Timer options

[Bluedog225]

Good afternoon,

I’m thinking of putting a timer on my little system to run the load (small refrigerator) during peak solar production hours and turn it off at other times. I may actually store the battery inside the refrigerator in the heat of the summer. This will take the edge off the 115 eff heat.

I’ve got a 200 amp hour SOK, Victron MPPT charge controller, and a Victron 1200 inverter.

My first thought was to put the timer on the 12 volt side and power down everything for roughly 18 hours. Then allow it to run for the other 6. Two hours before I get good sun and 4 hours during good sun. I’d put a thermometer in the fridge to measure high and low temps and adjust the timer and number of solar panels as needed and allowed by the MPPT limits.

The other way to do this is to put the timer after the inverter. A standard little electronic time would be cheap and easy. Though this would leave the inverter on all the time. Only 4 watts standby though. And in Eco mode it may (?) go to sleep. Though the timer may keep it awake….argh!

What’s the smart move here? And does anyone have experience with a heavy duty 12 volt timer? A lot of the 12 volt stuff is junk.

Thanks

 

[Bud Martin]

You have Victron 1200 which has remote ON/OFF terminal, why not use that for turning the inverter ON/OFF with timer?

 

[Supervstech]

You want to put batteries in the cooler with food?

 

[Leeds]

Use the 12v side but not the power side.

I'm unfamiliar with your inverter but the first thing I do to mine when I buy them is I pull the on/off switch out so I can turn it on and off without having to disconnect the power to it.
Run your timer/logic in 12v and have it connect or disconnect the run signal. That signal is not powered, it just needs a dry contact.

 

[Bluedog225]

I’m unfamiliar with the remote on/off. Will look into it. If it matters, this is off grid with no interweb connection.

Sure, why not keep the food in there with a battery? Run it at 40-45F or so.

Leeds, I’m not following your comment. Why doesn’t the built in switch work?

Thanks all.

 

[Leeds]

Using the built in switch would require me to attach an actuator on the switch to be able to toggle it automatically via a timer or thermostat or clock or whatever.
Connecting to it electrically is far simpler than adding robotics to the mix... ;-)

 

[Bud Martin]

I’m unfamiliar with the remote on/off. Will look into it. If it matters, this is off grid with no interweb connection.

Sure, why not keep the food in there with a battery? Run it at 40-45F or so.

Leeds, I’m not following your comment. Why doesn’t the built in switch work?

Thanks all.

This is my 12V/1200VA without V.E., the green terminal is for remote ON/OFF.