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  1. #101
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    Quote Originally Posted by sooty_10 View Post
    @bazzaboy when you say portable panels are you wanting to be able to connect to other vehicles or is it simply so you can move the panels around to catch the sun?
    The best location for this regulator or any regulator for that matter is no where near the panel, mount it as close to your battery as possible. Regulators dont like heat, the sun and the back of panels are great sources of heat. By having the regulator close to battery it increases the effectiveness of the regulator and reduces the voltage drop effects.
    Mine is permanently mounted in the patrol, and my panels are easily connected/disconnected via anderson plug extension lead for portability chasing the sun.

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    Good info, thank you. This has all come about due to the failure of the original controller that is connected to the rear of one of my twin folding 80w portable panels. I like this set-up as it enables me to relocate them to catch the best sun. I recently had my auxiliary battery fail while away camping. It dropped a cell reducing the battery voltage to 10volt. While checking out the battery I checked the panel's output and found it fluctuating between 7 - 16volts. Not good, and obviously faulty and possibly the cause of the battery cell failure over time.
    Taking your advice, and mounting the controller close to the battery would locate it under the bonnet, a place I thought would also be hostile for a controller due to engine heat, or are you suggesting that I locate it in the vehicle? Maybe I should make a small switchboard in the rear of my vehicle to mount the controller and run a red Anderson connector out the back for panel connection, similar to your's, might solve a lot of issues.
    Last edited by bazzaboy; 6th January 2018 at 04:49 AM.
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  3. #102
    Patrol Freak Bidja's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by bazzaboy View Post
    I recently had my auxiliary battery fail while away camping. It dropped a cell reducing the battery voltage to 10volt. While checking out the battery I checked the panel's output and found it fluctuating between 7 - 16volts. Not good, and obviously faulty and possibly the cause of the battery cell failure over time.
    You state that you
    checked the panel's output and found it fluctuating between 7 - 16volts
    OK, guess you checked panel outputs with array disconnected from controller. If not, good idea to check the PV array output (full sun) when isolated from the controller: open circuit voltage and the current flow with a multi meter. Then if all is good, connect your sys up. PV output specs should be on the back of panel. Note: open circuit voltage of panel will vary depending on sun exposure.
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  5. #103
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bidja View Post
    You state that you

    OK, guess you checked panel outputs with array disconnected from controller. If not, good idea to check the PV array output (full sun) when isolated from the controller: open circuit voltage and the current flow with a multi meter. Then if all is good, connect your sys up. PV output specs should be on the back of panel. Note: open circuit voltage of panel will vary depending on sun exposure.
    Yeh, checked both panel outputs in isolation from the controller. All good, meets specs. I think the cheap Chinese controller just decided to "spit the dummy". I think I'll just have to get on with building a switchboard panel to mount everything on, including the new solar controller. Finding an easily accessible location has been the delay.
    Last edited by bazzaboy; 6th January 2018 at 12:11 PM.
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  6. #104
    Patrol Freak Bidja's Avatar
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    IMO, it appears you have a good handle on what you are doing there, sounds good.
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    Quote Originally Posted by bazzaboy View Post
    Good info, thank you. This has all come about due to the failure of the original controller that is connected to the rear of one of my twin folding 80w portable panels. I like this set-up as it enables me to relocate them to catch the best sun. I recently had my auxiliary battery fail while away camping. It dropped a cell reducing the battery voltage to 10volt. While checking out the battery I checked the panel's output and found it fluctuating between 7 - 16volts. Not good, and obviously faulty and possibly the cause of the battery cell failure over time.
    Taking your advice, and mounting the controller close to the battery would locate it under the bonnet, a place I thought would also be hostile for a controller due to engine heat, or are you suggesting that I locate it in the vehicle? Maybe I should make a small switchboard in the rear of my vehicle to mount the controller and run a red Anderson connector out the back for panel connection, similar to your's, might solve a lot of issues.
    @bazzaboy Mounting it under the bonnet with the heat there as you stated isnt ideal, but better then in the sun under the panel (solar is usually utilised when engine isnt producing heat). Mine however is mounted up above the glove box out of weather and heat, short distance through the firewall to battery. Even mounting it in the rear somewhere like on a cargo barrier or back of drawers or anywhere in the car (usually well less than 3m cable) is closer than the back of panels with the standard 10m solar panel lead.

