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Old 01-04-2019, 01:06 AM   #21
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Scott,
What's with the two charge controllers?


Only one charge controller. From left to right are a Progressive Industries EMS remote above a Trimetric battery monitor, a BlueSky solar controller above a roof solar disconnect switch, a GoPower inverter remote, then the WFCO power center then an aftermarket battery disconnect that ETI was kind enough to install during our build.
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Old 01-04-2019, 01:32 AM   #22
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I would like to see a charge controller that could take in solar, 120VAC, and 12V tow vehicle power, and combine them optimally... it should have a wifi interface that lets your phone/tablet/laptop display live power usage, and graph historical usage... Default configuration prioritizes power so you use all the solar you're getting, but fill in the gap with 120VAC or tug vehicle power as needed, that makes it greener....

I guess if its going to have a wifi interface, it also should include a wireless relay/routing configuration, with an optional outdoor directional antenna to pick up park or random wifi optimally.... wait, no, the RV router should be a separate module that the power center can be configured into...
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Old 01-04-2019, 01:44 AM   #23
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I would like to see a charge controller that could take in solar, 120VAC, and 12V tow vehicle power, and combine them optimally... it should have a wifi interface that lets your phone/tablet/laptop display live power usage, and graph historical usage... Default configuration prioritizes power so you use all the solar you're getting, but fill in the gap with 120VAC or tug vehicle power as needed, that makes it greener....

I guess if its going to have a wifi interface, it also should include a wireless relay/routing configuration, with an optional outdoor directional antenna to pick up park or random wifi optimally.... wait, no, the RV router should be a separate module that the power center can be configured into...


I have a Swiss Army knife. It has toothpick, tweezers, a saw AND scissors. And a knife.
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Old 01-04-2019, 01:48 AM   #24
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I have a Swiss Army knife. It has toothpick, tweezers, a saw AND scissors. And a knife.

I have a Leatherman that I wear on my belt at all times.
It has a multitude of tools that are inconvenient to use and do a mediocre job. Wouldn't be without it.
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Old 01-04-2019, 02:48 AM   #25
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I have a Swiss Army knife. It has toothpick, tweezers, a saw AND scissors. And a knife.
I used to carry one of those.. actually, over about 40 years, I carried a variety of them. I think I liked thje Tinkerer the best?

now I carry a spyderco lockblade. semi-serrated. its a vicious knife.



if I need a screwdriver or wrench, I'll grab the toolbox under the back seat.
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Old 01-04-2019, 04:42 AM   #26
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The inline fuse in my factory solar is one of these in 30A flavor:Attachment 36104

You cannot “pull it” except by use of wrenches to remove the nuts holding the ring terminal wire ends on.

I installed an inline battery disconnect switch insteadAttachment 36105
Thanks. Good idea.
Just added to my ever growing to-do list.

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Old 01-04-2019, 10:37 AM   #27
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Only one charge controller. From left to right are a Progressive Industries EMS remote above a Trimetric battery monitor, a BlueSky solar controller above a roof solar disconnect switch, a GoPower inverter remote, then the WFCO power center then an aftermarket battery disconnect that ETI was kind enough to install during our build.
Got it, Thanks
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Old 01-14-2019, 12:13 AM   #28
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The inline fuse in my factory solar is one of these in 30A flavor:Attachment 36104

You cannot “pull it” except by use of wrenches to remove the nuts holding the ring terminal wire ends on.
fyi, thats a self-resetting breaker, not a fuse. if there's too much current, it opens, but it self resets after a minute, so if there's a short it will repeatedly open, which is good enough to keep the wiring from catching on fire.
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Old 01-14-2019, 03:13 AM   #29
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I have a 17b, so I can’t comment on your wiring layout, but on mine the solar controller is connected to the battery through the 30 amp fuse without going through any switches.

I'm in the process of doing something similar in my trailer. I'm upgrading to a Redarc BCDC1225D solar MPPT/DCDC charger. This unit should be between 20-40% better at collecting solar energy, and it should function as a kind of not so great generator for “emergencies” by idling the tow vehicle’s engine during which time it should collect 25 amps. Hopefully that will never be necessary though since solar should do the trick in most situations.

Last year I installed a Victron Energy battery monitor. It's a much better unit than the Trimetric in my opinion. It's more compact, is mounted flush with the paneling, and doesn't lose its settings when you disconnect the battery (this is the main reason to prefer it). It also draws less current (4mA).

ETI allowed me to substitute their battery disconnect switch with my own. I supplied them with a 1,2,1+2,OFF switch (BEP 701S-PM). The battery is connected to the common terminal. The converter and loads are connected to position #1, and my solar controller will be connected to #2. This allows me to have the following configurations by moving the switch:
- #1 + #2 -> my default position where everything is connected
- #1 -> solar/alternator is disconnected, but everything else works -> useful in a few conditions. If plugged into shore power, the two charge controllers can confuse each other by both raising the voltages such that they think the battery is charged when it is not. Alternatively, I can disconnect charging from the alternator on vehicles that would blow a fuse drawing 25 amps through the 7 pin connector. I've noticed that the default GoPower solar controller routinely raises the voltage to 14.4-15 volts every day. That seems a bit high to me. If plugged in to show power over the winter, I can disconnect solar during that time to reduce what I think is overcharging.
- #2 -> disconnects all parasitic draws, but allows solar through. Good for cases where I want to maximize solar charging, like when I want to charge via solar during winter storage.
- disconnected -> good for long term storage somewhere without solar or shore power. Also good for running calibrations on the Victron Energy shunt (there is a feature on the Victron Energy battery monitor to calibrate zero current). Also useful for measuring the battery state of charge via voltage because I can disconnect all loads for some time to let the battery reach it's resting voltage and not have the solar charge controller increasing the voltage or loads drawing it down.

