diy solar

diy solar

Search results

  1. HRTKD

    Renogy DC DC Charger w/ MPPT

    Reducing the voltage of the current panel will require some electronics. The other ways are to: 1. Ditch the panel and get a smaller one. Smaller in terms of Voc. It needs to be well under the 25 volt limit, especially if you will use it in cold weather. 2. Ditch the Renogy. It's limiting...
  2. HRTKD

    Dad Jokes (let's hear your worst! ;-)

    Sounds like String Theory to me. :fp
  3. HRTKD

    Dad Jokes (let's hear your worst! ;-)

    It's been many years since I work on an IBM 370 O/S which used Big Endian as I recall. I'm endian-agnostic. Unless you're talking about the egg breaking in Gulliver's Travels?
  4. HRTKD

    MC4 Connectors & Crimper

    MC4 is a "standard" that is used in the solar industry. However MC4 is a trademark of Stäubli Electrical Connectors AG. Mixing brands of connectors usually works, but I've found that using the same brand on both sides tends to make for easier disconnects than if different brands are on each side.
  5. HRTKD

    Dad Jokes (let's hear your worst! ;-)

    Those of us that do understand binary and also use other numbering methods would point out that the notation should be 0b10 so that it isn't confused with hexadecimal (0x10).
  6. HRTKD

    MC4 Connectors & Crimper

    FWIW, the connectors I bought from TEMCo Industrial have the same triangle-ish symbol, but say R4 under that symbol. Otherwise, there are no brand or manufacturer marks that I can find on mine.
  7. HRTKD

    Dead short fuse trip experiment using an MRBF fuse

    Blue Seas put out some information a few years back that their 48 volt rating was a maximum, not an indication that it was for a 48 volt system. I think they recognized that 48 volt systems were being implemented more and more. The newer 58 volt rating likely included a change to their...
  8. HRTKD

    Dead short fuse trip experiment using an MRBF fuse

    Given how Victron uses the MEGA fuses in their diagrams instead of Class T, it would indeed be of interest to see how they fare compared to what you've shown with the MRBF.
  9. HRTKD

    Dad Jokes (let's hear your worst! ;-)

    On a side note (that isn't funny at all), if that's real butter then my wife would be appalled. With every batch of cookies she makes I am reminded how expensive butter has become.
  10. HRTKD

    Top Balancing "How to"

    The one suggestion that I've seen mentioned multiple times is to use a headlight bulb.
  11. HRTKD

    Converted Cargo Trailer and Solar Question

    Victron is a very popular brand. High quality, lots of features and most of their components can be networked together. But Victron isn't cheap and that's really the only downside.
  12. HRTKD

    Converted Cargo Trailer and Solar Question

    Are you talking about an all-in-one unit? For my setup, the solar isn't part of the inverter/charger. My solar charge controller is a separate device. So the solar is always providing power (during the day, of course) without regard to if there is shore power or not. An all-in-one most...
  13. HRTKD

    New Victron 50 amp DC-DC Charger

    Hopefully they'll come out with a bidirectional charger. That will help a lot of motorhome owners.
  14. HRTKD

    Docan 280 EVE cells - 2023 Quality check (update: Bad experience - scam beware)

    Sorry, but I don't know the answer to that. I haven't purchased from them. Docan popped up about a year after I bought my cells from China.
  15. HRTKD

    Docan 280 EVE cells - 2023 Quality check (update: Bad experience - scam beware)

    I used to live in Houston and am familiar with where their warehouse is. If I could walk into a place to return a bad cell, I wouldn't have a problem buying from them. Shipping all the way from China is a different matter.
  16. HRTKD

    Is battery equalizer required for batteries in series?

    The higher the voltage, the more expensive some components become.
  17. HRTKD

    Is battery equalizer required for batteries in series?

    You are correct that they don't. Once the voltage gets to a certain point ( > ~48 DC) the ability to handle the arc get's a lot more important. Something like that.
  18. HRTKD

    Is battery equalizer required for batteries in series?

    Yes, the specs are right. Up to 60v DC and up to 300 amps. Would I use it? Probably not. I paid five times that for a Blue Seas disconnect switch. Now maybe I overpaid, but Blue Seas is a trusted vendor here on the forum. I would be reluctant to put my trust in a $10 disconnect switch. If...
  19. HRTKD

    Is battery equalizer required for batteries in series?

    I do not. I looked around last year and came up empty. No reasonably priced ones.
  20. HRTKD

    Is battery equalizer required for batteries in series?

    Yes, that would work. I'm not sure how worthwhile the shunt on each battery series will be. You'll still need to monitor each 12v battery to make sure its state of charge is similar to the other three 12v batteries within the series. Make sure your shutoff switches are actually rated for more...
  21. HRTKD

    Is battery equalizer required for batteries in series?

    The PowMr Battery Equalizer sounds like the better option. A LiFePO4-aware device is preferred. A shunt goes on the negative side.
  22. HRTKD

    A Question on MPPT Controllers

    10 awg is indeed the largest size wire that the 100/20 will accept according to the Victron spec sheet. The 100/50 will accept up to a 6 awg wire, even with a ferrule on it.
  23. HRTKD

    A Question on MPPT Controllers

    I have the Victron 100/20 as well as two Victron 100/50 solar charge controllers. All three use fine stranded wires (6 gauge welding cable) with ferrules as well as strain relief clamps. These are installed in my bumper pull toy hauler camper. I've been down some very rough roads as well as...
  24. HRTKD

    How long can you (and your family) survive if the grid went down for an extended period?

    Similar problem up in Oregon. I don't know if the bounty is still available.
  25. HRTKD

    MOTORHOME LiPo CHARGING QUESTION

    Sure, you just have to track down the wiring coming from the alternator. I did that on my camper. No charge from the tow vehicle is used on the house batteries. If you have a generator, you'll have to take into account the voltage and amperage that it requires to start and continue to run.
  26. HRTKD

    JK-BMS B2A8S20P (11.2 version) temperature 86.3°C (187.34°F) too high ?

    If it's a poor connection with the extension, then that could be the problem. I would expect the wires to be hot too.
  27. HRTKD

    Utility Company Charging an overage fee that doesn't add up

    Not a problem. You're not the first to do that. Welcome to the forum!
  28. HRTKD

    Utility Company Charging an overage fee that doesn't add up

    The OP hit Report instead of Reply. Here is the reply that was reported:
  29. HRTKD

    LiFePO4 heating pad for cold temperatures

    I don't see why not. As long as you have a way to keep the AGM charged.
  30. HRTKD

    enclosure for BMS and connectors?

    Very nice! That's a better way to mount the BMS than I was thinking of.
Back
Top