Load terminals on Solar charger....any uses?

[AXO66]

Recently had a solar panel system installed.

When looking ( before lockdown) I noticed the Victron Mppt Controller has unused connections labelled Load

Firstly , are these connections you can use to to supply electricity from the panel?

Secondly , if so what can be they be used for?

 

[DBK]

They are not normally used. They are more often used in domestic installations. Their function is to disconnect the load if the battery voltage goes down too far.

In a MH the load is taken directly from the batteries.

 

[andy63]

Firstly , are these connections you can use to to supply electricity from the panel?

I use mine..just because they were a convenient supply point for some charging points I wanted to install..
If you are using them and the panel is producing then your battery connected to the controller only gets the balance of the power its producing after its supplied whatever load you have connected.. If the panels arnt producing enough or its dark say...then the load terminals are supplied direct from your battery..
Some controllers have a timed function on them that can switch the load terminals on and off...but that appears to be less common now on controllers aimed at the leisure industry..
Andy

 

[AXO66]

Thanks for the replies DBK and andy63.

So if i understood this, anything connected to the Load terminals will receive a current, as long as the panel is producing, and the item using that current has first dibs on the solar current. When the sun goes down the item then reverts to drawing it‘s power from the battery back through the controller.

So.really no real benefits at all to plug anything in unless it just makes it easier to wire from there?

 

[icantremember]

You could use it to run an awning light for those dark evenings.

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[DBK]

Thanks for the replies DBK and andy63.

So if i understood this, anything connected to the Load terminals will receive a current, as long as the panel is producing, and the item using that current has first dibs on the solar current. When the sun goes down the item then reverts to drawing it‘s power from the battery back through the controller.

So.really no real benefits at all to plug anything in unless it just makes it easier to wire from there?

That sounds right but I guess different makes may differ. Everything will already be wired to draw current directly from the batteries so is best left undisturbed. If it's convenient to use them for a new load then as andy63 has done you could use them.

 

[andy63]

So if i understood this, anything connected to the Load terminals will receive a current, as long as the panel is producing,

no... the load terminals will always supply power whether the panel is producing or not.. the battery will supply those terminals ..ie the load output will still work through the night if you have a load connected to them.. I think that was basically what they were for.. ie supply a load like lights at night from the batteries which would be replaced by the sun through the day..
Andy

 

[terryway]

Normally non essential services would be connected to the load terminal and when battery voltage goes below set limit the power would be cut off protecting the batteries and Essential services Which would be connected directly to batteries.

 

[AXO66]

You could use it to run an awning light for those dark evenings.

Not a bad idea so it seems...

Normally non essential services would be connected to the load terminal and when battery voltage goes below set limit the power would be cut off protecting the batteries and Essential services Which would be connected directly to batteries

and as my controller is above the fridge next to the outside door ...hmm who knows.

 

[PeteH]

Could they be used to connect a remote readout Meter then?. Mine hides in the dark under the bed (fitted there by previous owner). It would be nice to be able to see what the output voltage was out in the open.

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[Emmit]

Didn't I read somewhere on here where peeps had used the supply for the power to fans fitted inside the fridge vents.
Seemed to make sense to me as the fans would be required when the Sun was up.

 

[Jev88]

I use mine to power the roof fan I made, just convenient power point.