Circuit Protection and wire Sizes for Solar LED Lights

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  • lefeverj
    Junior Member
    • Feb 2013
    • 5

    Circuit Protection and wire Sizes for Solar LED Lights

    After this knowledgeable forum I believe I have what is needed for voltage drop and etc but I would like for other peers to review:

    panels: 200w, Vmp 34.4, Lmp 5.82A 24VDC
    batteries: 12vdc wired in series for 24vdc with 105aH
    120vac 10A charger for batteries when there is no sun, wired in parallel to batteries with solar charge controller
    solar charge controller rated for 20A
    Light: 80 watt 24vdc LED

    distances:
    between panel and solar controller: 11 feet
    Between solar controller and batteries: 7 feet
    between solar controller and led lights: 25 feet
    between ac charger and batteries: 5 feet

    wire:
    between panel and solar controller: 12 awg
    Between solar controller and batteries: 10 awg
    interconnect on batteries: 8 awg...could I use 10 here for the interconnect?
    between solar controller and led lights: 18 awg
    between ac charger and batteries: 14 awg

    circuit protection:
    solar panel == 5.82A x 125% == Breaker Size == 8 amp 24 dc breaker == do I need to protect??
    Light == 3.3A x 125% == Breaker Size == 5 amp
    batteries == same as lights since this the current draw?? == 5 amp
    do I need one for the ac charger?
  • Naptown
    Solar Fanatic
    • Feb 2011
    • 6880

    #2
    You should make the run between the controller and lights much larger like a #12 or #10
    That is the longest run you have and the smallest wire.
    There is no need for a fuse between the panel and Charge controller Fuse both + & - of the battery and that should take care of all fusing.
    NABCEP certified Technical Sales Professional

    [URL="http://www.solarpaneltalk.com/showthread.php?5334-Solar-Off-Grid-Battery-Design"]http://www.solarpaneltalk.com/showth...Battery-Design[/URL]

    [URL]http://www.calculator.net/voltage-drop-calculator.html[/URL] (Voltage drop Calculator among others)

    [URL="http://www.gaisma.com"]www.gaisma.com[/URL]

    Comment

    • lefeverj
      Junior Member
      • Feb 2013
      • 5

      #3
      how about the interconnects -- can I use 10 awg there?

      Comment

      • Sunking
        Solar Fanatic
        • Feb 2010
        • 23301

        #4
        You can use as large of a wire as you want providing it meets minimum requirements of NEC. For example if you use say a 20 amp fuse minimum size wire is 12 AWG, but you can use a 1/0 if need be to meet voltage drop requirements.
        MSEE, PE

        Comment

        • Cary Karen
          Junior Member
          • May 2013
          • 9

          #5
          Originally posted by lefeverj
          how about the interconnects -- can I use 10 awg there?
          About this kind of problem you can use anything as long as they are compatible.

          Comment

          • russ
            Solar Fanatic
            • Jul 2009
            • 10360

            #6
            Originally posted by Cary Karen
            About this kind of problem you can use anything as long as they are compatible.
            That is a BS reply and not correct. Please use caution about nonsense replies.
            [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

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