Solar charger

S

simonjfoley

Free Member
Joined
Jun 10, 2016
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Ireland
Funster No
43,526
MH
Hymer B654
Exp
since 2000
Hi all, I have recently installed a 150 watt solar panel, and a Schaudt LR 1218 Regulator, which as I understand, is recommended by Hymer. It’s wired as per installation instructions into the electroblock and everything seems to work well, also I have fused ( 15A ) the positive wire from the solar panel to the regulator. My question is, is it normal for that fuse and regulator, to get quite hot on a bright sunny day. Also I should mention I have two leisure batteries. Any views or advice on this would be much appreciated. Simon.
 
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The regulator will get a bit warm but the fuse shouldn't there will be about 9 Amps max flowing through it. You could have poor contact in the fuse holder or poor connects or a poor quality fuse. Best to always buy branded fuses.

I hope you have a Gel battery as the LR1218 is not very kind to other types of battery
 
Thanks for your prompt response Lenny, I have Two Leisure batteries but they’re not gel, they’re sealed acid type. Do you think it might be worth changing to a different regulator. ??
 
simonjfoley said:
Thanks for your prompt response Lenny, I have Two Leisure batteries but they’re not gel, they’re sealed acid type. Do you think it might be worth changing to a different regulator. ??
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Yes the LR1218 is only a single stage charger once the voltage reaches 14.2 it holds at 14.2v constantly, they work OK with Gel but not good for the longetivy of other batteries.

Modern regulators are either 2 or 3 stage, the better ones 3 stage giving a bulk charge followed by an absorption phase then drop to a float voltage.
Also the LR1218 is a PWM type regulator an MPPT regulator will give more output in cloudy & low light conditions.

I use a Votronic MPPT 350 which is a 350 watt MPPT with a second output for topping up the starter battery. Also avalible in 250 & 165 watt versions.
 
I also have a Votronic MPPT. It is Schaudt Electroblock friendly and a direct connection cable is available.

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I'm interested in this controller Lenny. Is it stand alone and simply wired to the hab and cab batteries? Do you have 350watts of solar panels?
 
Stealaway said:
I'm interested in this controller Lenny. Is it stand alone and simply wired to the hab and cab batteries? Do you have 350watts of solar panels?
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I'm in shock Akex, I thought you were a big fan of cheap controllers.:)

I have 3 X 100 watt panels.
It is stand alone but if you have an Elektroblock connection leads are avalible.

I wired mine myself into the EBL but thinking of wiring direct as 30Owatts is pushing it a bit on the current rating of the pins the EBL uses.

I didn't use the 1 amp starter battery output as I had a CBE solar split charge relay lying around which can deliver 4 amps.
 
If you have an auto energy selection fridge, i thought the votronic would switch over fridge if enough solar coming in?
 
Theonlysue said:
If you have an auto energy selection fridge, i thought the votronic would switch over fridge if enough solar coming in?
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Yes it does that as well, only downside is if you are on EHU once the batteries are charged the Votronic gives a signal to the fridge and the fridge switches to 12v. All down to the stupid fridge fridge having solar 12v as primary source of power if avalible.
I fitted a mains relay in line with the signal wire to solve the problem.
 
Electrickery at is best!

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Lenny HB said:
Yes it does that as well, only downside is if you are on EHU once the batteries are charged the Votronic gives a signal to the fridge and the fridge switches to 12v. All down to the stupid fridge fridge having solar 12v as primary source of power if avalible.
I fitted a mains relay in line with the signal wire to solve the problem.
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Older AES fridges with only D+ do not prioritise in the same way so run on solar over gas but not over EHU, there is the 15 minutes delay when changing from 12v to gas as it thinks you are refuelling.

Martin
 
Another thing when running from solar/12v in practice you only get a couple of hours a day running in 12v, probably more in mid summer.
The regulator will output the signal for ½ hour after that the fridge will switch back to gas then after another ½ hour providing the batteries are charged and there is enough solar it will switch the fridge back to 12v. This is to ensure your batteries remain fully charged.
 
