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In future how can I stop lightning strikes
face the panel away or simply un plug it during a storm ????
Panel would be used mainly over the warmer months
when the storms are about
Must remember to move my 20 watt panel that keeps my Radio battery[backyard] topped up
if there are electrical storms in the area
You can't stop them as such, just reduce the chances of damage etc.
If you have portable panels sitting out on the ground with a nice yummy copper cable snaking over the ground, unplug and stow the panels till the storm passes.
Direction they are facing etc won't matter to Mr Lightning, he's a prettyy indiscrimanant fella.
The odds of portable panels getting a direct hit is quite remote, more likely gear will get damaged from a near miss hitting, say, a tree in close vicinity but even that will be rare.
Doesn't hurt to check voltages and/or happy LED's are doing what they should after a storm.
On a related theme I have seen some awesome damage to electronics and batteries in remote transmitter sites around Oz but those sites have big metal sticks stuck up in the air higher than anything else for miles just asking for a touch up.
Dolphins are so smart that within a few weeks of captivity, they can train people to stand on the very edge of the pool and throw them fish.
while a storm is going off, stand next to your panels wearing a metal cap with a long spike, yes you may get electrocuted but, lightning doesn't strike in the same place twice
hooked up my solar reg up just to try as Im not familiar with type as my other on was 20 odd years old.
Anyway from the panel I hooked pos and neg to the pos /neg with the panel icon, From there I ran two wires from the
pos/neg battery icon to the pos and neg on the battery.
It showed all red leds on that red sliding graf, solar led is green.
anyway does that sound right, it is very sunny atm
Last edited by threedogs; 22nd January 2015 at 04:22 PM.
04 ST 3lt auto, not enough Mods to keep me happy, but getting there
plan is to have 5mtrs of figure 8 with a merit plug to connect to the panel. at the other end
I'll have a 50 amp anderson plug off the battery to the MPPT reg
Last edited by threedogs; 23rd January 2015 at 05:52 PM.
04 ST 3lt auto, not enough Mods to keep me happy, but getting there
plan is to have 5mtrs of figure 8 with a merit plug to connect to the panel. at the other end
I'll have a 50 amp anderson plug off the batterry to the MPPT reg
I wouldn't use a Merit Plug. Something like an Anderson Powerpole would be heaps better.
Is there a reason you don't want to "hardwire" the Reg to the Battery?
You could simply have 5 metres of cable from the Panel with an Anderson on the cable end that plugs into an Anderson fly lead on the "Panel Connection" of the reg?
Simpler and less connections means less issues and less voltage drops
Dolphins are so smart that within a few weeks of captivity, they can train people to stand on the very edge of the pool and throw them fish.
thats to use my battery box , but I then cant plug the lot into my Patrol.
Maybe I could if I made a small lead 50amp to 50 amp.
6mmsquared over 5 meters should be ok IMO is that correct.
Too bloody hot to play with it today as in lay it out and see what goes where
04 ST 3lt auto, not enough Mods to keep me happy, but getting there
What I've decided to do is buy a 6" x 4" x 2" project box from Jaycar with a clear lid.
Into that I'll mount the MPPT regulator with 2 x 50 amp anderson plugs bolted to opposite side to the box.
Nice and compact IMO.
As for the panel from the junction box on the back of the panel I'll run 5mtrs of 6mm sqrd fig 8 wire which I
take it should be ok over 5 mtrs, I'll terminate that with another 50 amp anderson plug,
I can then plug it via an anderson from my AUX battery and into my battery box the same way.
If anyone sees something wrong or why it wouldnt work ,happy to hear you
04 ST 3lt auto, not enough Mods to keep me happy, but getting there