Portable solar panel
We're not doing much off-the-grid camping, but occasionally we venture off the beaten path and promptly run out of juice with our Interstate class 27 deep cycle :) We're considering making some upg...
Forum Discussion
red31 wrote:
Try MC4/aligator and a very programmable controller with LCD
but there you go again.
OP should stop by solarblvd and get the 140 or 160 watt, the view star would need to come from somewhere eles, tray cables and as much MC4 cable as needed.
And again, MC4 is not a good choice for quick disconnect. Inconvenient in frequent use. They are OK for semi-permanent interconnects between the panels though.
I agree on buying cable separately - there is a chance that 10ft provided with the kit will not be enough.
MC4 cable "probably" won't be necessary. With a single panel no interconnect (btw panels) is needed, and from controller to battery I would look for a cable not as springy as MC4.
Viewstar 10 is indeed hard to find in normal stores. One of those products that people buy China-direct, or bundled with a kit from their US distributors. However, with 160W panel this controller just would not be a good idea. And neither would Morningstar SS-10-12. IMO, 10A controller is a bit marginal for 160W array in places like Co. I would get 12-15A.
Like I said, that 100W kit is an easy start for people who don't know where to start from. To me its drawbacks and limitations don't overweight the convenience. "Mostly", it's a low wattage. And then, inherent "cons" of any portable.
