Controller Noise and Heat?

[ShaKen]

Hi all.

I’m planning an install and now figuring out best place to put the controller.

The options I have are in a small cupboard above the kitchen/galley or on the bulkhead between the Cab/Hab.

To help me decide can anyone advise:

A) How much heat do these things put out and whether it is reasonable to stick in a small cupboard which does not have any through ventilation?

B) How noisy they are, and whether sticking on the bulkhead would make it noisy in the van - ie is there a general background hum created by them?

I don’t have the kit yet but was planning on a 150W (or so) panel to a Victron 75/15 Smartsolar MPPT controller.

 

[Winger]

Chinese heater? Unsure what you want to fit unless it’s a solar panel

 

[Jev88]

Are you just asking about Solar Controller?
The two I have used have been silent.
Both stated there should be space above and below as they do have small heatsinks.

 

[ShaKen]

The question is “How hot do solar panel controllers/regulators get?”

If it gets quite hot then fitting in an unventilated cupboard may not be a good idea!

 

[Reallyretired]

They dont make any noise, and although they usually have a large heatsink on the back I have never found any warmth there. Mine is a 30A controller with 400w solar.

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[Sasbo]

ShaKen, interested in your plans as I'm looking to do the same on my 530. Are you wiring the solar controller using the pre-installed Chausson solar wiring?

Can't get a straight answer from supplying dealer as all they want to do is sell me the installation and unfortunately, down to the way they installed the hab Aircon, I wouldn't let them wire up a 3 pin plug?

 

[Stealaway]

They are generally silent and create no heat. Fitting it next to the batteries is more important.

This is my setup and it's all under a single seat. The only noise is from the inverter fan.

 

[Richard n Ann]

Our Votronic duo 250 has a tiny fan in it, I hear it running quietly when it's working hard but it's off most of the time. It's situated under the bench seats so there is enough air volume to keep it cool, even in Spain when it's 30°c. If you fit it in a small cupboard keep an eye on it. ?️?

 

[Off da Grid]

We have a Votronic 350 under the bench seat as well, plenty of room,
It’s only really working at its hardest in the morning up to around 11am while it’s recharging the batteries on a sunny day.
You only hear the fan if it comes on at all if you really listen for it.

 

[ShaKen]

ShaKen, interested in your plans as I'm looking to do the same on my 530. Are you wiring the solar controller using the pre-installed Chausson solar wiring?

Can't get a straight answer from supplying dealer as all they want to do is sell me the installation and unfortunately, down to the way they installed the hab Aircon, I wouldn't let them wire up a 3 pin plug?

Hi Kraken - depending on the answer re heat of the controller, I do plan on installing using the factory fitted wiring; that way I won’t need to run new cable runs to the distribution box or to the battery as all pre-installed.

Interestingly, Chausson show the controller being connect behind a pre-installed relay that only opens the circuit when the Hab power panel is switched on, ie. the Solar panel will only charge the batteries when you have the Hab powered up.

I plan on connecting the regulator by-passing the relay, otherwise you need to leave lots of circuits active all the time, which doesn’t sound like a good idea to me.

I’ve spoken to my very friendly dealer and their technical staff, so I’m pretty happy in my approach, albeit that they generally ignore the Chausson pre-installed cabling.

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[TinaLes]

I have installed 200 watts of Solar & The Victron 75/15 BlueSmart MPPT controller, no noise at all, and it doesn't get hot.
Its fitted inside a top locker where van manufacturer had pre-wired into.
LES

 

[ShaKen]

I have installed 200 watts of Solar & The Victron 75/15 BlueSmart MPPT controller, no noise at all, and it doesn't get hot.
Its fitted inside a top locker where van manufacturer had pre-wired into.
LES

Perfect, just what I wanted to hear! ??

 

[Sasbo]

ShaKen Thanks for the helpful information. Have you doubled up on your leisure batteries?

 

[ShaKen]

ShaKen Thanks for the helpful information. Have you doubled up on your leisure batteries?

