Thread: Solar Controller Location

It will work anywhere, but the closer to the battery means less length of cable for voltage drop. Just try to keep it dry.

I wouldn't use tek screws (on the body of the vehicle) in that location.
Also, that area can pool water with lots of water around(heavy downpour, deeper creek crossing than expected! .. etc.

I like the idea of a sealed tupperware type container too.
I'd say if you want to use that area, try to use the small tang bracketing where the spare plug is located on, or one of the nuts over over to the right in your pic.
Maybe even magnetic setup(magnets mounted to the inside corners of the tupperware container to hold it to the body. I'm pretty sure that the bulkhead is steel and not aluminium in that area.

Originally Posted by John_D2

Sorry not following where you mean

my regulator is in the back of the vehicle in the roof the cabling runs along the roof line cabling and runs directly off of the rear aux power feed which is good for 60Amps continuous.

the panel is in the dip of the roof making the roof effectively flat.

Originally Posted by John_D2

How far is ‘too far from the battery’?

the "voltage" drop from front to back of the vehicle will be negligible with the right sized cable, because it is actually "current loss".

If memory serves me, that's the reason power transmission lines run tens of thousands of volts with small amps, which gets changed to 240vac with more amps nice and close to your house (sub station or pole mounted transformer). Although I could be wrong as AC & DC behave slightly different in lots of ways, but I think this translates between the two.

It's not like your trying to start a car through the cabling ... hundreds of instant amps has an impact due to resistance of the cable and other factors, but 10 metres at 10 or 20 amp with a rated cable, the losses will be a few percent at the most.

Originally Posted by JimDAUS

the "voltage" drop from front to back of the vehicle will be negligible with the right sized cable, because it is actually "current loss".

If memory serves me, that's the reason power transmission lines run tens of thousands of volts with small amps, which gets changed to 240vac with more amps nice and close to your house (sub station or pole mounted transformer). Although I could be wrong as AC & DC behave slightly different in lots of ways, but I think this translates between the two.

It's not like your trying to start a car through the cabling ... hundreds of instant amps has an impact due to resistance of the cable and other factors, but 10 metres at 10 or 20 amp with a rated cable, the losses will be a few percent at the most.

That’s kinda what I was thinking too. I’m wondering if I run 8b&s to the battery and mount the controller either under the passenger seat or behind the glovebox. I guess we’re only talking about 6 or 7 amps (110w xtm panel was on sale from BCF) to charge the 60ah dry cell battery not trying to deliver 100amps to my winch!

Or you could just mount the regulator under the panel. It's not actually that far to the battery. I have portable panels with attached regulator which run 10 m leads to our camper and work just fine with good wiring.

Originally Posted by DiscoMick

Or you could just mount the regulator under the panel. It's not actually that far to the battery. I have portable panels with attached regulator which run 10 m leads to our camper and work just fine with good wiring.

I did think of that also, but I thought if I went a bit psycho with the pressure cleaner that it’d be bad for the controller!

IMHO. It looks similar to the D1 drain & they have been known to block from falling leaves even though they had two 3/4" drain spouts. When that happens, water can go over the top of the Windscreen Wiper motor up-stand & flood internally. Maybe this doesn't apply to yours?


Just sayin'.