solar panel wiring

[Bart]

i remember reading somewhere that the order in which you initially connect the your wires from your solar panel and leisure batteries to your MPPT was important, but i cannot remember if it was the leisure batteries or the solar panels that should be connected to the MPPT first.
Also in my set up i have a sterling battery monitor with the Shunt on the negative to measure all input & outputs to the Leisure batteries , should i connect my negative from my MPPT controller to the batteries so that it goes through the Shunt , or should i connect it directly to the negative on my battery bank.

 

[denisejoe]

Batteries first.

Joe

 

[mitzimad]

batteries before both b

 

[Robert Clark]

Everything goes through the shunt - including the solar

 

[two]

...and throw a towel over the panel until everything's connected.

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[Bart]

Thanks all for the fast replies, sure if i have an inline trip / fuse on the positive wire between the solar and the MPPT then if i just leave that tripped , that will save me having to cover them i'snt that right ?

 

[two]

You would still have live wires from the solar panels, when connecting them to whatever. Covering them is a simple precaution that I have used in the past to avoid surprises.

 

[Shrimp]

Hubby put new panels on the other week, got all the work done then did very last connection-inside van-to the controller at night when all was dark!
Worked a treat!

 

[Geo]

Hubby put new panels on the other week, got all the work done then did very last connection-inside van-to the controller at night when all was dark!
Worked a treat!

He got somat wrong! shouldn't have worked at all

 

[Robert Clark]

Thanks all for the fast replies, sure if i have an inline trip / fuse on the positive wire between the solar and the MPPT then if i just leave that tripped , that will save me having to cover them i'snt that right ?

I'd suggest covering them as I was told that joints should not be made or disconnected whilst live.

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[Bart]

Thanks guys , covered it will be then

 

[Shrimp]

He got somat wrong! shouldn't have worked at all

Ha, Ha!!!

 

[eddie]

Or do it at night

 

[Bart]

ok guys today is connection day and i have a problem , i connected my 3 solar panels in parallel
panels 3 off : http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/111504448877
through roof into MH via : Broken Link Removed
then into MPPT controller : Broken Link Removed
now when i connect the batteries and turn on the MPPT it goes through its cycle , i then turn on the trip from the solar panels thus making connection between the solar panel and MPPT , but nothing changes on the display , solar panel wattage reads as "0" amps reads as "0"
also i seem to be unable to change the battery type as its set for Gel where as mine are lead acid , tried as per instructions , holding in on/off button for 1-3 secs , but nothing happened.
Any ideas ?
Also how can i check to confirm which lead is positive and negative on the solar panels ( when in situ ) using a multimeter to make sure my leads are not mixed up anywhere. is that possible ?

 

[jollyrodger]

Go up on the roof and uncover them
Em sorry

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[eddie]

Check the trip type circuit breaker. They are not very reliable

Sorry, couldn't resist that. Check the panel voltage at the breaker input and output. If all OK check the voltage at the regulator input

 

[hilldweller]

Also how can i check to confirm which lead is positive and negative on the solar panels ( when in situ ) using a multimeter to make sure my leads are not mixed up anywhere. is that possible ?

Set your meter to 20V or higher.
Clip on leads.
If it says 15V the red is connected to positive.
If it says -15V the red is connected to the negative.
Label them with red tape or masking tape.

If it says 0V panic.

 

[Bart]

Check the trip type circuit breaker. They are not very reliable

Sorry, couldn't resist that. Check the panel voltage at the breaker input and output. If all OK check the voltage at the regulator input

Lol Eddie that was the first thing I checked after you saying they were crap . Turns out you were right as before I posted this I did check it and sure when the trip was closed there was a circuit , and also when I pressed the trip button to break the circuit I was still getting contact when checking with the multimeter,, so that's now been removed, and even running wires direct from 1 solar panel to the MPPT is showing "o" amps

 

[andy63]

Also how can i check to confirm which lead is positive and negative on the solar panels ( when in situ ) using a multimeter to make sure my leads are not mixed up anywhere. is that possible ?

