Ford Transit USA Forum banner

Solar Help Needed...

13K views 60 replies 13 participants last post by  Boostaholic 
#1 ·
I have been wracking my brain and am coming up lacking... imagine that!

There is so much conflicting information out there on the ol' internet that I need a Been-There advisor to tell me what I am missing. And where to place a Neg Buss Bar! LOL!

We have plans for 300 Watts of panels on the roof, currently only one of the Renogy 150W is on-hand, so that's what we will be installing (last).

We have:
  • 100A 6 Circuit 12V to run the fan, lights, outlets.
  • 40A Breaker/Switch to isolate the CC from the Panels
  • Renogy Tracer MPPT 40A Charge Controller
  • SunForce 1000W Pure Sine Inverter (overkill, I know)
  • Victron BMV-700 monitor (shunt)
  • 100A Breaker/Switch to isolate the batteries from the CC
  • Two SLA 110 aH 12v batteries (Interstate)

I've pulled some 10 Gauge to the outlets and lights and fan. The Renogy panels come with 10 Ga. I am going to pick up some 4 to run the components together...

Take a look at the picture and tell me what am I missing and where in the world do I put the Negative Buss Bar??

Pardon the third-grader art work, but I've been trying to figure out how to assemble it all and this was one of the easier ways once I got past preliminary doodling.

Critique, please? :nerd:

 
See less See more
1
#2 ·
On my system I have a positive and negative buss bar.

Are the shunt and breaker switch only for the inverter? Mine doesn't have its own so keep that in mind...

From my battery bank I have the positive going through a main fuse to the positive bus bar. The negative goes through a shunt to the negative bus bar. (The shunt in my case is for my Trimetric battery monitor.)

I then have several DC circuit breakers attached to the positive bar, one for each major load - inverter, charge controller, AC charger, DC fuse block. The negative leads for each load simply connect directly to the negative bar.

In your case, with two 12V batteries, I would add that ideally you want to have each battery separately connected to the bus bars, using the same length cables to each battery. The goal is to keep the current paths as equal as possible for each battery. If one has longer wire runs than the other the batteries will see a different load and charge at different rates.

The other alternative is to connect the battery positives and negatives together then connect your loads to the positive terminal of one battery and negative terminal of the other. This again ensures the current paths even out.

Clear as mud? :p Hope that helps a bit...
 
  • Like
Reactions: Boostaholic
#3 ·
Yes, that helps bunches!

So you can run the CC and Inv through a buss? Wonderful! I had considered that, but wasn't sure if it would impact the CC's controlling.

My shunt goes to the battery monitor, it hooks to the battery's Neg with that bar and then a tiny little Pos plugs into a circuit board from the battery.

Thanks so much for the help!
 
  • Like
Reactions: paul.banbury
#4 ·
Oh, I am only using the breakers as isolators and overload protection. I prefer breakers to fuses. Not sure why, they just always seem more positive... LOL!
 
#6 ·
I used Blue Sea stuff ordered off Amazon.

The buss bars are "Blue Sea MaxiBus 250A BusBar with Six Terminal 18 Studs of 5/16-inch"

I also prefer breakers to fuses, though I do have a fuse in the main battery cable - mostly because I had it already from a previous version of my home solar power system.

The breakers I used are "Blue Sea 187-series Thermal Circuit Breaker" of various amp ratings.

The fuse block is a "Blue Sea ST Blade Fuse Block - 12 circuits with negative bus"

Based on comments from others here I also got a CTek D250S to charge the battery bank from the vehicle while driving, though I doubt it'll see much use. So far the solar has been plenty, but I like having the backup.

I already had a Morningstar SureSine inverter, Morningstar MPPT charge controller, and an Iota 55A AC battery charger.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Boostaholic
#9 ·
Thanks for sharing this!
I was just looking at their Buss bars on Amazon! Good to know I am on the right path.

Your 12v fuse block is similar to what I have, I think, other than mine only has about six circuits. It is a "Blue Sea ST Blade Fuse Block with 6 Circuits, Cover, and Neg Bus" showing 125A fuse on the DC Pos input cable.

I am leaving the ability to add in a voltage sensing relay, so I can tie into the alternator, if necessary, as a backup. This will be a Future expansion, we are just about financially topped out on this budget build.

To balance the battery bank, the RVIA Electrical Systems book (among other sources) says it is preferable when using a bank of two batteries to use the positive post on one battery and the negative post on the other battery. That is, connect the negative wires from your charge controller and inverter to the negative post on one battery. Then connect the positive wires from your charge controller and inverter to the positive post on the other battery. This is called "cross-connecting." The diagram appears to show you using the positive and negative posts on the same battery.


Agreed, I will do them that way... Using the buss bars.

I was just drawing it out using the Amazon box as my batteries on the floor. LOL!
Not quite to scale or anatomically correct.
Thank you for the feedback!
 
#8 ·
To balance the battery bank, the RVIA Electrical Systems book (among other sources) says it is preferable when using a bank of two batteries to use the positive post on one battery and the negative post on the other battery. That is, connect the negative wires from your charge controller and inverter to the negative post on one battery. Then connect the positive wires from your charge controller and inverter to the positive post on the other battery. This is called "cross-connecting." The diagram appears to show you using the positive and negative posts on the same battery.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Boostaholic
#12 ·
I'm no expert in solar system, pretty new to it actually but why did you plug your "house lights" to the LED port of the charge controller ? From what I understood (and I might be wrong), the LED port is to plug lights that will be powered at night when the panel doesn't provide any electricity.
Personnaly I would plug that directly to the battery (with a switch)..
 
#14 ·
Good catch! I thought that meant "house lights"!
I will re-read the manual (RTFM) and adjust fire...

