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  • I changed out some led lights to run off dc solar. You need a dc-dc driver for whatever leds you have. Here is what I found to work. They should have something that will do what you want.

    https://www.ledsupply.com/led-driver...step-down-mode

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    • I have a quick question. I have my solar cc contracted to the battery with a fuse box in between. The problem is is that i can’t see how much load I’m outputting. I’m wondering is there any difference if I connect my battery straight to my cc and have my load output or whatever the connections to the right of the cc with the light bulb connected to the fuse box.

      any difference in that setup beside being able to show me amps being used? What sucks is the inputs for my battery to cc are very small so 4 gauge wire won’t fit but I can make it a little smaller. I’ve heard not to use the output on the right of my cc and do it my way for some reason.
      12v 150watt, 80ah battery, 75 watt inverter.

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      • Originally posted by Freeesun View Post
        ...I have my solar cc contracted to the battery with a fuse box in between.... I’m wondering is there any difference if I connect my battery straight to my cc ...
        Keep the fuse between the battery and charge controller, it's there to protect the wire from over-current in case of a short in the wiring or catastrophic internal short in the CC.

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        • When I get into the shed and turn on the lights my cc indicates that my batter is at 12.3v, I’m wondering how this could be when it’s been charging all day. Should it be around 12.7?
          12v 150watt, 80ah battery, 75 watt inverter.

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          • Originally posted by Freeesun View Post
            When I get into the shed and turn on the lights my cc indicates that my batter is at 12.3v, I’m wondering how this could be when it’s been charging all day. Should it be around 12.7?
            I would say that your load is bringing down the battery voltage. The older and more used the batteries the lower the voltage will be.

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            • Ok thank you guys for your responses. I have another question. I just bought 4 led light and am going to connect them tomorrow. I would like to use a regular house hold switch since I have many laying around. Now my question is how do I go about connecting the leds to the house switch?

              i think I connect all the negatives and positive from the lights together and run the positive to the light switch at the top right and run the positive from the fuse box to the bottom right of the light switch. Than I connect the leds negative to my bus bar? Obviously with a fuse for the positives.

              also I’ve read that most household dimmer won’t work with 12v lights. Is that true, I’m not even sure if mine are dimmable or not it doesn’t say on the package.
              12v 150watt, 80ah battery, 75 watt inverter.

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              • Originally posted by Freeesun View Post
                Ok thank you guys for your responses. I have another question. I just bought 4 led light and am going to connect them tomorrow. I would like to use a regular house hold switch since I have many laying around. Now my question is how do I go about connecting the leds to the house switch?

                i think I connect all the negatives and positive from the lights together and run the positive to the light switch at the top right and run the positive from the fuse box to the bottom right of the light switch. Than I connect the leds negative to my bus bar? Obviously with a fuse for the positives.

                also I’ve read that most household dimmer won’t work with 12v lights. Is that true, I’m not even sure if mine are dimmable or not it doesn’t say on the package.
                While 12V lights can be dimmed LED type do not like a low voltage so they either start to flicker or go out.

                You might also look into that light switch to see if can open under load while wired to DC. Even 12V loads can create arcs which may not be suitable for that light switch.

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                • Is my wiring “blueprint” correct? And once I connect the lights and fuse box to the switch if it doesn't work I’ll have to buy a 12v

                  i bought 4 so it would be nice to dim but it’s too bright I’ll cross that bridge once I get there.
                  12v 150watt, 80ah battery, 75 watt inverter.

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                  • I’ve been reading about the arcs and I guess it’s not safe to use the household switch. It just sucks that all dc switched look like sh*t. I would like to get a normal looking switch to have in the shed
                    12v 150watt, 80ah battery, 75 watt inverter.

                    Comment


                    • Originally posted by Freeesun View Post
                      I’ve been reading about the arcs and I guess it’s not safe to use the household switch. It just sucks that all dc switched look like sh*t. I would like to get a normal looking switch to have in the shed
                      Most RV's have light switches the are 12V DC rated. Maybe look into getting something like that.

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                      • Thanks is for the tip, I found a decent looking one on a rv website and now just have to wait for it to come in.

                        im on quarantine so I’m really giving my solar shed some loving. I’m adding a fees products to my solar system and my fuse box of 6 is almost filled up. Now what I would like to do is setup on off switch’s for all of them because I’ve read that some of use use standby power so I don’t want anything draining the battery when I’m not in there.

                        I was thinking about putting a switch on every product but that would mean I buy 6 switched and have them in a line and every time I go into the shed I have to flick 6 switches. Not a big deal but I was wondering if I could just use one switch for all of them. I figured it would give me a problem using only one switch because of the fuses it seems to completely disregard the fuses if all the positives go into the switch. Seems like I would be adding all the fuses together and not protecting any of my equipment.

                        i was wondering what people in here would do.
                        12v 150watt, 80ah battery, 75 watt inverter.

                        Comment


                        • Originally posted by Freeesun View Post
                          Thanks is for the tip, I found a decent looking one on a rv website and now just have to wait for it to come in.

                          im on quarantine so I’m really giving my solar shed some loving. I’m adding a fees products to my solar system and my fuse box of 6 is almost filled up. Now what I would like to do is setup on off switch’s for all of them because I’ve read that some of use use standby power so I don’t want anything draining the battery when I’m not in there.

                          I was thinking about putting a switch on every product but that would mean I buy 6 switched and have them in a line and every time I go into the shed I have to flick 6 switches. Not a big deal but I was wondering if I could just use one switch for all of them. I figured it would give me a problem using only one switch because of the fuses it seems to completely disregard the fuses if all the positives go into the switch. Seems like I would be adding all the fuses together and not protecting any of my equipment.

                          i was wondering what people in here would do.
                          I know that NASCAR uses a single rotary switch to activate all of the 12v equipment on board. That might be something to look into as long as you find a switch that is rated for the total amp load and voltage you might be ok.

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                          • Wouldn’t I be adding all the fuse ratings together if I add them all into one switch. Or actually the lowest fuse will pop first? I’m not really sure what would happen in this situation.

                            would you have 5 switches or just 1, I’m not sure if your nascar comment is a joke or not.
                            12v 150watt, 80ah battery, 75 watt inverter.

                            Comment


                            • Originally posted by Freeesun View Post
                              Wouldn’t I be adding all the fuse ratings together if I add them all into one switch. Or actually the lowest fuse will pop first? I’m not really sure what would happen in this situation.

                              would you have 5 switches or just 1, I’m not sure if your nascar comment is a joke or not.
                              It would depend if I want to individually switch each load or switch them all at once.

                              The NASCAR comment was because I just watched a recorded race and the big Red switch on the dashboard reminded me that they use a Master switch for their loads. I have seen the same switch at an auto parts store so it is something you can get.

                              The amp rating of the master switch should include all of the loads.

                              Comment


                              • Originally posted by SunEagle View Post
                                .............
                                The NASCAR comment was because I just watched a recorded race and the big Red switch on the dashboard reminded me that they use a Master switch for their loads. I have seen the same switch at an auto parts store so it is something you can get.
                                .......
                                I put one of those on an EV conversion I did years ago. It went on the battery cable to disconnect the biggest source of energy in the car in the case of an accident or contactor welding closed. They can also be purchase at marine and RV stores but some o those sometimes switch between battery A and B.

                                9 kW solar, 42kWh LFP storage. EV owner since 2012

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