I a currently Installing the Solar Panels that came off my Boat onto my RV's roof,
2 X 85 Watts, and 2 X 50 Watts, They are sitting there doing nothing, untill my boat is repaired, So They can go on my RV in the meantime,
Its been that long since I removed them from My boat, I have forgotten how they were wired up,
I will be putting a long one with a short one, in line on each side of the Coach,
The wiring will all be joined in the middle of the panels and then down to the Batterys,
What I would like to know, Is how do I wire these four panels together to produce 12 volt current to my Batterys,
I have a Zantrex Pro link Battery Moniter, Meter MT5 with ext link, MPPT 20 Amp Controller,
400 Amp Hour Battery Bank, I think, 2 X 8 D's.
5000 Watt Pure sine Invertor can be connected direct to the Batterys for any 240 current I require,
But I intend going all 12 volts for any Accesories, TV, Computer, Etc Etc,
An Image would be Nice, I can follow that easier than the printed word,
Thanks,
The big one is sitting in Partial Shade, and the small one is sitting in Full Shade, Both are inside my lounge room and getting sun only thru the closed windows,
Disregard the Sun 10 amp and the Marlec Items, They are for my wind generator, Separate issue, Boat only,
Connecting the panels will be pretty easy but some points regarding the other equipment first.
1. The Prolink is normally used to monitor both a crank and auxiliary battery setup, is this your intention?
2. What amperage shunt did you get with the Prolink?
3 The MT5 meter is intended for use with Tracer MPPT controllers which have an RJ45 jack for the meter to plug into. Does the MPPT controller that you show in the photo have an RJ45 jack? The RJ45 telecommunications connector is an 8 pin one similar to the ethernet cable that you would have for your computer modem, and is probably on both ends of the grey wire shown coiled above the controller.
4. Do you really want to have both the Prolink and the MT5?
5. The Marlec HRSi controller that you show is normally used for wind turbines, but can be used for both solar and wind generation. It is not MPPT and can only handle 10 amps. Your panels could produce up to 15 amps, so you would be better to use the MPPT controller in the pic.
6. The Morningstar SS10 in the pic is a pretty standard series type controller and it also can only handle 10 amps, better to put it away.
7. If you intend the Prolink to give an accurate indication of battery Soc, then you need to connect nothing but the shunt to the negative terminal of the battery, this means that the inverter has to be connected via the shunt. Hence my question number 2.
Connecting the panels will be pretty easy but some points regarding the other equipment first.
1. The Prolink is normally used to monitor both a crank and auxiliary battery setup, is this your intention? Yes, I have a house and a battery bank, 2 x 8 D's.
2. What amperage shunt did you get with the Prolink? No Idea on the shunt or its amperage,, Its in the big pile of wires in the workshop, That came off the boat
3 The MT5 meter is intended for use with Tracer MPPT controllers which have an RJ45 jack for the meter to plug into. Does the MPPT controller that you show in the photo have an RJ45 jack? The RJ45 telecommunications connector is an 8 pin one similar to the ethernet cable that you would have for your computer modem, and is probably on both ends of the grey wire shown coiled above the controller.
Thats the RJ45 in the packet,
4. Do you really want to have both the Prolink and the MT5?
Not sure there, I may have bought the MT5 as a replacement for the Morningstar 10 amps, as I know I had it upgraded from the 10 Amp one, Does that sound right, Its been a while since I bought all this replacement gear for my Boat, And I have forgotten a lot about it,
5. The Marlec HRSi controller that you show is normally used for wind turbines, but can be used for both solar and wind generation. It is not MPPT and can only handle 10 amps. Your panels could produce up to 15 amps, so you would be better to use the MPPT controller in the pic.
6. The Morningstar SS10 in the pic is a pretty standard series type controller and it also can only handle 10 amps, better to put it away.
7. If you intend the Prolink to give an accurate indication of battery Soc, then you need to connect nothing but the shunt to the negative terminal of the battery, this means that the inverter has to be connected via the shunt. Hence my question number 2.
5 and 6 is for the Boat only,
This was a complete up and running system with no problems on my boat, I just replaced it all when it got drowned, Its a mirror image that I replaced or upgraded,
I am only getting it set up, I wont actually be connecting it, Thats for a Licenced Sparky to do, Its out of my league.
