TC off the grid, and solar question
when we get the new camper, we might try doing 2-5 nights without electric this fall out at the beach. Sure I will have a generator but I only want to use it if AC is needed. So looking at what ma...
Forum Discussion
towpro wrote:
The original question:
Do I wire camper load (and not camper changer) to load terminal? or leave them empty? I expect by using load terminals I can view current amperage usage the RV is using on a display. And If its a 20A controller, that that mean the current between battery and Load is limited to 20A?.
NO. All you are adding is solar output TO the batteries.
Generally on a camper the load terminals are not used, leave them empty.
Your loads (camper) will still be connected to battery thru converter/fuse panel. As earlier mentioned, solar is basically a battery charger. There are uses for the load-but not as far as setting it up.
Yes the load terminals are generally limited/rated at what ever the controller is rated at (some less)-however many are NOT intended to be used for high loads. Anything that has potential to exceed (inverter etc) can damage controller if connected to the load. Ignore the load terminals
As to reading-it shows voltage and amp output of panel. I can see the battery voltage, I can see, during the day if panle is at full output, up to its capacity what camper is using.
Not the controllers function-its showing what panel is putting back, say I turn on a light- panel will show 1.5 amp rise (if it can). But its not really measuring draw. Kinda relative for getting idea of amp use but its not a system meter- If I turn on something that draws more than panel output it will only show max of panel.
If it is a controller with 2 separate battery connections (2 batteries) does it treat each battery different?
example, every 25 days it does a charge to knock sulfation off the plates, but a single 100w panel might not have enough current to run de-sulfation mode on 2 batteries at the same time
Well its going to do what it can do...100w is small.
But the 2 sets of battery connections- Im unsure. My first thought is your describing output terminals to battery, second set of battery terminals are for the input or sense wire that controller uses for measuring battery? not an out put. Im sure there are controllers that are able to wire two battery banks.
