How to connect up a Solar Panel (Electrics question)

[VXman]

I have been talking to a company about fitting a solar panel. Looking at 175Watt to two 95AH batteries. I have a Schautt Electroblock EBL 119 fitted which I think has Solar connections on it. However the company I spoke to said they would connect directly to the battery (Leisure only I don't think engine is necessary) and not go through the Electroblock.

Is this normal/the best route?

 

[paddymcc]

I think the advantage of going through the EBL is that solar current will be recorded on the control panel and will also lead to a more accurate record of state of charge of your leisure battery.

 

[Figaro]

You'll also get a trickle charge to the cab battery which can be useful

 

[autorouter]

There's no solar controller built into the EBL, the solar connection is just a convenient pass-through connection to the leisure battery. The advantage of routing through the EBL is that the power then goes through the inbuilt shunt, so the power can be accounted for in the battery State Of Charge (SOC) display. Some displays don't show that anyway. If it's not important to you, you can just live with it. Or you could fit a separate battery monitor if you like to know the state of charge. The route through the EBL is limited to about 200W or maybe 250W of solar panel, anything more needs wiring direct to the battery anyway.

If you want to go through the EBL, the 3-way MNL connector can take the output from the solar controller. Pin3 positive, Pin1 negative. Also put a fuse in the 'Solar' slot. 3-way MNL (Mate'N'Lok) connectors are available from auto electrics suppliers like 12VoltPlanet or Altec Automotive.

 

[VXman]

There's no solar controller built into the EBL, the solar connection is just a convenient pass-through connection to the leisure battery. The advantage of routing through the EBL is that the power then goes through the inbuilt shunt, so the power can be accounted for in the battery State Of Charge (SOC) display. Some displays don't show that anyway. If it's not important to you, you can just live with it. Or you could fit a separate battery monitor if you like to know the state of charge. The route through the EBL is limited to about 200W or maybe 250W of solar panel, anything more needs wiring direct to the battery anyway.

Thanks. I'm tempted to stick with their suggestion as they are charging a reasonable cost for fitting in comparison to other people I have contacted.

If you don't mind can I ask another question or two:

. If I decided later to re route it through the EBL is would that be straight forward?

Once one is installed if I was to want another panel fitted would that be straight forward to add?

I'm reasonably ok with basic wiring/electrics I just didn't want the job of drilling trough the roof and routing the cable to the battery. I'm thinking maybe once that is done changing/adding to it might be more of a DIY?

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[Stealaway]

However the company I spoke to said they would connect directly to the battery (Leisure only I don't think engine is necessary) and not go through the Electroblock.

That is the cheapest and easiest install. Getting wires to the starter battery is a pig.
Maintaining the the starter battery charge in winter will be the only problem

 

[autorouter]

If you're thinking of adding more solar, then going direct to the battery is better. Make sure they fit nice thick wires that will take the increased power, to save you having to uprate the wiring. Wire is relatively cheap, compared to the cost of routing it through to the roof/battery

 

[VXman]

That is the cheapest and easiest install. Getting wires to the starter battery is a pig.
Maintaining the the starter battery charge in winter will be the only problem

yeah, they wanted an extra £50 for that but tbh most of the winter the MH is at home on te drive and can be plugged into the EHU. This solar is for off grid at maybe a week or 10 days max (in the sun). Starter battery doesn't need trickle charge for that. If there was an issue I could always jump lead from leisure to starter battery.

 

[paddymcc]

If you are thinking of adding more solar later not only is it worth ensuring that the wires are okay for a higher current but it might be worth going for a larger capacity MPPT controller (30A perhaps) at this stage. They tend to only be an incremental increase in cost. What controller have they specified?

 

[VXman]

If you are thinking of adding more solar later not only is it worth ensuring that the wires are okay for a higher current but it might be worth going for a larger capacity MPPT controller (30A perhaps) at this stage. They tend to only be an incremental increase in cost. What controller have they specified?

