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Old 01-21-2021, 12:19 PM   #1
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Question on victron MPPT solar controller

Do you guys think 2" clearance in enough for Air above the heat sink of the victor controller. Victrom manual is not very specific. The only Thing they say it to "Mount vertically on a non-flammable substrate, with the power terminals facing downwards"


I mounting it on a sheet of aluminum alucobond . I could mount it lower but i would not have access to the light or terminals .
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Old 01-21-2021, 01:52 PM   #2
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Dry fitting my MPPT 100|30 today and will mount it so if it fits out OK.
I read quite a bit on the mounting and seems like the substrate thing in the manual is a bit overkill. I'm mounting on 1/2" pressboard with aluminum 3/4" spacers to raise it a good bit off the board. Plenty of these mounted to wood/bases and can't find any fire videos.
Mines mounting vertically in the left front corner, just to the left of the 7pin box. Plenty of room and space there to provide good airflow.
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Old 01-21-2021, 03:05 PM   #3
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I also used standoffs to mount my 100/30 controller. I added a piece of 1/8" aluminum directly behind the controller, then used 1/2" standoffs to an added piece of 1" X 8".
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Old 01-21-2021, 03:24 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Greg A View Post
Dry fitting my MPPT 100|30 today and will mount it so if it fits out OK.
I read quite a bit on the mounting and seems like the substrate thing in the manual is a bit overkill. I'm mounting on 1/2" pressboard with aluminum 3/4" spacers to raise it a good bit off the board. Plenty of these mounted to wood/bases and can't find any fire videos.
Mines mounting vertically in the left front corner, just to the left of the 7pin box. Plenty of room and space there to provide good airflow.
Is you 7 pin box inside? mine is outside.

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I also used standoffs to mount my 100/30 controller. I added a piece of 1/8" aluminum directly behind the controller, then used 1/2" standoffs to an added piece of 1" X 8".

Jon do you know how far down from the seat plywood yours is?Looks like maybe 4". My main concern is when the seats down the plywood would only be 2" from the top of the heat sink. I am thinking 2 " would be enough for the heat to escape But have no idea how warm these will get.


another ? Is that the factor inverter or did you upgrade?
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Old 01-21-2021, 04:00 PM   #5
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Yes, my 7 pin junction box is on the front wall inside.
Makes things very easy......
Not sure if it's OK or not, but lots of Victron controllers mounted with the connections on top, which in your placement might work really well. Could give a call to Victron support and ask...
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Old 01-21-2021, 04:22 PM   #6
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I just put in another matching wood brace on my dinette seat, mounted the controller on the braces with the extra air gap between the braces. Hard to see on my picture, but I think the supports are 1x2 boards, so that leaves about 3/4”+ additional space under the heat sink. My controller is only the 15a but I have never found it to be even warm to the touch, let alone hot enough to be any concern. I think Jon V has said the same of his 30a unit.
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Old 01-22-2021, 09:59 AM   #7
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I suspect that the only time the Victron solar controllers get hot is when something goes wrong. I've checked mine with empty batteries, full batteries, while running at 30 amps, and it never even felt warm.
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Old 01-22-2021, 10:06 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NEWYORKHILLBILLY View Post
Is you 7 pin box inside? mine is outside.

Jon do you know how far down from the seat plywood yours is?Looks like maybe 4". My main concern is when the seats down the plywood would only be 2" from the top of the heat sink. I am thinking 2 " would be enough for the heat to escape But have no idea how warm these will get.


another ? Is that the factor inverter or did you upgrade?
Mine is closer to 2" down from the cover than 4".

As to the inverter, that is a factory installed GoPower GP-HS1500. Might be one of the last of the HS1500 Escape installed (August 2017 trailer). I believe they have switched to a Go Power GP-ISW-1500-12 Industrial Pure Sine Wave Inverter.
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Old 01-22-2021, 10:12 AM   #9
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Been several online that put the controller under full load and check temps with infrared thermometer. No ones recorded anything over 100 degrees, and much less normally.
Heck, 100 degrees is a mild summer day in Phoenix. If those temps were an issue, my trailer would have already imploded.
My guess is the manual recommendations are lawyer speak. Similar to the ETI manual saying something along the lines of the trailers aren’t to be used for full time.
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Old 01-22-2021, 10:49 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Vermilye View Post
As to the inverter, that is a factory installed GoPower GP-HS1500. Might be one of the last of the HS1500 Escape installed (August 2017 trailer). I believe they have switched to a Go Power GP-ISW-1500-12 Industrial Pure Sine Wave Inverter.
Correct. I have been looking at inverters recently and the GP-HS1500 is discontinued. Escape changed to the GP-ISW1500.
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Old 01-22-2021, 12:12 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Vermilye View Post
Mine is closer to 2" down from the cover than 4".

