Solar panels

 
 
 
 
 
 
Roulston1008
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Re: Solar panels

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Posted: 30.03.2024  ·  #41
I have a car port/ lean-too for my van. It's great as it keeps all the lovely Irish weather off the van, but the down side is the solar panel on the roof is useless when I'm parked at home as it's always covered. The panel I have on the van is only 100W and I was thinking of getting a 200w one, so I was thinking could I fit the 100w panel that I take off the van on the roof of the car port and plug in the van when parked under it. Has anyone done this? How would you go about wiring in a new cable into the MPPT? Any suggestions would be great.

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Re: Solar panels

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Posted: 30.03.2024  ·  #42
Quote by Roulston1008

I have a car port/ lean-too for my van. It's great as it keeps all the lovely Irish weather off the van, but the down side is the solar panel on the roof is useless when I'm parked at home as it's always covered. The panel I have on the van is only 100W and I was thinking of getting a 200w one, so I was thinking could I fit the 100w panel that I take off the van on the roof of the car port and plug in the van when parked under it. Has anyone done this? How would you go about wiring in a new cable into the MPPT? Any suggestions would be great.


If the MPPT controller can handle the total 300 watts I would simply add a direct connection into the input terminals and include a plug and socket at a convenient place between the panel on the carport and the controller for disconnecting the carport panel when taking out the moho.


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Solar panels

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Posted: 30.03.2024  ·  #43
Quote by Roulston1008

I have a car port/ lean-too for my van. It's great as it keeps all the lovely Irish weather off the van, but the down side is the solar panel on the roof is useless when I'm parked at home as it's always covered. The panel I have on the van is only 100W and I was thinking of getting a 200w one, so I was thinking could I fit the 100w panel that I take off the van on the roof of the car port and plug in the van when parked under it. Has anyone done this? How would you go about wiring in a new cable into the MPPT? Any suggestions would be great.


Does your existing 100 w give any output at all while in the carport.?
What size is your MPPT will it take the new 200w panel?
Are you going to be able to get a 200W with the same output voltage as the 100w?
Most panels come with a M/F jack plug you could find a convenient locker to run the cable into the van from the carport.
I would put an isolation switch between the panels and the MPPT something like this, https://share.temu.com/q2F7LbC3GjA

That way you can switch off the 200w when in the carport, then plug in the 100w, and switch over to it. do the same in reverse when you are going to take the van out, switch off and
unplug the 100w and then switch over to the 200w.
That way the output voltage of the panels won't matter.


Roulston1008
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Re: Solar panels

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Posted: 04.04.2024  ·  #44
Quote by sprinter

Quote by Roulston1008

I have a car port/ lean-too for my van. It's great as it keeps all the lovely Irish weather off the van, but the down side is the solar panel on the roof is useless when I'm parked at home as it's always covered. The panel I have on the van is only 100W and I was thinking of getting a 200w one, so I was thinking could I fit the 100w panel that I take off the van on the roof of the car port and plug in the van when parked under it. Has anyone done this? How would you go about wiring in a new cable into the MPPT? Any suggestions would be great.


Does your existing 100 w give any output at all while in the carport.?
What size is your MPPT will it take the new 200w panel?
Are you going to be able to get a 200W with the same output voltage as the 100w?
Most panels come with a M/F jack plug you could find a convenient locker to run the cable into the van from the carport.
I would put an isolation switch between the panels and the MPPT something like this, https://share.temu.com/q2F7LbC3GjA

That way you can switch off the 200w when in the carport, then plug in the 100w, and switch over to it. do the same in reverse when you are going to take the van out, switch off and
unplug the 100w and then switch over to the 200w.
That way the output voltage of the panels won't matter.


I have just installed the Renogy 12V 30A Dual Input DC-DC On-Board Battery Charger with MPPT which can take up to 400W so I should be ok on that front. I have to get a few other things for the van, so I will be going to a camper supply shop and I will see what solar panels they supply.


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