Solar wiring issue

[Peter_374304682]

im upgrading my caravan roof solar to 300w with a 30amp Victron controller (standard battery) my question is I want to cut the solar cables before the charge controller and put in a switch so I can take a feed to my power station, which has a built in MPPT controller I know I can't charge both at the same time but this will give me the option to top up the power station when needed. Has anyone done this ? or am I over thinking as usual.

Thanks

 

[JTQ]

I switch between using my panel to charge my caravan's battery, or charge my EcoFlo Delta 2.
I simply wired the panel to a TX60 male, and wired a TX60 female to feed this into my Morningstar solar controller that charges the van's battery.
So I plug the panel into that or the EcoFlo's TX60 solar port depending on what I want the panel to feed.

There is no complication the panel can be used on either.
Doing the make and break on the solar panel's feed achieves the required connect battery first, disconnect battery last that the Morningstar manual instructs me to do in connecting it up.

I also have had the panel charging the EcoFlo Delta, and the AC feed from the Delta 2 into the van's EHU point to then charge the van's battery. Setting the levels so nothing drains too much.
This has to be pretty inefficient, but in summer there is way more available solar than is needed and doing the connection this way both the van and Delta end up fully charged. Plus we can use the electric kettle in the van or directly from the Delta2.

 

[IanB1485]

Interesting question , JTQ has gone down the simple change connectors ( if I have read it correctly). Personally I would splice into the wires and let the the two mppt controllers 'do their stuff' i.e split charge and when one or the other batteries have been charged to full the other will charge to to full ( if there is enough sunlight) Don't overthink it. I'm still trying to source a chassis connector to connect a 280 Ahr battery (sat outside the caravan on the LHS ) to my caravan internal battery with a weatherproof cover , currently i have a " Durite 0-601-26 16A DIN Plug and socket " (bit like a standard cigar outlet connector but better), but it's only 16 A and when using a NBR-360W-12V charger it charges up at about 16-17A for 12 hours so I'm concerned the connector will get hot which the standard cigar outlet socket and plugs do even charging at 6A . Suggestions on a postcard please, otherwise I will have fit a housing (similar to a mains outlet housing) and put an anderson connector inside. I will leave it to the mppt solar to charge both batteries

 

[Peter_374304682]

I switch between using my panel to charge my caravan's battery, or charge my EcoFlo Delta 2.
I simply wired the panel to a TX60 male, and wired a TX60 female to feed this into my Morningstar solar controller that charges the van's battery.
So I plug the panel into that or the EcoFlo's TX60 solar port depending on what I want the panel to feed.

There is no complication the panel can be used on either.
Doing the make and break on the solar panel's feed achieves the required connect battery first, disconnect battery last that the Morningstar manual instructs me to do in connecting it up.

I also have had the panel charging the EcoFlo Delta, and the AC feed from the Delta 2 into the van's EHU point to then charge the van's battery. Setting the levels so nothing drains too much.
This has to be pretty inefficient, but in summer there is way more available solar than is needed and doing the connection this way both the van and Delta end up fully charged. Plus we can use the electric kettle in the van or directly from the Delta2.

Thanks so you don't use a switch you just disconnect the solar cables before your charge controller and connect a TX60 and plug into your power station ?

 

[JTQ]

Thanks so you don't use a switch you just disconnect the solar cables before your charge controller and connect a TX60 and plug into your power station ?

First I should have said XT60 the polarised DC plug and socket system not TX60, apologies.
XT60, these things LINK

Yes, I connect the solar panel to either the van's solar controller, or to the power station. Its not "cables" in my case but locally I used a single twin core cable which makes for a neater installation.

As the EcoFlo Delta2 features a XT60 solar panel input, I added one to the van's Morningstar solar controller, so I could charge either the van's battery or the EcoFlo power station, as I require.

I could have used a switch, but as the EcoFlo power station is portable, taken out on picnics, used in the garden for power tools and is chargeable in the car, then things for me with these permutations, is use a plug of the XT 60 type it features.