Sizing\Picking the right Solar Charge Controller

[rfg9585]

Originally Posted by C.Martin

Okay...top down...minimum stuff...

Panels,
Mounts
Surface prep and dicor sealant
10-2 wire, crimps, adhesive lined heat shrink
Combiner box
....connect to existing 6awg solar prep...
72v60A fuse and fuse holder
Two blue sea or equivalent battery switches (to isolate system if needed)
Victron SmartSolar MPPT150/100-TR
...Download Victron Connect app to smartphone or tablet...
2AWG wires black and red
Catastrophic 125A fuse and fuse holder
Assorted crimp on ring terminals and adhesive line heat shrink.

This will give you a solar system...wiring capable of eventually taking advantage of full potential of that charge controller.

This system will charge your house, and chassis thru BIM

Other items are improvements...which you might want to add down the road.

Battery Monitor ME-BMK will display on your Magnum remote...the State of Charge. If you have a ME-AGS-N...you can use SOC as a gen start trigger, but have to also upgrade to ME-ARC advanced remote.

Victron BMV-712 battery monitor is nice for viewing battery state in Smartohine app...and can be used to give real time temp and voltage to MPPT if you add the temp sense wiring. This fine tunes your charge parameters to compensate for temp for lead acid chemistry batteries.

Another way to compensate for temp is the Victron SmartSense. It only adds temp/volt output to MPPT...will not display State of Charge, etc...like the BMV-712, but is a less expensive solution for temp compensation.

Everything else I listed is gravy...Victron Venus GX gives you a way to remotely mo itor your Victron System from anywhere in the world via the internet. It has to have internet on the coach in order to uplink data packets. They make different devices with use other data services if wifi isn't your choice of methods. It winds up being a great learning tool, and allows studying historical data...to see how the system performed.

All these extras do not make more power, or change the basic battery charging, which is your main goal. It just helps you follow what's going on better.

Thanks Charlie!

Not sure if I have solar prep wiring. How can I tell or find it?

Would you get most of these misc supplies on the AIMs site?

I have AGS via the Magnum remote, not sure if its advanced or not....

[C.Martin]

Originally Posted by rfg9585

Thanks Charlie!

Not sure if I have solar prep wiring. How can I tell or find it?

Would you get most of these misc supplies on the AIMs site?

I have AGS via the Magnum remote, not sure if its advanced or not....

Newmar places a very small label in the control cabinet panel that says SOLAR PREP. And you will see a small coil of wires screwed to the bulkhead in the Inverter bay. RED 6awg, BLACK 6awg, and a comm cord.

The coaches have all come with the regular ME-RC remote. The ME-ARC has a "FAVS" button. It contains more menu options than the std. remote. I don't think Neemar wants to deal with the ME-ARC remote, as the programming can be a bit daunting...esp. for first time Coach Owner's. So many choices

[C.Martin]

Originally Posted by Rvlegaleagle

Hi CMartin, I did not noticed in the list what inverter/charger you are using with your system and how that may relate to the solar/charger you are using?

Many of the Newmars come std. with the Magnum MS2812. Ones with Propane vs all-electric more likely have the MS2012.

The Magnum Inverter/Charger does influence the ME-BMK, and decision for adding the ME-ARC remote. So, if someone had a Xanttex, or Victron Inverter-Charger...those components wouldn’t be warranted.

As far as charge controllers. The choice for me was really focused on the PT-100 by Magnum. After all...if I had installed the PT-100, it could be controlled with a Magnum remote. Sharing charge parameters, etc... But I ran into a roadblock. The space it needed wasn’t compatible with my desired mounting location. It needed a gap around it for ventilation..this would have it hanging down further and possibly getting banged up by items on our slide-out tray. So, Victron caught my eye. Smaller footprint fit nicely.

So, what would be the disadvantage of a Victron?