Seems to be NDS SC300M (Sun Control)

This is the kit

NDS 175W Solar Panel Kit | Direct Motorhome Ser

A high quality solar panel with a maximum output of 175 Watts and built into a good looking, robust and aerodynamically efficient frame. As with all NDS solar panels, this one uses Grade “A” mono crystalline cells for maximum power production and reliability.Although it’s possible to fix the...

www.dmsretail.co.uk

This is the spec for the controller - not sure what it means in terms of amps???

https://www.roadpro.co.uk/userfiles/PDFs/product%20information/NDS/NDS%20Sun%20Control%20SC300M%20v3%20-%20Booklet%20ENG.pdf

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[Tombola]

and you can alaways add a battery master later if needed

 

[VXman]

and you can alaways add a battery master later if needed

Sorry - not familiar with the ins and outs of this stuff. What is a 'Battery Master' ??

 

[Tombola]

vanbitz members on here shift them

you add a wire to your leisure battery, another to a feed to the cab battery and it keeps your cab battery topped up
[Broken Link Removed]

solar keeps your leisure up, your leisure keeps your cab topped up

simple and easy to fit and forget

 

[paddymcc]

Seems to be NDS SC300M (Sun Control)

This is the kit

NDS 175W Solar Panel Kit | Direct Motorhome Ser

A high quality solar panel with a maximum output of 175 Watts and built into a good looking, robust and aerodynamically efficient frame. As with all NDS solar panels, this one uses Grade “A” mono crystalline cells for maximum power production and reliability.Although it’s possible to fix the...

www.dmsretail.co.uk

This is the spec for the controller - not sure what it means in terms of amps???

https://www.roadpro.co.uk/userfiles/PDFs/product%20information/NDS/NDS%20Sun%20Control%20SC300M%20v3%20-%20Booklet%20ENG.pdf

Not familiar with the NDS controller but it can cope with up to 300W and 20A. That means you have the potential to add another panel. If you double your capacity 175w x2 = 350W so in theory you would be overloading it. In reality you are unlikely to unless you are in Morocco in the summer and I believe that modern systems just don't allow more than the maximum of 20A so not a problem.
The controller also has the facility to charge the starter battery ( if below 12.5V and if the hab battery is over 80% charged) so you don't need a battery master.

 

[BouncyBoatFolk]

Hello, I'm on a similar project, this is where I'm at. I have wired an Anderson 50A connector to the leisure battery. This can be used to plug a smaller panel direct from a controller, or plug in our 1000w inverter. It could also be used to supply a a temporary feed to the starter battery which also has an Anderson plug wired direct to it, or plug another panel direct into that.
Also installed is a 3rd Anderson plug which is wired to the EBL 119. Again,a panel can be attached to that connection,but with the added bonus of the strength of charge registering on the crude LT100 display panel above the hab door.

I have a couple of 120w folding panels we use at the moment, and they have kept the batteries topped up throughout the low light level months from inside the van in the wind-shield area.
The next project is to add a B2B to the rear of the EBL [ Thanks Lennie HB for the advice via another thread ],where he advised dropping the feed off the back of the EBL, and feeding that into the B2B , then taking the out side of the B2B back to the EBL. I then need to get wire for neutral back to the starter battery. There seems to be ample space at the back of the EBL, for the B2B so getting to warm shouldn't be an issue. I have removed the plastic louvres off the back of the seat boxes and made my own vented grill metal plates that are attached with some rare earth magnets, thus easy to get at if needed, and still secure.
Eventually, I'll have to bite on the bullet and add some panels to roof, I just don't want to rush and end up with the cables in the wrong place.
Mike.

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[paddymcc]

. I then need to get wire for neutral back to the starter battery.

If your EBL is wired the same as mine ( a 101 so an older model) the central negative block shown on the last picture will have 2 wires connected to both leisure and starter battery. You can therefore just fit one of those negative wires to the B2B and a new negative wire between the B2B and the EBL so they are all a common negative. So no need for a new negative to the starter battery.