Going solar

Covo , those two wires are for a load I believe , or you can run a light globe during the day or , nah I think it's for a load if you need one , most don't .
The really good Morningstar pwm regulators can divert power to elsewhere as the battery gets charged , instead of the power being reduced it sends the extra unneeded power to a load , usually something like a heating element for water .
It won't heat it up to scalding heat but will heat it up .
So don't worry too much about those two connections worry more about the others .

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Originally Posted by GQtdauto

Covo , those two wires are for a load I believe , or you can run a light globe during the day or , nah I think it's for a load if you need one , most don't .
The really good Morningstar pwm regulators can divert power to elsewhere as the battery gets charged , instead of the power being reduced it sends the extra unneeded power to a load , usually something like a heating element for water .
It won't heat it up to scalding heat but will heat it up .
So don't worry too much about those two connections worry more about the others .

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No idea who told me that garbage about the extra two wires with the light globe symbol and what they were for but I was only half right .
In some units you connect this one to a constant load to stop the battery overcharging , such as light or some type of load .
It apparently can also be connected to the battery , I've had cheap PWM units and reasonably good ones but always kept an eye on maximum charge and float charge .
I've never worried about putting a load on that connection .
Maybe Cuppa or threedogs will have a different way of saying it , but I'm sure that's basically what it's for .

From my own use with one of the two regulators we had in our bus (a mid range Steca unit that many of the cheapies that are around now are modelled on) the 'Load' connection had very limited current capability (ie. not the full capability of the regulator) & essentially just provided an 'automatic switch' for something if required. This 'switch' allowed something like a couple of lights to turn on automatically when the sun went down (ie. when solar charging stopped) & to turn off when the sun came up. All I had connected to the 'Load' on mine was a single red led, out of direct line of sight from the bed. This provided a good nightlight for those times we needed to get up in the middle of the night & never needed to be manually switched on or off. There was a setting on the regulator which allowed the 'Load' to be switched off. Due to the limited amount of current the 'Load' can manage on most regulators, most people don't bother to use it. Confusion about what the 'Load' connection is, is very common. Some will tell you it is intended to monitor all the load on the battery & that all all loads should therefore run through this connection. That *may* be so with some high end regulators, but for most not so.

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Originally Posted by GQtdauto

Changed my mind about lithium batteries now and will stick with gel cell , bound to get cheaper as lithium takes off .

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At the moment there are good (expensive) and cheap lithiums around but no in between. Saw one top of the range 100ah recently for $2500rrp but with room to move on the price. Really it is worth 2 X 100ah AGM or Gel's as they can only be discharged to 50% where the lithium can go very low. The good lithium will last 10yrs+ where the others up to 4 yrs. Still out of my price range at that price and I don't need that much capacity in my set up with regular driving and 140watt panel.

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Originally Posted by 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 .

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As for your firewood carrying, I used to make what was called a firewood blanket that attached to your bullbar.
you strapped to the top of the bullbar and laid it out in front of the 4x4. load it with wood then grab the end on the ground
and tie it to the top of the bullbar, it's only good when out bush and small trips at low speeds, other than that take a drag
chain and snig some logs if any around lol

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Originally Posted by threedogs

As for your firewood carrying, I used to make what was called a firewood blanket that attached to your bullbar.
you strapped to the top of the bullbar and laid it out in front of the 4x4. load it with wood then grab the end on the ground
and tie it to the top of the bullbar, it's only good when out bush and small trips at low speeds, other than that take a drag
chain and snig some logs if any around lol

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Interesting idea TD , I was thinking of making something the clipped on the bulbar and could carry a few say bullbar width logs and yes short slow speed distances would love to see what you've created and maybe steal the idea .
Went out today to get a load with my eldest boy , his ute tray and my trailer I suppose about 3 cubes worth , he knew my old saw was on the fritz and new I was going to buy a cheap small Stihl chainsaw , and when I met him at the prearranged spot out bush the bugger had gone out and got me a brand new proper Stihl chainsaw .
Light enough for me to use but my god it's got some grunt , has a 16" bar on it but will work ok with an 18 " bar , lucky me I suppose .Attachment 71369Attachment 71370

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Originally Posted by GQtdauto

Interesting idea TD , I was thinking of making something the clipped on the bulbar and could carry a few say bullbar width logs and yes short slow speed distances would love to see what you've created and maybe steal the idea .
Went out today to get a load with my eldest boy , his ute tray and my trailer I suppose about 3 cubes worth , he knew my old saw was on the fritz and new I was going to buy a cheap small Stihl chainsaw , and when I met him at the prearranged spot out bush the bugger had gone out and got me a brand new proper Stihl chainsaw .
Light enough for me to use but my god it's got some grunt , has a 16" bar on it but will work ok with an 18 " bar , lucky me I suppose .Attachment 71369Attachment 71370

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I made them out of rip stop canvas with loops sewn in to accept a 30mm-40mm wooden pole
Main use was Simpson crossings where wood is scarce . you would load up roof rack with the bigger
logs . was good for speeds up to say 50-60 Ks not for HWY use but you could gather plenty of tfallen timber.
easy enough to design one ,,,,go for it. lol

You have very neat wood pml
great gift from your son what a ripper.
I have a 72cc and put an 18" bar on it
revs like all get out one of the stihl copies
but might get a proper one soon

Nah not neat at all the photo is bullshitting , if I took one done the line it's all over the place , as long as it doesn't fall over .
Missus reckons we should sneak out and get another load to try and tide us over while the season is closed but we have access to a property near where we got this with heaps of wood .
But I do like having a bit of wood in the shed I must admit .

Crimping plyers for the MC4 connector arrived now I can
set up my 120 watt folder ready to go away fishing
@GQtdauto I go fishing up at Bearii which is 40k north
of Shep on the Murray in the Barmah State forrest more
than welcome to share a fire etc.

Used to cull pigs in Barmah , mozzies the size of helicopters , our next chance for a getaway won't be until the corner country trip in may .
Still getting camper and GQ prepped and every time I finish one job another pops up , would love to wet a line and blow the froth of a few one day TD , have not camped in that area outside of the culls but that was always one specific area and it was always flooded .
Will look up the area you go though and maybe catch up at some stage .