Recommended Solar control module for 50W solar panel?

[SuaveGato]

Hello,
I have a small 50 watt solar panel on my TC but it was never hooked up? The wires run into the TC but are just cut. And taped to another set of wires that run down to the batteries. (not connected to each other) I understand it needs a control module for me to hook it up? Any recommendations for a "good" one where good = value (quality / economy)

Thanks

[AnEv942]

Well at less than 3 amps-I suppose you could hook directly to battery, personally not my choice, but there are a lot of smarter folks out there than me. If you went that route at minimum I would install fuses (both pos & neg),

[drc5900]

Wire directly from solar panel to battery.
Recommended reading:
http://handybobsolar.wordpress.com/the-rv-battery-charging-puzzle-2/
Scroll down to the SOLAR POWER section (albeit that the whole blog is worth reading, so much knowledge there!), towards the end of the second paragraph in SOLAR POWER on the RV Battery Charging Puzzle webpage Bob addresses this.
The black box on the back of your panel will be a connector box.

[SuaveGato]

AnEv942 wrote:
Sounds like for what ever reason, someone removed controller. Only thing I would add is the wires from the panel are hot leading inside, insure they dont touch anything Or each other until controller added.

On second thought I might add, have you checked output from panel?
Verify it works.

Here's what I did. With shore power OFF, I checked voltage of the wires assumedly coming in from the batteries, got approx 12.85VDC. Then I removed the batteries (had to service anyway) and got 0 VDC. then, with batteries still removed and shore power off, I check the assumed solar leads and got approx. 18VDC. So my thinking is that the battery leads just head straight to the battery terminals? I could chase them out to be sure? Would they normally go through some fuse or cut off switch?

Thanks.

P.S. not sure but from I know about previous owners, I don't think the factory (dealer) ever even hooked up the solar? ZERO evidence of it... no abandoned mounting holes, wire nuts or striped wire jacket left behind etc. Not to mention, the TC was only used a handful of times and then sat dormant after the man passed away. Just a hunch, but I think the dealer dropped the ball and never even installed the controller... Esp. since you have to take the cabinets apart to even access the wire location etc.

[AnEv942]

Sounds like for what ever reason, someone removed controller. Only thing I would add is the wires from the panel are hot leading inside, insure they dont touch anything Or each other until controller added.

On second thought I might add, have you checked output from panle?
Verify it works.

[SuaveGato]

AnEv942 wrote:
The box is just junction box between panel and wiring. May have diodes inside. It could also be used for combiner if you add a panel. I would recommend also getting at least a 10-15 amp controller for possible additions, larger capacity controller ok and ususally not much more cost.

Good advice, I will def. "over buy" for possible future expansions, thanks.

[AnEv942]

The box is just junction box between panel and wiring. May have diodes inside. It could also be used for combiner if you add a panel. I would recommend also getting at least a 10-15 amp controller for possible additions, larger capacity controller ok and ususally not much more cost.

[SuaveGato]

Thanks folks. I added pics of my solar panel & back label to my original post. What is the black box on the back of the panel? that isn't a control module is it?

Thanks.

[msiminoff]

SuaveGato wrote:
Any recommendations for a "good" one where good = value (quality / economy)

MorningStar's SunSaver line meets your definition of "good". Either the SS-6 or SS-10 (if you intend to add an additional panel in the future) would serve you well.
Cheers
-Mark

[2oldnslow]

This is a good quality one:

Morningstar 6 Amp

Not the cheapest, but known to be good quality.