Received my160 watt portable solar panel to day guess you get what you pay for ,157 dollars sounded like a bargain ,no bag included ,very small diameter cables ,no information at all on the panels who knows wether there even 160watt ,they seem big enough ,crap regulator,looks like. I will have to buy a good reg that's ok it was part of the plan,the main concern is with as previously discussed is the long cable run from the panel itself to the new regulator near the battery ,with such very small diameter wiring that's connected to each panel maybe it's a better proposition to leave the regulator on the panel,and use the long cable run to the the battery as it's set up at the moment,it's a shame I really wanted to have the regulator near the battery.any thoughts would be much appreciated.
PeterD said
12:53 PM Nov 4, 2017
Don't stuff around. Get the new regulator NOW. If you delay the purchase you will need heavier cable to give a lower voltage drop for the existing regulator to be useful (which ip probably wont be, it will probably be a reg fixed at 13.8V.)
You did not say how long your "long lead" will be so we can not reliable advise the necessary size of cable.
Ron-D said
06:23 PM Nov 4, 2017
Thanks for our reply Peter the cable length is five meters ,I will definitely buy a new regulator before. I use this panel ,my only problem was because of the tiny cable size in the panels themselves ,would that small diameter cable size at the actual panel itself support a five meter cable run to the regulator ,that will now be moved from the portable panel and be placed close to the battery.
Craig1 said
10:01 PM Nov 4, 2017
My 130w new panel has 2.5mm sq wire with 1 metre leads, but the insulation makes it look twice as big as a twin core 2.5mm sq cable (supplied by my auto elec). the copper is the same once stripped however, prior to fitting a 3 metre extension via Anderson plugs to 2nd tug battery. No fitted regulator on this panel from Vic Off roads. cheers Craig. ( the 2.5mm sq description comes off cable drum label)
PeterD said
11:46 AM Nov 5, 2017
If you use twin 6 mm auto cable you will get 0.35 V drop over the cable at the full 10 A your panels will deliver. If you use 6 mm2 cable the voltage drop will be 0.28 V. These voltages will not be significant if the controller is at the battery but will be with the controller at the panel.
macka17 said
12:04 PM Nov 5, 2017
Put regulator at Battery end. No matter HOW long the cable run.
Then go to Lawrence\Hanson. or any electrical supplier.
(Any solar installer near you?.)
Buy the length of cable THEY use on house roofs. and solder\crimp, that in.
A lot thicker than you think you'll need. BUT
the right cable for that job.
Current loss. WHAT current loss. Do it properly.
I bought 7 mtrs for mine recently.
It's "stiff" cabling. Holds a bend.
macka17 said
12:16 PM Nov 5, 2017
This cable (there is a thicker one too.)
Measured by Vernier not fancy Squared figures.
Outer double sheath.
11mm X 5.5mm.
Individual Copper cores. == 2.8mm Dia, on Vernier.
They use this on roof panel runs on houses.
Should be gud enuff for caravan hey.
Tony Bev said
12:30 PM Nov 5, 2017
I am not an Electrician
On my Jayco Conquest (in my Avatar)
The solar panel wire from near the battery/s to the roof is pre installed
It is fairly light gauge wire, of approximately 5 metres in length
I was unable to replace it, as it is stuck somewhere within the cavity of the wall
I could only add to it
The total run of my wires from my 300 watt roof solar panel, to the regulator near the battery, is about 8 metres long
I was initially worried about the power drop, of the pre installed wire run
During my testing, on a good day after running down the batteries, I was seeing around 19 volts, and 13 amps, at the regulator
As others have said, having the regulator close to the battery/s, is the way to go
Aus-Kiwi said
03:09 PM Nov 5, 2017
Then to confuse things ..The type of regular helps too !!
Ron-D said
06:15 PM Nov 5, 2017
Looking at the mppt etracer controler $170 dollars 20amp model anyone any advice on a good controler model ....
thats interesting Tony from your experience it sounds like just crimping a well ,medium sized cable onto the puny little cables at the panel won't cause much of a voltage drop as long as the reg is near the battery.
-- Edited by Ron-D on Sunday 5th of November 2017 06:41:28 PM
macka17 said
01:26 AM Nov 6, 2017
As long as first part of cable can carry full load from panel out.
Dia for distance travelled Loss..
I've used Morningstar for a long time now. Good. Reliable. very few hassles.
Heavy duty stuff. try the "Trace"
Cupie said
02:36 PM Nov 6, 2017
Unfortunately my 200a panel is 9m from the battery.
