So many great responses -- thanks to all who have posted!!
The controller is currently (no pun) attached to the underside of the portable panel -- protected from the weather, but it sounds like I should try to move the controller to be near the battery.
I'm not sure exactly how much juice this "120 watt" panel provides, but it has been a workhorse -- we point it south, tilt it up on its frame, and away it goes. Most of the time, it provides all the juice we can use -- our group 31 battery never gets below 12.2 volts and is usually at 12.7. (I check with a multi-meter.)
When I redo my cable to a full fifty feet, I will monitor the panel's performance and will post a new thread.
Thanks again for all of the help!
