Parallel vs Series, 10awg wire
My truck camper has OEM wiring for a solar panel, the problem is that it's only 10awg wire. I don't really want to remove the fridge if i don't have to so I'm trying to figure out the best way to jus...
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Hi hedge,
I was faced with a similar dilemma. I solved it by purchasing an MPPT controller and wired four panels in parallel/series to have input voltage to the controller of 33 volts. Total voltage drop ended up at less than 1%. The system start charging 30 minutes after dawn, and continues to produce some energy 30 minutes after sunset.
In your shoes I'd go with the highest voltage panels I could find and go in series.
There are some lessor MPPT controllers. The important parts are a temperature sensor, and adjustable voltage set points. Any other "features" are just icing on the cake. I think the tracer BN series has what you need.
2 days ago at 3 p.m. my system was pumping 15.2 amps into the battery bank while I was running the fridge from the inverter.
I was faced with a similar dilemma. I solved it by purchasing an MPPT controller and wired four panels in parallel/series to have input voltage to the controller of 33 volts. Total voltage drop ended up at less than 1%. The system start charging 30 minutes after dawn, and continues to produce some energy 30 minutes after sunset.
In your shoes I'd go with the highest voltage panels I could find and go in series.
There are some lessor MPPT controllers. The important parts are a temperature sensor, and adjustable voltage set points. Any other "features" are just icing on the cake. I think the tracer BN series has what you need.
2 days ago at 3 p.m. my system was pumping 15.2 amps into the battery bank while I was running the fridge from the inverter.
hedge wrote:
My truck camper has OEM wiring for a solar panel, the problem is that it's only 10awg wire. I don't really want to remove the fridge if i don't have to so I'm trying to figure out the best way to just use this wire. The run is about 8-10 ft to the charge controller.
I am currently adding 2 12v 100w panels in parallel but have plans for 2 more.
so the questions...
1. how many amps can I get away with with the 10awg wire? Could I run them all in parallel or would the loss be too great?
2. If I run them in series it seems like the voltage gets pretty high, most DC breakers and switches I've seen (using mostly blue sea stuff) has a maximum voltage of 48V. Do you start using AC breakers once the voltage gets higher?
3. Maybe I could run two sets of parallel and then series them together?
4. I realize that if I go series that I will need an mppt controller, Are the EP Solar controllers ok? I'd like a better one but it's cost prohibitive to get up here in Canada.
Just trying to see if it's feasible to use the OEM 10 gauge wire.
