Which solar regulator?

[Utemad]

Hi guys,

I've just picked up two BP 1259T panels. So 2 59 watt panels in other words.
Also got 200amp/hrs of gel battery. Need a regulator so I can hook it all up.

I have read through heaps of threads on here but none of them mention any particular brand of regulator. Blacknight mentioned the Jaycar one but that was it.
I've googled solar regulators and found thousands of different brands and models with their technical specs but it is quite overwhelming.

This is the Jaycar one.

ELECTUS DISTRIBUTION (http://www.electusdistribution.com.au/productView.asp?ID=6294&CATID=&keywords=solar+regulator&SPECIAL=&form=KEYWORD&SUBCATID=)

http://www.electusdistribution.com.au/products_uploaded/productLarge_6294.jpg
Does anyone have any thoughts on any particular regulator?

Preferably would like to mount it on the panels so as I can have a standalone setup. Could mount it in a waterproof box if it doesn't get too hot if it isn't waterproof already.

It would be nice if it had LEDs or a bicolour one to tell you what was going on in regards to full charge or float etc. The Jaycar one doesn't appear to have that.

Thanks.

[LandyAndy]

Im wanting to know the same info.
Have a pair of 37W panels and 2 LARGE truck lead acid batteries.Will also be looking at a Honda 1.0eui backup genset for the package.If any other panels come up cheaply will also look at another panel or 2.
I was very impressed with Grazs controller,its got all the bells/whistles tells you power in out and a heap of other info.
Probably over the top for my wants.
Ive seen some cheap and nasty plain units on Ebay,similar to the Jaycar one pictured,and some middle of the range ones that have more too offer than the cheapies.
Would be great to here whats good bad and UGLY(ie dont even consider)
Thanks
Andrew

[weeds]

i have just brought one of these for a solar panel i gave my dad

seems to do the job....i buy all my gear through springer, seem t get good advice and there gear is quality

6 Amp Morningstar SunKeeper Regulator (http://springers.com.au/Products.aspx?ProductID=600)

[Utemad]

Thanks Weeds. I was looking at that one in the 12 amp model. Looks like it will do what I need.

I'll see if there is a supplier on the south side.

[JDNSW]

Regulator technology is fairly mature, and I expect you would have little trouble with any of them. I would look carefully at the specifications, and make sure that it has sufficient current capacity for the panels you are planning to use - remember that the panels may give up to about 50% above their rated output in snow country (High sunlight and cold). Also check that their maximum working temperature is high enough - it will be easy to exceed 50 or even 60 degrees in summer over much of Australia for anything out in the sun.

John

[Utemad]

Hi John. The SunKeeper says it is rated to 12 amps (or 6 amps) and 70 deg C with over current protection.

12 amps should do for the 118w. 9 amps ish tops I think.

[JDNSW]

Hi John. The SunKeeper says it is rated to 12 amps (or 6 amps) and 70 deg C with over current protection.

12 amps should do for the 118w. 9 amps ish tops I think.

Temperature should be fine, and the current should be OK, but if you are in the snow country there could be a problem, even though the top current is well inside the rating. The problem is that panel output is rated at 20C, but it is temperature sensitive - it falls as temperature rises, which is the usual problem, but it also rises as temperature drops. Add this to the higher sunlight flux you can get at high altitudes, and the reflection from snow, and I have heard (from the people who installed my system) of cases where output has reached almost twice the rated output and cooked the regulator. (in this case twice the output would be well over the regulator's rating).

I would not worry about it, though, unless you make a habit of camping out in the snow, which is rather unlikely in this country.

John

[Rosco]

Yep. I'm with Weeds on this one. I bought an 80W jobbie from Springers and they suggested a quality but basic waterproof one which is direct fixed to the underside of the panel. It doesn't have any fancy features, just does its job. Was about $70 from memory.

Cheers

[Rosscoe68]

12 VOLT 20AMP SOLAR PANEL CHARGE REGULATOR CARAVAN BOAT - eBay, Parts, Accessories, Caravans, Motorhomes, Cars, Bikes, Boats. (end time 03-Jun-08 20:00:00 AEST) (http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=360051643875&ssPageName=MERC_VIC_RSCC_Pr4_PcY_BIN_Stores_IT&refitem=320242211241&itemcount=4&refwidgetloc=closed_view_item&usedrule1=StoreCatToStoreCat&refwidgettype=cross_promot_widget&_trksid=p284.m183&_trkparms=algo%3DDR%26its%3DS%252BI%252BSS%252BSD% 26itu%3DSD%252BISS%252BUCI%252BSI%26otn%3D4)

20 amp reg with amp and voltage display as well as total amps for the day and previous day so you can get an idea of how much is coming in per day. i have one wired up on my caravan and its quite useful to see where i am up to with power usage.

