Best practice to connect control panel and inverter to a single battery ? Busbars ?

[Neilthurston99]

Hi

I am looking to set up a small system for my greenhouse. Not sure yet of future use, but power options would be useful.

In theory it sounds simple to simply connect the control panel and inverter to the battery.

However, I am not sure of the clean way of doing this and have some safety concerns given the main electrical gubbins will be in my greenhouse.

I have a 115ah off grid leaded battery with no posts or terminals. The battery has two threaded holes which I have been informed are M6.

Also, would it be overkill to have a shunt or a battery monitor - not exactly sure as to what these are but on the one hand I don't want to make a song and dance about things, but on the other conscious of safety.

From research, I have read that bus bars would be the cleanest way of attaching the inverter and control panel to the battery, but, I have no idea as to how to attach the bus bars to the empty threaded holes for either terminal?

Any guidance or advice would be appreciated

Neil

 

[rodrick]

Hi

I am looking to set up a small system for my greenhouse. Not sure yet of future use, but power options would be useful.

In theory it sounds simple to simply connect the control panel and inverter to the battery.

However, I am not sure of the clean way of doing this and have some safety concerns given the main electrical gubbins will be in my greenhouse.

I have a 115ah off grid leaded battery with no posts or terminals. The battery has two threaded holes which I have been informed are M6.

Also, would it be overkill to have a shunt or a battery monitor - not exactly sure as to what these are but on the one hand I don't want to make a song and dance about things, but on the other conscious of safety.

From research, I have read that bus bars would be the cleanest way of attaching the inverter and control panel to the battery, but, I have no idea as to how to attach the bus bars to the empty threaded holes for either terminal?

Any guidance or advice would be appreciated

Neil

I would use stainless steel studs and screw them in the battery then you can put lug type terminals directly to the battery

shunts are great wouldn’t run a system without them

bus bars are good for larger systems or if you plan on expanding your system in the future

with the size of your battery you only have about 57Ah of usable power for best battery life so you might look at 12 volt equipment and lights and save the power needed to run the inverter ( idle consumption )

 

[Steve_S]

Two Basic Images here to explain.
#1 = Component system with separate components.
#2 = AIO (All-In-One) system
Both show with parallel battery packs (12V but same through to 48V), solar panels are excluded in the examples. A solar Array needs to be either Fused or through a Polarized DC Breaker prior to connecting to a Solar Charge Controller / AIO solar input.

A Lead Acid 12V/115AH battery will NOT provide much power, at best that is 1380Wh if you use 100% which you cannot unless you want the battery to die in months. Max you can use from FLA is 50% of gross capacity otherwise your hurting the battery.

 

[Neilthurston99]

I would use stainless steel studs and screw them in the battery then you can put lug type terminals directly to the battery

shunts are great wouldn’t run a system without them

bus bars are good for larger systems or if you plan on expanding your system in the future

with the size of your battery you only have about 57Ah of usable power for best battery life so you might look at 12 volt equipment and lights and save the power needed to run the inverter ( idle consumption )

Hello

Thanks for the reply but you have introduced a whole new language and information that I don't understand.

I have selected a 250w solar panel as this would fit on my garden shed, so, in some respects it is the tail wagging the dog.

Are you suggesting that I connect the inverter and the control panel to the battery direct ?

If so, how do I do this given the battery I have does not have any terminals to connect auxiliary cables to, as for the positive and negative poets on the battery these are by way of threaded ports recessed into the battery. In more simple terms the battery has two deep holes, threaded, to attach some kind of device to.

Any help or guidance would be appreciated

Neil

 

[littleharbor2]

Get yourself two M6 bolts and washers. Connect + and - cables to + and - bus bars. You can connect your charging and loads (inverter) to the busbars . You need proper fusing as shown in above illustration.

 

[mikefitz]

more simple terms the battery has two deep holes,

M6 bolts or studs with nuts to take 1/4 cable lugs , or something like this,

Amazon.com

More details about the system, proposed inverter/ solar controller and the power needed by the loads. With a low power battery there is not much you can do beyond powering a few led lights.


Mike

 

[Neilthurston99]

M6 bolts or studs with nuts to take 1/4 cable lugs , or something like this,

Amazon.com

View attachment 181913

More details about the system, proposed inverter/ solar controller and the power needed by the loads. With a low power battery

M6 bolts or studs with nuts to take 1/4 cable lugs , or something like this,

Amazon.com

View attachment 181913

More details about the system, proposed inverter/ solar controller and the power needed by the loads. With a low power battery there is not much you can do beyond powering a few led lights.


Mike

Hi Mike

I

M6 bolts or studs with nuts to take 1/4 cable lugs , or something like this,

Amazon.com

View attachment 181913

More details about the system, proposed inverter/ solar controller and the power needed by the loads. With a low power battery there is not much you can do beyond powering a few led lights.


Mike

there is not much you can do beyond powering a few led lights.


Mike

Two Basic Images here to explain.
#1 = Component system with separate components.
#2 = AIO (All-In-One) system
Both show with parallel battery packs (12V but same through to 48V), solar panels are excluded in the examples. A solar Array needs to be either Fused or through a Polarized DC Breaker prior to connecting to a Solar Charge Controller / AIO solar input.

A Lead Acid 12V/115AH battery will NOT provide much power, at best that is 1380Wh if you use 100% which you cannot unless you want the battery to die in months. Max you can use from FLA is 50% of gross capacity otherwise your hurting the battery.

View attachment 181696
View attachment 181697

Mike

Many thanks for taking the time and given you are a jedi I hope I dont frustrate you with my basic questioning. After looking at the above diagram which is what i need, I am still confused as to what represents the battery(s) on the diagram ? Deep breaths, I am thick...

 

[Neilthurston99]

M6 bolts or studs with nuts to take 1/4 cable lugs , or something like this,

Amazon.com

View attachment 181913

More details about the system, proposed inverter/ solar controller and the power needed by the loads. With a low power battery there is not much you can do beyond powering a few led lights.


Mike

Hi Mike

My target is to run grwo lights possibly for a few hours a day, with a power requirement of about 600w.

I have a 250w mono solar panel which is about my max given the size of the shed roof.

I have bought a renogy 20a control panel

I have bought a 12v, 115ah leaded battery. Maybve buy more

I have not yet bought an inverter but was looking at around the 1000w mark ?

I am an absolute newbie so if I seem to challenge your kind guidance in any way, this is to sort my own head out as I have just got my armbands on and yet to hit water.

Any guidance or thoughts would be most welcommed !

Neil

 

[Neilthurston99]

Hi Mike

My target is to run grwo lights possibly for a few hours a day, with a power requirement of about 600w.

I have a 250w mono solar panel which is about my max given the size of the shed roof.

I have bought a renogy 20a control panel

I have bought a 12v, 115ah leaded battery. Maybve buy more

I have not yet bought an inverter but was looking at around the 1000w mark ?

I am an absolute newbie so if I seem to challenge your kind guidance in any way, this is to sort my own head out as I have just got my armbands on and yet to hit water.

Any guidance or thoughts would be most welcommed !

Neil

Hi Mike

Below is more description of my kit bought to date