one was close to the reg and front battery and the other above the back battery. I cut both fridge cables and put on anderson plugs which connect to 8b@s. The front fridge could be wired to the front battery directly but its the same distance going to reg load then battery so just saves another cable really. Allways had one panel as most of my fishing trips are short so with a bit of driving have managed with the help of a folding panel when a top up was needed but got sick of carrying it around so decided to finish the job properly. Was putting out 12amps at times today after cloudy periods and maximum possible is about 15 so quite happy with that. Should be enough most of the time.
Cheers Graeme
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Reply By: oldtrack123 - Sunday, Apr 28, 2013 at 22:00
Sunday, Apr 28, 2013 at 22:00
Hi
Yes ,It is quite likely you are reading the nett input to the battery after all other loads have been supplies
The solar input indicates the panels are not working to full output,of around 15A possibly due to poor light or panel angle to sun!!!
PeterQ
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Follow Up By: Member - graeme W (WA) - Monday, Apr 29, 2013 at 15:33
Monday, Apr 29, 2013 at 15:33
Hi Oldtrack.
Not sure but think the reason for not reaching full output is because the panels are only putting in what is being used. Not long after tha thermostats shut the fridges down the regulator light flashes indicating batteries full.
Cheers Graeme.
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