Kraken - not yet, but it’s in the plan. Interestingly I’ve seen on some other threads that Chausson have advised dealers not to fit a second battery in some cases! Strange, as adding capacity will not increase load, so I don’t understand it.

Perhaps others could suggest any reasons why you shouldn’t add a second Hab battery (apart from payload of course).

 

[Sasbo]

ShaKen that's interesting, I had not heard of that before. Will be interested in responses from others on this one.

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[ShaKen]

ShaKen that's interesting, I had not heard of that before. Will be interested in responses from others on this one.

Kraken - have a look at this thread...

Second Leisure Battery Chausson

Have new Chausson 640 arriving next week, have asked for a second leisure battery to be fitted and have told it not policy to do so. A friend has just had an extra one fitted to his new Chausson at a different dealer. Anyone had any problems or advice with your Chausson ?

www.motorhomefun.co.uk

 

[Sasbo]

ShaKen - thanks for the link, it makes for interesting albeit confusing reading.

I see from your profile picture that you gave a Ford based model, mine is Fiat based. I know there is space for a second battery under the passenger seat, although it's a bit of a laborious job as to make things easy, the best approach is to totally remove the seat.

All trips away cancelled so now got plenty time in my hands to get to grips with this and plenty of other work on my 530.

 

[ShaKen]

Ah Kraken - as you say if your on a Fiat, then may we’ll be fine.

 

[Sasbo]

Hi Kraken - depending on the answer re heat of the controller, I do plan on installing using the factory fitted wiring; that way I won’t need to run new cable runs to the distribution box or to the battery as all pre-installed.

Interestingly, Chausson show the controller being connect behind a pre-installed relay that only opens the circuit when the Hab power panel is switched on, ie. the Solar panel will only charge the batteries when you have the Hab powered up.

I plan on connecting the regulator by-passing the relay, otherwise you need to leave lots of circuits active all the time, which doesn’t sound like a good idea to me.

I’ve spoken to my very friendly dealer and their technical staff, so I’m pretty happy in my approach, albeit that they generally ignore the Chausson pre-installed cabling.

ShaKen wondering if you could possibly give some advice on the Chausson solar pre-wiring? You clearly have a more amenable dealer than I have!!

Finally got the motorhome back from the dealers this week (been there since November last year) with all warranty issues sorted, so I'm busy going through my list of jobs and I'm onto the solar panel install, which I want to do using the Chausson pre-wiring.

I've pulled out the 'birds nest' of wiring above the kitchen cupboard and the supplied wiring diagram isn't really of much help as it a photocopied version which is not legible.

I have found what I think is the relay you refer to with a short red fly lead attached that has a WAGO connector on the end, presumably for the solar positive lead, but not sure which connector takes the solar negative lead. Can you shed any light which connector on this?

It look like the wiring harness is a generic one from CBE, as going by the length of spare cabling it would fit a much longer motorhome than the 530.u

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[ShaKen]

Hi Kraken

Sure... basically find the largest diameter Black cable - should be a 4mm/sq - same diameter as the red cable.

On my loom it was cable connector 58 - see attached pic.

I did eventually fit the solar +ve using the supplied relay, as I discovered there must also be another relay somewhere in the system that cut off the circuit after 4mins after powering down the Hab distribution panel, even if I bypassed the relay on the +ve supplied on the loom in the cupboard.

p.s. if you’ve not done so already - join the Chausson Owners Group on Facebook. They are a really helpful bunch there with great Chausson UK specific discussions and I’m sure you’ll be able to get your hands on a better copy of the wiring diagram from someone on there.

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[Sasbo]

ShaKen many thanks for the quick reply, this makes my task so much easier.

Your wiring diagram is much clearer than the one I was supplied and a quick check of a few components and devices confirms it is very similar to what is installed on my 530.

Well that's todays job sorted, just need the weather to dry up so I can stick the panel brackets to the roof.

Thanks again.

 

[Sasbo]

ShaKen, install completed and everything works as it should. Thanks again for your help .

 

[ShaKen]

No problem Kraken, glad I could help!