Voltage drop from solar controller
or: Here we Go Again. Still trying to get my 420 Watts of solar to fully charge my 484 AH of battery. (Currently in southern Mexico.) Layout: 2 80 Watt panels and 2 130 Watt panels in paralle...
Forum Discussion
Some of the guys I had hoped to hear from, but not what I hoped to hear! But I sort of figured that.
Strangely, BlueSky doesn't even mention being close to the batteries, they just list minimum cable for the distance, #6 for 25.7 feet! And that for a voltage drop of 0.42 volts! :S
Moving the Bluesky to the compartment will be difficult; it's a panel mount and needs to be set in. I suppose I could build some brackets to hold it off the steel walls of the compartment, though that will have to wait until I get home.
Since my panels are in parallel maybe I'll just buy a PWM controller, stick it in the compartment near the batteries and be done with it.
Also, I couldn't use the #6 cable line as part of the input since this cable runs from the batteries to the connection point under the stove and then feeds the 12V house systems. I'll still have to run new input wires to the congtroller. I guess my favourite tech will get some more work as I'm not able to do much myself these days.
Strangely, BlueSky doesn't even mention being close to the batteries, they just list minimum cable for the distance, #6 for 25.7 feet! And that for a voltage drop of 0.42 volts! :S
Moving the Bluesky to the compartment will be difficult; it's a panel mount and needs to be set in. I suppose I could build some brackets to hold it off the steel walls of the compartment, though that will have to wait until I get home.
Since my panels are in parallel maybe I'll just buy a PWM controller, stick it in the compartment near the batteries and be done with it.
Also, I couldn't use the #6 cable line as part of the input since this cable runs from the batteries to the connection point under the stove and then feeds the 12V house systems. I'll still have to run new input wires to the congtroller. I guess my favourite tech will get some more work as I'm not able to do much myself these days.