But it will be all installed and ready to connect before I get the sparky out,
It will be connected to the Alternator from the diesel,
Its was a complete electrical package on my boat from the original Manufacturer, I just copied it to my Coach, Minus the Wind Genny,
Boat and Coach are USA complete builds from the Original Manufacturers, Both were top of the line Products, And both came fully optioned. Except for the coach with
no Solar,
I assume thats my new shunt sitting in the package, The three sitting on the bench, all came out of my boat,
Every thing here, all the Electricals were to be put back in my repaired boat as the same package that came out of it,
I have already paid for it all, I might as well get some use out of it,
Thats my New Chinese Invertor thats going in, It replaces the 1800 Watt Xantrex Deceased one that came with the original Boat, Which also has a Made in China sticker on the back of it, Hahahahahha
Here ya go, Knock your self out with all the details, Hahahahahahaha,, Enjoy,
But do keep in mind, I am Mechanical, Not Electrical, All These below figures and Terminologys mean nothing to me,
I did do a lot of research on the appropriate Technology Sites and Sailing Forums before I bought any thing, Your lifes on the line on these sites, You can most
certainly die if they give false information, And any misinformation is immediately Jumped on, and listed as such, But not removed, Its do this and die, Hahahahha,
But all I really want, is what goes where, in the line up, so I can find nice places to install them, And figure out how to get the wiring where I want it to be, Water
proof, weather proof and so I dont have to ever touch it again,
I will buy new panels for the boat, 400 watts is now down to $500-00, AUD, Delivered, Ample for my boat, And the prices for panels are dropping like Hot Scones,
Also, Some other people may want to know how to go about solar as well, It opens up a lot of idea's, on different applications,
I didn't go any further, you didn't provide the information that I needed to give you any relevant answers.
I will be overseas as of tomorrow morning, so hopefully someone else can assist you.
I hope that the Batteries in the Pic are not for the Bus.. or even the Boat..
- the point is HOW long have the batteries been sitting on the concrete..[Ground]..?
If I remember, Battery die Quicker if they sit on concrete..[Fact or fiction I can't say]
Juergen
__________________
IF I say something Dumb.. Just Smack me..
I'm full of Knowledge.. I don't profess to know EVERYTHING, but I'm constantly Learning new thing's..
I hope that the Batteries in the Pic are not for the Bus.. or even the Boat.. - the point is HOW long have the batteries been sitting on the concrete..[Ground]..?
If I remember, Battery die Quicker if they sit on concrete..[Fact or fiction I can't say]
Juergen
Your Right, Sit them on concrete they die,
They came out of my boat, short circuited as they went under the water, scared the hell out of me, Big Flash of Flame, Instant Black Smog, I thought I was going to have a fire as well as sinking,
The good one is sitting up on the Blocks,
Always a thick sheet of Rubber under them, When I do put them on the ground, But they dont sit there long,
I hope that the Batteries in the Pic are not for the Bus.. or even the Boat.. - the point is HOW long have the batteries been sitting on the concrete..[Ground]..?
If I remember, Battery die Quicker if they sit on concrete..[Fact or fiction I can't say]
Juergen
Your Right, Sit them on concrete they die,
They came out of my boat, short circuited as they went under the water, scared the hell out of me, Big Flash of Flame, Instant Black Smog, I thought I was going to have a fire as well as sinking,
The good one is sitting up on the Blocks,
Always a thick sheet of Rubber under them, When I do put them on the ground, But they dont sit there long,
This may have been true of the old rubber/carbon battery cases, but since battery cases have been made from plastic it is no longer the case. No difference storing them on concrete, wood, a metal shelf or battery tray mount.
Those stuffed batterys sitting on the ground in the piccy, Been there nearly two years, sitting on a rubber mat,
I did charge them when I first put them there, Being submerged, I was going to throw them out, That makes them suspect,
I put the battery charger on them, They have all got nearly a full charge in them, Just one refuses to charge, So its scrap,
They are safe enough to put in the Coach, But not in my boat, The boat will get new ones,
Safety factor comes into it with the boat, No roadside assist in the middle of the ocean, Hahahahahaha
There is a fair chance the LICENSED SPARKY will know nothing about 12v and wire as 240v and that will mean that the cables will be too light and therefore lots of voltage drop.
That's one of the reasons many commercial install do not work properly.
I think you should do your research and write down all the info you can find such as cable sizes and the way to wire your panels to the regulator etc and then ask the sparky how he intends to go about the job.
Will not go into specifics but there are ways to connect solar and most Sparky's have none or little experience with low voltage where a top instal is necessary.
Case of be aware.
