Solar Panel hook up, anything special.

Submitted: Friday, Dec 19, 2008 at 20:03

ThreadID: 64413 Views:6922 Replies:4 FollowUps:13

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Solar Power

This article covers every aspect of solar and its design and installation in RVs (camper trailers, caravans and motor homes). It shows how much power solar panels really produce,

PeterInSa

Just purchased 2, 80W Solar Panels and a M+ GCR 3000 (30Amp) regulator. Nows its the hard part, the install.

Reading a number of old threads, the point was made that with my 120A/H Batteries the load etc should be connected to the Positive of one battery and the Negative of the other. Both batteries being connected in parallel of course.

Is something similar done to the Panels. Both panels are connected in parallel but should the cables going to the regulator be connected to the positive of one panel and the negative of the other.

A friend has connected a Diode to his panel to prevent back charge the panel (from the battery at night). Have been told that this is not necessary, the regulator takes care of it. Further more the connection of a diode, reduces power from the Panels to the batteries.

Comments appreciated.

Peter

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Reply By: Maîneÿ (wa) - Friday, Dec 19, 2008 at 21:23

Friday, Dec 19, 2008 at 21:23

Why did you get a 30 Amp reg when you have 11 Amp max from panels?

Connect the (+) of first to (+) on second panel then to (+) on reg, and also (-) on first to (-) on second panel, then to (-) on reg.

Mainey . . .

AnswerID: 340560

Follow Up By: PeterInSa - Saturday, Dec 20, 2008 at 12:33

Saturday, Dec 20, 2008 at 12:33

Mainey, Derrek,
Thanks for your replies

Mainey,
Good point, in actual fact I think my BP 80 Watt Poly Crystalline Panels put out a max of 4.9 amps each so ain theory a 10amp regulatorr should do the job. I also cannot see me needing any more panels, since when bush camping use our Frig on Gas.

The reason i purchased the 30Amp unit was for the charging/load analysis. My plan is to have all the load connected thru the regulator. eg when travelling the Frig can take up to 15amps. When bush camping TV, Sat Receiver, couple of Halgen lights and Fluors etc oven/exhaust fan etc may just take over 20 amps, so went for the 30 amp unit.

At the end of a period (day/week/month) can see how much was put into the battery and how much used.

What is your reasoning behind your suggested Panel/regulator connecting method

Note the 10amp Regulator was around 1/3 the cost of the 30amp.

Peter

FollowupID: 608276

Follow Up By: Maîneÿ (wa) - Saturday, Dec 20, 2008 at 17:58

Saturday, Dec 20, 2008 at 17:58

Peter,
You say: "My plan is to have all the load connected thru the regulator. eg when travelling the Frig can take up to 15amps"

Can I suggest it's a bad 'plan' - without offending you :-)

As I'm not familiar with the regulator you have bought I make no comment about it, however I would run the fridge power cable direct to the Aux battery via a ceramic fuse with a quality battery cut-out switch set to about 11.6 Volts.

You already know the fridge will use MORE power than the Solar system supplies and the fridge will only be running on batteries when it is not on gas, as when camped, so probably when driving, but the Alternator will charge the Aux battery system, not the Solar system, so the numbers will be 'wrong' because they will not be relevant.

Explained another way, when driving, the Alternator will charge the Aux battery/ies and in turn will power the fridge via the Solar reg because the power is going to the battery/ies via the Alternator it is not included in the power consumption figures.

The only numbers you will see at the Solar reg are the 'negative' output numbers to the fridge, from the battery/ies, this is misleading because the batteries are also being recharged by the Alternator (when driving) and the Alternator charge is NOT taken into account in the solar reg equations (is it ??)

Mainey . . .

FollowupID: 608310

Follow Up By: PeterInSa - Sunday, Dec 21, 2008 at 18:26

Sunday, Dec 21, 2008 at 18:26

Mainey,
Agree re the Frig load and Charging from the vehicle when on the road. At this stage have not come across a cable from the Battery to the frig, the Frig just seems to part of the caravan load. Will need to follow this up. Already have a Battery cut out for the Frig/Load.

Thanks

FollowupID: 608432

Reply By: ABR - SIDEWINDER - Friday, Dec 19, 2008 at 21:48

Friday, Dec 19, 2008 at 21:48

Hi Peter

Great regulator and 30A allows you to add more panels when needed. Diodes help with shade tolerance and night time connection but can be eliminated with some more advanced regulators.

Use the correct rated cable and just connect the system in parallel, it does not require connection to opposing terminals as you suggest.

Your regulator will also have instructions included for best practice and cable sizes to use.

Regards

Derek from ABR

AnswerID: 340567

Follow Up By: Maîneÿ (wa) - Monday, Dec 22, 2008 at 14:03

Monday, Dec 22, 2008 at 14:03

Image Could Not Be Found
Image Could Not Be FoundSame item - different dress!

Mainey . . .

FollowupID: 608530

Follow Up By: ABR - SIDEWINDER - Monday, Dec 22, 2008 at 22:23

Monday, Dec 22, 2008 at 22:23

Mainey

Its taken 3 days for you to Google the part number.