- Cannot use ME-ARC remote to monitor/Control
- Need yet another Battery Monitor to network info (BMV-712)

I found the Victron Connect app is how the Victron is monitored and controlled. I actually found I like this more than having to go to the cabinet. It also makes firmware updates very easy. The PT-100 is a royal pain to update...and most other Magnum products would require you to send them in to be serviced to get the latest firmware.

It wasn’t until NealC. Asked the question...”Can I remotely monitor my system?”...that I found the Venus GX. He implemented this device on his system. He shared a link to let me view the displays. Victron provides users with a free cloud service on their network. It is accessed by using another app or web portal VRM or Victron Remote Management. It stores your data...and you can go view it anytime you want, even set up alarms to notify you if parameters exceed a specific parameter, etc. You can also tie it to other devices...We have added gps sensor, memory card, temperature sensors x2,...it can also monitor tank levels if you have compatible resistance senders (like many boats have) Keep in mind Victron was originally a company more focused on the Nautical side of the market.

Magnum later introduced a product for remote monitoring called Magweb. So, they have a similar capability now as well.

Of course, I cannot claim I knew every detail when a I purchased the Victron unit. I have learned a lot along the way. I noticed some small differences between Magnum and Victron which are interesting.

-Magnum makes you specify your bulk charge rate as a % of the inverters charge output...and only takes parameters like 70% or 80%. Victron will let you set you desired number... like 92A.

-Magnums customer custom charge parameters are only input to the tenths...Victron to the hundredths... XX.X vs XX.XX

- Magnum gives you the ability to set a time for Absorb period...Victron has a built-in algorithm. In other words. You might set a time for Magnum or 2hrs or 3hrs...depending on the size of your bank. Victron does not. You will see the absorb time change. It seems to vary with the depth of discharge. It actually makes sense. If you are storing the coach...and only seeing a small dip in SOC 100% to 97.9% each day...why zap the batteries for three hours, when 30” might be good? If you were using the coach, and woke in the morning, made coffee and got down to 72.2% SOC...I notice absorb period automatically changes to 2 hrs commonly. I think it’s a smart way to add a little more pampering to the batteries. Absorb proportional to depth of discharge.

Okay...I apologize for the TMI rambling. I basically stumbled into the Victron charge controller...and later began to realize how many of it’s features I really like. So, I wasn’t really smart...I was lucky

I’m happy to say...in retrospect, I still recommend it.

[Rvlegaleagle]

Thanks CMartin was wondering what your setup was...am looking at the Magnum MSH3012RV Pure Sine 3,000W, 4 Battle Borns with 1240w uptop (4 310w panels) but I am ahead of myself..lol

[rfg9585]

Hey Charlie, Just came across some threads that discussed the BIRD systems. Not really sure what this does but it sounds very complex to me. I seen this in my coach in the electrical bay where shorepower cord is and its a mess. Will I have to make any type of connections of my solar to this mess of wiring. Will the victron charge controller be connected directly to batteries or something else. "Getting cold feet".....

[C.Martin]

Originally Posted by Rvlegaleagle

Thanks CMartin was wondering what your setup was...am looking at the Magnum MSH3012RV Pure Sine 3,000W, 4 Battle Borns with 1240w uptop (4 310w panels) but I am ahead of myself..lol

Yep...pluses and minuses. I really like Magnum because of the AGS system and how it networks. I like the Victron system because of the options for control and compatibility with so many items like solar, lithium, etc... their Color display is amazing.

[C.Martin]

Originally Posted by rfg9585

Hey Charlie, Just came across some threads that discussed the BIRD systems. Not really sure what this does but it sounds very complex to me. I seen this in my coach in the electrical bay where shorepower cord is and its a mess. Will I have to make any type of connections of my solar to this mess of wiring. Will the victron charge controller be connected directly to batteries or something else. "Getting cold feet".....

I have a friend with an earlier Mtn Aire. His batteries are mounted further back in the coach. He actually mounted his charge controller in the bedroom closet...and went with the PT-100 by Magnum. The output from the controller is routed to the batteries. Try to set things up to minimize expense and voltage loss of long runs of heavy wire.

