diy solar

diy solar

Dual SCCs to single SCC so I can use Cerbo GX

corn18

Village Idiot
Joined
Sep 9, 2021
Messages
552
Since I am installing a Victron Energy MultiPlus II 12/3000/12x2 and I have a Victron 712 shunt, I think I want to swap out my two Rich Solar SCCs for a single Victron. I have 4 panels on my RV roof, 2 sets of 2S. Each 2S has its own 10ga wire pair running down to my basement where I have 2 Rich Solar 100/40 MPPT SCCs.

I have a Cerbo GX and VE 100/50 smart solar MPPT on the way. I was going to plug the MPII, 712 shunt and SCC into the Cerbo GX.

Ok, here's my question: How do I hook up the VE SCC? I have 2 sets of 10ga wire coming down from the roof. Can I just hook both of them up to the Victron SCC? Would probably use a bus I guess to do the parallel connection. Is it smart to go from 2 separate controllers to a single controller? I want to end up with the 7" GX display in the camper for all in one monitoring. I guess I could go with 2xVictron SCCs if I have to.

Appreciate your thoughts.

Current setup:
DC wiring 290RL cerbo.jpg
 
Since I am installing a Victron Energy MultiPlus II 12/3000/12x2 and I have a Victron 712 shunt, I think I want to swap out my two Rich Solar SCCs for a single Victron. I have 4 panels on my RV roof, 2 sets of 2S. Each 2S has its own 10ga wire pair running down to my basement where I have 2 Rich Solar 100/40 MPPT SCCs.

I have a Cerbo GX and VE 100/50 smart solar MPPT on the way. I was going to plug the MPII, 712 shunt and SCC into the Cerbo GX.

Ok, here's my question: How do I hook up the VE SCC? I have 2 sets of 10ga wire coming down from the roof. Can I just hook both of them up to the Victron SCC?

Yes

Would probably use a bus I guess to do the parallel connection.

No. Just divert both wires to it and leave each wire's breaker intact.

Is it smart to go from 2 separate controllers to a single controller?

Seriously? You're upgrading from a Yugo to a Bugatti. :)

I want to end up with the 7" GX display in the camper for all in one monitoring. I guess I could go with 2xVictron SCCs if I have to.

Just check your VE.Direct ports on the GX. As long as you have enough, another Victron MPPT is fine. CCGX only has two, so the BMV and SCC would take them all, and you'd have to get a MPPT with VE.Bus.
 
Yes



No. Just divert both wires to it and leave each wire's breaker intact.



Seriously? You're upgrading from a Yugo to a Bugatti. :)



Just check your VE.Direct ports on the GX. As long as you have enough, another Victron MPPT is fine. CCGX only has two, so the BMV and SCC would take them all, and you'd have to get a MPPT with VE.Bus.

Thanks! I thought the Cerbo had 3 VE direct inputs? The MPII and GX display use VE Bus, correct?

1594031012_upload_documents_1550_1000-Cerbo%20GX%20%28top%29.png
 
With 800W panels, you need 66A charging from the MPPT. You're over-paneled on a 100/50, but it may not mater with flat panels.

Is the wire from the MPPT to the battery/bus of sufficient gauge?
 
With 800W panels, you need 66A charging from the MPPT. You're over-paneled on a 100/50, but it may not mater with flat panels.

Is the wire from the MPPT to the battery/bus of sufficient gauge?
The Blue Sea circuit wizard says 10ga for 12V/3 ft/50A. I have 6ga so should be good. Good call on the over panelling. I want to add another panel on each side of the roof and run 3S down each set of wires. That will be when I add another SCC I think.
 
Another option, to help with using just one SCC, is to wire the panels in 2S2P on the roof and just make use of one pair of wires through the roof. This way you only have one pair of wires to connect to the one SCC.
 
Spec on the Victron MPPT 100/50 is max wire size in/out is 6 awg. Two 10 gauge wires combined is effectively 7 gauge, so it should fit. I would put them into a ferrule to keep it securely fastened. That's the quick-n-dirty way.

A more professional method would be to use a combiner box and bring 6 gauge out of that and into the 100/50. Or, just combine the wires on the roof with a Y connector and call it a day. That's probably what I would do and that's what rmaddy suggested above.
 
I will eventually add 2 more panels on the roof to make 2x3S. When I do that, I will add another VE 100/50. Easiest thing to do is leave the roof as is and bus the 2 negative panel wires and I can hook both positive wires to the 1/4" lugs on the one cutoff switch. I now have a neg bus bar to bus the 2 negative wires.

When I make the upgrade, it will be very easy to go back to the double SCC setup.

DC wiring 290RL Victron.jpg
 
Using a bus bar is a simple solution too.

80 amp circuit breaker on the output side of the MPPT is too high. 60 amps is more appropriate but I used 70. I think 70 was in stock at the time or I rounded up from 62.5 to get 70.
 
Using a bus bar is a simple solution too.

80 amp circuit breaker on the output side of the MPPT is too high. 60 amps is more appropriate but I used 70. I think 70 was in stock at the time or I rounded up from 62.5 to get 70.
It’s 6 ga wire and the blue sea systems calculator says that is good for 80A. Couldn’t find any 60 or 70A in stock but I didn’t look very hard.
 
Back
Top