What is the load input for on solar controller?

[KenRush]

I have been working on a portable solar generator for emergency use and camping. I now have my inverter hooked up to the batteries, and it has been tested and works fine. I have installed the tracer solar conroller, and in a few days, I am going to hook it up to my batteries, solar panel, and load (?). I am confused about the load part on the solar controller... what is this supposed to be hooked up to? A 12v source of some kind? And do I have to have a load hooked up to it? Thanks Ken

[SunEagle]

The "load terminals" on most Charge controllers are there for very small wattage loads like lights. They are usually not designed to handle anything that draws more than a couple of amps.

You should only use the solar panel and battery terminals on that charge controller. Make sure you use a wire large enough to handle the full amps your inverter can draw at the battery voltage. Then add a fuse to protect that wire.

Also if you wire more than 2 panels or "strings of panels" in parallel to the CC you will need to install fuses to protect the wiring.

[KenRush]

Thank you... going to be setting up the solar controller to the batteries and panel on Tuesday. Thanks again. Ken

[SunEagle]

You are welcome.

Out of curiosity what are the batteries rated and how are you wiring them?

Also what type of solar panels are you thinking about using?

[KenRush]

This is what I have: Two 31d RV/Marine deep cycle batteries (I cannot find anywhere on them what the amp hours are for each battery). I just sent noco genius an email asking them if their G7200 Battery charger is capable of charging both of these batteries in parallel as the maximum capacity of the battery charger is up to 230ah. Okay, moving on... these batteries have 4 Guage cables (but want to change to 2 Guage soon). I have a powertechon 1000 watt pure sine wave inverter, and looks like a 4 Guage cable that came with it - I put a 150 amp fuse in the positive cable very close to the battery. I have a tracer3210a solar controller 30a. I have a 8 Guage wire to the batteries with a 50 amp fuse connected to battery. Finally, I have a monster 300w 30a 24v solar panel. I hope that I got everything okay... still a novice with some electrical/electronics knowledge. Also hooked up to fans (for ventilation in the battery box if needed) and a 12v outlet to the battery with a switch, going to add a 15 amp fuse in-line to these. There it is... any advice? One more thing... the 24v input from the panel will be stepped down to 12v in the solar controller, right? Thanks, Ken

[littleharbor]

Just to clarify, That is a load OUTPUT not input. It will control lighting or other loads for specified hours of the night. Unless you have it set for 24 hour operation it is usually triggered by darkness and will turn on and off a given load for the amount of time programmed. It also will shut off the load in the event your battery bank gets too low. This load off feature is programmable to work at whatever voltage you set it to unless you just use the default voltage.

[KenRush]

Little harbor...thanks, I worded my post wrong! I do not think I would have any use for it, as my inverter power is probably what I will be using most of the time.

[sensij]

If you use the load output to actuate a relay that provides power to the inverter, it gives you a way to implement low voltage protection for the inverter, if it isn't built in already.

[SunEagle]

This is what I have: Two 31d RV/Marine deep cycle batteries (I cannot find anywhere on them what the amp hours are for each battery). I just sent noco genius an email asking them if their G7200 Battery charger is capable of charging both of these batteries in parallel as the maximum capacity of the battery charger is up to 230ah. Okay, moving on... these batteries have 4 Guage cables (but want to change to 2 Guage soon). I have a powertechon 1000 watt pure sine wave inverter, and looks like a 4 Guage cable that came with it - I put a 150 amp fuse in the positive cable very close to the battery. I have a tracer3210a solar controller 30a. I have a 8 Guage wire to the batteries with a 50 amp fuse connected to battery. Finally, I have a monster 300w 30a 24v solar panel. I hope that I got everything okay... still a novice with some electrical/electronics knowledge. Also hooked up to fans (for ventilation in the battery box if needed) and a 12v outlet to the battery with a switch, going to add a 15 amp fuse in-line to these. There it is... any advice? One more thing... the 24v input from the panel will be stepped down to 12v in the solar controller, right? Thanks, Ken

Those batteries are probably not really good for a solar pv system due to not having a true Ah rating for a 20 hour time period. So be aware those two batteries may not last long.

Based on a 12v 230Ah battery system and using that 30A MPPT CC and a 300 watt panel it looks like you could have a good balance of equipment. As long as you do not use more than 25% of the battery per day you should be ok.

The 50 amp fuse protects that #8 wire but it should never see anything much above the 30amps it sends to the battery.

The 1000 watt inverter may see an amp draw above 100a but probably never close to 150 amp. That fuse is a little too high for a #4 wire but will protect a #2 wire.

Just remember that any load like those fans and including the inverter will draw some power which reduces your battery system capacity.