Small solar system

[Freeeee.sun]

Hello everyone this is my first post I’ll try and keep it short and simply. I built a system for my shed and I built it to wills YouTube video the one where he builds a 200 watt system.

my question is he didn’t use the last two outputs on his charge controller for load. He ran the batter to the fuse box main neg and pos and ran the battery output from the cc to the main neg and to a spot in the fuse box.

everything is working good but the problem is I can’t see how much power I’m using because my load output on my cc isint in use. I was wondering how else could I wire up my cc to fuse box and in the video will says he doesn’t like using the load output on the cc does anybody know why that is?

how do you guys wire up your cc fuse box and battery together?
Thanks for the reply’s

 

[MisterSandals]

how do you guys wire up your cc fuse box and battery together?

Which SCC do you have that has "cc fuse box"?

 

[Freeeee.sun]

I have a amazon cc the cheap one and it’s connected to a fuse box with 6 inputs on it.

 

[John Frum]

I have a amazon cc the cheap one and it’s connected to a fuse box with 6 inputs on it.

link please.

 

[namesgolden]

don't run any actual devices on the load connection. use it to trigger a relay/solenoid.

you need a shunt or hall effect sensor between your batteries and load. many options available on ebay/amazon. drok is a popular brand.

the load connection is made for small loads, often rated at 5a max. fine for phone chargers and such, but I wouldn't risk it.

 

[Freeeee.sun]

Ya I’ve been reading about it for the past few days and it seems the load connection is productive very small amps. Don’t know why my cc company doesn’t state that in the manual.


Ive been reading about low voltage disconnect lately and can’t seem to find the right answer. I have a deep cycle battery which is a fla 12v and I’m conflicted between two things. The article I posed is saying you can bring it down to 11.6v but the chart indicated that 11.6v would be 20% which is dangerous and according to the chart 50% is 12.06v.

so I’m wondering what should my cc cutoff be set to? What do you guys set your to?

Low Voltage Cut-off information

A Note about Deep Cycle Batteries and Low Voltage Cut-off

www.kendrickastro.com

Typical deep-cycle battery state of charge | Deep cycle battery, Electronics basics, Battery

Aug 26, 2022 - If you've read the first part of this series you'll already have decided on a place to go and scouted out some potential campsites on Google Satellite. So, now we're actually going to prep your RV for the trip. The main thing to understand when you boondock is that you live...

www.pinterest.ca

 

[MisterSandals]

so I’m wondering what should my cc cutoff be set to? What do you guys set your to?

I think the consensus it that once you discharge lead acid batteries below 50%, you start to cause damage to your batteries.
If you discharge an older battery down to 11.6v, my experience is that it sometimes/often kills the battery...meaning it won’t hold a charge on its own over 12v.

 

[Freeeee.sun]

So you believe 12.06v is 50%? What did you set your cutoff to?

 

[namesgolden]

set your LVD at 12.2 to give yourself some wiggle room, then adjust as you get comfortable with your system.

you have grid power available there's no reason to risk damage to your battery.

 

[Freeeee.sun]

I’ve been reading about this and I just found out that under load and no load the batter v cutoff Is different.
Does anyone have any input on this?
Iu usually cut off at 12v under load.

 

[MisterSandals]

So you believe 12.06v is 50%? What did you set your cutoff to?

Yes, though i have never done a capacity test.
12v has been my “never go below” line in the RV. We got 5-6 years from stock Winnebago batteries (2x 100ah deep cycle). Did not have actual cutoff device but watched it like a hawk at night. Tv off and lights out at 12.00v!

 

[Freeeee.sun]

under load or no load?

 

[MisterSandals]

under load or no load?

Are you asking me or namesgolden?

I found that under load (TV, inverter+DVR) if i turned things off at 12.0v, the battery would bounce back a little, maybe 12.1v with no load to get me thru the night ... occasional light, water pump...
We probably drifted to 11.9 a time or two. There is nothing magic about 12v, its just a great number to live by as much as you can.

 

[Freeeee.sun]

Ya that’s what I’m kind of trying to stick with. But your right as soon as I turn everything off it goes up a little.
The article I posted says to never below 11.6v but that seems very low for me.

 

[Freeeee.sun]

I don’t have all my loads on switches so when I turn everything off I can see that I’m using 0.1-0.2 amps. I was wondering if this is bad for my battery’s considering the “c” rating and all. Should I buy a kill switch to turn everything off or is this amp draw nothing?

 

[MisterSandals]

I’m using 0.1-0.2 amps

Even a small drain is never "nothing". .2 amps for 10 hours overnight is 2ah. Its probably not enough to do damage if it drags your battery down a little below 12v.
Just minimize that if you can and get back over 12v when you can.

There are no real magic numbers here, mostly guidelines.

 

[Freeeee.sun]

I have a flooded lead acid battery, when I first got it I opened it up and added distilled water to it. I put it under load and it ended up leaking water out. I’m wondering if I should take some water out and how would I go about doing that?

 

[MisterSandals]

I put it under load and it ended up leaking water out.

That sounds unusual. Perhaps the water was boiling out? That much thermal expansion sounds unlikely. How "full" did you fill them?

How old/used and low were the water levels when you received them?
And can you elaborate a little on the starting voltage, how vigorously you charged them and to what voltage when they started to leak?

I am not sure I would remove any water unless it continually leaks and its a problem with where the acid it going (which is usually anywhere).

 

[Freeeee.sun]

Yes I think it boiled out. I tried to fill them up to the bottom of the top plate like everyone says, but maybe I put in too much?

the battery was brand new from wall mart it was a deep cycle 80ah. My system is 1 12v panel 150watts. I don’t know when they started leaking it was one day where I was pulling 8amps that I decided to go check on them and I seen some water out of them. Then today I was using 10 amps and checked it again and it was leaking again.

the battery is outside my shed and leaking on rocks so it doesn’t matter. I figured if it leaks it’ll put itself at a good level?

 

[Freeeee.sun]