I have a bit of an electrical background but not much in solar equipment. I am looking to design and build a simple 200 W solar portable unit that I can take with me on some RV trips when I boondock. I utilize 2 x 6 Volt batteries on the trailer, and Ideally I would like to connect the portable system up to the batteries to help top them off during the day.
I want a simple system I can pull out and leave in front of my trailer for these specific trips, connect to the battery, with cable length to spare to move the panels around. I do not want to install anything into my trailer itself.
I was looking at the 200W Foldable 4 panel Renogy panel, and maybe a victron MPPT controller? I just don’t know what controller and cables to get, or if I need anything else like inline fuse etc. Also, can I read the Victron from my phone and is it waterproof if it rains while I am away from my unit?
None of the victron range can be used in the rain.
What i have seen being done is the mppt installed in a waterproof box with heat dissipation on the outside and water proof plugs on it so it can be connected and disconnected as needed.
Could I go to a larger controller if I wanted to add another 200W panel in the future? Does it matter that I am using two 6 Volt 195 amp hour batteries in series?
I use a Hardkorr 30A Inline PWM Smart Solar Regulator for outdoors, IP67-rated. It’s very basic but has some decent chemistry settings and charge info. It has 50A Andersons on each end. If you put a fuse on the battery at the Anderson connection will make it safe. I plug it into a battery box.
Forgive my poor image skills. Here is what I am thinking below. I just dont know if that is accurate, if that controller is fine and allows expansion in the future, or if I should go with a smaller one. And what cables and/or fuses do I need?
Forgive my poor drawing. Below is what I am looking at. Would that controller be ok and is there such thing as too big of a controller? Would it allow for expansion if I decided in future, or is it less efficient then a smaller controller? Also what wires would I need to buy and do I need a fuse?
This is as simple as you can get. Just use 2 short wires and lugs to suit the battery terminal to an Anderson plug with a 40A midi fuse on the positive. Make of buy a cable with Anderson plugs on it for the solar panel. This only charges 12V with 12V or 24V panels. I think the max voltage is around 35V from the panel to the input. It was the only one I could find that was waterproof. It’s very efficient, I can’t see any difference between the MPPT charge current and the PWM. It is only a 12V battery. You can expand it by paralleling panels up to 30A. You should be able to do 2x 200w panels.
THanks, I like that setup. I don’'t think that controller ships outside of Australia though it looks like unless I can find it elsewhere. I am in Canada.
That’s too bad. I don’t know if you can get the back off any of the Victron controllers, you might be able to buy one and pot it so it’s waterproof. There are IP67 under-bonnet DC-DC chargers with solar, like the Projecta range. They are pretty expensive. I have one on my boat. I did have a potted PWM controller, but I cannot remember the name, and it was only 5A. It was a tiny sealed cube.
