Question please… what is the proper sequence for energizing a camper solar system? Specifically installing the main camper batteries and the solar system fuses. What is the proper order… batteries, then fuses, or vice versa? The reason I ask is it appears now twice over the years that I have blown my Victron solar MPPT solar controller when pulling the camper out of storage for the first trip of the year. Thanks
You should have batteries connected to the mppt before pulling out into sunlight if you don’t have a breaker on the PV side. You really should have a breaker on the PV side if you don’t already. But the autodetect process on the mppt should run to set voltage properly on the mppt before connecting the panels to the mppt.
Victron MPPTs are pretty robust and shouldn’t be damaged from normal connections and disconnections. If that is indeed happening there is something else going on to create that much amperage. Whenever working with batteries it is good practice to connect positive first then negative to reduce arcing. If you have the room its nice to have a actual shut off switch between the mppt and battery. Since you need circuit protection anyway, a reset-able breaker is often a good choice to accomplish both functions.