Solar Kit

I used a 2" piece of #10 then connected to #8 and used that for the long run to the battery.

For barrier strip connection with larger wire sizes, I like to use these
car audio connectors. They are available up to 4AWG and will fit a #6 terminal slot.

Solar controllers have small terminals, so to get fatter wire to them just use thinner wire short pigtails and then add the fatter wire to the pigtails. The little bit of thinner pigtail wire does not act like a bottleneck. It is too short to have a big resistance.

pianotuna wrote:
Hi,

One easy way to load up the system is to use an inverter. Connect a light bulb for a known load. Two or three sixty watt bulbs will do an excellent job.

I have an 800w inv installed. I can just take a powerstrip & a couple of lamps with 100w bulbs. That should do it. I will do that later today in full sun.

Hi,

One easy way to load up the system is to use an inverter. Connect a light bulb for a known load. Two or three sixty watt bulbs will do an excellent job.

DAS26miles wrote:

64thunderbolt wrote:
I just went to Home Depot & bought #8 copper cable & made my own. It was a little tough getting the #8 into the lugs on the controller. I had a longer run than I should have due to the mounting location of the controller.

Did you buy black and red or was it two within the one wire? I see in the zoom at Renogy, the one I am interested in has 2 cables with the connectors and the second shorter leg has alligator battery clips and a inline fuse. I would need to make a 10-15 feet extension. Renogy doesn't make or carry an extension for that model, yet!

If I were doing what you are I would buy their 100w kit and build a tilting frame to chase the sun and buy extensions. Look of their site for the 100w bundle. I think it's only like $179. I got one red & one black. The only #8 with a shield was 8-2 with ground and was expensive. For your use you could get 2 in one. Get the largest that will fit into the controller. I had a difficult time getting the #8 in the controller but had to because of the long run to the batteries.

BFL13 wrote:

64thunderbolt wrote:

BFL13 wrote:
Your connection sequence is batteries to controller then array to controller. So you don't want to disconnect from batts with the array still on the controller. Covering the panel would be a good way to switch off solar. I put a switch on one of the wires from the panel close to the controller but my controller is easy to get at for that.

Useful if you are disconnecting the batteries for various reasons, you can turn off the solar first on the array side. Also with the array wire "open" you can measure Isc and Voc if you like.

Thanks for the instructions. Would it fry the controller if the sequence were reversed? I hooked it up in that fashion as the instructions said, batt first then panels. Just curious.

Maybe fry it. Might depend if it has a load on its load terminals but then no battery as well. They all want the batteries connected first to let the controller decide if it is going to be 12v or 24v battery before the array is connected. Since some controllers don't want array and no battery, IMO play it safe with yours if there is nothing mentioned about that in its manual.

Makes sense, thanks for the info. Will be good for future use if & when I have to replace the batteries.

64thunderbolt wrote:
I just went to Home Depot & bought #8 copper cable & made my own. It was a little tough getting the #8 into the lugs on the controller. I had a longer run than I should have due to the mounting location of the controller.

Did you buy black and red or was it two within the one wire? I see in the zoom at Renogy, the one I am interested in has 2 cables with the connectors and the second shorter leg has alligator battery clips and a inline fuse. I would need to make a 10-15 feet extension. Renogy doesn't make or carry an extension for that model, yet!

64thunderbolt wrote:

BFL13 wrote:
Your connection sequence is batteries to controller then array to controller. So you don't want to disconnect from batts with the array still on the controller. Covering the panel would be a good way to switch off solar. I put a switch on one of the wires from the panel close to the controller but my controller is easy to get at for that.

Useful if you are disconnecting the batteries for various reasons, you can turn off the solar first on the array side. Also with the array wire "open" you can measure Isc and Voc if you like.

Thanks for the instructions. Would it fry the controller if the sequence were reversed? I hooked it up in that fashion as the instructions said, batt first then panels. Just curious.

Maybe fry it. Might depend if it has a load on its load terminals but then no battery as well. They all want the batteries connected first to let the controller decide if it is going to be 12v or 24v battery before the array is connected. Since some controllers don't want array and no battery, IMO play it safe with yours if there is nothing mentioned about that in its manual.

I just went to Home Depot & bought #8 copper cable & made my own. It was a little tough getting the #8 into the lugs on the controller. I had a longer run than I should have due to the mounting location of the controller. I just got mine up & running today but I think I have my needs covered with this kit. You could buy a 100W kit and make a tilting frame from PVC & put the controller close to the batteries. My kit came with 20' of cable for going from panels to controller.