Wiring - Solar Panel - Solar Controller - Converter

[portscanner]

For the solar experts out there -

I have a Prostar PS30 Solar Controller, a solar panel and an 10 year old IOTA DLS-30 Converter.

The instructions for the PS30 does not reference wiring in the converter. It would seem that you would want to wire the converter in parallel with the solar panels (with fuses on the inputs) so you could take advantage of the PWM charging feature that is part of the solar controller .

Any comments?

[westend]

I'd suggest to make this an upgrade project for your RV rather than an improvement of what you have. If your converter is flaky, get another. While you are connecting the new solar controller and new converter, put in place a wiring schedule that is the best for your batteries. That usually means putting in bigger wire. Yes, it costs more money but replacing batteries on a very shortened schedule is also expensive. In fact, it can be much more expensive.

[hmknightnc]

Follow the directions on your PS-30 installation manual which will tell you to wire the battery connections from the controller directly to the battery. Using seperate wires connect the battery sense terminals to the battery.

I use a Morningstar Pro-Star controller in my RV set-up

[portscanner]

The reason for doing this includes (But is not limited to)

1. the solar controller has temperature compensation (with a temperature sensor that hooks to the battery) which the converter does not have.

2. the solar controller is a four stage charger (the converter only has one or two - still trying to figure that out with this older converter)

3. The voltage regulation on the converter leaves a bit to be desired, as I have measured it as high as 15 volts then a few seconds later down to 13.4

Update - Just got an email from Morning Star. They say:

The PS-30 is rated for up to 30A of charge current. Provided the total combined charge current of the solar panel and 110V AC does not exceed 30A, then both can be connected to the PS solar terminals in parallel without issue. However, if the total potential current(amps) does indeed exceed 30A, the AC-DC converter should be wired directly to the battery.

[Fixed_Sight_Tra]

I'm currently doing the same thing but it will be much easier for me from the controller the negative will go to the ground bus bar by the converter and the positive will have to be spliced into the battery cable close to the converter but between the converter and the battery.

It should be the same as connecting to the battery itself, just requiring much less cable and fishing.

[Shadow_Catcher]

You do NOT want to try and run the converter through the controller they will likely not play well together.

[pianotuna]

Hi,

Hook the solar controller directly to the battery bank.

[mike-uswest]

You can just hook your wires from the controller to the battery, and fuse the pos wire close to the battery. The controller and the converter work independently of each other.

Mike