hi, 1- can i connect the controller to more than one solar panel and to more than one battery and do i need more accessories to do so ?
1311913
You can connect at least 8 solar panels of 100watts each and I have 15 deep cycle batteries on that. You need cables mostly and maybe some safety fuses if you want.
1947999
I could not find cable for sale that would connect the two. i purchased an extension cable for the solar panel, cut one end off and attached it to the controller.
109319
No I'm pretty sure you can connect the solar panel street into the controller box. I bought a separate solar panel and A mighty Mule open and that's how it hooked up
933679
you will need a 10 amp charge controller for one of these or a 20 amp charge controller for two.The charge controller will have adjustable settings "you set"I suggest a renogy 30 amp pwm controller for three reasons it will give you room to add more panels its cheap under $35 and its all you would need to accomplish battery charging in 12 or 24 volt mode,I hope this helps
2269958
Hi, yes you can this controller gives you the option to have multiple power heads but it is up to you how many you want to connect. Just going a little bit further from the question, the idea is to have at least 2 without you having to turn them on and off.
1224563
i used 12 gauge from the solar panels to the controller and from the controller to the batteries i used no 6 awg i already had here The no 6 is probably overkill i wouldnt go any less than 8 from the controller to the batteries what is your battery bank at least 24v i hope
575744
Controllers don't care about brand name solar panels. It's just an input. You should consider a 30 amp controller for about the same price. You will expand your system as you find out how much more useful larger systems are. I started with 100 watts and now have 400. Just my humble advise.
1439220
It comes with mc4 connectors on the leads. I know it shows all the other wires in the picture but the newer panel just comes with the 2 (-) and (+) leads. Yes, you will need a solar controller if you are hooking this panel to a battery. The controller regulates voltage into the battery to prevent overcharging and a good controller will automatically disconnect if the voltage gets too low.
1978779
Dear David. I have not done so, however the literature that came with mine indicates that you can "link up to 10 panels together for more power." There are however no instructions provided for doing so. My one phone call to Sun Force about a different matter was very responsibly answered, so you might call them. I see there is another response to the contrary by 'Daddio'. In passing, I use the panel and the charge controller that comes with it to maintain the charge in a 12-volt heavy duty auto battery that provides LED emergency lighting for my home. I've been very pleased with it. It would seem to me unless there are other considerations that it would be more economical, and present an easier mounting problem to purchase a larger (more power (wattage)) solar panel to begin with. Hope some of this helps. Randall
63410
Tisa, it would really help if you do some research before you set up the panel/battery/controller. When I started I had so many questions and so many things came up that I wasn't sure about, even with a small system. There are books like "the solar electric home" by Joel Davidson (an oldie but goodie) and you can also go to websites like Alt-E and backwoods solar for video and reading resources. Good Luck, John
991190
Yes, but beware, you probably want to charge more than just 1 battery, more like a small bank of batteries. For example, I have mine hooked up to a small bank of 8 SLA 12V batteries giving me about 1500 watts stored to power a 1200 W Inverter for appliances. It's like a solar powered battery pack so that I can work and have phone conversations in the most odd places (no generator noise in the background, just pure silence or nature noises, it's awesome). You'll want a decent charge controller (I bought a 10 Amp controller, which is overkill, but has the better charge-methods and pattern that I wanted). Good Luck! Yes, but beware, you probably want to charge more than just 1 battery, more like a small bank of batteries. For example, I have mine hooked up to a small bank of 8 SLA 12V batteries giving me about 1500 watts stored to power a 1200 W Inverter for appliances. It's like a solar powered battery pack so that I can work and have phone conversations in the most odd places (no generator noise in the background, just pure silence or nature noises, it's awesome). You'll want a decent charge controller (I bought a 10 Amp controller, which is overkill, but has the better charge-methods and pattern... » Read More Yes, but beware, you probably want to charge more than just 1 battery, more like a small bank of batteries. For example, I have mine hooked up to a small bank of 8 SLA 12V batteries giving me about 1500 watts stored to power a 1200 W Inverter for appliances. It's like a solar powered battery pack so that I can work and have phone conversations in the most odd places (no generator noise in the background, just pure silence or nature noises, it's awesome). You'll want a decent charge controller (I bought a 10 Amp controller, which is overkill, but has the better charge-methods and pattern that I wanted). Good Luck! « Show Less
1373853
I have not tried this and wonder why you want to unless you have too much power for one. They do make a controllers that works up to sixty amps. I don't know how you want to wire this. Using separate panels is the only thing I can guess. I use my meter every day to read the total amps going to my batteries and the voltage at any given time. The lights on the front of the controller tell you most things about the system but not the voltage or the current. The voltage tells you how close you are to a full charge. If you have two sets of panels you would need two controllers with two meters. Hope this helps. I have not tried this and wonder why you want to unless you have too much power for one. They do make a controllers that works up to sixty amps. I don't know how you want to wire this. Using separate panels is the only thing I can guess. I use my meter every day to read the total amps going to my batteries and the voltage at any given time. The lights on the front of the controller tell you most things about the system but not the voltage or the current. The voltage tells you how close you are to a full charge. If you have two sets of panels you would need two controllers with two meters.... » Read More I have not tried this and wonder why you want to unless you have too much power for one. They do make a controllers that works up to sixty amps. I don't know how you want to wire this. Using separate panels is the only thing I can guess. I use my meter every day to read the total amps going to my batteries and the voltage at any given time. The lights on the front of the controller tell you most things about the system but not the voltage or the current. The voltage tells you how close you are to a full charge. If you have two sets of panels you would need two controllers with two meters. Hope this helps. « Show Less
686192
Yes this will work. The whole purpose of having this controller is so that once a battery is "fully charged" (at ~14V), this will "disconnect" or "shut-off" the charging so you don't get the battery up to levels like the 17.5V you mention (where it will damage the battery). Even if the solar power is at levels like ~30V (while it's not charging the battery), this will still function blocking the solar power from getting to the battery until the battery voltage comes back down to 13V where it again lets the "charge" power thru.
231755
You need to buy separate cables to hook panels to controller. I purchased HQRP Pair MC4 T-branch Solar Panel Connector M/M/F & F/F/M (1F2M & 2F1M) for PV / Photovoltaic System plus HQRP Coaster (Splitters used to connect two panels to one controller) and HQRP Pair 25 feet / 7.62m 1x4mm Photovoltaic Solar Array Cables with MC4 Connectors and HQRP Coaster Sold by HQRP-US (cables to hook panels from roof of RV to controller mounted inside of RV). The setup worked like a charm. Pigtails on panels are very short.
1332099
Depends if you connect the controller to the panel then you could connect it to each battery but not both at the same time.
1152737
I was not aware of one and I hooked it up without breaking it.If you have a panel in the sun however, I would think that hooking up the batteries and any accessories first would be the right thing to do, followed by the panels connection
426996
Yes you can hook them up together in parallel and the voltage will remain the same but the amperage will be 4 times that of one panel. You will definitely need a charge controller with what is going to amount to 80 watts of panel input to the battery. It might be helpful to know more specifics about what you plan to do. If you want to just keep a battery up this is far more panel than you need. If you plan to use the battery daily to power things than 80 watts may or may not be sufficient depending on the size of the battery, the wattage/amperage draw of the loads, and how much daily sun you anticipate. There are a lot of variables. You will also definitely need fuses for fire safety. Hope this helps. BTW, it might be cheaper to buy a singe 80 watt panel as opposed to four 20 watt panels.