[nathankaye]

Ive just installed my 2nd panel to the van and reinstalled my old one. (My ladders can still be put on the roof bars to the left of the panals as n when I need them) So now they are both angeled. So at the moment I have a 20w and a 50w, (both monocrystalline)  together they pull a max of 4amps. This time I have fitted the volt n amp meters so I can take better readings like P&F did. But also I will be using a Mppt controller as well, which is on order.



I do love tinkering.
I also have the small 10w panel which im also planning on using.
So far since late August i have only bench charged my battery once. But planning on another charge soon.

This is the mppt controller:
https://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/10A-MPPT-solar-charge-controller-with-LCD-screen-for-12V-24V-systems-up-to-100V-/142452559879?txnId=1465143067004

Hows everyone else getting on with their solar panal projects?? 

[paul alan]

you can stop window cleaning for a living soon mate.....and start selling power to the national grid instead.

[nathankaye]

This is what changed my mind into using a mppt controller
https://youtu.be/wmyuxKmlBCk

[Slacky]

Hold on, what about the scratched glass thread, we've still not had a CIU conclusion on the sand/brush/glass experiment.

You need to slow down; some of us take this all very seriously indeed and look upon hopping from one thread to another in a very dim light.

[nathankaye]

Hold on, what about the scratched glass thread, we've still not had a CIU conclusion on the sand/brush/glass experiment.

You need to slow down; some of us take this all very seriously indeed and look upon hopping from one thread to another in a very dim light.

The opportunity is there for the taking slacky, if you want to add to the video by adding your own findings then please do so 👍
As regards feed back on the scratch glass, Im still waiting on any feedback to come from the owner after sending granvilles message.

But come on, you guys have got opinions on just about everything so more threads wont pose a problem
 

[P @ F]

Looks like you got a copy of the Epever tracer there Nath , should be ok though , i think its like the spring flow control , they all buy it and stick their own face on it .
Photonic isnt the usual Ebay rubbish as im sure you know , having the panels from them as you do .
One thing i will mention though is , if you are thinking of running the panels in series to up the volts to give you more MPPT conversion then dont expect too much gain as you have mismatched panels , i did the same and found that the MPPT control only took the power from the panel in my array with the greatest Amp output , kind of turning the MPPT into a PWM .
Try by all means , it wont hurt to test it .
You may find a look at the AltE videos and a guy called Adam Welch (solar shed) on youtube well worth a view , they both do various tests with mixed panels with slightly differing results .

[P @ F]

I have an 80w and a 40w panel and find they give way more from a parralell wire up .  

[nathankaye]

I have an 80w and a 40w panel and find they give way more from a parralell wire up .

This is what I have done at the moment when installing.  As I have ran in into the volt/amp meter but waiting on the mppt controller before I connect it upto the batteries.
So I've connected my panels to the roof bar to give a slight angle. Lol im sure Im going to get some looks when driving her to work.  How have you connected the 2 panels?   From looking at one of your previous vids you opted for laying it flat. Have you done same with having 2 panels?

[P @ F]

I have an 80w and a 40w panel and find they give way more from a parralell wire up .

This is what I have done at the moment when installing.  As I have ran in into the volt/amp meter but waiting on the mppt controller before I connect it upto the batteries.
So I've connected my panels to the roof bar to give a slight angle. Lol im sure Im going to get some looks when driving her to work.  How have you connected the 2 panels?   From looking at one of your previous vids you opted for laying it flat. Have you done same with having 2 panels?

I do still have them both flat , I was going to find a way of getting them to tilt but couldnt be bothered in the end as i was getting enough power in to keep me fully charged .
As they are both the same width i was able to just join them with galvanised right angle .
Pic here but my phone wont zoom for some reason !

 

[Og]

Probably better hanging them on the side of the van, at this time of year. Or park on a steep hill.

[nathankaye]

Im sure I got more from laying it flat on the roof.  Think im going to have a play around but Im still waiting on the mppt controller, so this is just the input reading going straight into the battery;



But it isnt a great day for the sun today


Thank fully it wasnt a busy day at all for me today.

[P @ F]

How long had you been out when that pic was taken Nath ?

[nathankaye]

Ive got both panels wired together (red on red and black on black) then straight into the amp reader and then straight to the battery.
I hooked it onto the battery about 9am and that picture was taken about 3pm.
Though I was parked in the more shaded spots today.

[P @ F]

Ive got both panels wired together (red on red and black on black) then straight into the amp reader and then straight to the battery.
I hooked it onto the battery about 9am and that picture was taken about 3pm.
Though I was parked in the more shaded spots today.

That does just go to show how pants solar can be ! , 8 hours of collecting for 1.6 amps of power !
That would run my pump for 20 mins non stop at my settings !