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    Last edited by sooty_10; 7th January 2018 at 07:30 PM.

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  9. #106
    Patrol Guru sooty_10's Avatar
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    And yeah the cheap Chinese controllers are rubbish. Mine would never work from day one on the back of the panels, always overheated and failed. Changed to the fixed 75/15 regulator in car and the fridge now runs 24/7 @ -1°. Frozen water bottles stay that way for months.

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    OK. I'm going to buy one.

    https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?m...2F252996529182

    What are your thoughts on this.

    Is it over kill for a 140ah battery.

    Thanks.

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  11. #108
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    Dunno... what size are you getting?
    Solar Panel 'size' depends more on the load rather than Battery capacity.

    I see the Reg is on the back of the panels which is the worst place it can be put (but they all seem to do it) other than strapped to the Turbo.
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    I know nothing of these panels, but at the price are worth a gamble. How many are you getting & what size?
    Treat the reg supplied as a throw away item & buy a decent reg mounted close to the battery.
    An example of load (as ET suggested):
    If running a fridge freezer (only) which draws around 5 amps (ie. a 60l to 80l fridge) when running you would need 2 x 120w panels for full time use, (ie. more than a weekend), or 1 x 120w for Weekend use only. Assumptions are that you have the means to charge the battery to 100% before & after the weekend & that you don't have any other form of mobile charging (ie. dc to dc, VSR or gennie).

    Any other loads (lights, radio, phone charging etc etc) need to be added in & solar input adjusted accordingly. So before choosing solar panel(s) work out what your loads will be. This is important, 'cos if you just get 'a panel' which can't keep up with your usage you will destroy your battery prematurely, plus it is exceptionally frustrating when relying on something which sees you 'chasing your tail' & worrying about killing expensive batteries, not to mention the beer getting warm & the milk going off.
    Last edited by Cuppa; 15th February 2018 at 08:22 AM.

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  13. #110
    Legendary jay see's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by the evil twin View Post
    Dunno... what size are you getting?
    Solar Panel 'size' depends more on the load rather than Battery capacity.

    I see the Reg is on the back of the panels which is the worst place it can be put (but they all seem to do it) other than strapped to the Turbo.


    Quote Originally Posted by Cuppa View Post
    I know nothing of these panels, but at the price are worth a gamble. How many are you getting & what size?
    Treat the reg supplied as a throw away item & buy a decent reg mounted close to the battery.
    An example of load (as ET suggested):
    If running a fridge freezer (only) which draws around 5 amps (ie. a 60l to 80l fridge) when running you would need 2 x 120w panels for full time use, (ie. more than a weekend), or 1 x 120w for Weekend use only. Assumptions are that you have the means to charge the battery to 100% before & after the weekend & that you don't have any other form of mobile charging (ie. dc to dc, VSR or gennie).

    Any other loads (lights, radio, phone charging etc etc) need to be added in & solar input adjusted accordingly. So before choosing solar panel(s) work out what your loads will be. This is important, 'cos if you just get 'a panel' which can't keep up with your usage you will destroy your battery prematurely, plus it is exceptionally frustrating when relying on something which sees you 'chasing your tail' & worrying about killing expensive batteries, not to mention the beer getting warm & the milk going off.
    I was looking at the 200w.

    We are caravan park camping (unpowered) for 4 days. Power consumption will be the usual. Fridge (50l), some lights, charging some phones and gadgets. How much amps does charging a phone draw?

    What I'm after is something that will put back into the battery what it has used the night before or there abouts.

    I've also seen systems that use 10, 15 and 20 amp regs. What do I need.

    I understand and agree with not have a huge panel. Quite happy to have the smallest one as long as it works for me.

    Only other form of charging is through a redarc solenoid type or a 240v battery charger once back home.

    Apologies for the delay in responsing.


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