Advice on RV Set up & Wiring?

[Carv]

I pull my batteries when parked, so I don't have to worry about false trips.


If I'm running a 30A epever mppt, should I run a 30, 35, or 40A breaker to the batteries?

Also on the PV feed to the charge controller should I use a 10, 15, or 20A?



I'm running 2 of the 260W panels in series, here's my panel specs Yingli YGE -60 Cell Specs.jpg





Thanks

[Sunking]

Midnite solar breakers are inexpensive. https://www.solar-electric.com/mnepv.html They are dedicated DC breakers. DIN rail mount. Not made in China.
Square D QOU breakers. Rated for up to 48 volt DC, http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-SQUARE-D-Q...kAAOSwWBJXA99j
Square D load center http://www.homedepot.com/p/Square-D-...0SCP/100157760 Not too expensive. You need to do some fabrication to use DIN rail mount breakers

Why? They are not needed. If it is a Switch you want the Anderson connectors do that for you as they are HOT PLUGGABLE with a total cost of $10 to $15. MC4 are NOT HOT PLUGGABLE and would require a switch or some means like a breaker.

However Breakers are not meant to be used as Switches, and if you use them as Switches will weaken them, and you will get false and nuisance trips. That could be a desasterr on a parked EV for a few months to find your batteries dead from a false trip.

Just trying to give you the best functional setup and the most bang for your buck.

[littleharbor]

Perfect Mike, that's exactly what I was looking for!

Since this is only being used as a switch and amp rating does not matter, is 50A better than a 20A for durability?

Thanks

Good question, I don't know the answer. As far as durability, like how many times you can flip the switch, I doubt it would matter. As to possible arc damage to the switch with DC power they ARE DC rated so this has been engineered into the breakers that are DC rated. I would use the proper sized breakers and have the safety aspect working for you as well. Whatever the charge controller's rating is , use the proper sized wire on the output side along with the same rating on the breaker. Use the fuse rating on the back of your panels per each string. I don't recall if you are using two strings, if so double that rating.

[Carv]

Perfect Mike, that's exactly what I was looking for!

Since this is only being used as a switch and amp rating does not matter, is 50A better than a 20A for durability?

Thanks

[littleharbor]

I approved your previous post. It had too many web links attached.

Thanks SunEagle

[SunEagle]

Well maybe my previous post will be approved. It contained links to sites for breakers and load centers. The inexpensive 2 circuit, Square D load center is like $13.74 at Home Depot.. With some fabrication you can use Midnite Solar DC breakers in the Square D load center.. They are inexpensive DIN rail mount breakers. Square D QOU breakers are also DC rated for up to 48 volt systems. They are DIN rail mount breakers as well.

Here's a shot of the Square D load center. Sorry about the poor quality. I just took this shot in the dark.

DSCN4138.JPG

I approved your previous post. It had too many web links attached.

[littleharbor]

Well maybe my previous post will be approved. It contained links to sites for breakers and load centers. The inexpensive 2 circuit, Square D load center is like $13.74 at Home Depot.. With some fabrication you can use Midnite Solar DC breakers in the Square D load center.. They are inexpensive DIN rail mount breakers. Square D QOU breakers are also DC rated for up to 48 volt systems. They are DIN rail mount breakers as well.

Here's a shot of the Square D load center. Sorry about the poor quality. I just took this shot in the dark.

DSCN4138.JPG

[littleharbor]

Midnite solar breakers are inexpensive. https://www.solar-electric.com/mnepv.html They are dedicated DC breakers. DIN rail mount. Not made in China.
Square D QOU breakers. Rated for up to 48 volt DC, http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-SQUARE-D-Q...kAAOSwWBJXA99j
Square D load center http://www.homedepot.com/p/Square-D-...0SCP/100157760 Not too expensive. You need to do some fabrication to use DIN rail mount breakers

[Carv]

You could bring your wires into a small circuit breaker box with 2 circuit breakers one between your panels and CC, the other between CC and battery bank. Always nice to have the ability to shut down for maintenance. Just keep the array circuit off till you make the connection. Midnite Solar makes DC rated circuit breakers as well as Square D QOU breakers.

I plan doing this but I don't want to use wang (cheap Chinese breakers). Do you know what breaker boxes the square D's take? I can find the breakers for cheap, it's the box that seems to be expensive, especially the midnite set up.


If not I was thinking the blue sea 7180 might be a good alternative?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Blue-Sea-718...wAAOSwSypZAMo

But I'm a little concerned with the exposed live leads???

[Sunking]

I found a full listing of Anderson connection products here
https://www.andersonpower.com/us/en/...tion-tool.aspx

What do you think about the solar spec pack?

Yes I know the site and product. I would have brought up the Solar Spec Pac but you wanted 2-pole. Solar Pak is 4 pole. It will work just fine. Hot Pluggable, just 4 poles. Although I do not suggest this but you could us 2 poles for positive and the other two for negative. Does not gain you much of anything except double the wire cost. But I think they will accept up to 10 AWG. They come with either silver, gold or tin contacts which affects the number of mating cycles. Silver gives you 10,000. gold 5000, and tin 1500.

I mentioned Powerwerx because they have just about everything you need for hardware, fusing, connectors, wires and tooling. Basically here are your choices for Anderson weatherproof. Pick one and run with it. Good luck.

[Carv]

I found a full listing of Anderson connection products here

https://www.andersonpower.com/us/en/products/selection-tool.aspx

What do you think about the solar spec pack?

[Sunking]

Do they make something similar to the mini pl pack in 2 pole that will handle 10awg? These say they only go to 12awg.

Why would you need anything larger?

To answer your question, YES look at the Anderson SB50 Family with Environmental Boot. They are Hot Pluggable to 50 amps and will accept up to 6 AWG. They are Silver Plated Tin, best you can get. Just be aware they come in Load and Source. A great place to buy them is Powerworx. Scroll down the page until you see these. One is Source, and one is Load. Shown with Environmental Boot and Dust Covers. About $10 each or $20 for both.

[sensij]

You can get bulkhead connectors for MC4 as well. None of them will be rated for live connections though, you really need to make sure the circuit is open when you hook it up.

https://www.gogreensolar.com/products/pv-cable-32-0055p0001-multi-contact-bulkhead-male-connector?s=recomatic

[littleharbor]

You could bring your wires into a small circuit breaker box with 2 circuit breakers one between your panels and CC, the other between CC and battery bank. Always nice to have the ability to shut down for maintenance. Just keep the array circuit off till you make the connection. Midnite Solar makes DC rated circuit breakers as well as Square D QOU breakers.

[Carv]

Do they make something similar to the mini pl pack in 2 pole that will handle 10awg? These say they only go to 12awg.

I like the idea of using this to go through the roof using a female panel mount version of the plug and then just plug in the panel string from there, that means I could plug in no matter if the panels are roof mounted OR on the umbillical. The only issue I see is that the female panel mount is not deep enough to go through the roof and tighten down for a water tight seal on the roof. Do you have the height spec for this section of the piece? From what I saw it was pretty thin allowance for the panel thickness.

Also are these rated for live/loaded connection, they show 500 connections with no load, but when I plug in the string the panels will be in the sun.

Thanks




Thanks