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diy solar

Will USB power from Controller be available from Battery when solar is not?

saxon11

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Joined
Sep 29, 2021
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I'm using this basic controller and have hooked it up with 100W panel and lithium battery, with the USB from the controller connected to my camera. All was good and working. The sun has set, and now camera has turned off. I'm trying to figure out if it's because the controller USB port only provides power when the solar panel is receive solar? Thank you
 
I don’t know. That would be mostly annoying if the USB port only powers in the sun!

There may be a setting for ‘load’ in the menus that needs to be enabled for after sunset use.

My inverter gives me USB, or alternatively, I have a usb charger with a power switch wired to the12V fuse box or I plug an AC charger into a 120V outlet.

This is a handy inexpensive pure sine wave inverter with two USB ports. I have one for charging cordless tool batteries when not at home. It will charge a 20V laptop or let me solder things miles from an outlet. You might consider it or order a 12V switched charger($10)
 
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I just disconnected the panels and tested with the battery and controller, and seems to be working, so panels not needed!. thank you
 
I don’t know and wish you luck, actually you Tried it and it works. Your SCC looks a lot like my 60 amp PWM controller.

I was a bit upset with the single page documentation. Kind of like you need to buy it and trie it to see if it works. Sits on a shelf now.

My guess is your SCC is actually a slow charge USB port at 5 volts 2 amps. I bought a quick charge USB socket, like install for a car, put it on a step up converter and a 100 watt panel and it keeps my USB devices charged when I am camping. Worked fine.
 
The sun has set, and now camera has turned off. I'm trying to figure out if it's because the controller USB port only provides power when the solar panel is receive solar?

The USB port is powered anytime battery voltage is above the LOAD disconnect voltage. In this case the sun went down, battery voltage dropped below the cutoff, so USB and load outputs shut down. Normal.

You can adjust the load disconnect/reconnect voltages to meet your needs. Be aware of not overdraining the batt.
 
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