You could check that with a digital multimeter, by just connecting to what is labeled posotive and negative... if red on possible and you arnt getting a -sign in display they are right way round...
But your panel will tell you if the connections are reversed by the colour of the led.. it's listed in the instructions..

also i seem to be unable to change the battery type as its set for Gel where as mine are lead acid , tried as per instructions , holding in on/off button for 1-3 secs , but nothing happened.
Any ideas ?

I had same problem... keep playing with the button and watch the display ... eventually I noticed the battery type number changing ,and eventually got it set to where I wanted ,but it displays appear a bit inconsistent. .. just keep playing... it will happen lol..
If you are still having bother get back and I'll go out play with mine .. see if I can shed any more light lol..

Also on a dull day you may not get any charge current displaying
Especially if you have fully charged batteries...
I think the panel will only do its job if the incoming voltage is 5v higher than battery voltage..
Andy

 

[Stealaway]

How have you made the connections to the solar panels - what connectors have you used?

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[Bart]

Thanks , yip well the 1 panel I am testing now is reading 20.54v it is connected directly to the MPPT with a direct feed for testing and yet the MPPT is just showing the 100w solar panel as 8W and zero amps getting charged.
Now it is very cloudy ATM with no sun shining through the clouds, are the above readings normal for a cloudy day with 1 x 100w panel , as I thought it should show as a 100w panel on the MPPT ?

 

[Bart]

@andy63 thanks will look at the battery type setting after I'm sure panels are ok , as today I don't think we have the weather here to fry the batteries with solar

@Stealaway atm they are connected directly bypassing the rcd. To test them

 

[andy63]

8W and zero amps getting charged.
Now it is very cloudy ATM with no sun shining through the clouds, are the above readings normal for a cloudy day with 1 x 100w panel , as I thought it should show as a 100w panel on the MPPT ?

I would say that's right.. well it's similar to the sort of readings I would be getting with same controller. .
I'm assuming it displays the available power ...rather than what's installed..
You could put a good load on your leisure batteries... then you should see a small charge current from the solar ..

 

[hilldweller]

I thought it should show as a 100w panel on the MPPT ?

Nothing connected to the panel wires can tell what size it is. It could 50W in blazing sunshine or 100W in fog fall the voltage will tel.

If you expect 100W on the panel I would guess you have to tell it that.

 

[Bart]

Nothing connected to the panel wires can tell what size it is. It could 50W in blazing sunshine or 100W in fog fall the voltage will tel.

If you expect 100W on the panel I would guess you have to tell it that.

Thanks that explains it , as it's been and will be cloudy all day here, I've checked each panels voltage again , and each panel is showing just above 20v when uncovered , and all positives are correct, so I'll connect all up , then uncover and see what it's like tomorrow when the sun is to. Make an appearance

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[Bart]

Andy I'll try loading the batteries as well , but the bank is down to 12.2v any ways

 

[hilldweller]

and each panel is showing just above 20v when uncovered

I would expect an amp out of them, you don't need sun, just light.

So with 20V showing across the solar connectors you have zero amps ? That does seem right to me unless the controller is doing something very clever like pulsing on for a fraction of a second, sees the voltage drop to 12v or so and decides to turn off. You might not catch this on your meter.

 

[Bart]

I would expect an amp out of them, you don't need sun, just light.

So with 20V showing across the solar connectors you have zero amps ? That does seem right to me unless the controller is doing something very clever like pulsing on for a fraction of a second, sees the voltage drop to 12v or so and decides to turn off. You might not catch this on your meter.

Yip the above pic was with one panel installed , once all 3 panels were connected nothing changed.

 

[hilldweller]

Yip the above pic was with one panel installed , once all 3 panels were connected nothing changed.

That pic says 8W in, well 8W is 0.6A at 12V yet the display is zero ?

 

[Stealaway]

@Stealaway atm they are connected directly bypassing the rcd. To test the

I bought a set of these connections initially, I could not get them to connect reliably.

Link Removed

I eventually used standard home made screw connectors mounted inside a plastic box - problems solved.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/10x-BM992...375003?hash=item2ef1bfcedb:g:c54AAOSwZVlXiWrs

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