Going solar

[GQtdauto]

I have a 50 amp anderson plug on the front bar to plug in a panel.
that feeds the AUX battery, nothing comes off the start battery,
it only has one job and thats to start
It also has one of those blue watt meters as well

I also have front and rear Anderson plugs but do have all three batteries connected , crank is through a redarc isolator .
Dragged the camper out today and gave it a wash and repositioned the 200 watt solar panel to rear half of folding roof , noticed when the clouds were covering the sun I still had 14.1 showing on the meter and later when the sun was shaded by a totally shaded by a tree the reading was 14.2 so more than happy with that .

[threedogs]

Are you happy with the controller? It looks similar to the one I saw at Jaycar. 30a MPPT controller $259. Obviously not as robust as the redarc but if sealed like you have it heaps cheaper.

That controller was only about $40 from memory. Its been running non-stop in the back yard powering
my 18ah battery in Manland running a 12v radio. I just un-hook it if I go away

[threedogs]

Ive brought the crimping tool to suit these MC4 connectors
so if @jaysee need to use them
or anyone else they are here,,,lol

My MTTP solar reg arrived ,,that didnt take long at all
got a bit of weight about it to, now to find a safe place
to mount it in the engine bay

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/20A-MPPT-...3D282369433834
@GQtdauto what are the spare two wires on the reg that show a light globe symble??
Is it just to show you are working??? LOL

[GQtdauto]

Have 200 watt panel on the camper with a 20 amp regulator , have a 40 watt panel on the GQ with an 8 amp regulator but thinking of splitting the folding 100 watt portable unit and mounting it on the roof rack , ( need more solar now I'm running two spare gel cells in the GQ ) .
Portable panels I think also has a 20 amp regulator .
So what I'm thinking of doing is connecting the three panels on the roof rack together to give me 140 watts and run that to one of the 20 amp regulators which I will put close to the battery in the rear of the GQ .
When driving with the camper on I usually connect it's own 200 watt panel to the trailer Anderson plug , not to the back of the GQ .
But if I wanted to connect all four panels together for 340 watt not sure how to go about it or even if it's worth the trouble , any ideas .

[Cuppa]

When driving with the camper on I usually connect it's own 200 watt panel to the trailer Anderson plug , not to the back of the GQ .
But if I wanted to connect all four panels together for 340 watt not sure how to go about it or even if it's worth the trouble , any ideas .

You connect the 200w panel to the other 3 in the same way you have connected the three together. Keep them all connected together in parallel & the nominal voltage will remain 12v. The regulator will just ‘see’ a 340w panel.

I had a 125w panel on top of my driving cab before I added the others. Easy way was to use an Anderson Power block

[GQtdauto]

Thanks cuppa , had no idea they made a power block , will need a bit of think on how I do the systems and keep them seperate or if required hooked together .
By the look of it just means a few extension type leads and maybe a switch or two , haven't struck a blow yet but now I know about the Anderson block it will make life easier .

[GQtdauto]

Think I've got it nutted out , I need a regulator on the GQ and on the Camper , each system should be able to function on its own , ie 140 watt on GQ and 200 watt on camper .
But if I want to pull up stumps for a bit I want to be able to have the full 340 on one or the other regulator which gives me a redundancy if one regulator decides to shit itself .
I can do this by disconnecting and connecting an Anderson plug either end of system or get fancy and put in two relays either side and some switches .
I will look into the relays option because I'm lazy and it makes life easier .

[threedogs]

Think I've got it nutted out , I need a regulator on the GQ and on the Camper , each system should be able to function on its own , ie 140 watt on GQ and 200 watt on camper .
But if I want to pull up stumps for a bit I want to be able to have the full 340 on one or the other regulator which gives me a redundancy if one regulator decides to shit itself .
I can do this by disconnecting and connecting an Anderson plug either end of system or get fancy and put in two relays either side and some switches .
I will look into the relays option because I'm lazy and it makes life easier .

Even if a reg becomes U/S all you need do is disconnect your panels at night
so you dont lose your stored power through the panels, I used my 80 watt panel
like that for years without a hitch

[GQtdauto]

Thanks TD but most solar panels have a diode in between the connections on the back of the panel which I think is there to prevent power going back to the panel , power can only travel one way (out) .
Still nutting out realestate / what's going on roof rack .
Want solar panels ,pole carrier , 4x 10 litre jerry cans , chainsaw and firewood to fit up top , then comes the fun with wiring it all in which I'm not looking forward to but when I get to that stage I'm nearly finished that bit .

[Covo71]

Ive brought the crimping tool to suit these MC4 connectors
so if @jaysee need to use them
or anyone else they are here,,,lol

My MTTP solar reg arrived ,,that didnt take long at all
got a bit of weight about it to, now to find a safe place
to mount it in the engine bay

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/20A-MPPT-...3D282369433834
@GQtdauto what are the spare two wires on the reg that show a light globe symble??
Is it just to show you are working??? LOL

I bought one of these mppt controllers. I think it was $23 of fleabay. I just need to get a panel now and hook it up and see how it goes. For $23 if it is shit it isn't the end of the world. Fingers crossed.