Hi All - When I installed my solar setup I put an in-line fuse between the panels and the charge controller, but unfortunately, it's on the roof. Never occurred to me I might want an easy way to shut off the amps to the charge controller. Now I'm realizing I will/do need to do maintenance on my battery bank, meaning I will need to disconnect them. Renogy says NOT to have solar power coming into the CC with no batteries connected, so I need a switch to turn them off and on. What do all of you use? I have 2 165 watt 12 volt panels in series connected to a Renogy Tracer 40 AMP MPPT CC. I have found plenty of switches to use on the battery side of the CC, and I have one there, but what is appropriate for the panel side?Thanks!

A 12V battery master switch of most any description should work fine; it sounds like a maximum current on the order of 30A. Even a simple knife switch of appropriate size would be okay. Boat parts and racecar parts and similar places should have something perfectly satisfactory; probably also ordinary auto parts stores.If you switch the panels off at night, there won't be much if any current being switched which will be gentler on the switch. That probably doesn't matter in practice since you aren't going to be frequently switching the panels in and out.

This is what I use. The price is right for "up here" but you might find it is cheaper in the States. :)https://www.princessauto.com/en/detail/keyed-battery-master-cut-off-switch/A-p8105033eWhile I had one, I also used the same kind of switch as my main battery cut- off switch. (note it has two ratings, one for 12 and one for 24.)

I forgot to mention I need something I can mount on an interior wall. The cables from the panels come down from the roof into the bedroom of our small 5th wheel SO the CC is mounted on the bedroom wall. I would like to mount a switch right next to it.DrewF, not really sure what you mean when you say a 12 volt master switch. Do you have a link?

BFL13 - you have that mounted in some kind of an electrical outlet box that could be mounted on the wall?

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BFL13
Explorer II
May 20, 2017
GaryS1953 wrote:
BFL13 - you have that mounted in some kind of an electrical outlet box that could be mounted on the wall?

No, but it has two screw holes to nail it down to a back wall that you could use inside a box if you worked at it :) It doesn't need to be in a box for any reason I can think of.

I will try for a photo but tinypic has been badly hacked lately so may have no luck. No joy with tinypic, sorry.
2oldman
Explorer II
May 20, 2017
My solar disconnect
GaryS1953
Explorer
May 20, 2017
BFL13 - you have that mounted in some kind of an electrical outlet box that could be mounted on the wall?
GaryS1953
Explorer
May 20, 2017
I forgot to mention I need something I can mount on an interior wall. The cables from the panels come down from the roof into the bedroom of our small 5th wheel SO the CC is mounted on the bedroom wall. I would like to mount a switch right next to it.

DrewF, not really sure what you mean when you say a 12 volt master switch. Do you have a link?
BFL13
Explorer II
May 19, 2017
This is what I use. The price is right for "up here" but you might find it is cheaper in the States. :)

https://www.princessauto.com/en/detail/keyed-battery-master-cut-off-switch/A-p8105033e

While I had one, I also used the same kind of switch as my main battery cut- off switch. (note it has two ratings, one for 12 and one for 24.)
DrewE
Explorer II
May 19, 2017
A 12V battery master switch of most any description should work fine; it sounds like a maximum current on the order of 30A. Even a simple knife switch of appropriate size would be okay. Boat parts and racecar parts and similar places should have something perfectly satisfactory; probably also ordinary auto parts stores.

If you switch the panels off at night, there won't be much if any current being switched which will be gentler on the switch. That probably doesn't matter in practice since you aren't going to be frequently switching the panels in and out.

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