Victron MPPT load out, alternator, 230V charger?? (1 Viewer)

Dec 8, 2020
6
2
Funster No
78,404
MH
CI656
Will soon be installing a solar panel with a Victron solar controller. Is it best to connect all loads, other than inverter to the load out on the MPPT unit? If I did this when the vehicle is plugged into 230V would it be charging via the loud out connection on the MPPT unit? Similarly when the engine is running will the alternator be charging via the load out? Is it best to fit diodes and have a return line to battery also with a diode, to take the current when charging from 230V or alternator?

Electrics give me a headache so any input would be greatly appreciated.
 

Kannon Fodda

LIFE MEMBER
Feb 26, 2019
2,533
7,845
Seek and Ye May Find
Funster No
58,768
MH
Autotrail V-line 540
Exp
I Make Schoolboy Errors!
You only connect the Batt terminals across the habitation battery +ve and -ve. and the PV terminals to the solar panel.

Your habitation 12V electrics are also connected from the habitation battery, along with any inverter (with appropriate fusing). The alternator, will also connect to the habitation battery, usually from a relay, or ideally a B2B charger particularly in Euro 6 vehicles or where you have a larger habitation battery capacity. Normally you will also have a charger so when on EHU the habitation battery is charged from the mains power.

Any inverter either needs clever switching, or is best kept entirely separate from mains EHU powered circuits or you have a loop where the inverter would be trying to both draw power from the 12V and recharge.

The MPPT's load terminals are frequently not used. They would only power if the solar is running (daytime) and to the limit of whatever solar the panel is generating at that daylight time. I'm not even sure why they bother with them.
 
Apr 6, 2019
3,694
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Eye, Peterborough, UK
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59,702
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RV
Exp
FourWinds Windsport 6.8L V10
As above..... My knowledge is that the load is only for small devices like lights etc? You can program them to come on set times by setting in the Victron controller (a useful feature).... My particular model doesn't switch off when there is no solar power being generated (power is routed back from the battery to the load terminals) but some only work when solar is active.

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Apr 27, 2016
6,803
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Manchester
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42,762
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A class Hymer
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Since the 80s
The small solar controllers (200W or less) are used for many applications apart from motorhomes. Road signs, advertising signs, CCTV cameras, security lights etc. When you are designing a solar controller, it's very easy to add a timer, and you already have the solar panel that tells you when sunrise and sunset are. So they make a simple one-box solution for small loads.

This load output is not useful for motorhomes, because of the difficulty you describe. There are multiple charging devices: split charge relay, B2B, mains charger, maybe more than one solar controller. In a motorhome the load terminals of the solar controller are ignored, and all the habitation loads are connected to the leisure battery. Also all the charging devices, including the solar controller, are connected to the leisure battery.

Apart from the split charge relay, all the charging devices have a diode already built in, so there's no back-feeding of charge anywhere. All the chargers work together, and the one putting out the highest voltage wins.

The larger controllers don't have load terminals, so the question doesn't arise for them.
 
Jan 19, 2014
9,322
24,581
Derbyshire
Funster No
29,757
MH
Elddis Accordo 105
Exp
since 2014
Look at the Votronic Duo range of MPPT controllers. They are made for vehicles and have a connection for the starter battery. They will trickle charge it at 1 amp. Since fitting ours we can now use the van radio without draining the battery.
 
OP
OP
S
Dec 8, 2020
6
2
Funster No
78,404
MH
CI656
Thanks all for the help. Will ignore the load connections on the MPPT. Plan to go from leisure battery to busbar, from there up to MPPT and from busbar also to switching unit for powering domestic side and charging systems. The Votronic due sounds ideal. Thanks.

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