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  1. dlichterman

    Scope creep on replacing solar charge controller

    Cool - yeah I have a Y connector thing right now, that I will just remove and hook up the connectors as such and it should just work! Where's amazon! I'm antsy to get it set up!
  2. dlichterman

    Scope creep on replacing solar charge controller

    When you say splicing - do you mean just hooking up 2 of the connectors from the panels together with the other two going to the charge controller? I don't need to do anything crazy right?
  3. dlichterman

    Scope creep on replacing solar charge controller

    Based on their website it seems they do have them. So it seems that I should switch to wire them both in series to the new controller. https://www.renogy.com/renogy-100-watt-12-volt-monocrystalline-solar-panel/ I guess with the new controller I'll be able to see the voltage and charge rate...
  4. dlichterman

    Scope creep on replacing solar charge controller

    How do I tell what bypass diodes I have? I'm guessing I'd need to open up the box on the back of the panel and look for something that appears diode like?
  5. dlichterman

    Scope creep on replacing solar charge controller

    Well, I was able to see the issue again today, and saw 21 volts at the charge controller, but it sure wasn't charging! So, a new one is on the way. I guess based on the sun I'm able to get, I will swap between series and parallel. Went with the Victron 100/20 as it has the larger heatsink on the...
  6. dlichterman

    Scope creep on replacing solar charge controller

    Right - I was just using open circuit as the max that it could possibly see as a comparison to the max rating. I'm still not sure what to do - it seems like maybe I need to be in parallel sometimes and series sometimes - which is easy enough to change the wiring up there. But the 100/20 Victron...
  7. dlichterman

    Scope creep on replacing solar charge controller

    Do you mean less shade tolerance like if one panel is shaded? Not just an overcast day?
  8. dlichterman

    Scope creep on replacing solar charge controller

    Well I unplugged the solar panels to check the voltages, and when I plugged them back in, it started working again :/ Some of the newer units that have BT or a remote display are what interest me as the charge controller is buried in the front(back?) of the bed of the truck behind the battery...
  9. dlichterman

    Scope creep on replacing solar charge controller

    Oh lord, yeah duh its same amps at higher voltage. That's what I get for trying to post during my lunch haha. But seems like that means the lower rated controllers will be fine if I go series, and heck it'd even work in parallel, though it would be close to the max amps.
  10. dlichterman

    Scope creep on replacing solar charge controller

    So I think my sunsaver pwm charge controller is acting up - I noticed my 12V deep cycle battery wasn't getting charged under full sun. I am going to start probing wires this afternoon when I get home from work, but I've been thinking about switching to a MPPT controller to get that efficiency...
  11. dlichterman

    How to make a cheap isolated dual-battery setup for $50

    There is never any harm in increasing the wire gauge or a solenoid that can handle more power. But you might want to do the math and figure out how many amps will actually be traveling through to see if it's even worth upgrading as the copper isn't cheap.
  12. dlichterman

    How to make a cheap isolated dual-battery setup for $50

    Can confirm, the Harbor Freight hydraulic crimper is not completely terrible.
  13. dlichterman

    Show us your Toyota 4runner, tacoma or truck.

    I've got them on my 1st gen Tundra as well and I love them
  14. dlichterman

    How to make a cheap isolated dual-battery setup for $50

    I've been meaning to do something like that to make a nice set of jumper cables
  15. dlichterman

    How to make a cheap isolated dual-battery setup for $50

    Gotcha - I have a similar setup. So yes - you will need a second +12 running to the solenoid, but you can share the ground - so just +12V to the switch and out to the solenoid. If it has a light on the switch it might require slightly different wiring and you'll need to check the instructions.
  16. dlichterman

    How to make a cheap isolated dual-battery setup for $50

    TO answer a few of your questions - yes - the small connections on the isolator one needs to be +12V and the other to ground. Are you going to use the switch to control joining, or tie into an existing circuit(I see an add a circuit there)? I'm not sure how you plan to use the switch. As far as...
  17. dlichterman

    How to make a cheap isolated dual-battery setup for $50

    The size of the solenoid should be the max amount of current you expect to be actually handled. I picked a 200A/300A surge 10s solenoid so that I could self jump(which has come in handy).
  18. dlichterman

    How to make a cheap isolated dual-battery setup for $50

    If you follow that image and tie into the fuel pump or ignition system circuits, you'd be joining on start already - which might be bad because it could hide when your starting battery is going bad - that's why I did the timed relay.
  19. dlichterman

    How to make a cheap isolated dual-battery setup for $50

    No, you need a 3 position switch with On - Off - On or to tie it into something under the hood that would stay on when cranking. The solenoid needs power to join the batteries, not to isolate. I use a timed relay to delay the joining - so one position of the switch is automatic joining 10...
  20. dlichterman

    How to make a cheap isolated dual-battery setup for $50

    That's correct. That said, being able to override it and self jump is a really handy feature to have...
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