Forum Discussion

Explorer

Aug 08, 2015

Connecting solar controller to inverter or converter feeds

I have a PD9280 and a Xantrex 600 watt inverter up front in our trailer under the front sofa. Each one is connected to my golf cart batteries with it's own 4ga cables, fuses are on the A frame in a weatherproof box, 100 amp fuse for the PD, 80 amp for the inverter.

Now I'm adding solar panels (3-120'S) and a Tristar 45 watt PWM controller; I don't want to remove the trailer underbelly to run more cables to the battery for the controller, so do you think it's ok to connect the controller to the 4ga going to the inverter, or should I change the wiring so the inverter is fed by the same 4ga going to the PD converter allowing me to connect the controller to the 4ga that used to go to the inverter? (Hopefully you know what I mean?)
( ... or am I worrying too much) ;)
Thanks

24 Replies

MrWizard
Moderator
Aug 08, 2015
Connect it to the wires for the inverter
The inverter is never going to draw more than what it always use,s
If part of that power amps is from the solar , that just less from the batteries, very unlikely to do an over load on the inverter circuit
time2roll
Nomad
Aug 08, 2015
Use existing #4 wire is fine.
BFL13
Explorer II
Aug 08, 2015
pianotuna wrote:
Just do it. It is not as if you are dealing with 90 amps.

If he has the 80amp PD going as well as say 20 amps of solar, he would equal his 100 amp fuse on that path. If he passed the solar along the inverter wires it would only add up to the solar amps on that 80 amp fuse there.

I am not clear on what happens if the amps are opposing direction on the same wire. What would the solar controller think is going on if it is trying to pass 20 amps to the battery along a wire that had 10 amps coming the other way to the inverter?

You do have inverter/chargers using the same DC wire set for both functions, but I am unclear if that would ever be at the same time.
pianotuna
Nomad III
Aug 08, 2015
Just do it. It is not as if you are dealing with 90 amps.