Wiring A Solar Panel (1 Viewer)

andy63

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hi, appreciate some advice again please.
the van has two leisure batteries, which are wired independently to a sargent ec225. ie the batteries are not connected to each other at the battery bank, but are at the sargent
I am running a supply from an mppt controller to the batteries.. should I connect the batteries together (ie parallel them at the battery bank)... my thinking is that this will avoid the charging taking place through the smaller wires connecting the batteries to the sargent
hope that's clear and appreciate any advice
ta andy
 
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Most situations I have encountered with two leisure batteries have them connected in parallel, perhaps you are the exception but I cannot think what the benefit is.


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Techno

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EC225 shows two leads for batteries from the control panel
1 for leisure battery or batteries
1 for starter battery
 
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andy63

andy63

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I was surprised myself, but my only experience is with my self build and I installed it as per your dig above, and wired the solar straight to the batteries... in this case the batteries are independently wired to the sargent but the connections are common at the sargent so they are in parallel, but the installed wiring is not what I would call heavy duty..
so if I bring the heavier wire from the solar controller to the battery locker I was thinking if I used heavier cable and paralled the batteries at source and then connect the again heavier solar control wires to the batteries that would do..
thanks for the reply
 

Lenny HB

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First question, why have they been wired separately, ? Is it because they are mounted a long way apart?
If they are next to each other parallel is the best option & if close together no need to fuse them separately., in the drawing above (one of Clive's I think) I would say a 25 amp fuse is a bit low, 50 would be better, but whatever fuse you fit the cable must be the same or preferably a higher rating than the fuse.

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Nov 18, 2011
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Make sur that you connect the soler last to the sytem @andy63 I have killed two controller's and fit a flush and diode
you probably all ready know that
bill
 

Lenny HB

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I was surprised myself, but my only experience is with my self build and I installed it as per your dig above, and wired the solar straight to the batteries... in this case the batteries are independently wired to the sargent but the connections are common at the sargent so they are in parallel, but the installed wiring is not what I would call heavy duty..
so if I bring the heavier wire from the solar controller to the battery locker I was thinking if I used heavier cable and paralled the batteries at source and then connect the again heavier solar control wires to the batteries that would do..
thanks for the reply
Sounds like a plan you may also need to upgrade the cable to the control panel.
 
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andy63

andy63

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EC225 shows two leads for batteries from the control panel
1 for leisure battery or batteries
1 for starter battery
thanks andy, that is the case but each leisure battery ( 2 in this case) are wired independently to the sargent,
so was wondering how best to connect the solar charge wires to charge both batteries, and thought that if I paralled the batteries at the bank that would be the way to go..
thanks for replies

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Techno

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thanks andy, that is the case but each leisure battery ( 2 in this case) are wired independently to the sargent,
so was wondering how best to connect the solar charge wires to charge both batteries, and thought that if I paralled the batteries at the bank that would be the way to go..
thanks for replies
I would and connect the positive and negative from the regulator to different batteries
 

Jaws

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Ahhh,, the EC225 !
My pet subject !]
There are two wires going to the panel.. Only god and Sargent know why they do this.. As the wires are joined to a common point inside the panel !
So just join the solar panel to either +ve terminal and it will feed both batteries anyway !
 

funflair

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Hi Andy

This makes it look pretty normal.

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Martin

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Nov 18, 2011
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I was surprised myself, but my only experience is with my self build and I installed it as per your dig above, and wired the solar straight to the batteries... in this case the batteries are independently wired to the sargent but the connections are common at the sargent so they are in parallel, but the installed wiring is not what I would call heavy duty..
so if I bring the heavier wire from the solar controller to the battery locker I was thinking if I used heavier cable and paralled the batteries at source and then connect the again heavier solar control wires to the batteries that would do..
thanks for the reply
fit a solar controller for all they cost @andy63 and you will get the best Frome you solar and battery's you will get one at http://www.storelocate.co.uk/maplin/newcastle.html
I find there controllers very good and are made in Germany
bill
 
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andy63

andy63

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Make sur that you
First question, why have they been wired separately, ? Is it because they are mounted a long way apart?
If they are next to each other parallel is the best option & if close together no need to fuse them separately., in the drawing above (one of Clive's I think) I would say a 25 amp fuse is a bit low, 50 would be better, but whatever fuse you fit the cable must be the same or preferably a higher rating than the fuse.
thanks, I have no idea why they are wired like that...its an auto trail apache 700..
the two batteries are side by side , and as said each with its own positive and negative feeding the sargent..
I want to parallel them using heavy duty wire and connect the solar charge controller to the batteries, but thought I would ask first..
ta andy
 
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andy63

andy63

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Ahhh,, the EC225 !
My pet subject !]
There are two wires going to the panel.. Only god and Sargent know why they do this.. As the wires are joined to a common point inside the panel !
So just join the solar panel to either +ve terminal and it will feed both batteries anyway !

thanks jaws , that appears to be the easiest option , but to my mind the wiring installed is not heavy duty enough , and I would rather run the 4mm sq solar charge wires direct to the batteries , and parallel the batteries at source,

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andy63

andy63

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Make sur that you connect the soler last to the sytem @andy63 I have killed two controller's and fit a flush and diode
you probably all ready know that
bill
cheers bill, ill remember that, don't want to go killing the controller,,, its not mine lol
 
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andy63

andy63

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Hi Andy

This makes it look pretty normal.

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Martin
thanks martin, had a quick look, but as no one has come up with any reason not to just parallel the batteries at source and connect the solar charge wires to the batteries as @Techno100 has described above , that's what I will do... just when its not your own van its all a bit more edgy lol
ta andy
 

Jaws

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thanks jaws , that appears to be the easiest option , but to my mind the wiring installed is not heavy duty enough , and I would rather run the 4mm sq solar charge wires direct to the batteries , and parallel the batteries at source,

Oh I totally agree Andy.. Direct to the battery(s) every time.
I was merely saying the wires from the battery are joined in the panel, so joining them at the batteries makes a lot of sense and is ( in my opine ) the correct thing to do

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andy63

andy63

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thanks all who have replied much appreciated... its now time to actually bite the bullet and get on with some work lol..
@Techno100 , im also going to install one of those split charge relay jobbies to give the vehicle start battery a small charge , so thanks for that link in a previous thread...
ta andy
 
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andy63

andy63

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Oh I totally agree Andy.. Direct to the battery(s) every time.
I was merely saying the wires from the battery are joined in the panel, so joining them at the batteries makes a lot of sense and is ( in my opine ) the correct thing to do
ta jaws , really must get on with the work now...
andy

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funflair

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The light wires up to the panel would worry me if I was putting an inverter on, guess you would need to heavy wire between the batteries. Anyway thats another day.
 

Jaws

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The ONLY place an inverter of any size should be coupled to is direct to the batteries ( via a fuse of course ! )
 

irnbru

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Thanks everyone for keeping Andy right. It's our MH he's doing :) Maybe by the time I get home from work tonight it will be done with all your input.
PS I can't like the posts as all too technical for me...so Thanks.

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funflair

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The ONLY place an inverter of any size should be coupled to is direct to the batteries ( via a fuse of course ! )

Yes, but direct to the batteries would need an upgrade to the wiring between the batteries was my point.
 

Jaws

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Well if you are gonna couple the batteries together there is NO wire at all at the moment.. The Sargent runs two wires from the batteries to the panel.. Obviously a daft idea to start with LOL !!

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