There is so much to wrap my head around, I cannot get it all. That is why I am relying on some insight from the "been there" folks... Thank you soooooo very much! :D
 
#13 ·
#16 · (Edited)
I will change the House Lights, per the suggestions above... but here is what I had going on earlier today. Three switches wired next to the Controller are to control the three DC outlets. (I am a little chick, so the bolt cutters are how I cut 4ga wire. No laughing, please.)



Outlets, using conduit bodies for the chasis:


The batteries and panel are still a few days away from being wired in -- SOOOOOOO, any further feedback would be GREATLY appreciated! I would hate to fry anything in this setup, as we are really reliant on these being our source of being able to live day-to-day very soon.
 
#22 ·
I think I am putting the CC Mon next to where my "night table outlet" is going to be, so when I wake up in the night, terrified that I'm burning down the castle, that I can glance at it and put my mind at ease... LOL!
 
#23 ·
Looking at the wiring and it sure looks to be very "light" when compared to all the other installations I have seen. I am using FarOutRide's drawing as a reference and shopping list from Amazon and other places.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Boostaholic
#24 ·
Wire cross-section will vary from an installation to another (according to wire length and loads).
This calculator is very handy to ensure safe selection of wire diameter and to control voltage drop:

http://circuitwizard.bluesea.com/

(remember, the length of conduction is the total run! red + black)
 
#28 ·
Wire cross-section will vary from an installation to another (according to wire length and loads).
This calculator is very handy to ensure safe selection of wire diameter and to control voltage drop:

http://circuit-wizard.bluesea.com/

(remember, the length of conduction is the total run! red + black)

One issue with mounting components in the wall is that it will interfere with insulating the van. And you'll want to be able to see/have access to the stuff.

Don't be too concerned about burning down the "house". If your system is properly fused and wired up with decent sized wire, you'll be fine. The link atoine posted is a good resource. You can easily poke in new numbers to see how the results change.


The longest run is 12' across the back, so 24' and it'll be pulling about 5 watts and 1 amp 99% of its life. I used 10ga for the house runs. And 4ga for the feeds. I'm planning a 20 amp fuse in the DC distribution box for that longest run.

IF I read the charts correct, those should be good wires. In theory.

The panel already has insulation behind it, and it can be removed with a few screws.

I couldn't think of any other way to get the components up, accessible, removable.
 
  • Like
Reactions: dustboy
#27 ·
In my Sprinter conversion I mounted the solar controller on a wall where I could see it. Never looked at it and did not like the flashing lights at night. Transit solar controller is hidden behind a plywood panel.

Did mount the inverter/charger/transfer switch Remote where I could see it easily. The remote is important to see the SOC of the house battery. Could care less about all the other available information. I do care about the SOC. That tells me what I can or can not do. The Remote is used to set up the system initially when system is installed but after that IMO only SOC is required.
 
#30 ·
The inverter is a 1000 watt with 2000 peak. It's overkill for what we will use it, and I have 4ga wire with a 100 amp breaker inline. Does that sound about right?
 
#33 ·
It's finally coming along... Been one of those weeks, y'know.

The final breaker showed up late yesterday... I hope to hook it in today so we can add the solar panel tomorrow. In theory.

 
#38 ·
The shunt is for my Trimetric battery monitor. I was going to show it as well, but the four (five?) sense wires it uses would have cluttered things up.

The controllers will, of course, interact to a point but it doesn't really matter. All that will happen is whichever one happens to be controlling to a higher voltage "wins". If they happen to be outputting the exact same voltage then they'd share the charging/load but that's pretty unlikely. If the charge controller happens to be a little higher then it'll do most/all of the charging. Same for the CTEK.

If the batteries are deeply discharged, then they will hold the voltage below the control set point of both controllers so both can supply maximum charge amps. The only time control points matter is in the finishing charge where I'd just turn off the CTEK anyway and let solar finish off.

I suppose I could tweak the charge controller's set point (it actually has an interface reachable with a serial port dongle and some computer software) in which case I would make sure it's slightly higher than the CTEK so if I happen to have both turned on the solar would win - but I have so far never needed anything other than solar so the CTEK is always off except when I accidentally bump the upfitter switches with something and don't notice it's on. (Unfortunately quite easy to do, whether brushing them with a leg moving between front seat and back of van or lifting stuff out from between the seats.)
 
#39 ·
Oh, grrrrrr!

We are having such issues with the crimp-on terminators for the wire...

I know I am smarter than plastic, or metal... Geez. :-/

Taking it to my Dad tonight so he can advise WTF we are doing wrong.
 
#40 ·
Its not you, its your crimper. Go get one of these: http://www.homedepot.com/p/Pro-sKit-9-5-in-Crimper-Pliers-100-039/206369435

When you get them you'll notice that one position has a hump. Put that hump on the back side of the connector and simply squeeze. I can do all the way up to 6ga with mine. I used to have the same problem as you but once I changed to this type (10 years ago) I rarely have an issue.
 
#47 ·
I have a crimper, but it cannot handle the 4ga wire and terminal.

We borrowed one from my Father last night. And will retro-crimp the big connections. :)

So, someone had asked for a "schematic" for our setup. I doodled this today. I think it is what we ended up with...





 
#50 · (Edited)
my problem with the video's are that he uses home made test equipment, not the proper test equipment certified for testing crimps! he uses a rope block and tackle to pull on the crimp, ropes stretch and often act like bungee cords so it is open for debate on how repeatable his tests are. then video is not clear whether if it is the wire itself breaking or the crimp pulling apart?
also all things, or all crimpers, are not created equal: Amp or whoever may make the best crimpers for smaller wires but they do not make the best crimpers for large wires, Thomas & Betts does bar none! (although Greenlee is a close second!)
back to the original statement: Klein makes the best screw drivers!
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top