My solar prep came out in the first dry compartment behind my battery bay which is up from behind the drivers side steer axle.

[rfg9585]

Just talked to the folks at Newmar support and asked them if I had solar prep. They said it was not built with this coach. I have heard many stories of folks running the wires down the fridge opening, but that is near the middle of the coach and not sure that's what I should do if I plan to install a res fridge one day. I do have an unused antenna just above the passenger side of the water bay area, wonder if I use that penetration instead and locate the combiner box there? Thoughts??

I also can't use the 3m tape to mount the panels as my roof is Henry's Tropi-cool silicon based. So my plan would be to simply screw them in place and re-coat with more tropi-cool.

[Rvlegaleagle]

Originally Posted by C.Martin

Yep...pluses and minuses. I really like Magnum because of the AGS system and how it networks. I like the Victron system because of the options for control and compatibility with so many items like solar, lithium, etc... their Color display is amazing.

You seem to like the display and that it goes to your cell phone Have a freedom (flip) phone and love it. Here is a video with the victron display which I admit is pretty awesome!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zItm...emsaLE&index=2

[C.Martin]

Originally Posted by Rvlegaleagle

You seem to like the display and that it goes to your cell phone Have a freedom (flip) phone and love it. Here is a video with the victron display which I admit is pretty awesome!

I do love the CCGX display. Love that hybrid inverter. Can’t wait to see the report in their update Lithium bank.

Thanks for sharing that video.

The CCGX is basically the Venus GX but with a color monitor and scroll wheel control interface. I really like the fact that they interfaced the generator run control..,which gives them many of the features we have with the ME-AGS-N...except I am not sure about the Temp feature. I really like the fact our ME-AGS-N is networked to the Dometic control center with the ME-PT2 dongle. And works perfectly with the PCS management panel. We have used it while dry camping at rallies, and as a backup to keep our doggie cool.

CCGX and Venus GX both allow you to connect to your coaches internet, if you have a wired or WiFi hub. And Victron gives you free use of their VRM server. Does it change how power is produced or used??? No, not really. But wow!! It it such a great tool for learning how everything works...and can be set to alert you if a parameter you wish to monitor is exceeded. It’s nice to know, perhaps that something is wrong and your batteries are discharging...before coming out to a dead coach and needed to replace them perhaps.

[Rvlegaleagle]

The "ME-AGS-N" is one of the reasons I am thinking of just stay all magnum. I do believe the Magnums do have the temp sense wire as well

BUT that display is really cool even if just in the coach...are you watching Magnum...lol

[rfg9585]

I was using the specs for my panels in the pt-100 calculator and it gave me a red flag message that I had 2 few modules in series. I planned on doing pair of "2 panels in series", totaling 4. Do I need to change my design or is this a real issue? If real issue please advise....

PS thought I'd start with 4 panels but have 2 more to add if that is required.

Electrical Data
Maximum Power Output: 200 Watts - 226.922 watts
Max Operating Voltage (Vmpp): 21.052Volts - 20.605volts
Max Operating Current (Imp): 9.50Amps - 11.013 amps
Open Circuit Voltage (Voc): 24.335Volts
Short Circuit Current (Isc): 9.87 Amps - 11.75amps
Module Efficiency: 17.3% -20.5%

[C.Martin]

Earlier manuals for the PT-100 didn’t have that limitation. They found out later that if the Vmpp wasn’t high enough, the controller couldn’t maintain max power point. So it gives you a fault. They updated the manual. Now, the strings have to be larger... The system will still work, but not as efficiently...and with a nuisance fault code. I would bump up the panel count per string to rid yourself of the headache.

[rfg9585]

Hey Charlie,


You mentioned earlier in this thread that I should get a 150\100 victron controller. Just double checking with your thoughts on this. An Az solar company just told me I should get a 250\100 because the VOC of 24.3 was too close to 150 for 6 panels. What do you think given their comments?