I do love cheap, as you know. But you keep banging on about how good these controllers are I thought I might just try one. . I didnt think my Electrobloc could handle that amount of current? Ill start saving now.
 
Lenny HB said:
Another thing when running from solar/12v in practice you only get a couple of hours a day running in 12v, probably more in mid summer.
The regulator will output the signal for ½ hour after that the fridge will switch back to gas then after another ½ hour providing the batteries are charged and there is enough solar it will switch the fridge back to 12v. This is to ensure your batteries remain fully charged.
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Of course some people say their fridges only maintain on 12v so loosing 15 minutes every half hour might be an issue but ours freezes down to -15c on 12v so seems OK, saying that I have never sat and watched to see if it just check every half hour and goes to gas if required or if it religiously changes anyway, I think the instructions say it does the former.

Martin
 
Most of the fridges made over at least the last 10 years are thermostatically controlled on 12v and bigger 12v elements than they used to have so they work reasonably well on 12v .
The 12v element is still smaller that the mains one so it is preferable to use that if on a EHU

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In the 80s a caravanning friend became rather OCD about voltage drop on the 12v fridge feed. So he re-designed the feed to minimise or eliminate voltage drop. His first holiday after doing the work involved a long drive through France which froze his milk. Subsequently he installed a thermostat for use on 12v which solved the problem. If any converter bothered to wire the fridge 12v feed as it should be wired the fridge would work on 12v as well as it does on EHU.
 
Lenny HB said:
Yes the LR1218 is only a single stage charger once the voltage reaches 14.2 it holds at 14.2v constantly, they work OK with Gel but not good for the longetivy of other batteries.

Modern regulators are either 2 or 3 stage, the better ones 3 stage giving a bulk charge followed by an absorption phase then drop to a float voltage.
Also the LR1218 is a PWM type regulator an MPPT regulator will give more output in cloudy & low light conditions.

I use a Votronic MPPT 350 which is a 350 watt MPPT with a second output for topping up the starter battery. Also avalible in 250 & 165 watt versions.
Click to expand...
 
Thanks for that Lenny. I hapen to have a Sun Yoba MPPT30 as well , do you think I might use that instead , and bypass the Electroblock ?? Simon
 
simonjfoley said:
Thanks for that Lenny. I hapen to have a Sun Yoba MPPT30 as well , do you think I might use that instead , and bypass the Electroblock ?? Simon
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I wouldn't bother at the price they are it's not going to be a proper MPPT regulator.
 
Lenny HB said:
I wouldn't bother at the price they are it's not going to be a proper MPPT regulator.
Click to expand...

The best price I can find for the Voltronic 250 is £82. Premium price for a premium product I guess. They want a further £120 for the read out screen / computer, surely that's not necessary ?

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I have the display but if I was buying now I wouldn't bother. My Victron battery monitor gives me far more useful information. The MPPT display will tell you how your panels are performing but I find knowing what is actually going in and out of the battery far more helpful.
 
Stealaway said:
The best price I can find for the Voltronic 250 is £82. Premium price for a premium product I guess. They want a further £120 for the read out screen / computer, surely that's not necessary ?
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That is really cheap I paid £167 for my 350 they are about £145 at the mo.
Didn't realise they did a read out screen not necessary. I have a Victron BMV 700 anyway.

Edit:
At £82 is it definitely the MPPT regulator as the do a range of PWM as well.
 
Display monitor at Photonic universe is £79.99, I have it and like it but have no other battery monitoring.

I also would question the model of 250w controller at that price, might be the 165w mpp

Martin
 
My Votronic 250 came from a New Zealand seller, was the cheapest on ebay at about 100 quid. Then as it arrived I had to pay £40 import tax :cautious:
 
funflair said:
Display monitor at Photonic universe is £79.99, I have it and like it but have no other battery monitoring.
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Thats about what I paid for mine with the discount for being in one of the clubs ;):)

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£109 , is that a good price? from Photonic Universe
 
Bart said:
£109 , is that a good price? from Photonic Universe
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Yup, I got mine of Amazon from Germany but they seem to be more expensive on there now.

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