I am wired the same way , and can pull i think 7 amps max with my 120w array  , i was parked in the sun for 5 out of the 7 houses today , i started at 10.30 and was done by 1 .
Out of that the pump took about 6 amps , and i got 5 amps in from 10.30 to about 4 , so 1 amp down overall . 
So solar does definately pay to have , if you have the sun .
I have though had days with nothing in !
You had 1.6 amps in 8 hours --- 0.2 amps an hour .   
 I had   5.0 amps in 5.5 hours---0.9 amps an hour . 4 x better yield with double the wattage panels and MPPT .
It will be good to see what you get in once you have the MPPT fitted , thats one of the reasons i got extra watt meters , 1 shows what comes from the MPPT and one shows what the pump has taken out . 

[nathankaye]

Thats one of the reasons why I was parked in the shadier parts (if that was possible) today as Im waiting for the controller before being more mindful of where and how I park. As the larger new panel is at the back, facing forward and so I want this to gain the most sun.
Ive just ordered a 2nd watt meter for the very same reason. Also the seller hasnt many of them left

[P @ F]

Thats one of the reasons why I was parked in the shadier parts (if that was possible) today as Im waiting for the controller before being more mindful of where and how I park. As the larger new panel is at the back, facing forward and so I want this to gain the most sun.
Ive just ordered a 2nd watt meter for the very same reason. Also the seller hasnt many of them left

I just love ebay sellers , Last one usually means a warehouse full of the blighters 
It will be good to see your results once fitted up , i do plan to run series wiring  again just to be sure .

[nathankaye]

Question P&F ,  well asking for help actually as im no electrician by any means.
But ive connected brown on brown and blue on blue.  Then connected brown to red on the watt/amp meter source and blue to black accordingly.
The amp/watt meter starts its readings. But as soon as i connect the load to my battery (red to positive and black to negative) it shuts the meter off. Yet if i cross wire, so red to black and black to red the meter comes back on but the voltage input levels off to the battery voltage. So im taking this as  being completely wrong.

So for noe ive connected direct to battery whilst i wait for delivery of the controller but why is the above happening as I also thought the meter were one directional flow from source to load?

[P @ F]

Question P&F ,  well asking for help actually as im no electrician by any means.
But ive connected brown on brown and blue on blue.  Then connected brown to red on the watt/amp meter source and blue to black accordingly.
The amp/watt meter starts its readings. But as soon as i connect the load to my battery (red to positive and black to negative) it shuts the meter off. Yet if i cross wire, so red to black and black to red the meter comes back on but the voltage input levels off to the battery voltage. So im taking this as  being completely wrong.

So for noe ive connected direct to battery whilst i wait for delivery of the controller but why is the above happening as I also thought the meter were one directional flow from source to load?

Im not getting that Nath , it should work , it states how to wire on the booklet ?
I have had that issue myself when i was wiring up , but i cant remember what i did to do it !

All i can think is that in effect you are using both sides as SOURCE , Bat is a source of power and so is panel !
But this is how i am wired  in a roundabout way .
Panel lives and commons as yours , into source of watt meter 1 , then into + and - of Panel input of MPPT

Hold on , Wire diagram coming shortly !! 

[Spruce]

Question P&F ,  well asking for help actually as im no electrician by any means.
But ive connected brown on brown and blue on blue.  Then connected brown to red on the watt/amp meter source and blue to black accordingly.
The amp/watt meter starts its readings. But as soon as i connect the load to my battery (red to positive and black to negative) it shuts the meter off. Yet if i cross wire, so red to black and black to red the meter comes back on but the voltage input levels off to the battery voltage. So im taking this as  being completely wrong.

So for noe ive connected direct to battery whilst i wait for delivery of the controller but why is the above happening as I also thought the meter were one directional flow from source to load?

Im not getting that Nath , it should work , it states how to wire on the booklet ?
I have had that issue myself when i was wiring up , but i cant remember what i did to do it !

All i can think is that in effect you are using both sides as SOURCE , Bat is a source of power and so is panel !
But this is how i am wired  in a roundabout way .
Panel lives and commons as yours , into source of watt meter 1 , then into + and - of Panel input of MPPT

Hold on , Wire diagram coming shortly !! 

Does it make any difference to your readings if it went panel, MPPT controller, watt meter then battery? Your controller should stop current going back to the panel. My thoughts are that the MPPT controller does things to the incoming current that won't be reflected if the gauge is before it.

[nathankaye]

At the moment I waiting on the arrival of the MPPT, it should come in the next 2 days. Then Im setting it as panel -- wat meter -- MPTT -- battery.
Because as you said the controller will stop any reverse charge.

But at the moment I had panel--meter--battery
But if i connected negative to negative and then to battery negative and likewise for the positive I would get no reading what so ever on the meter. Yet if I connected the meter to the battery and crossed the wires over, the meter would work but its taking the readings from the battery.
If I disconnect from the battery the meter would show 20 odd volts coming in and goes through its cycles.  But if I cross the wires so negative from meter fo positive of battery it would show the voltage as that of the battery on the source end as well as the load end on the meter.

So Ive gave up and asked for help on here and just connected panel direct to the battery. That is untill what bit of sun we had dissappeared and then I unconnected it from the battery as it started to drain the battery then.