Hooking up solar

[thriftydutch]

I have a 1990 Dodge Class B motor home. I want to install a solar panel on the roof. A few years ago I replaced the old converter/charger with a n Inteli-power converter /charger 45A. To hook up solar do I go from the panel to the charge controller and then straight to the positive and negative of the 2 house batteries I have.

[Harvey51]

Oops, I guess I jumped to the conclusion that this one in Elite Element’s display
https://www.ebay.com/itm/173058142084
is the same as the one in this thread here: https://forums.goodsamclub.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/29798122.cfm

The display and current sensors do look identical.




The ebay one does say the current sensor is a "through the hole current transformer" but I haven't heard of a transformer that works on DC so I figure it must be a Hall Effect sensor that measures the strength of the magnetic field around the current by its influence on electrons flowing in a semiconductor.

I find Elite Element a quality and low cost provider of LED and battery monitor products. However I bought my wireless Hall Effect monitor from Amazon for fast delivery and the thread here reviewing it. https://forums.goodsamclub.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/29798122.cfm

[Tom_M1]

Harvey51 wrote:
The Hall Effect current sensor is a nice innovation making for easy installation and remote display. There is a thread on it in these pages for the Amazon one.

The meter you are referring to uses a shunt not a Hall effect device. It is a nice meter though.

Here's one on Amazon that does use a Hall effect:
https://www.amazon.com/Ammeter-DROK-Multimeter-Voltmeter-Capacity/dp/B01MZIAJI0/ref=sr_1_40?keywords...

This one is wireless:
https://www.amazon.com/ShapeW-Wireless-Multimeter-Voltmeter-Coulometer/dp/B07H24RTDM/ref=sr_1_26?cri...

[Harvey51]

Battery controllers don’t like to have solar power connected without battery power available for its circuits. That calls for a switch on the wire from panel to controller.

While you are at it a battery monitor that continuously displays per cent of full charge is wonderful.
I have been using a low cost eBay monitor for a few years. Works well.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/DC-120V-100A-Battery-Monitor-State-of-Charge-Remaining-Capacity-AMP-Voltage-AH-/182147916411?hash=item2a68dca27b:g:gWUAAOSwyQtVz1vp
The Hall Effect current sensor is a nice innovation making for easy installation and remote display. There is a thread on it in these pages for the Amazon one.

[PaisleyDale]

From what I read and what I followed when I installed my solar was to place a fuse in the positive lead from the solar panels and the positive lead from the controller to the battery.

The install was so easy and it is the best investment I have made to our MH.

[pauldub]

camperguy99 wrote:
Probably should have an correct sized fuse in that line as well.

Yes, and the fuse should be close to where you connect the solar charging wire to the positive terminal on the battery.

[camperguy99]

Probably should have an correct sized fuse in that line as well.

[MrWizard]

yes.. from controller to the batteries

[BFL13]

Yes, or you can go from the charge controller's BATT output to the second set of output terminals on the PD converter, which will then go to the batteries on the same paths as the converter uses. Whichever has the shortest, fattest wire paths, or is more convenient.

Keep the controller and converter in parallel on the battery bank however it is done.