I have a 20A DC-DC charger fitted to my Van, it has a MPPT controller fitted to its innards. Do I have to remove the MPPT controller from my Solar Panel so it accepts going through it.
I hooked it up and the dc-dc started flashing, not charging battery.
I hooked Solar Panel direct to the battery and it is charging.
Would the circuitry prevent the dc-dc doing its job because of these controllers or not, the battery is at 100% state of Charge.
Thanks
Bob
Jaahn said
09:11 PM Oct 4, 2017
Hi Bob
I am not exactly sure what you have done, or have there, but the standard answer would be you should only use one regulator between the solar panel and the battery. If the panel has a regulator then just connect it to the battery. If the DC-DC charger has an input for a solar panel then this would be for the direct panel input without the regulator. This generally applies to PWM regs as well as MPPT too.
Jaahn
ABNER said
09:37 PM Oct 4, 2017
Thank you,Jaahn.
Bob
Tony Bev said
12:36 AM Oct 5, 2017
I have a CTEK D250S Duel Dc to Dc charger, Bob. Yours may be different
I am sure that I had read that you must not have a regulator on your solar panels as it will not show enough power, for the CTEK to work. Or words to that effect
Very easy on a lot of solar panels to isolate the solar regulator, by disconnecting the wires before they go into, and out from the solar regulator, and connect them together
Later on if you want your solar panel to be connected direct to your battery, just put the wire back into the solar regulator
I normally make a bit of a diagram when I remove any 12 volt wires, as it helps when you are replacing them, at a later date
Hope that this helps you out
ABNER said
03:17 PM Oct 5, 2017
Yes you are correct Tony, I disconnected the MPPT Controller from the panel and then run it through the dc dc charger, all good.
Thanks
Bob
Martin_QLD said
04:56 PM Oct 10, 2017
Can I ask what you guys use to check your DC to DC charger is picking up charge from your solar panels, I looked at the Redark battery management system but at over $2000 I thought it was overkill. What I plan to do is fit a DC to DC charger but I would like some sort of gauge that tells me the system is working. The charge will come from solar, Anderson plug while travelling and 240v when I can get it and I would like the DC to DC manage all of them, can I ask am I on the right track. However i do know and agree with everyone in here that you should one run the one controller because they will conflict with one another if you use one on the solar panel and one close to the battery.
Cheers
Martin
Terryt said
07:08 AM Oct 11, 2017
Your dc dc charger will have lights that indicate where the charge is coming from and if the batteries are receiving charge. The few I have used, ctek 250s and a projecta unit didn't give any
figures re how much charge.
I have a 20A DC-DC charger fitted to my Van, it has a MPPT controller fitted to its innards. Do I have to remove the MPPT controller from my Solar Panel so it accepts going through it.
I hooked it up and the dc-dc started flashing, not charging battery.
I hooked Solar Panel direct to the battery and it is charging.
Would the circuitry prevent the dc-dc doing its job because of these controllers or not, the battery is at 100% state of Charge.
Thanks
Bob
Hi Bob
I am not exactly sure what you have done, or have there, but the standard answer would be you should only use one regulator between the solar panel and the battery. If the panel has a regulator then just connect it to the battery. If the DC-DC charger has an input for a solar panel then this would be for the direct panel input without the regulator. This generally applies to PWM regs as well as MPPT too.
Jaahn
Thank you,Jaahn.
Bob
I have a CTEK D250S Duel Dc to Dc charger, Bob.
Yours may be different
I am sure that I had read that you must not have a regulator on your solar panels as it will not show enough power, for the CTEK to work. Or words to that effect
Very easy on a lot of solar panels to isolate the solar regulator, by disconnecting the wires before they go into, and out from the solar regulator, and connect them together
Later on if you want your solar panel to be connected direct to your battery, just put the wire back into the solar regulator
I normally make a bit of a diagram when I remove any 12 volt wires, as it helps when you are replacing them, at a later date
Hope that this helps you out
Yes you are correct Tony, I disconnected the MPPT Controller from the panel and then run it through the dc dc charger, all good.
Thanks
Bob
Cheers
Martin
figures re how much charge.