As to the inverter, that is a factory installed GoPower GP-HS1500. Might be one of the last of the HS1500 Escape installed (August 2017 trailer). I believe they have switched to a Go Power GP-ISW-1500-12 Industrial Pure Sine Wave Inverter.
Yes they now use the ISW 1500 I did not relize prior years had a diffent model . In Looks like I should be fine with The 2"

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Been several online that put the controller under full load and check temps with infrared thermometer. No ones recorded anything over 100 degrees, and much less normally.
Heck, 100 degrees is a mild summer day in Phoenix. If those temps were an issue, my trailer would have already imploded.
My guess is the manual recommendations are lawyer speak. Similar to the ETI manual saying something along the lines of the trailers aren’t to be used for full time.
I think you right as there so many installs with it just mounted to plywood.

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Correct. I have been looking at inverters recently and the GP-HS1500 is discontinued. Escape changed to the GP-ISW1500.

I been looking at inverters also. The GP-ISW1500 has good reviews. Go power does not repair these. so if you have a problem after the warranty its a throw away item. I been trying to figure out who makes the go power unit . I think its made By Cotek there model is SP1500-112 1500W.Cotex will repair these units but it unclear if the have to be sent to taiwan. I been looking at the samplex also. I found a great deal on the Samlex SSW-1500-12A .Only problem is that the samlex unit you can use a transfer switch.The neutral and ground are bonded in the inverter. I think i could still run one plug off it as long as it not a GFI.
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Old 01-22-2021, 06:28 PM   #12
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Jon, convinced me to get the GP-ISW2000-12. He promised I wouldn't regret it.
I stuck it on my Amazon shopping list, they lowered the price for a day and I grabbed it for about $100 more than the 1500.
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Old 01-22-2021, 06:34 PM   #13
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Dry fit got rained out today so finished up my battery tray and Solar controller/DC to DC mounts. The pic shows how they'll roughly layout in the front left of DS bench in front of black tank.
If weather breaks will fit tomorrow.
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Old 01-22-2021, 09:40 PM   #14
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Dry fit got rained out today so finished up my battery tray and Solar controller/DC to DC mounts. The pic shows how they'll roughly layout in the front left of DS bench in front of black tank.
If weather breaks will fit tomorrow.

Looks good!!
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Old 01-23-2021, 07:37 AM   #15
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Grounding

I as summing I would run the ground wire from the MPPT to the grounding stud on the back of converter correct? What GA wire would be suitable for this?
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Old 01-23-2021, 08:26 AM   #16
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I as summing I would run the ground wire from the MPPT to the grounding stud on the back of converter correct? What GA wire would be suitable for this?
I ran a 12 gauge for the ground wire on mine. There is no current on the ground wire - it's just there in case there is a fault.
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Old 01-23-2021, 09:54 AM   #17
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I ran a 12 gauge for the ground wire on mine. There is no current on the ground wire - it's just there in case there is a fault.
In order to provide maximum protection of property and life "in case there is a fault" the ground wire should be sized to carry the full current potentially present at the device, so in this case at least the same as the (+) output wire, whatever that is, is that not correct?

IOW one always wants the ground wire for a device to provide the most direct and full-ampacity current path to ground, not the path through the body of a person who might come in contact with the 'faulted' device, is that not correct?
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Old 01-23-2021, 04:04 PM   #18
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In order to provide maximum protection of property and life "in case there is a fault" the ground wire should be sized to carry the full current potentially present at the device, so in this case at least the same as the (+) output wire, whatever that is, is that not correct?

IOW one always wants the ground wire for a device to provide the most direct and full-ampacity current path to ground, not the path through the body of a person who might come in contact with the 'faulted' device, is that not correct?
That's right. But my solar controller is right behind the WFCO ground lug so we are talking about a 12" long wire for my trailer. The voltage drop for 12 ga wire for one foot at 30 amps (my circuit breaker size) would be less than a tenth of a volt.

Here is a link to a 12v dc calculator.
https://www.fabhabs.com/dc-cable-sizing-calculator

For a .3m long wire with 30 amps current, the minimum wire size by the calculator is 13 gauge. 12 gauge is larger and is therefore acceptable for 30 amps for such a short run.
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Old 01-23-2021, 04:39 PM   #19
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Thanks, that somewhat clarifies the basis for the gauge in your trailer, and IMO more importantly helps clarify how one (e.g. NEWYORKHILLBILLY or any other reader) should determine the appropriate ground wire gauge for their application. Your 12GA may not be suitable for all situations (e.g. higher-current than 30A controller/PV array output combinations).

It's the difference between giving a man a fish (which may in fact not be enough to satisfy his hunger) and teaching him how to fish
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Old 01-23-2021, 06:45 PM   #20
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Thanks, that somewhat clarifies the basis for the gauge in your trailer, and IMO more importantly helps clarify how one (e.g. NEWYORKHILLBILLY or any other reader) should determine the appropriate ground wire gauge for their application. Your 12GA may not be suitable for all situations (e.g. higher-current than 30A controller/PV array output combinations).

It's the difference between giving a man a fish (which may in fact not be enough to satisfy his hunger) and teaching him how to fish
Good point. I up sized my controller to 50 amp because I wanted to be able To plug in my 100 watt portable into the same controller as the roof panels . would I size this ground wire for 50 amp or the max short circuits amps of all my panels combined
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