Solar Controller for 180 W folding panels.

[SteveW]

I have purchased a 180W folding portable solar panel to supplement the 120W panel fixed flat on the roof. It is not practical to wire the folder through the original equipment controller because of its location and lack of access to the wiring - even if it is suitable. I have 2 x 100ah deep cycle batteries.

I have searched this and other forums without finding an answer to my specific quandary - which Solar Charge Controller should I purchase?

[BruceS]

Steve can you tell us what regulator you have for the fixed (existing) one?
Are both of the batteries already hooked together as house batteries?
A lot of folding portable ones simply have a small regulator fixed to the back of the panels & a lead off that with battery alligator clips to hook direct to the house battery.

[bellett65]

As Bruce has said. At some point you will have to get the cabling done to get the input to the batteries. I would suggest splicing the input into your current solar input, then running the cable out to an Anderson plug or the like. The controllers on the folding panels are not usually the greatest of quality. By pass that. The job may be a PIA but will make it easier in the long term. The external plug/socket does not have to be in anything but at a convenient spot mounted just below the bodywork or even in a locker or tow-bar. not to low so your knees creak every time you plug in. .

Peter

[SteveW]

Yes, Bruce, the 2 house batteries are linked and the vehicle battery is linked through a solenoid that drops out at 12.7 volts.

Existing controller is Topray Solar TPS 1230. Topray Solar have a website but no specific reference to the TPS 1230 model, which means that it might be specially produced for Jayco, just as the battery monitor is a Jayco special.

Panel description is as below.

Powertech Specifications:
• Pmax: 180W
• Rated voltage: 12V
• Voltage at Pmax: 18V
• Current at Pmax: 10A
• Open circuit voltage: 22.5V
• Short circuit current: 11.12A
• Weight: 19kg
• Dimensions:
- Open: 1074(W) x 1195(H) x 38(D)mm
- Folded: 535(W) x 1195(H) x 76(D)mm

The solar panel instructions are quite specific that no controller is included - the two boxes on the back of the panel are weatherproof junction boxes.

The instructions recommend a 20w PWM 3 stage controller or a 30wMPPT 3 stage controller. It is double Dutch to me - I could go buy one but I wouldn't know the value/suitability factor for my needs.

[SteveW]

As Bruce has said. At some point you will have to get the cabling done to get the input to the batteries. I would suggest splicing the input into your current solar input, then running the cable out to an Anderson plug or the like. The controllers on the folding panels are not usually the greatest of quality. By pass that. The job may be a PIA but will make it easier in the long term. The external plug/socket does not have to be in anything but at a convenient spot mounted just below the bodywork or even in a locker or tow-bar. not to low so your knees creak every time you plug in. .

Peter

Problem is that the existing controller is at the top left front of the 8m vehicle and the batteries are at the bottom right ear of the vehicle. I can get at the + - inputs of the controller where the controller is mounted but it is nowhere suitable to where I am most likely to want to set the panels up ( rear, rear left or rear right of the vehicle).

I already have an Anderson Plug on the outside of the vehicle only 2 feet from the batteries. I would plan to put the new controller between the plug and the batteries.

[SteveW]

I've worked out that the TPS 1230 means 12volt 30 amp.

[T1 Terry]

As the max rated output is 10amps ( Current at Pmax: 10A) a 10 amp or 15 amp controller would be fine to use with this panel. If you are likely to get more portable panels some time later then you would be better off buying a controller that could handle 20 Amp or even 30 amps.
If you just want to use the panel as a booster for poor weather conditions and have the other panels as the main charging source, one of these evilbay cheapies will do the job fine. These are only a single voltage controller but the voltage can be adjusted up to say 14.4v by simply adjusting a dashpot under the cover. If you want to know how to do this let me know when you have taken delivery of it and I'll post a photo up showing what to adjust.
Mount the controller close to the batteries, wire up a Merit socket to the solar terminals on the controller and mount that some where that will be easy to access when you want to plug your portable panel in. Then wire a Merit plug to the solar panel using 6mm auto cable max around 7mtr long, any longer and you will need heavier cable to stop voltage drop and that won't fit in the Merrits plug so 7 mtr is about the limit, otherwise you would need to use 50 amp anderson plugs and that is kinda over kill for a 10 amp panel.

[SteveW]

A bit more information:
The panels came with 50A Anderson plugs - 5m cable from the panels and a 5m extension cable with Anderson plugs either end. I have an Anderson plug on the external wall of the MH 2 feet from the batteries. I can easily insert the controller at/near the batteries. So far so good (I don't see that the extension cable would ever be needed).

The existing 50A Anderson plug has been used to feed 12v 8amp from the Honda 2000i generator to the battery. This raises another question. I am trying to avoid the need to ever use the Honda generator to recharge the batteries, however, in the event that it became necessary, could the 12v 8A from the generator be fed into the Anderson plug then through the controller meant for the solar panels?

[T1 Terry]

That makes life much easier, yes, the controller will just see it as 8 amps coming in, it doesn't care where it came from, but you will need to adjust the controller up to the 14.4v though so it doesn't try to stop the generator from fully charging the battery when/if needed.

[BruceS]

Do you EVER use those Anderson outlets for anything else? Running an Engel Fridge? Running a compressor?