Pics of my Solar and Charging Install
Submitted: Sunday, Jul 19, 2009 at 20:43
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70812
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Matt(WA)
Hi Everyone,
Following up from thread a 70686, this is a few pics of what I have been up to this weekend.
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1. Neg for Bat. 1 + 2 and Car Charge via Anderson Plugs (not yet fitted)
2. Pos for Car Charge and 50 amp CB (not yet fitted)
3. Pos for Bat 1 + 2 via individual 50 amp CB
4. 600w Inverter
5. 240v Battery Charger 30amp, 4 stage.
6. Fuse Box
7. Solar Controller
8. Earth for Charger
Everything seems to be working allright. THe power is getting to all the accessories and everthing is working fine. The one question I have is for anyone who plavys with Stecca Regulators.
I hooked everything up in the right order as per instruction but, this is my drama: whit sun comming into the reg of say 1.5 amps. reg says 1.1amps to battery and .4 amps to load. This is with Fridge and 12v lights on. I tested current over fridge fuse and it was 5 amps. Yet controller still says .2-.5 amps.
The power for the fridge comes from the fusebox which draws its power directly from the solar reg.
Any ideas?
Matt
Reply By: Mandrake - Sunday, Jul 19, 2009 at 21:44
Sunday, Jul 19, 2009 at 21:44
Would the balance of load be coming directly from the battery ?
Just a thought - I'm no sparky
Rgds
Steve
AnswerID:
375280
Reply By: Maîneÿ . . .- Sunday, Jul 19, 2009 at 22:54
Sunday, Jul 19, 2009 at 22:54
Matt,
You say: "with sun comming into the reg of say 1.5 amps. reg says 1.1 amps to battery and .4 amps to load" <-These numbers are 'OK'
This is with Fridge and 12v lights on.
I tested current over fridge fuse and it was 5 amps <- OK for 12v fridge
Yet controller still says .2-.5 amps. ??
Matt, when the battery is ~fully charged, the Steca will only send what the battery needs to the battery, the rest will go to the device using the current.Image Could Not Be Found
Matt do these pics make it clearer, look also at the two gauges below the Steca, the indicate the current going *direct* to/from the AGM batteries.
In the top pic; there is 3.3 Amps going from 13v battery to fridge, so ~4.7 Amps is going from Solar panel
In the lower pic; there is 4.9 Amps @ the Solar panel and 3.2 Amps going to the FRIDGE direct from the AGM's
Image Could Not Be FoundMaîneÿ . . .
AnswerID:
375301
Follow Up By: Matt(WA) - Monday, Jul 20, 2009 at 18:35
Monday, Jul 20, 2009 at 18:35
I have worked it out,
The reason the Stecca wasnt showing correct load was because I had two chassi earths. The power that runs to the lights and the cd player is earthed at the van chassi down the back somewhere.
When I wired up the power wire to the light and cd circuit I added an extra earth for this circuit. After reading up more on the stecca, it only requires one earth.
So now with the great weather we are having in
perth the sun is giving me .5 amp and the fridge is using 4.9 amps.
So I am happy
Thanks
Matt
FollowupID:
642673
Reply By: Member - Tony S (WA) - Monday, Jul 20, 2009 at 02:06
Monday, Jul 20, 2009 at 02:06
Hi Matt,
A nice neat job.
This is not a crititism however, wouldn't it have been better having the wires from the Anderson plug going direct to your batteries Then from the batteries up to the pos. and neg. posts? This is to ensure you have maximum voltage going to where it is needed. You would be suprised what is actually lost in transit.
Tony
AnswerID:
375317
Follow Up By: Member - Tony S (WA) - Monday, Jul 20, 2009 at 02:10
Monday, Jul 20, 2009 at 02:10
He He Just woke up.
You run a 12 volt fridge not a 3 way like
mine, there for you do not have to worry somuch about voltage drops..
Tony
FollowupID:
642539
Follow Up By: Matt(WA) - Monday, Jul 20, 2009 at 10:10
Monday, Jul 20, 2009 at 10:10
Hi Tony,
I have used 25mm2 wire for all battery cables. There is only about 300mm of cable between the battery and the points where it will all be joined up. I don't think I will get that much voltage drop with this set up. Also room to hook everything up to the battery was a bit of a concern.
Matt
FollowupID:
642577
Follow Up By: Maîneÿ . . .- Monday, Jul 20, 2009 at 11:00
Monday, Jul 20, 2009 at 11:00
Tony,
I believe your thought is sound, I would wire the 240v battery charger with Aligator clips and the inverter with a circuit breaker and both wired independantly.
At present everything appears to be connected together in the same single circuit.
Image Could Not Be FoundMaîneÿ . . .
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Matt(WA) - Monday, Jul 20, 2009 at 11:27
Monday, Jul 20, 2009 at 11:27
Mainey and Tony,
The Inverter has a on/off switch and the 12v supply is fused on the actual inverter.
The only reason I hooked the battery charger up permanently is that I wanted an easy system for if I am in a caravan
park with 240v power. The charger will remain switched off unless I need it.
The way it is hooked up it will charge both batteries at once without having to swap from one battery to the next.
I have also taken your advice Mainey and have a power board in the van that will be plugged into the inverter. Then when I need 240v power all I have to do is switch on the inverter.
Matt
FollowupID:
642604
Follow Up By: Maîneÿ . . .- Monday, Jul 20, 2009 at 17:28
Monday, Jul 20, 2009 at 17:28
Image Could Not Be FoundMaîneÿ . . .
FollowupID:
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Reply By: choc - Monday, Jul 20, 2009 at 07:30
Monday, Jul 20, 2009 at 07:30
Looks good, i am a novice at this stuff but would like to do same.Could you advise size batteries and a rough cost for DIY.
THANKS
CHOC
AnswerID:
375327
Reply By: Rod - Monday, Jul 20, 2009 at 08:02
Monday, Jul 20, 2009 at 08:02
Just remember that your Stecca regulator is a positively earthed system, not negatively earthed (unless they have changed in the last 12 months). Don't allow the negative circuit of the panel, controller and battery to all become common or you will blow up the regulator when it starts to shunt. Don't ask me how I know this (expensive lesson).
AnswerID:
375329
Follow Up By: Maîneÿ . . .- Monday, Jul 20, 2009 at 09:09
Monday, Jul 20, 2009 at 09:09
Rod,
Maybe that's the reason the 'instruction book' states to wire the Steca controller in a specific order
it's an easy job to those not visually impaired :-)
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Maîneÿ . . .
FollowupID:
642565
Reply By: 12ian34 - Sunday, Jul 26, 2009 at 20:35
Sunday, Jul 26, 2009 at 20:35
HI, I'm not very electrically minded. Does the 12 volt system draw power straight from the charger when pugged to 240v and no battery in system or is there another step when running the 12 volt equipment from 240v?
Ian
AnswerID:
376332