I am using 6AWG to my DC/DC charger that has a MPPT solar reg.
Same size cable used from Alternator to Anderson plug on tug (via a relay off the Accessory wire). Yes old fashioned I know.
When I get the time I will replace the Jayco's 8AWG from its Anderson plug to the DC/DC with 6AWG cable.
Then I think that I will install a couple of Anderson plugs to allow me to change the alternator feed to the DC/DC charger, to feed the 12v fridge for traveling. Let the solar top up the battery if it has been only lightly used. We don't free camp very much.
BTW everything that I read advises me to use MPPT reg & place it as close to the battery as possible.
Also ... good deals on 6SWG cable (by length) can be got from 'Big Al' on eBay. Fast delivery.
6SWG is a good fit for 50a Anderson plugs too.
ps. I get confused with all these different wire gauges so I stick to American Wire Gauge AWG, which I now am familiar with. Fancy the Yanks having a useful standard.
-- Edited by Cupie on Monday 6th of November 2017 02:38:50 PM
macka17 said
07:17 PM Nov 6, 2017
Hey Cupie.
I get confused too.
So I just strip a bit of sheath back. Roll core in fingers and Vernier the dia of that strand.
Normally around 2.8mm, Finger rolled Core dia. Do have some thicker.
Seems to hold voltages for any length I've used up to 40ft in Yachts.
Transom Panels frame, to Under Centre ****pit Battery banks..
Cupie said
10:53 AM Nov 12, 2017
macka17 wrote:
Hey Cupie.
I get confused too. So I just strip a bit of sheath back. Roll core in fingers and Vernier the dia of that strand. Normally around 2.8mm, Finger rolled Core dia. Do have some thicker.
Seems to hold voltages for any length I've used up to 40ft in Yachts. Transom Panels frame, to Under Centre ****pit Battery banks..
Sorry that I took so long to reply. I just dropped in to see if there was anything interesting newly posted.
After reading your post I slipped down to the workshop to check the dia of a bit of 6AWG ... It measures around 4.9mm depending how hard I twist it or squeeze the vernier. So a fair bit bigger than the stuff that you use. From the table, 6AWG of solid wire is 4.115mm!
From a reference that I pulled up ....
The AWG tables are for a single, solid, round conductor. The AWG of a stranded wire is determined by the cross-sectional area of the equivalent solid conductor. Because there are also small gaps between the strands, a stranded wire will always have a slightly larger overall diameter than a solid wire with the same AWG.
AWG is also commonly used to specify body piercing jewelry sizes (especially smaller sizes), even when the material is not metallic. (What size is your navel ring? LOL)
The sixth power of {\displaystyle {\sqrt[{39}]{92}}} is very close to 2,[5] (the ratio between successive sizes to be the 39th root of 92, or approximately 1.1229322.)[4) (I bet that you knew that..C LOL)which leads to the following rules of thumb:
When the cross-sectional area of a wire is doubled, the AWG will decrease by 3. (E.g. two No. 14 AWG wires have about the same cross-sectional area as a single No. 11 AWG wire.) This doubles the ampacity.
When the diameter of a wire is doubled, the AWG will decrease by 6. (E.g. No. 2 AWG is about twice the diameter of No. 8 AWG.) This quadruples the cross-sectional area and the ampacity.
A decrease of ten gauge numbers, for example from No. 12 to No. 2, multiplies the area and weight by approximately 10, and reduces the electrical resistance (and increases the conductance) by a factor of approximately 10.
For the same cross section, aluminum wire has a conductivity of approximately 61% of copper, so an aluminum wire has nearly the same resistance as a copper wire 2 AWG sizes smaller, which has 62.9% of the area.
With all this so simply explained it's a wonder that I get confused .. hey!
Received my160 watt portable solar panel to day guess you get what you pay for ,157 dollars sounded like a bargain ,no bag included ,very small diameter cables ,no information at all on the panels who knows wether there even 160watt ,they seem big enough ,crap regulator,looks like. I will have to buy a good reg that's ok it was part of the plan,the main concern is with as previously discussed is the long cable run from the panel itself to the new regulator near the battery ,with such very small diameter wiring that's connected to each panel maybe it's a better proposition to leave the regulator on the panel,and use the long cable run to the the battery as it's set up at the moment,it's a shame I really wanted to have the regulator near the battery.any thoughts would be much appreciated.
You did not say how long your "long lead" will be so we can not reliable advise the necessary size of cable.
Thanks for our reply Peter the cable length is five meters ,I will definitely buy a new regulator before. I use this panel ,my only problem was because of the tiny cable size in the panels themselves ,would that small diameter cable size at the actual panel itself support a five meter cable run to the regulator ,that will now be moved from the portable panel and be placed close to the battery.