This switch can transmit 300 amps, so if I were to add an inverter in the future, then I'd put the connection on the #1 switch side so that I could turn it off along with the other loads.
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Old 01-14-2019, 07:50 AM   #30
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Does the Victron require much configuration? The user manual for my TriMetric is full of notes and comments, the manual is a difficult read but an easy program. Very detailed information comes out of the TriMetric, but the only one everyone uses is the display set to percent. It tells it all.

I have an inline fuse on my TriMetric, since it is a direct connect to the battery I have to pull the fuse over winter to prevent battery drain. I do not recall having to enter my parameters in the spring, it is probably an EPROM that retains the settings when without power.
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Old 01-14-2019, 08:22 AM   #31
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fyi, thats a self-resetting breaker, not a fuse. if there's too much current, it opens, but it self resets after a minute, so if there's a short it will repeatedly open, which is good enough to keep the wiring from catching on fire.

If there’s a short it eventually does thisClick image for larger version

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Old 01-14-2019, 08:32 AM   #32
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ETI allowed me to substitute their battery disconnect switch with my own.
This is a brilliant solution. Very clever!

Quote:
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I've noticed that the default GoPower solar controller routinely raises the voltage to 14.4-15 volts every day. That seems a bit high to me. If plugged in to show power over the winter, I can disconnect solar during that time to reduce what I think is overcharging.
If you have the factory dual 6V Interstate battery setup, then their (Interstate’s) recommended voltage for Absorption phase is 15.3 volts, and Equalization is 15.6V. This is at 70*F. At colder temps the voltages are even higher.
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Old 01-14-2019, 09:07 AM   #33
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If you have the factory dual 6V Interstate battery setup, then their (Interstate’s) recommended voltage for Absorption phase is 15.3 volts, and Equalization is 15.6V. This is at 70*F. At colder temps the voltages are even higher.
Yes, that's right. The bulk voltage is lower of course, but the interstate 6V's (and other wet cell batteries to one degree or another) need that higher voltage periodically to prevent stratification and dissolve sulfation.
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Old 01-14-2019, 09:48 AM   #34
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Yes, that's right. The bulk voltage is lower of course, but the interstate 6V's (and other wet cell batteries to one degree or another) need that higher voltage periodically to prevent stratification and dissolve sulfation.
Which is what led to the discussion on why the LED lighting in our trailers keep failing.

I have my Victron solar charger set to 15.3 volts for Absorption phase and 15.6 volts for Equalization. I now wonder what this is doing the 12v devices in the trailer. I'm planning on installing voltage regulator circuits for the LED lights but are the rest of the devices such as heater, fan, fridge, etc. rated to handle 15v?
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Old 01-14-2019, 11:06 AM   #35
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Which is what led to the discussion on why the LED lighting in our trailers keep failing.



I have my Victron solar charger set to 15.3 volts for Absorption phase and 15.6 volts for Equalization. I now wonder what this is doing the 12v devices in the trailer. I'm planning on installing voltage regulator circuits for the LED lights but are the rest of the devices such as heater, fan, fridge, etc. rated to handle 15v?
Output to appliances or lights should be unaffected by a higher charging voltage to the batteries. They should be getting nominally 12 volts regardless.
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Old 01-14-2019, 11:29 AM   #36
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Output to appliances or lights should be unaffected by a higher charging voltage to the batteries. They should be getting nominally 12 volts regardless.


I know that when my solar controller (Blue Sky 300i MPPT) is in absorption phase and over 15V, it shuts down my inverter, which has max input voltage of 15V. This was the main reason I installed a disconnect switch between the roof panels and the solar controller, so I can turn them off briefly if I happen to need the inverter when solar controller is in high volt mode.
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Old 01-14-2019, 11:56 AM   #37
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I know that when my solar controller (Blue Sky 300i MPPT) is in absorption phase and over 15V, it shuts down my inverter, which has max input voltage of 15V. This was the main reason I installed a disconnect switch between the roof panels and the solar controller, so I can turn them off briefly if I happen to need the inverter when solar controller is in high volt mode.
Right, but that's a safety feature to protect the inverter - not 12V output.
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Old 01-14-2019, 11:58 AM   #38
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If you have the factory dual 6V Interstate battery setup, then their (Interstate’s) recommended voltage for Absorption phase is 15.3 volts, and Equalization is 15.6V. This is at 70*F. At colder temps the voltages are even higher.
I plan to solve this problem by using AGMs. For now I'm setting the charge controller to the AGM setting, which I agree is not the best for flooded, but is gentler on the rest of my trailer.
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Old 01-14-2019, 12:00 PM   #39
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I plan to solve this problem by using AGMs.
Excellent solution, but make sure your solar charge controller or power center charger have the correct setup to charge AGM batteries properly.
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Old 01-14-2019, 12:05 PM   #40
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Output to appliances or lights should be unaffected by a higher charging voltage to the batteries. They should be getting nominally 12 volts regardless.
I don't understand this statement. Is there some sort of voltage regulator in the system that I'm not aware of?
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