I currently have 4 100 Watt polycrystalline panels on the top of my RV which are hooked up to a Humless 1500 generator. I would like to now hook it up to the RV's batteries with the ability to charge the humless unit and the batteries at the same time. I would also like the option of switching the charge between the Humless unit or the batteries separately.
I am looking at ether the Renogy 40 Amp Commander MPPT Solar Charge Controller or SolarEpic MPPT 40A Solar Charge Controller 150V PV input Tracer 4215BN for my charge controller.
MT-50 Remote Meter
What else will I need to accomplish what I want?
Which of the two charge controllers are better? They both are pretty much the same price on Amazon.
Where is the best place to connect into the RV power?
I have heard the term stint thrown around, what is it and do I need it?
I am sure there is a lot more to this that I am not aware of, so please help me out in that regards as well.
bjoyce said
09:50 AM Jul 20, 2017
I wonder if you heard SHUNT as STINT. A shunt is needed to properly monitor your batteries. I know nothing about those controllers since I have a Victron Blue Solar that I monitor via my smartphone using Bluetooth.
Xylene said
10:04 AM Jul 20, 2017
bjoyce wrote:
I wonder if you heard SHUNT as STINT. A shunt is needed to properly monitor your batteries. I know nothing about those controllers since I have a Victron Blue Solar that I monitor via my smartphone using Bluetooth.
That is probably what it is that I was thinking of. Thanks. Does the MT-50 do the same things that can be done with a shunt?
bjoyce said
10:17 AM Jul 20, 2017
I had to look up the MT-50 to find it just tells you what the solar controller is doing, not your batteries. A shunt is needed to monitor your batteries with a battery monitor. Some solar charge controllers have battery monitoring built in or have add-ons. We have the add-on to our Magnum inverter/charger that uses a shunt. Here is what a shunt looks like, https://www.amazon.com/SHUNT-MKB-500-50-500-AMP-50/dp/B01JUD8HPM:
Xylene said
11:28 AM Jul 20, 2017
Are battery monitors something that is a must? It seems like they can be setup after the fact.
Also I have read about using DC circuit breakers between the panels and the controller, is this recommended as well? If DC breakers are used, can they be installed in the same panel box as my AC breakers, or should they be somewhere separate?
Where do most people attach all of this monitoring gear?
bjoyce said
10:03 AM Jul 22, 2017
Here are some webpages from the main RV-Dreams website that should answer some of your questions and give you links to other sources:
I currently have 4 100 Watt polycrystalline panels on the top of my RV which are hooked up to a Humless 1500 generator. I would like to now hook it up to the RV's batteries with the ability to charge the humless unit and the batteries at the same time. I would also like the option of switching the charge between the Humless unit or the batteries separately.
I am looking at ether the Renogy 40 Amp Commander MPPT Solar Charge Controller or SolarEpic MPPT 40A Solar Charge Controller 150V PV input Tracer 4215BN for my charge controller.
MT-50 Remote Meter
What else will I need to accomplish what I want?
Which of the two charge controllers are better? They both are pretty much the same price on Amazon.
Where is the best place to connect into the RV power?
I have heard the term stint thrown around, what is it and do I need it?
I am sure there is a lot more to this that I am not aware of, so please help me out in that regards as well.
That is probably what it is that I was thinking of. Thanks. Does the MT-50 do the same things that can be done with a shunt?
I had to look up the MT-50 to find it just tells you what the solar controller is doing, not your batteries. A shunt is needed to monitor your batteries with a battery monitor. Some solar charge controllers have battery monitoring built in or have add-ons. We have the add-on to our Magnum inverter/charger that uses a shunt. Here is what a shunt looks like, https://www.amazon.com/SHUNT-MKB-500-50-500-AMP-50/dp/B01JUD8HPM:
Are battery monitors something that is a must? It seems like they can be setup after the fact.
Also I have read about using DC circuit breakers between the panels and the controller, is this recommended as well? If DC breakers are used, can they be installed in the same panel box as my AC breakers, or should they be somewhere separate?
Where do most people attach all of this monitoring gear?
Here are some webpages from the main RV-Dreams website that should answer some of your questions and give you links to other sources:
http://www.rv-dreams.com/rv-electrical.html
http://www.rv-dreams.com/our-rv-electrical.html