I'm going to have to open it up was trying to find a review similar to those you linked to but there doesn't seem to be any for the votronic. It's always seemed efficient though even on dull days so I guess it's largely academic Sent from my Pixel 4 using Tapatalk
Inside a proper MPPT controller. Epever Tracer 2206AN The big coil at the top stores energy. There are many more components than in the cheap PWM controller. There are also at least 8 MOSFETs I can see on that PCB, 6 mounted on the heatskink with leads poking up and 2 more by the fuse. Remember that in reality with an MPPT it gathers a bit more energy when the sun is shaded or panels are shaded. In full sunlight, there is not so much difference between PWM and MPPT. Both types do the most important thing and protect batteries from overcharging. My cheapie controller is going on my boat, as the existing 20 watt panel boiled one of my batteries dry last summer.. The sun was shining so I pulled this arc off the solar panels... The wires started getting hot..
Aaaaah, I think I have been looking at this the wrong way, if I understand your post correctly. I was expecting to see higher ampage going into the controller from the panels whether the battery was full or flat, whether there was a current draw or not (and the controller disipating this to save the battery frying if the charge wasn't needed). Instead, I think what you're saying is that if the battery is full and there's nothing drawing any current, the controller wont accept it from the panels? It's actually pretty sunny here all of a sudden, so I had a quick look at the solar controller in Clem..... (bearing in mind there is a polycarbonate car port roof over the top, so not direct sunlight) Will edit with pictures from my phone momentarily..... Just sitting there: And then turning all the LED light on and the Propex fan on ( my fridge isn’t wired to run from the leisure battery directly, only when the ignition is on) I think I may be overthinking things and actually things are fine. Doh. Although I’m interested what’s drawing a current of 1A when nothing is on ( the mppt controller itself?)
That will be the battery taking a bit of charge because it has dropped to 13.8 volts . I think the Tracer takes about 0.02 amps all the time on average. As you show there, 19volts at 0.9 Amps becomes 14.4 volts at 1.0Amps with the MPPT. A PWM would show 0.9 Amps, so your money gained you 10% ish.. Modern solar controllers reduce their current output (PWM and MPPT) and let the solar cell voltage max out to back off when their job is done. So all the solar cell numbers will be 0Amps if the battery terminal is 14.4 or more...
Mike for making external joints waterproof is this stuff any good http://www.starbrite.com/category/liquid-electrical-tape
This will work very well, I would use this and then protect it mechanically from flexing , I expect it will crack where you strip the wire and the wire core is more flexible. Same as heatshrink will crack at points where the diameter changes. The marine oil survey guys I worked for swore by using self-amalgamating silicone tape, then wrapping it with PVC tape to protect it. (* although the lifespan of one of their installations was 2 to 5 years before a different ship was chartered). And the way they took cables through panels was basically through rubber blocks with grooves in them to take the cables, the blocks were then clamped hard - same idea as https://www.asap-supplies.com/scanstrut-micro-deck-seal-2-6mm
@mikedjames I got bored so decided to investigate the internals of the votronic mpp 165. Looks ok to my untrained eyes... Sent from my Pixel 4 using Tapatalk
MPPT controller bought 100w rigid solar panel, cables, mounting feet and cable gland bought too. Hopefully fitting before Easter, as long as these storms give it a rest Sent from my BND-L21 using Tapatalk
That is definitely an MPPT controller.. Also if you look at the currents in the spec. Max panel current 10A, but it can put out 12.8A into the 2 batteries..more current at lower voltage a sign of switchmode/MPPT operation.
So much for fitting my panel today. It's just started raining * *Though it's probably a good job as I think had a few too many sherbets yesterday Sent from my BND-L21 using Tapatalk
Hopefully, this Saturday I shall be fitting my solar panel, once I've sorted getting Kim's Beetle to a garage to get the blowing exhaust fixed/changed. I will have two PWM solar charge controllers a going spare as I've got a MPPT controller - don't want anything for them (one I was given by Razzy a couple of years ago) Sent from my BND-L21 using Tapatalk
Hi all. I've a question regarding the Load output from the Epever MPPT controler. Could I take an output from this to a VSR on my PUCK to charge the battery in that and run the Fridge. The puck has a compressor fridge so we use that instead of the absorption one in the Westy when we have both.
I think it might work . The only trouble would be if the current from battery to battery exceeds the rated current of the load output.. it may decide to shut off. This is unlikely, because you will probably not be using anything like thick enough wire to allow the Puck battery to ever really charge properly... Also I am not 100% sure what happens if at some time you disconnect the LB while the Puck battery is at a high enough voltage to close the VSR ( an unimaginably optimistic state of affairs) Personally I would hook it via a VSR to the leisure battery and a fuse. And use thicker wire. If you really want to run that fridge and get the Puck battery to ever charge, look to the more expensive battery to battery chargers ...
We hook our rapido up to the leisure battery in the van for power. Solar charges the leisure battery and then run a ctek into the fuse board for rapido. Any reason the puck needs it's own battery? Sent from my Pixel 4 using Tapatalk
Thanks @mikedjames, my other option is to do like @67westy says and connect the Puck straight to the camper leisure battery and switching off the Pucks own leisure battery. I've only just put in solar so up to this the Puck would be charged up at home and used for the weekend or whatever. I'll keep the battery in the Puck as it doubles the storage capacity and also I fancy using it with the beetle. Its actually worked fine so far getting about four days out of it, I'm just thinking of the next step, you know what us Engineers say, if its not broken it doesn't have enough features yet
One thing you need to make sure is that the voltage drop to the fridge in the caravan isnt too high - the idea of connecting the fridge by a longish bit of wire may cause problems of the fridge never really getting going and just draining the battery while it tries to work at 11 volts or less, drawing 4 to 5 amps , or it just shuts off Using the battery in the caravan too, means that for the about 80% of the time the fridge is not running , the battery can be trickle charged from the bus end of things. Then when the fridge cuts in, the 4 or 5 amps comes from the Puck battery. In that scenario the average current in the wiring is 1 amp which results in less voltage drop, so you dont need such massive cable. The issue then is to make sure that there is something like about 14.2 volts on the bus end of the wiring to actually charge the battery in the caravan. Which a solar charger will easily do - looking at the numbers coming up today in a sunny interlude, the leisure battery basically was going back into absorbtion mode , 14.6 volts, fully charging between cycles of the fridge running, draining 5 amps, when the battery voltage drops back to about 12.8 volts.
Controller finally fitted to the MH. Battery voltage is still a little down but the PV read 17-18v and 1A charge with overcast cloudy afternoon.
Well, we finally got out camping over the weekend (in the Garden of course) and it was nice and sunny so my first real chance to try out the solar. I have 2x100 watt panels and the 20amp tracer MPPT controler. I was able to run the absorption fridge in the Westy (original) all day and even made some ice, off the solar. The battery kept things going when it got cloudy but was soon topped back up. I highest output I saw was 10.4 amps which I'm over the moon with. I still haven't sorted out the puck but it looks like there will be plenty of power for that. I need to get the wifi attachment as I spent quiet a bit of time reading the control panel
