My Solar Panel Installation
Part 1 - Planning Last year, after some thought and planning of future trips in our RV, we decided to install solar power on our 29’ Holiday Rambler Traveler class A RV. This document is going to ...
Forum Discussion
pianotuna wrote:
Since you used nominally 12 volt panels MPPT technology was not needed.
A 30 amp controller can not accommodate all the output at solar noon from 540 watts of panels.
The input side of my controller is limited to 30A. The output side of my controller is limited to 40A if 12V in and 12V out ( nominal voltage ) like I am.
At maximum power point, my 160W panels are rated for 8.65A ( x3 for 25.95A ) and my 60W panel is rated for 3.3A, for a total of 29.25A.
It's possible that the MPPT feature might mean that marginally less than 30A into the controller could result in just over 30A out, but that's not really the reason for MPPT for me.
If it never gets over 30A, that's fine. If I close to that output, I'm getting enough power ( 200+ Ah/day ) to live my chosen RV lifestyle. It's the cold, off-angle days I'm hoping the MPPT pays for itself, eking out every last bit of power out of the cells.
YMMV.
I'll see, I guess.
Thanks for the reply!
