Solar Wiring Setup Questions

[Sailing1234]

Here is a diagram I made of my potential setup. I have a couple of seemingly simple setup questions.

Has anyone found a good manual or setup guide? I haven't been able to find a good one online anywhere.

Here is a diagram I made of my setup.


https://imgur.com/a/YYpVCsv

Will wiring to the terminals show on my battery bank work?
On the controller, what is LOAD used to wire to?

[goboatingnow]

Load can be configured to output the PV power to an alternative load of the batteries are full

Why have you the circuit breaker on the return wire (-)

[Sailing1234]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

Load can be configured to output the PV power to an alternative load of the batteries are full

Why have you the circuit breaker on the return wire (-)

Should I have the circuit breaker on the + line?

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by DASailor

Should I have the circuit breaker on the + line?

Yes, one circuit breaker in the +ve line going to the battery bank. Locate the circuit breaker at the battery end.

And ensure the wire gauge from the solar panel to the controller is large enough to safely carry the full short circuit current from the panel.

[Spot]

On my inexpensive PWM controller, the 'load' is a timed nightlight that turns on after the panel drops in voltage assuming nighttime.

On the Victron MPPT it seems different.

https://www.victronenergy.com/solar-...100-20#manuals

Are you building a 12 or 24v system? Are your batteries 6 or 12v?

[Nicholson58]

I recommend use two pole breakers. One on each solar panel, one on the solar controller. These make isolation simple in case of service or for total isolation during electric storms. You may want a battery monitor in there to tell you what’s happening. I have a Bogart monitor on each bank. My solar controller also tracks input, output, amp hours, watts.

[Boatyarddog]

Originally Posted by Spot

On my inexpensive PWM controller, the 'load' is a timed nightlight that turns on after the panel drops in voltage assuming nighttime.

On the Victron MPPT it seems different.

https://www.victronenergy.com/solar-...100-20#manuals

Are you building a 12 or 24v system? Are your batteries 6 or 12v?

Looks to be a 6 vt bank, 12 vt. output? Controller can be either.
SV Cloud Duster

[thomm225]

Here is a diagram I made of my potential setup. I have a couple of seemingly simple setup questions.

Has anyone found a good manual or setup guide? I haven't been able to find a good one online anywhere.

Here is a diagram I made of my setup.


https://imgur.com/a/YYpVCsv

Will wiring to the terminals show on my battery bank work?
On the controller, what is LOAD used to wire to?[/QUOTE]

There are tons of diagrams online.

https://www.google.com/search?q=sail...B2aYO8bl8nuqwM

https://www.wish.com/product/5cb4309..._BwE&share=web

[onestepcsy37]

don't know why people overcomplicate this. i had a simple setup for years and never a single problem.

solar panel to controller to battery bank. put an on/off switch between the
solar panel and the controller in case i needed to shut it down.

wire run was ten feet from panel to controller and five feet from controller to battery bank.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by onestepcsy37

don't know why people overcomplicate this. i had a simple setup for years and never a single problem.

solar panel to controller to battery bank. put an on/off switch between the
solar panel and the controller in case i needed to shut it down.

wire run was ten feet from panel to controller and five feet from controller to battery bank.

On/Off switch?

I just unplug the panel if I don't want it in the system any more, throw a cover over it, or put it in the lazarette locker.

As far as wiring, I found some old 14 gauge wire to us for my first panel (65 watt) and it's lasted 10 years so far.

I have 4 panels. Two that go through controllers to the batteries and two more that are run directly to the batteries.

I pull them out when I need them which is usually when I leave the dock to go sailing for few days.

[OS2Dude]

Ignore the LOAD. Disable it if possible. It is only for really low current applications like a few LED lights. You can NOT use it with an inverter or all your house loads. At best you can hook a relay to it to cut power from the batteries when the voltage gets too low.

There are several good setup videos online, just google them.

[noelex 77]

Originally Posted by onestepcsy37

don't know why people overcomplicate this. i had a simple setup for years and never a single problem.

solar panel to controller to battery bank. put an on/off switch between the
solar panel and the controller in case i needed to shut it down.

wire run was ten feet from panel to controller and five feet from controller to battery bank.

You at least need an appropiate fuse/CB between the controller and the battery bank to keep the system safe.

[Apollo366]

Victron website always shows a breaker on the solar panel side of the wiring before it gets to the controller.
It also in dual breaker not single wire breaker.

I'd go with their version shown below ( ignore all the downstream loads, use your loads)

Apollo Wayne

https://www.victronenergy.com/upload...t-and-MPPT.pdf

use 90% zoom to see detail

[George_SD]

Yes, there are plenty of stories of a battery being disconnected with nothing else to accept the current, Controller ends up being that something and gets cooked. You can even see pictures in Amazon reviews of fried controllers.

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by George_SD

Yes, there are plenty of stories of a battery being disconnected with nothing else to accept the current, Controller ends up being that something and gets cooked. You can even see pictures in Amazon reviews of fried controllers.

Err the panel does not output if there is no load