I have a large 185 watt solar panel (72 squares) that I want to mount on the roof of my van, I want to run the wires to a regulator and plug the regulator outlet into the battery system when parked for a while, I need to know what size regulator and the best type to get the best out of this set up.
Thanks
Dave
Bent Axle Bob said
07:03 PM Mar 16, 2015
Hi Dave, a 30watt MPPT regulator close to the battery(s) will do fine
SnowT said
07:51 PM Mar 16, 2015
Why a MPPT..??
Juergen...
Psst a 30A Regulator Yes....
J
Bent Axle Bob said
08:06 PM Mar 16, 2015
Has been covered many times in the past.
oldtrack123 said
11:57 PM Mar 16, 2015
deleted
-- Edited by oldtrack123 on Monday 16th of March 2015 11:58:50 PM
Jaahn said
09:40 AM Mar 17, 2015
Diggings wrote:
I have a large 185 watt solar panel (72 squares) that I want to mount on the roof of my van, I want to run the wires to a regulator and plug the regulator outlet into the battery system when parked for a while, I need to know what size regulator and the best type to get the best out of this set up.
Thanks
Dave
Hi Diggins,
I would suggest a MPPT regulator as it gets the best out of the panels. However a normal one will work OK. Buy a better quality one and then you can forget it. The cheapest ones are not so good but there are plenty that work OK if you pay a bit more on Fleabay. I use a Tracer.
A 185 watt panel will put out around 13-14 amps. So a regulator rated at more than this will be needed say 15 amps or 20 is a good margin. If you intend to expand a bit in the future, now is the time to buy a bigger regulator so you do not have to do it over again. Good sized wiring is always better than minimum size.
Jaahn
-- Edited by Jaahn on Tuesday 17th of March 2015 09:42:15 AM
Diggings said
10:04 AM Mar 17, 2015
Thanks fellow daydreamers, the advice will be most helpful, I will probably go with the 30 amp option.
Thanks
Dave
mr glassies said
07:42 PM Mar 17, 2015
geeeeeee jaahn i want some of your panels my 200 watt only put out 11.12 optimum amps lol . id go the 30 mppt incase you want to go more panels later
dibs
..
Jaahn said
08:41 PM Mar 17, 2015
mr glassies wrote:
geeeeeee jaahn i want some of your panels my 200 watt only put out 11.12 optimum amps lol . id go the 30 mppt incase you want to go more panels later
dibs ..
Hi dibs,
If you have a MPPT controller you might get the extra amps out of the system when the battery voltage is low. That is the point of them.
Actually I was just estimating the output as a best case. It could be a 30 cell panel
Note very cheap MPPT regulators do not work. They do not have the hardware to properly MPPT. They just work like ordinary ones.
Jaahn
-- Edited by Jaahn on Tuesday 17th of March 2015 08:43:32 PM
I have a large 185 watt solar panel (72 squares) that I want to mount on the roof of my van, I want to run the wires to a regulator and plug the regulator outlet into the battery system when parked for a while, I need to know what size regulator and the best type to get the best out of this set up.
Thanks
Dave
Juergen...
Psst a 30A Regulator Yes....
J
-- Edited by oldtrack123 on Monday 16th of March 2015 11:58:50 PM
Hi Diggins,
I would suggest a MPPT regulator as it gets the best out of the panels. However a normal one will work OK. Buy a better quality one and then you can forget it.
The cheapest ones are not so good but there are plenty that work OK if you pay a bit more on Fleabay. I use a Tracer.
A 185 watt panel will put out around 13-14 amps. So a regulator rated at more than this will be needed say 15 amps or 20 is a good margin. If you intend to expand a bit in the future, now is the time to buy a bigger regulator so you do not have to do it over again.
Good sized wiring is always better than minimum size.
Jaahn
-- Edited by Jaahn on Tuesday 17th of March 2015 09:42:15 AM
Thanks
Dave
dibs
..
Hi dibs,
If you have a MPPT controller you might get the extra amps out of the system when the battery voltage is low.
That is the point of them.
Actually I was just estimating the output as a best case. It could be a 30 cell panel
Note very cheap MPPT regulators do not work. They do not have the hardware to properly MPPT.
They just work like ordinary ones.
Jaahn
-- Edited by Jaahn on Tuesday 17th of March 2015 08:43:32 PM