Considering solar panels for first time - Help!!! (1 Viewer)

[TerryK]

I am considering installing solar panels myself on my PVC, as I hope to be using small 5 van sites situated on fisheries, and most I have looked at don't have mains electrics. I have a Sargent EC400 unit and understand that I can connect max of 120amp panel to this. I don't think that I need anything bigger, and I am trying to keep installation as simple as possible.
Posts on this and other forums seem to recommend 4 to 6mm cable running from the panel, but as far as I can see the cable connectors attached to the panels are a lot less and the plug from Sargent to connect to the EC400 has only 1.5mm tails.
More information on cable sizes would be gratefully received. Also, should the regulator be installed as close as possible to the panel or to the EC400 unit?

 

[rosalan]

The position of the regulator, as far as my experience goes, is to place it in a convenient spot for viewing rather than near either the panel or the battery. Just above the habitation door seems to be popular with many vans.

 

[Pete5996]

I've recently fitted a 100W panel through my EC325 unit. I too was a bit surprised at the wire gauge of the Sargent-supplied plug but I reasoned that they must know what they're doing. The wires fitted to the panel were 4mm2.

All seems to be well, though, as I'm getting up to 22v from the panel and both cab and hab batteries are now holding a steady 13.2-3 volts.

I'm not sure what you mean by regulator - that is pre-installed in the Sargent unit so, for me at least, it was just a matter of a direct connection from the panel to the EC325

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[DBK]

I would use thick cables for as much of the run as possible and if they are too thick for the connectors then just add a short bit of cable to the end of the thick cables.
If you are using an MPPT controller, which are generally considered the best, then the long cable run should be from the panel to the controller, as that will have a lower current flowing through it than the output from the controller, which having been reduced to 12 volts will have a higher current.
A 120W panel should be fine if you keep power consumption down, so fit led lights if you don't have them already.

 

[tonka]

Just use the cable that's fitted on the panel. Chop the plugs off. Connect to the wire harness available from Sargent and the job is done.
That's how mine is and worked perfect for 5 years now. Mine is a ec500, the regulator is built in.. the EC 400 is same and will smart charge both batteries.

 

[Dave K]

What happens if you want to add an extra panel, I have a 140w panel at the mo but want to add another 150w, does this mean I can't join the 2 and have them going to the same controller?

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[TerryK]

Thanks to all of you for your replies.

Pete5996 and Tonka - you say that I don't need a regulator, but I think that the EC400 must be different to your systems as this is the diagram (attached) that I found on the Swift forum.

 

[Pete5996]

Thanks, Terry - looking at that circuit diagram and the EC400 manual on the Sargent website, it does indeed seem to be a different system to the other Sargent PSU's. Good luck with sorting it!

 

[funflair]

Thanks, Terry - looking at that circuit diagram and the EC400 manual on the Sargent website, it does indeed seem to be a different system to the other Sargent PSU's. Good luck with sorting it!

Isn't that a good reason to forget the Sargent unit and go straight to the batteries with a totally independent solar regulator.

Martin

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