Solar controller + location on 5.0?

[BritCanuck]

So just put in our deposit on a 5.0. Completion date Jan 2024, lol…so a bit of time to plan…

Wondering about the default solar controller that comes with the dual 6v batteries and dual panels?

Is the ET controller supplied any good/useful? Is it worth changing it out for something else? Will ET just run the wires if asked? Also the location in the 5.0 appears to be at floor level under the dinette. Not a very convenient location. Is there an option to have it elsewhere higher up?

Thanks,

Chris

[Perry Butler]

Escape provides a basic GoPower PWM solar charge controller. It works fine, but there is little control and no history available. As long as everything is working it's just fine.

But I knew it was basic and had them NOT cut a hole in the dinette, but instead had it zip-tied underneath the dinette bench. We got our 5.0 in late October, 2019 and in early February our batteries died. Since there was no history to read we have to go through a lot of hoops to find it was the batteries problem (turned out the shipping company dropped one in transit to our home and three months later it failed). Right after the batteries failed I purchased a Victron BMV-712 battery monitor with bluetooth. I wasted my time mounting the readout in our upper cabinets, because you really can watch and configure the 712 from your cell phone (they now make a 712 shunt only with no readout that I would purchase today).

Fast forward two years and the batteries failed again. This time the failure was from the WFCO that decided to send 21 volts to our batteries. I found this out from the history on the 712. I bought new batteries, disconnected the WFCO, and replaced the GoPower PWM solar controller with a Victron 100/30 smart (bluetooth) controller, that sits out of the way underneath the dinette. I can read and configure the Victron SCC with my cell phone.

I'm really glad we had the Escape provided GoPower controller zip-tied underneath the dinette, so there is no needless gaping hole. We also have a Victron 100/20 SCC for our 100 watt portable. The Victron 712 talks to the 100/30 and 100/20 helping them to work together as a team. Both Victron SCC's have history the 712 does not and I can adjust these controllers to match the settings for our particular 260 ah battery(s).

So my advice is to definitely purchase the basic Escape installed two panel system (it's a steal for what Escape charges and the panels are good panels), have Escape zip-tie the GoPower controller underneath the dinette, making future replacement easy, and buy a simple plug-in volt meter for about $12 to give you the information you get with the GoPower readout. Worked for us and we didn't have to deal with that empty hole.

Enjoy,

Perry

PS, I've since added an additional 300 watts to the roof and am in the process of adding a 1500 watt inverter.

[BritCanuck]

Thanks Perry. Very comprehensive reply, much appreciated.

So do ET still have to drill a hole for the controller cables if they leave it ziptied under the dinette? Or do you mean they leave the controller in one of the bench seat storage areas? Just trying to visualize what I need to plan for.

[Perry Butler]

Originally Posted by BritCanuck

So do ET still have to drill a hole for the controller cables if they leave it ziptied under the dinette? Or do you mean they leave the controller in one of the bench seat storage areas? Just trying to visualize what I need to plan for.

Yes, "they leave the controller in one of the bench seat storage areas." I immediately removed the zip-ties and the controller sat on those two stacked boxes.

They don't drill a hole from the roof to the dinette, but just run the wires down the refrigerator vent, unless you choose to have a 12v compressor refrigerator AND choose to not have the vent installed. This wasn't an option in 2019, but one I would choose today.

________________________________________

Our GoPower SCC and Victron 712 shunt were located in this position for about 25,000 miles down the road. The Shunt was mounted to the battery lid with velcro and was rock solid in that position. The GoPower was just sitting on top of those boxes and probably never moved over an inch. There was no problem removing those two stacked boxes to get whatever items they held.

The GoPower SCC was removed last winter and now is used in a hunting shack to run a 12v/propane refrigerator. It was replaced with a Victron 100/30 that is solidly mounted to the front wall of the rear dinette seat. The 712 shunt is relocated and attached with velcro to the top of a 1" thick vertical board that now holds our Blue Seas dual battery shutoff and 250a class T fuse.

Once the inverter is installed next week I'll be taking pictures and start a new thread.

Enjoy,

Perry

[BritCanuck]

Awesome, that makes sense. Thanks!