Recently I bought a 35 watt 12v solar panel, I have a small pond pump 5 watt panel that supposedly is 12v as well. I wanted to combine and use both of these panels for an off grid application with charging to a 12 volt battery.
I want to install these in parallel to keep the voltages the same, I know that I will lose some output wattage due to connecting/mixing panels of different amps. My confusion comes in on how to connect them together, what is the best possible way. I read the best way to combine different panels with an additional controller, which makes me think if its even worth it.
I could plug the 5 watt into one controller and the 35 watt into the other then run the wires from both controllers to the 12v battery. This seems a little excessive for what am doing but im looking for a safe way to do this and get the most watt output possible.
Also these panels are mounted on a fence post, the post is obviously in the ground, should I be grounding any of the other components ? Im assuming since the post is in the ground that its grounded and so I are the panels attached to it via a metal bracket?
My last question is where should the load plug into, I know the charge controllers have a load terminal, but if I want to plug in more then one load I read that I should be connecting directly to the battery, is this correct? I know I might need a bus terminal for multiple loads, correct?
I would appreciate any responses and thoughts to this, this is my 1st time doing something like this and I want to get it jut right.
Thanks, Paul
I want to install these in parallel to keep the voltages the same, I know that I will lose some output wattage due to connecting/mixing panels of different amps. My confusion comes in on how to connect them together, what is the best possible way. I read the best way to combine different panels with an additional controller, which makes me think if its even worth it.
I could plug the 5 watt into one controller and the 35 watt into the other then run the wires from both controllers to the 12v battery. This seems a little excessive for what am doing but im looking for a safe way to do this and get the most watt output possible.
Also these panels are mounted on a fence post, the post is obviously in the ground, should I be grounding any of the other components ? Im assuming since the post is in the ground that its grounded and so I are the panels attached to it via a metal bracket?
My last question is where should the load plug into, I know the charge controllers have a load terminal, but if I want to plug in more then one load I read that I should be connecting directly to the battery, is this correct? I know I might need a bus terminal for multiple loads, correct?
I would appreciate any responses and thoughts to this, this is my 1st time doing something like this and I want to get it jut right.
Thanks, Paul
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