Show me your solar panel connections!?!

i'll not be using the regulator on the panels i buy as i got the ctek - if anyone else does similar can you please show me how you connect from your solar panels? i.e. what plug types and what size cable

i'll be hooking up with an SB50 Anderson Plug from my truck to 5 metres of 8B&S cable - but once i get to the ned of that cable i'm lost on how to attach to the 120watt foldable panels?

Do I just connect them with a SB50 Anderson Plug or something different?

Also whats the difference between an SB50 and an SBS50?

thanks heap!

Hi Billy, have a look at the beginning of my video & you might see how I used anderson plugs to connect to the solar panels.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsRR0z69t3I

The Anderson web site might be useful too - http://andersonpower.com.au, not sure what the difference between SBS & SB is.

By the looks mine is Much the same as cuppa.

I've just removed the reg and replaced it with an Anderson plug on each of my panels. I've also made a splitter as I've got 2x 120w and run them to the splitter then via 2x 10m extension to the car/camper(if needed obviously less is best).

I've got a plug on the bull bar that runs to the ctek so connecting it is easy, if camping for extended periods with the camper I have a ctek in that also with a plug on the front and back

Your ctek can take 250w of solar also

You can get pack of 10 Anderson plugs on ebay for a good price also

thanks guys - have put an order through at andersonpower.. the owner shane seems pretty decent and responds quick and helpful!

Also only buy the grey Anderson plugs the coloured ones dont fit the grey and vice versa.
Best to use what everyone else uses in case you need to swap/share gear out bush

yup i thought that so am all grey in plugs!!!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by threedogs

Also only buy the grey Anderson plugs the coloured ones dont fit the grey and vice versa.
Best to use what everyone else uses in case you need to swap/share gear out bush

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If you mean the coloured ones that pull apart they do fit the grey ones but you have to pull them apart and plug them in separately

IF you want to follow the Anderson recommendation, the YELLOW ones are for 12V. Of course it seems many folk have NOT followed their recommendation so end up with GREY which are 36V. It appears a) many males don't (or won't) read instructions and b) many distributors stock GREY preferentially to continue propagating the misconception that it is the standard for 12V.

The coloured Anderson connectors typically have different keyways in the plastic so that they only mate with the same colour. e.g. a yellow SB50 wont mate with a grey SB50.

To learn about this:

http://www.andersonpower.com/literature/datasheets.html

and download and READ the "Powerpole and Multipole Power Connectors" datasheet.

This is the pertinent page on colour selection:

http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forum.../2014/12/3.gif

I use YELLOW SB50 Anderson connectors on my vehicles. I do have a yellow/grey short 'extension' so that if necessary I can interface to the non-reading population... :)

cheers,
george.

Thanks George, I hadn’t been aware of that, good to learn something new.

I suppose it’s fair to say that most folk use a single voltage regime & that any of the Anderson plugs would work, but the prevention of ‘cross use’ between different voltage setups is necessary in some environments.

i use both.

The 55 amper for battery connections, the smaller plugs for equipment. The smaller andersons are fairly standard in amateur radio and growing in popularity in some of the rescue organisations.

I have also bypassed the regulator on the back of the solar panel to feed a regulator inside my caravan but have left it in place with Anderson plugs (all grey I'm afraid) attached so that I can easily re-connect it in order to charge an external battery if required. Very handy for keeping the Primus fridge going on a day at the beach.

Wouldn't you be pissed if you ran in to buy one and picked up a non compatible keyed plug without knowing or testing lol.

I wonder if the split plugs can come in the different keyed ends aswell