FollowupID: 608616

Follow Up By: Maîneÿ (wa) - Monday, Dec 22, 2008 at 22:54

Monday, Dec 22, 2008 at 22:54

Derek,
yes, I apologise
I'm sorry it took me so long :-)

Mainey . . .

FollowupID: 608624

Follow Up By: ABR - SIDEWINDER - Monday, Dec 22, 2008 at 23:17

Monday, Dec 22, 2008 at 23:17

No problem.

I have sold the BP ones that is why I knew the part number off hand.

Regards

Derek.

FollowupID: 608630

Reply By: Member - Ian F (WA) - Saturday, Dec 20, 2008 at 15:39

Saturday, Dec 20, 2008 at 15:39

Peter,
Are these going to be perminant fixture if not I converted my 80watt panel voltage regulator to as close as possible to the battery Saves voltage drop.
Ian

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AnswerID: 340630

Follow Up By: Maîneÿ (wa) - Saturday, Dec 20, 2008 at 17:15

Saturday, Dec 20, 2008 at 17:15

Ian,
can you explain how you "converted your 80watt panel voltage regulator to as close as possible to the battery Saves voltage drop" ??

Did you actually mean you 'moved' it closer to your battery ?

Mainey . . .

FollowupID: 608301

Follow Up By: Member - Ian F (WA) - Saturday, Dec 20, 2008 at 17:30

Saturday, Dec 20, 2008 at 17:30

Mainey,
Sorry about that
Originally the voltage regulator was was postioned in the foldup 80watt panels and since I added an extra 15 metres of cable there was quite a considerable voltage drop at the battery so I removed the reg. from the panel's and placed it within a foot of the battery. Made one hell of a difference.
Ian

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Follow Up By: Maîneÿ (wa) - Saturday, Dec 20, 2008 at 17:35

Saturday, Dec 20, 2008 at 17:35

Yes,
as does mine, Steca reg sits about 60 cms from the AGM battery system to give accurate battery condition and better Solar power charging performance also.

Mainey . . .

FollowupID: 608304

Follow Up By: Member - Ian F (WA) - Saturday, Dec 20, 2008 at 17:44

Saturday, Dec 20, 2008 at 17:44

I am slowly adding more gear and have been satisfled with the portable system which has its good and bad points.
The good---- you can if possible park in the shade.
The Bad------Careful of thieving mongrels.
One day I will buy an agm
Ian

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FollowupID: 608305

Follow Up By: Member - Mike DID - Monday, Dec 22, 2008 at 19:35

Monday, Dec 22, 2008 at 19:35

If there is lot of wire resistance between the regulator and the battery, it will sense a falsely high battery voltage and so reduce charging current.

FollowupID: 608578

Reply By: Maîneÿ (wa) - Monday, Dec 22, 2008 at 12:53

Monday, Dec 22, 2008 at 12:53

Peter,
Have had some info sent to me anonymously...
has been no update, so they obviously expect me to do it :)

Apparently the "GCR M Solar regulator" is a BP Regulator?
Is it coloured GREEN with large LCD display screen ??

BP GCR Solar regulator

Made inquiries and assure you (if it's the BP reg by Steca in link above) it's probably one of the best options available, as it's made by Steca in Germany and specifically coloured green for BP, as to what Derek is suggesting by "some more advanced regulators" will offer you I'm not sure, as I believe you have all that you will ever require, maybe if you ask him for the extra features available on "more advanced" Solar regulators for his ideas as he sells the Steca range of Solar Regulators.

The Steca (BP) has the latest charging technologies, giving optimal battery maintenance and control of the Solar panel output.
The large clear LCD display informs you about all operating modes visually with the aid of symbols &/or numbers.

The 'State of Charge' is represented visually in the form of a (fuel) tank type display.

Important data such as Voltage & Current are displayed digitally as easy to read numbers on the clear LCD display.

In addition, Steca use PWM and the Solar controller also has an 'energy' meter which you can reset manually, this will inform you what has been produced by the Solar system, gone into the battery and what has been used by the accessories, it lets you know if the system is working efficiently.
I know Steca work efficiently - I use one too :))

Mainey . . .

AnswerID: 340874

Follow Up By: PeterInSa - Wednesday, Dec 24, 2008 at 14:44

Wednesday, Dec 24, 2008 at 14:44

Mainey,
Thanks for your reply. My unit is like the photo green M+ GCR 3000 above.

In regard to the anonymous send. I can see where the sender comes from. This and a few other high profile Forums are scanned by google and the info held/accessed in their data base. I wanted comments/experiences (good/bad) on thee BP Sola Regulator, so purposely did not include BP Sola Regulator in my heading or the first line of detail, so if by chance someone gave me a negative viewpoint that could help me overcome a possible problem (even though I had alrady bought the unit) it would help me and not leave them open to any potential legal issues by anybody doing a google search on Solar Regulators.

As it turned out, thankfully all I have heard is positives about the BP regulator. I appreciate your effort in forwarding the above.

I will mount the Regulator in the boot close to the batteries.

Peter

FollowupID: 608896