Two Solar Charge Controllers, one Battery

[JimJimmy]

I bought a 20 amp scc, two hundred watt sp.
I wanted more watts so I updated to a 40amp and 400watt sp.
I have this 20amp scc now with nothing to do with it. can I get two more 100watt panels and connect it to the same battery with the 40amp scc?

 

[chrisski]

Yes unless you exceed max charging of the batteries. I have three SCCs connected to my system.

The only thing you don’t want to do is push too much into your batteries. I have a 458 ah battery bank, and I can’t charge more than 60 amps. I can actually exceed that if I hook the portable panels up, so I need to have those disconnected in late morning if the batteries are still charging.

You also just have to be sure that any wiring you have is not exceeded. A 20 amp SCC should be able to support at least three panels on a 12 volt system or six panels on a 24 volt system.

 

[JimJimmy]

yes I have 4x100watts on the 40amp to my 12v, 200ah LiFePO4 Battery now. so I have the extra 20amp scc, can I add two panels and connect it with the 40amp to the same Battery is what I am asking. the manufacturer recommended 600watt to be able to charge the battery in a few hours.

 

[Just John]

yes I have 4x100watts on the 40amp to my 12v, 200ah LiFePO4 Battery now. so I have the extra 20amp scc, can I add two panels and connect it with the 40amp to the same Battery is what I am asking. the manufacturer recommended 600watt to be able to charge the battery in a few hours.

You need to find out what the maximum charge rate is for your battery. Some limit you to 50 amps charge, so putting in 60 amps would not be a good idea. There should be no problem with multiple charge controllers as long as you don't exceed maximum charge rate of the battery.

 

[JimJimmy]

this is from the manufacturer.

 

[chrisski]

Not sure if I’m looking at the battery info or a page from a SCC manual abou charging a battery. Hopefully the battery spec sheet has a max charging rate. Will usually say something like .5C or 100 amps. To me, what you showed probably means .5C is OK, but to me I like to see words like “Max Charge Rate.”

 

[JimJimmy]

in all information that came with the battery, that is the only information on charging.

 

[MisterSandals]

so I have the extra 20amp scc, can I add two panels and connect it with the 40amp to the same Battery

You can point this 2 panel array (assuming your big array is pointing south) east so that it starts charging earlier in the morning or point it west (or 1 panel each way!). This will make it so that the charging is spread over a longer period and you will charge at a lower rate throughout the day.

And if your batteries are low in the morning or you want to top them off before the sun sets, this is the way to do that.

 

[JimJimmy]

?? yes all 4 panels, two on a pedestal an two on the ground.
I move them as the sun moves.
I want to add two more panels to my vast array. trying to find a way to do this with what I have and buy what I need.