Help! Connecting my solar charge controller to mini-power station

[DaveAtHome]

I purchased a starter kit which includes panels, cables, a solar charge controller and a mini power station to power my home office.
The Kit is supposed to be everything I need, but is missing a means of connecting my solar charge controller to my power station.

The cables that are designed to come out of my controller, are tray cables for a battery.
I want to connect the controller directly to a DC input port. The power station documents say I need a "solar charge cable (sold separately)" but Renogy didn't send one and are now not answering my calls/emails.

Questions:
Can I make a cable that I can connect directly to the charge controller to the DC input port (safely!).
Is there an off-the shelf one I can buy anywhere?

Here's what I bought:
200 Watt 12 Volt Solar Starter Kit with 30A PWM Charge Controller

200 Watt 12 Volt Solar Starter Kit with 30A PWM Charge Controller

High quality solar system meets your energy need. Go and start green life with our excellent solar products.

eu.renogy.com

and
PHOENIX 230V/200W 222WH PORTABLE POWER STATION

PHOENIX 230V/200W 222WH PORTABLE POWER STATION

High quality solar system meets your energy need. Go and start green life with our excellent solar products.

eu.renogy.com

Note: The power station works well to power my garden office. I just want to charge it using my panels!

Any advice MUCH appreciated. New to this game.

 

[50ShadesOfDirt]

You'll need to download the user guide for the power station (phoenix), if not done already. It's on the same page in your link, under the "downloads" tab.

It will have a section like "solar charging", and will discuss hooking solar panels up to the phoenix. If the phoenix kit didn't provide a "solar charging cable", that is the item you'll need to order directly from Renogy's website. Folks don't always hook solar panels up, so Renogy probably makes it optional, and you just have to read the user guide to sort that part out.

The phoenix may or may not utilize both of your solar panels from the separate solar panel kit ... the same portion of the user guide should tell you how to hook up one or more panels to the phoenix, or what the limitations might be. If it does limit you, just use one panel out of your solar panel kit with the separately purchased solar charging cable. These power stations have an internal charging device for the solar side, so you won't need the PWM charge controller at all.

If you do end up using only one panel of the solar panel kit, you can possibly use the extra panel, pwm charger, and wiring to build yourself a solar outdoor lighting system, or similar projects.

Hope this helps ...

 

[Supervstech]

You don't connect a charge controller to the power station.
It gets directly connected to the panels.

 

[DaveAtHome]

Could I cut the DC charger cable off the original plug (I have several) and connect it to my solar charge controller?

 

[DaveAtHome]

You don't connect a charge controller to the power station.
It gets directly connected to the panels.

Thanks so much for reply. But how is the question? Apologies for basic questions... total beginner here.

Can I cut the cable off the AC adaptor supplied and connect directly to the panel supply?

 

[Supervstech]

You can...
But the power station doesn't connect to a charge controller, it has its own.
So you would cut that cable and connect it to the solar panel wiring.
Make sure you do not exceed the max voltage of the power station.
They often are only 15 volts or so...

 

[Supervstech]

On small power stations like that I often connect the cable to my battery bank directly.
Have my panels charging the battery bank, and wire the power station charger to the battery.

 

[Mattb4]

Thanks so much for reply. But how is the question? Apologies for basic questions... total beginner here.

Can I cut the cable off the AC adaptor supplied and connect directly to the panel supply?

Does not sound like a good idea. You should follow the manual for your power pack on how things are connected to it.

You have to be careful that things you do will not create a voltage mismatch or a dead short.

 

[DaveAtHome]

You'll need to download the user guide for the power station (phoenix), if not done already. It's on the same page in your link, under the "downloads" tab.

It will have a section like "solar charging", and will discuss hooking solar panels up to the phoenix. If the phoenix kit didn't provide a "solar charging cable", that is the item you'll need to order directly from Renogy's website. Folks don't always hook solar panels up, so Renogy probably makes it optional, and you just have to read the user guide to sort that part out.

The phoenix may or may not utilize both of your solar panels from the separate solar panel kit ... the same portion of the user guide should tell you how to hook up one or more panels to the phoenix, or what the limitations might be. If it does limit you, just use one panel out of your solar panel kit with the separately purchased solar charging cable. These power stations have an internal charging device for the solar side, so you won't need the PWM charge controller at all.

If you do end up using only one panel of the solar panel kit, you can possibly use the extra panel, pwm charger, and wiring to build yourself a solar outdoor lighting system, or similar projects.

Hope this helps ...

The manual (which is well-read at this point) talks about a solar charge cable but Renogy's site doesn't have it.
Looks like this one might be the one (from their Amanzon store).

Thanks for your advice.

 

[kshaw]

I use a similar setup for camping. I use a Jackery for the power source and a folding 100 watt solar panel. The solar panel came with a cable and a collection of connectors. so you just find one that will fit your power source. You should be able to find one of these cable kits on Amazon.

 

[DaveAtHome]

I use a similar setup for camping. I use a Jackery for the power source and a folding 100 watt solar panel. The solar panel came with a cable and a collection of connectors. so you just find one that will fit your power source. You should be able to find one of these cable kits on Amazon.

Thanks for the advice... the point that I've now learnt is that I don't need the solar charge controller to connect the panels to the power station. I've ordered the jackery so hopefully I'll be set.
Feeling like a total amateur. But getting there.

 

[kshaw]

Thanks for the advice... the point that I've now learnt is that I don't need the solar charge controller to connect the panels to the power station. I've ordered the jackery so hopefully I'll be set.
Feeling like a total amateur. But getting there.

That's true. My Jackery limits charging to a certain rate anyway, so doubtful that a 200 watt panel would be of any benefit to me.