Then go to Lawrence\Hanson. or any electrical supplier.
(Any solar installer near you?.)
Buy the length of cable THEY use on house roofs. and solder\crimp, that in.
A lot thicker than you think you'll need. BUT
the right cable for that job.
Current loss. WHAT current loss. Do it properly.
I bought 7 mtrs for mine recently.
It's "stiff" cabling. Holds a bend.
Measured by Vernier not fancy Squared figures.
Outer double sheath.
11mm X 5.5mm.
Individual Copper cores. == 2.8mm Dia, on Vernier.
They use this on roof panel runs on houses.
Should be gud enuff for caravan hey.
On my Jayco Conquest (in my Avatar)
The solar panel wire from near the battery/s to the roof is pre installed
It is fairly light gauge wire, of approximately 5 metres in length
I was unable to replace it, as it is stuck somewhere within the cavity of the wall
I could only add to it
The total run of my wires from my 300 watt roof solar panel, to the regulator near the battery, is about 8 metres long
I was initially worried about the power drop, of the pre installed wire run
During my testing, on a good day after running down the batteries, I was seeing around 19 volts, and 13 amps, at the regulator
As others have said, having the regulator close to the battery/s, is the way to go
Looking at the mppt etracer controler $170 dollars 20amp model anyone any advice on a good controler model ....
thats interesting Tony from your experience it sounds like just crimping a well ,medium sized cable onto the puny little cables at the panel won't cause much of a voltage drop as long as the reg is near the battery.
-- Edited by Ron-D on Sunday 5th of November 2017 06:41:28 PM
Dia for distance travelled Loss..
I've used Morningstar for a long time now. Good. Reliable. very few hassles.
Heavy duty stuff. try the "Trace"
Unfortunately my 200a panel is 9m from the battery.
I am using 6AWG to my DC/DC charger that has a MPPT solar reg.
Same size cable used from Alternator to Anderson plug on tug (via a relay off the Accessory wire). Yes old fashioned I know.
When I get the time I will replace the Jayco's 8AWG from its Anderson plug to the DC/DC with 6AWG cable.
Then I think that I will install a couple of Anderson plugs to allow me to change the alternator feed to the DC/DC charger, to feed the 12v fridge for traveling. Let the solar top up the battery if it has been only lightly used. We don't free camp very much.
BTW everything that I read advises me to use MPPT reg & place it as close to the battery as possible.
Also ... good deals on 6SWG cable (by length) can be got from 'Big Al' on eBay. Fast delivery.
6SWG is a good fit for 50a Anderson plugs too.
ps. I get confused with all these different wire gauges so I stick to American Wire Gauge AWG, which I now am familiar with. Fancy the Yanks having a useful standard.
-- Edited by Cupie on Monday 6th of November 2017 02:38:50 PM
I get confused too.
So I just strip a bit of sheath back. Roll core in fingers and Vernier the dia of that strand.
Normally around 2.8mm, Finger rolled Core dia. Do have some thicker.
Seems to hold voltages for any length I've used up to 40ft in Yachts.
Transom Panels frame, to Under Centre ****pit Battery banks..
Sorry that I took so long to reply. I just dropped in to see if there was anything interesting newly posted.
After reading your post I slipped down to the workshop to check the dia of a bit of 6AWG ... It measures around 4.9mm depending how hard I twist it or squeeze the vernier. So a fair bit bigger than the stuff that you use. From the table, 6AWG of solid wire is 4.115mm!
From a reference that I pulled up ....
The AWG tables are for a single, solid, round conductor. The AWG of a stranded wire is determined by the cross-sectional area of the equivalent solid conductor. Because there are also small gaps between the strands, a stranded wire will always have a slightly larger overall diameter than a solid wire with the same AWG.
AWG is also commonly used to specify body piercing jewelry sizes (especially smaller sizes), even when the material is not metallic. (What size is your navel ring? LOL)
Here's some more useless information ...
Rules of thumb[edit]
The sixth power of {\displaystyle {\sqrt[{39}]{92}}}![{\sqrt[{39}]{92}}](https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/media/math/render/svg/a15fb0cd88f8356e31202f53fee76c1c9b916433)
is very close to 2,[5] (the ratio between successive sizes to be the 39th root of 92, or approximately 1.1229322.)[4) (I bet that you knew that..C LOL)which leads to the following rules of thumb:
With all this so simply explained it's a wonder that I get confused .. hey!