Renogy MPPT mounted inside?
I am getting ready to finish up my solar install. I have a Renogy 40amp charge controller and I'm trying to decide where to mount it. Some people install it in one of the exterior cargo compartments...
Forum Discussion
Proximity to battery and remote temp sensing are 2 different things.
You want controller to be (reasonably) close to battery to avoid too much energy loss in the wire at 30-40A, and also to prevent misread battery voltage sensing by controller. Use Voltage drop calculator to calculate the required wire gauge. Enter 2% loss and ONE-way cable length to battery.
A good controller will have remote voltage sensing - don't know if your Renogy does. If it does, then you can go up to 3% losses if you have to. Daily difference in AH harvest between 1% and 3% losses will be mere few AH on a sunny day, this is nothing. On cloudy days this difference will be below detectable level.
Most MPPT controllers 30A and higher have a remote temp sensor - a necessary thing if temperature in battery closet and temperature at controller location differ by more than 5F. If it does differ, and if you have a remote temp sensor, it should be attached to the battery.
Again, a good controller will have a (optional) remote display. Apparently yours don't have it, or you chose not to buy, otherwise you wouldn't have started this thread. No big deal, as long as you can see the main display.
You want controller to be (reasonably) close to battery to avoid too much energy loss in the wire at 30-40A, and also to prevent misread battery voltage sensing by controller. Use Voltage drop calculator to calculate the required wire gauge. Enter 2% loss and ONE-way cable length to battery.
A good controller will have remote voltage sensing - don't know if your Renogy does. If it does, then you can go up to 3% losses if you have to. Daily difference in AH harvest between 1% and 3% losses will be mere few AH on a sunny day, this is nothing. On cloudy days this difference will be below detectable level.
Most MPPT controllers 30A and higher have a remote temp sensor - a necessary thing if temperature in battery closet and temperature at controller location differ by more than 5F. If it does differ, and if you have a remote temp sensor, it should be attached to the battery.
Again, a good controller will have a (optional) remote display. Apparently yours don't have it, or you chose not to buy, otherwise you wouldn't have started this thread. No big deal, as long as you can see the main display.
