Changing solar regulator HELP!!

[Billy23]

You will perhaps have noticed from my previous posts that I am a complete thiko when it comes to electric. So if you answer this post, please be gentle.


I am going to replace my leisure battery (Again) and while I am at it, I thought it would be a great |idea to change the regulator; I have in my other post received some great – read easy to follow in simple language – advice and thank you again to those members.

And so to my next problem:

My present regulator is a BP Solar GCR 1200 (old as the hills) the terminals on it are marked as follows: Solar + - Battery + - and the one that I am not sure about has a symbol shaped like a bottle.

My new regulator is a Blue Solar charge controller MPPT 75 / 15 the terminals are marked as follows: Batt (easy enough) PV (is that the solar panel?) and the last one is marked as “Load”


My question: Is the bottle shape on the old one the same as the “Load” one on the new regulator?


Now I know that to all you “Electrical” people it will be obvious BUT please remember I know nothing about electric and I do believe that if I connect the wrong way round, I will need to use my fire extinguisher.

Easy enough question (well it is Sunday)....ready....steady....GO

And thank you for any help you give

 

[dave newell]

Yes the bottle shaped symbol represents "load" (actually its supposed to look like a light bulb rather than a bottle). When connecting the new regulator be sure to connect the battery connections first as the Blue Solar unit is dual voltage (12 and 24) and if it gets power from the solar panel (PV for Photo Voltaic) first then it defaults to 24 volt charging which your 12 volt leisure battery really won't like. By connecting to the battery first the regulator recognises the 12 volt battery and sets itself to 12 volt charging.

D.

 

[simbadog]

I was about to reply but Dave's answer above covers everything

 

[Techno]

What he said

 

[Billy23]

Yes the bottle shaped symbol represents "load" (actually its supposed to look like a light bulb rather than a bottle). When connecting the new regulator be sure to connect the battery connections first as the Blue Solar unit is dual voltage (12 and 24) and if it gets power from the solar panel (PV for Photo Voltaic) first then it defaults to 24 volt charging which your 12 volt leisure battery really won't like. By connecting to the battery first the regulator recognises the 12 volt battery and sets itself to 12 volt charging.

D.

On a second look, I guess it is a picture of a light bulb ( obvious really, after all why would it be a bottle)

I said I didn't know much about electric......its even less than I thought

Thank you VERY much, I appreciate your help.

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[hilldweller]

after all why would it be a bottle).

For a good reason. It becomes active when the sun goes down so you wire an LED sign to it saying "Drinks Time".

 

[Derbyshire wanderer]

It's a code really.
As above
No1 connect battery
No2 connect solar
No3 open bottle to celebrate free electric

 

[maz]

When connecting the new regulator be sure to connect the battery connections first as the Blue Solar unit is dual voltage (12 and 24) and if it gets power from the solar panel (PV for Photo Voltaic) first then it defaults to 24 volt charging which your 12 volt leisure battery really won't like. By connecting to the battery first the regulator recognises the 12 volt battery and sets itself to 12 volt charging.

D.

Isn't it a bit risky having a regulator that defaults to 24v charging? I remember being at a rally where a Funster had just had his leisure battery changed. The regulator defaulted to 24v and promptly fried his new battery! It was only because another Funster recognised the smell for what it was that a nasty accident was averted. The original Funster had put the smell down to drains.

 

[dave newell]

It is what it is Maz, that's how quite a few regulators are designed now which is why I fit labels near the reg and batteries advising people to disconnect solar first and reconnect last if batteries need disconnecting plus it is clearly written in the instruction leaflets that come with the Blue Solar regs.

D.