solar panel install
Hi Folks, So my end-game is to have a roof-installed solar panel on my trailer to assist with battery charging when I am not hooked to shore power. I have a WFCO WF-8735-P power center. Do we...
Forum Discussion
porkslap wrote:
if it is possible to hook the solar panel to the battery charging part of the power center instead of using a separate charge controller hooked directly to the battery?
If not, is there any issue with having essentially two battery chargers hooked to the battery (one from the power center and one from the solar panel)? Will they "interfere" with each other if they are both charging the battery at the same time?
No, you need a separate charge controller for panel. At least with +50W panel you do.
No, controller won't interfere with WFCO.
What's a big deal with getting a controller? Disposable junk from Ebay will cost from $10. A decent charger for 12V array up to 500W will cost $100-120, and you will spend about twice as much on panel(s), wires and fuses, depends on the system size. Solar parts cost roughly $2 per watt, including panels, controller and everything else.
Controller should be as close to batteries as possible, connected to battery with substantial cable (think starter cables gauge 4 or better).
You may or may not need a thick wire from panels to controller. This depends on the panels wattage and voltage, impossible to tell without these data. Make templates of cardboard with panel size and width, go on the roof and see how many panels of what you can fit there. Though you should first read those links posted by Don and decide how much solar wattage you need, what this system is for (ex. few days or a few weeks with no shore power etc).
