Where To Put The Controller ?? (1 Viewer)

[chippy63]

Hi all

At newbury i bought a solar kit from solar alliance, just thinking about fitting
tommorow as the sun's gonna shine apparantly .

So the thing is, in the kit have panel, controller,separate display etc, but the cable supplied
is only 5mtrs for panel to controller & & 1mt for controller to batteries.

searching the forum, it would seem get put the controller as close to batts as poss, but because of where the panels going front of van, batteries at back,display in middle ( has connector which plugs into controller) cable from controller to batts not gonna reach.

So i thought is there any reason why i cannot make the panel to controller a short cable run & controller to batts a longer run.

the kit has 140w panel & 20amp mppt controller, cable is 4mm, I thought use some 6mm from controller to batts because of the extra length.

Ideas, comments ???

 

[pappajohn]

In a nutshell......Volt drop.

The panel will produce around 17 to 18volts and the controller reduces and stabilises it to 13.6 volts(ish)

All cable has a resistance and the higher the initial voltage (17v) the less critical, so higher voltage (panel to controller) over a longer distance shouldnt affect the 13.6v output over a short distance as the input voltage is still considerably higher than the output voltage.

13.6v over a long distance (between controller and battery) will reduce due to resistance in the long cable run before it gets to the battery so the battery wont see 13.6v.

Panel to controller extension leads are readily available and generally are pre plugged so basically plug n play.

 

[andy63]

see nothing wrong with that... but others may disagree..
at the end of the day if the cable is up to it the volt drop will be minimal... my controller is further from batteries than I would like but the cable is 6mmsq and does the job.
ta andy

 

[pappajohn]

see nothing wrong with that... but others may disagree..
at the end of the day if the cable is up to it the volt drop will be minimal... my controller is further from batteries than I would like but the cable is 6mmsq and does the job.
ta andy

Agreed......just noticed the last bit of the op regarding 6mm cable.

 

[chippy63]

Thanks to you both pappajohn & andy63 for your explorations /advice, just looking on ebay & might be cheaper to
buy a longer cable to connect display than buy 6mm cable.

I will see if i can get it to reach first though


Karl

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[andy63]

Thanks to you both pappajohn & andy63 for your explorations /advice, just looking on ebay & might be cheaper to
buy a longer cable to connect display than buy 6mm cable.

I will see if i can get it to reach first though


Karl

Hi karl,I'm taking it that the display you are on about is connected to the controller via a made up data cable...?
I didn't buy a remote display with the controller as I had a power management panel already fitted which shows current flow and leisure battery voltages..
What does your remote display tell you?
Ta andy

 

[chippy63]

hi Andy

I think it just uses cat5 cable according to the instructions for the controller , i don't know what exactly the display it shows as not fitted yet
but heres http://www.epsolarpv.com/en/uploads/news/201310/1382339939144398.pdf the manual if you want to have a look.



Karl

 

[andy63]

hi Andy

I think it just uses cat5 cable according to the instructions for the controller , i don't know what exactly the display it shows as not fitted yet
but heres http://www.epsolarpv.com/en/uploads/news/201310/1382339939144398.pdf the manual if you want to have a look.



Karl

Only had the quickest of looks but will read it through tonight....cause I like that sort of thing...
But a quick look did indicate that you don't want to place the remote too far from the mppt controller to avoid errors in the read out...was surprised but it defiantly says that in instructions...
Ta Andy. .