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hedge's avatar
hedge
Explorer
Aug 07, 2016

Ran batts down so I could watch the Solar charge them up

I think I've lost it, I just tried everything I could do to wear my batteries down just so I could watch the solar charge them back up. Coffee maker, hair dryer etc. to get them down.

My modest system of 3 100w Renogy panels and cheapo tracer mppt controller was putting back in 17a.

the cheapo controller is still bugging me, I hated having to cut down the 4 gauge wire to fit it in the 6 gauge terminals.

I want a Morningstar TriStar controller but can't see springing for the mppt version so may pick up the Ts-45 PWM version... unless I convince myself to leave it alone with the Tracer controller.

sorry for the rambling, thanks to all of you that helped by answering my questions over the last while.

19 Replies

  • grizzzman wrote:
    Boon Docker wrote:
    Keep the Tracer, nothing wrong with them. I have been using one for 6 years now and it has not killed the 6v batteries that I installed at the same time as the Tracer. Also I never plug in to shore power, 100 percent boon docking.


    How long does it stay in absorb?


    Not sure, I have never kept track.
  • I have to say, you're weird, bizarre, possibly mental etc.... That said, I did the same thing when I installed my panels earlier this year. Worse yet, I wasn't even camping, just parked out front of the house, ran them down to 50 percent according to my trimetric overnight, then went out at the crack of dawn t0 see what sort of output I got prior to sunrise and verify battery state of charge, then periodically checked throughout the day as the sun rose.
  • The Morningstar controller software allows real time panel output viewing.
  • Boon Docker wrote:
    Keep the Tracer, nothing wrong with them. I have been using one for 6 years now and it has not killed the 6v batteries that I installed at the same time as the Tracer. Also I never plug in to shore power, 100 percent boon docking.


    How long does it stay in absorb?
  • Keep the Tracer, nothing wrong with them. I have been using one for 6 years now and it has not killed the 6v batteries that I installed at the same time as the Tracer. Also I never plug in to shore power, 100 percent boon docking.
  • hedge wrote:
    I think I've lost it, I just tried everything I could do to wear my batteries down just so I could watch the solar charge them back up. Coffee maker, hair dryer etc. to get them down.

    My modest system of 3 100w Renogy panels and cheapo tracer mppt controller was putting back in 17a.

    the cheapo controller is still bugging me, I hated having to cut down the 4 gauge wire to fit it in the 6 gauge terminals.

    I want a Morningstar TriStar controller but can't see springing for the mppt version so may pick up the Ts-45 PWM version... unless I convince myself to leave it alone with the Tracer controller.

    sorry for the rambling, thanks to all of you that helped by answering my questions over the last while.


    Cutting #4 to #6 is just plain no big deal. Its the distance that causes voltage drop. #6 can "easily" handle 17 amps especially when its 1/4" long...........:R
  • OK. Can't help you with that.

    Sometimes my Outback MPPT will say "Absorbing" when I know I've just sucked a bunch of power out and it should be saying "Bulk." Haven't quite figured that out yet.
  • lol, no I was just trying to find a way to run them down so I could test how many amps I was getting from the panels.

    I guess there is a question in there... if I should switch over to the Morningstar PWM controller or keep the Tracer mppt.
  • I'm not quite sure what you're rambling about! :)

    Your batteries wouldn't run down?