Regards
Brian
__________________
11 Mtr house Boat based at Mannum hoping to travel up the Murray as far as I can get then drift back again
There is a fair chance the LICENSED SPARKY will know nothing about 12v and wire as 240v and that will mean that the cables will be too light and therefore lots of voltage drop. That's one of the reasons many commercial install do not work properly. I think you should do your research and write down all the info you can find such as cable sizes and the way to wire your panels to the regulator etc and then ask the sparky how he intends to go about the job. Will not go into specifics but there are ways to connect solar and most Sparky's have none or little experience with low voltage where a top instal is necessary. Case of be aware. Regards Brian
I am quite up to speed on the wiring sizes,
I have a house on the end of the line, At 7 PM, Electric Frypan would not go over 3 on the dial, I put in heavier cables in the ground, Cured that problem, Especially since I have my welders working on the end of it, I need the grunt in the line to run my welders,
Onsite welding, Was where I put the welder, and the long leads, Other wise no power came out the end to weld with, Hahahaha
Sparkys have no idea on welders or 12 volt systems, I have to get specialists in to work on my welders,
I now have the full system in images for my solar set up from another Grand Villa in the States that has done the full solar system on his Coach, His has been runnng for 3 years so far with no problems, And to Factory specs,
He is running 1140 Watts of solar on his Coach, and 74 Volts down through his roof, 130 amp MPPT controller, Battery Monitor, Etc,
He has also shown the connection to the shunt bar where it connects into the system for the Batterys,
It looks good, Reliable system, And done professionally,
200 Watt panels are currently $212-00 from a Melbourne company, on Ebay with diodes included,
A 200w panel will necessarily be about 50% larger in surface area than a 130w one.
There is no escaping this fact with current efficiency rates.
If you see a 200w with similar dimensions to a 130w one, be very suspicious.
Maximum Hail Load: steel ball fall down from 1m high
Frame: Anodized Aluminium Alloy
Dimension: 158 x 80.8 x 3.5cm
Weight: 15.5kg
Max Power: 130W
Max Power Voltage: 15V
Max Power Current: 8.67A
Open-Circuit Voltage: 18.75V
Short-Circuit Current: 9.24A
Cell Efficiency: 18%
FF: >75%
Maximum System Voltage: 1000V
Temperature Range: -40°C - 85°C
Power Tolerance: ± 5%
Standard Test Conditions: 1000W/m2, AM1.5, 25°C
Front Glass: 3.2mm Tempered Glass
Maximum Hail Load: steel ball fall down from 1m high
Frame: Anodized Aluminium Alloy
Solar Cell: Mono
Dimension: 99 x 84 x3.5cm
Weight: 7.5kg
There is a difference --
200w -158 x 80.8 x 3.5cm
130w - 99 x 84 x3.5cm
There is a difference in the 2 panels - I like the 130w due to the Power valve's.. < 10A That could all change once I get the information that I need regarding setup the Dingo regulator's..
Juergen
__________________
IF I say something Dumb.. Just Smack me..
I'm full of Knowledge.. I don't profess to know EVERYTHING, but I'm constantly Learning new thing's..
I hadnt looked at the smaller panels, only the big ones, Comparing sizes and prices, of each, I didnt realize the big drop in sizes in the small panels,
I like the long skinny ones rather than the square shaped ones, They fit better for where I need them to go, And still have access around them,
One thing that you need to be wary of when contemplating these wider panels is the possibility of shading reducing your daily input. Consider that a normal RV is 2400mm wide. Centrally mounted hatches and airconditioners are at least 600mm wide. This leave just 900mm each side for pv panels, so unless you are mounting them at a level at least as high as the top of those protuberances, you can expect some shading to take place early and late in the day. Just how early or late this will occur will depend on the height difference. A narrower panel mounted towards the outside edge of the rv will reduce this problem.
The two on the back can be in shade all day, But aren't, I pull the cover forwards, Then it gets full sun, the one on the rails, gets tilted for time of day, It also gets full sun,
The one on the roof, Well that depends on time of day and which way I am sailing, The boom and sails also throw a lot of shade as well,
All four of these panels on my boat are now on my Coach, Same system, Same Panels,
The A/C sticking above the roof will only give a bit of shade across the panels, Not enough to worry about, The shade has gone by about 9 am,
If I park, East =West, No shade at all on the panels,
If I park North - South, I have shade on one panel till about 9-00 AM,
I get about 7 hours a day, Full sun on the panels, with out shade,
Mine are sitting flat above the roof, On the Coach, about 75 mm off the roof,
Losing a bit of sun, is better than getting the panels wiped out by being too close to the out side edges, Over hanging trees make a mess of solar panels,
The boat system runs 24/7, whether I am at anchor or sailing, I never ran out of Full Electrical Power, It also had a wind generator, They get noisy when they are in strong winds, But it did have a break switch on it,
-- Edited by Mr B2 on Thursday 2nd of January 2014 11:51:40 AM
