installing solar power in a westy

[Timwhy]

That's Great News!! You are really going to love bringing your own power with you!

You are not kidding about lots going on! I have my Westy totally wired from front to back with 12 outlets and Lights as well as the things that need power ie. fridge and furnace. I had run out of positions on my fuse box so I had to start doubling up on the LED light fixtures. Their draw is so little it didn't make sence to have them on their own breaker individually.

If there is anything that I can help you with do not hesitate to ask, Tim

[keith]

cheers Tim

[keith]

should the cables from both batteries going back to the controller be fused ?

if so...what sized / type of fuse is best ?

thanks.

[Timwhy]

Pretty sure that I used a 15 amp in line fuse at the battery terminals for this.

[keith]

thanks Tim.

just order a couple.

[CJH]

Pretty sure that I used a 15 amp in line fuse at the battery terminals for this.

The same goes for any wire that's connected to the battery +ve : fuse it near the battery terminal with a fuse that's bigger than the expected current in the circuit and smaller than the current rating of the cable. That way, if the wire gets damaged anywhere after the fuse, and, say, chafes against the vehicle body, the fuse will blow before the cable melts and/or ignites something else. It's as much to protect against damage to the cable as it is to protect against a misbehaving appliance.

In the case of the controller, which is itself a source of energy, a fault between the fuse and the controller shouldn't create enough current flow (~5A) in the unprotected part of the cable to be a problem I would have thought (assuming the two batteries are isolated from each other by the controller), so the biggest danger is still the enormous energy stored in the batteries, and that's where the fuse needs to be.

[keith]

makes sense...thanks.

I allowed + and - cables to touch on Sunday morning when I was neatening cable runs......they can get hot as my burnt hand proves.

[keytouch]

The same goes for any wire that's connected to the battery +ve

Is that including or excluding the starter motor?

[CJH]

The same goes for any wire that's connected to the battery +ve

Is that including or excluding the starter motor?

OK, let me correct myself - I meant it's good practice for any wire that you add. I guess the idea with the starter motor cable is that it's double insulated and has a direct enough route that there's only a small risk of damage.

[keytouch]

The same goes for any wire that's connected to the battery +ve

Is that including or excluding the starter motor?

OK, let me correct myself - I meant it's good practice for any wire that you add. I guess the idea with the starter motor cable is that it's double insulated and has a direct enough route that there's only a small risk of damage.

Sorry- I was being a pedant.

[CJH]

Sorry- I was being a pedant.

Spotted that

Wasn't my place to say though.

[keith]

had the great long link cable from the controller to the meter chopped down to just over a foot.....so should be able to finish it all off now.

[keith]

Pretty much there now....for the final touch im going to get a black bezel made at work to match the profile of the bottom of the controller to hide the cables.

[CJH]

Nice. I've got meter envy. What can yours display?

[keith]

I think....

Amps...
Amp hrs?
Battery 1 voltage
Battery 2 voltage
Temperature
Time
The bars on the batteries show the state of charge.
You can set it to cycle....or lock the display....you can set the backlight to stay on...or fade off after a time. Touching any button turns the backlight back on

It must work as when battery 2 ....my leisure shows as full....the light on the controller starts to flash slowly showing no charge. If i switch my eber on...the light goes solid and the bars on the battery drop for some time.

Tue controller can be set to give priority by percentage to bat 1 or 2.... In 6 modes

Eg 0 to 100
20 to 80 and so on.

I like it.