[Utemad]

Thanks guys.

Going to a place in Moss Slacks Creek to look at the Morning Star SK12 (one talked about above like Weed's Dad's) and the SS10 which is another panel mountable regulator. Marine grade but less sealed than the SK12.

The Morning Star units appear to be used in some fairly remote country for important services around the world so they should be a reliable unit.

I have never camped in the snow but I'd like too. However if I was I could either not use the panels (fridge wouldn't cycle much anyway I'm guessing) or just use the one panel to get a safety margin.

Rosscoe68 I can't see Ebay at work but that sounds like one of the Jaycar units. Not suitable for me as it would need to be mounted in the trailer and hard wired in. As the panels, batteries and load are all connected to it. That is how it knows how much current is being used by the load for its calculations. I want to be able to use alligator clips so I can charge either the car, camper or someone elses batteries.

[leyland]

hi utemad , some solar charge controllers have night light load function, batteries will charge during the day (of course)and the load will be turned on at night so you can use lights etc but the load will be turned off in the morning so you cant use lights etc, the solar panel charges the battery during the day but power wont flow through controller so you cant use anything connected to the load end of controller. I had an extra fan connected to cool my fridge motor and couldnt work out why it would only work at night when it was cool and i didnt need it but in the day it would switch of,thought i had wires around the wrong way or controller was faulty anyway it wasnt what i needed so threw it away , from leyland

[Utemad]

Thanks for that Leyland. Haven't seen any that do that. Probably designed to turn on a night light when the panel detects no sunlight.

I didn't get to the shop today but this website Morningstar Charge Controllers (Pwm) - Solar Panels (http://store.altenergystore.com/Charge-Controllers/Solar-Charge-Controllers/Pwm-Type-Solar-Charge-Contollers/Morningstar-Charge-Controllers-Pwm/c481/) has all the manuals for the Morning Star products. Probably other products too.

Reading about the SK12 it says that its algorithm is set up for lead acid batteries. Whereas the SS10 does both (change a jumper setting to do so).

Anyone know the downside to using something set up for lead acid on a gel battery?

[isuzu110]

I thought that gel batteries had a lower float voltage than lead acid therefore you could overcharge them on a lead acid setting

[Slunnie]

Yeah, gels are slow to charge. We changed over to Optima's for charging speed, but it was a different application.

I was involved in The energy breakthrough challenge in Victoria (until I moved schools). We ran a couple of solar charging setups, where we had the BP 180w panel, down to a Aeca PR1010 controller. These are excellent controllers. The other thing which is interesting, is that the controller would output 5A at 12volts, but it would also output 5A at 24volts charging so we doubled the batteries up into a 24V system for charging and charged them both up in the same time frame - there were some charge imbalance issues that we were having last year though. (actually a bit over 5A at about 27 or 28V as I remember) To do this this the panel needs to output more voltage than 28 though. I cant recall if the BP one we had was 35V or 47V or similar. Interestingly again, we couldn't get the same BP panel at the end of last year, there was a global shortage apparently, and we bought a made in China brand of slightly less output, and I would actually argue that the chinese made one was a better panel and was only about $1k.

[5teve]

Im wanting to know the same info.
Have a pair of 37W panels and 2 LARGE truck lead acid batteries.Will also be looking at a Honda 1.0eui backup genset for the package.If any other panels come up cheaply will also look at another panel or 2.
I was very impressed with Grazs controller,its got all the bells/whistles tells you power in out and a heap of other info.
Probably over the top for my wants.
Ive seen some cheap and nasty plain units on Ebay,similar to the Jaycar one pictured,and some middle of the range ones that have more too offer than the cheapies.
Would be great to here whats good bad and UGLY(ie dont even consider)
Thanks
Andrew

Andy i have just bought a regulator for my panels, its only a 6A one but should be sufficient for the output of the panels i hope, it was from altronics, i'll have to see if i can get it up and running and let you know... cheap as tho... they also do one with load switching for the same price, detects night time and then switches load on, im assuming thats used for solar powered lights..

Thanks

Steve

[toffa76]

I use the Morningstar Sunlight 10A 12V (http://springers.com.au/Products.aspx?ProductID=914)from a 80 Watt BP into a 100AH and it works a treat. It is protected from the elements however but no problems in the last 14 months and it runs the Waeco 40L and more no dramas.

[Utemad]

I ended up buying the Morning Star SS10. A lot smaller in the flesh than it looks in the pictures.

This is user selectable for flooded or sealed batteries. Changes the constant voltage set points. 14.4v for flooded and 14.1 for sealed.

The SK12 is set up only for flooded batteries.

The SK12 has better flashing light readout but I will just hook up an ammeter in a sealed box on the panel.
The SS10 is $49 cheaper too but that wasn't the reason.

Thanks for the info guys.