Help with solar panel regulator (BP) 10amp
Submitted: Saturday, May 27, 2006 at 22:18
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Voxson (Adelaide)
Today i have hooked up 2 x 40watt solar panels in parallel,, bringing out a + and - from the same panel to the regulator....
(Should it be a + from one panel and a - from the other??)....
Shouldnt make any difference should it???....
Anyways,,,, the (batt + and -) of the regulator i put a plug on and plugged it into the power socket in the rear of the vehicle,,,,,,,,, and the (load + and -) of the regulator i have plugged the fridge into.....(Waeco) 50litre....
So my question is,,,,,"is it normal for the plug in the rear socket to get untouchably hot whilst the fridge is on and drawing 3.5amps??"
Also,,, "its gets as hot when the solar panel is plugged in and giving charge into the socket without the fridge even being turned on"..... ..................3.4 amps is the solar panel charge....
Reply By: V8 Troopie - Saturday, May 27, 2006 at 23:57
Saturday, May 27, 2006 at 23:57
Well Voxson, your description is a bit confusing but nothing should get hot so its likely you got it wrong.
To connect DC things in parallel (solar panels, batteries, etc.):
you connect the + of EACH item together and the - of EACH item. So it ends up just like a single item connection wise, one + and one - terminal. Parallel connection gives you the same voltage as a single solar panel but twice the amperage ( if the panels get the same light).
To connect this to the regulator, just run the + from the combined panels to the +input of the regulator. The + ouput (load) of the regulator goes to the + of the battery.
The - of the panels goes to the - of the battery and the - (or common) of the regulator, peferably in that sequence.
You connect your fridge to the battery, not anywhere else!
The 'load' of a solar panel is usually a battery, keep that in mind.
+ means positive
- means negative
Klaus
AnswerID:
175122
Follow Up By: Voxson (Adelaide) - Sunday, May 28, 2006 at 09:48
Sunday, May 28, 2006 at 09:48
Ok.....
I am referring to the regulator terminals in this next paragraph and where they are going to....
Load is going to fridge.
Batt is going 12 volt socket in panel of car.
Solar Panel is going to solar panel.
It looks likes some regulators and the meanings of their terminals may vary from brand to brand or type to type because this thing has got a drawing which is pretty hard to balls up....
But like you say there must be a problem because i could see the plug melting with a bit longer use and warmer ambients....
It is getting hot when either the solar is passing current to the battery through the regulator to the panel plug or when the fridge is being operated through the same method..
But the fridge going straight to the panel plug without using the regulator has no problems..
Back to the supplier on Monday i spose....
Thanks for your response V8 Troopie...
FollowupID:
431217
Reply By: Alloy c/t - Sunday, May 28, 2006 at 10:06
Sunday, May 28, 2006 at 10:06
Pos terminal from panel 1 goes to pos terminal on panel 2 ,,
Neg terminal from panel 1 goes to neg terminal on panel 2,,, that gives you in effect 1 80watt panel ,,
Pos terminal from panel 2 goes to Pos terminal of Solar imput on regulator,
Neg terminal from panel 2 goes to Neg terminal on Solar imput on regulator,,
Pos terminal on regulator marked battery goes to battery ,,
Neg terminal on regulator marked battery goes to battery ,,,
Pos from battery goes to Pos on fridge plug ,,
Neg from battery goes to Neg on fridge plug ,, easy as ,,,
if regulator has power in and power out recording capabillity aka "steca" regulator instead of fridge pos and neg from battery , fridge pos and neg to coresponding 3rd terminals on regulator marked by "light" icon..
AnswerID:
175147
Follow Up By: Voxson (Adelaide) - Sunday, May 28, 2006 at 10:14
Sunday, May 28, 2006 at 10:14
Very descriptive and exactly how i have done it...
All the functions work on the regulator like,, voltage, a/hours, state of charge,,,, etc etc... all that works
well.....
Just the heat on the plug problem worries me....
Thanks for your input...
FollowupID:
431220
Reply By: Voxson (Adelaide) - Sunday, May 28, 2006 at 22:46
Sunday, May 28, 2006 at 22:46
Thanks Mike (above) for your reply...
I went to Motor Traders to specially buy a good plug because i knew it was critical for good contacts on every electrical join....The counter guy told me to buy Hella so i did...
The last thing on my mind was a crappy plug,,,,,, so i go and post all the stuff above,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
and then lo and behold.......................... a crappy plug was the problem..
I had a spare Waeco plug and put it in place of the Hella and it runs almost cold at that connection now...
**************SHEESH*****************
AnswerID:
175281
Follow Up By: fnq triton - Tuesday, May 30, 2006 at 16:44
Tuesday, May 30, 2006 at 16:44
when did you get the solar panels and where from?
FollowupID:
431727