Critique my solar charger/battery monitor setup?

[Bayou Boy]

I've been subscribed to this guy for a while. This is a new video from him, relevant to this thread.

I’m finally watching this video...wow! So much dangerous and wrong with that setup. Just wow.

Charging through a cigarette plug. No wonder he only got 12 amps. Using the male end of a 30 amp 110v plug for his charging feed so he has live bare leads hanging out there. ******?!

Just don’t do any of that. None of it.


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[john61ct]

90% of info on YT is absolute crap, very poor way to learn unless specifically for procedures hard to explain via text.

And specifically pointed to by members you know are to be trusted.

 

[john61ct]

To figure wire gauges, just use Blue Sea Circuit Wizard, not really a matter of opinion use objective data.

Use the two-way actual distance measured with a hose, and round up in size from their reco.

 

[Buddha.]

I’m finally watching this video...wow! So much dangerous and wrong with that setup. Just wow.

Charging through a cigarette plug. No wonder he only got 12 amps. Using the male end of a 30 amp 110v plug for his charging feed so he has live bare leads hanging out there. ******?!

Just don’t do any of that. None of it.


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Cigarette plug Are you talking about at 6:00? He used a trolling motor plug which is good for something like 40 amps.

As for the 30 amp 110v plug, he's using it for 12v. He's using it because he had it and it nice sized wire and it works for him but if someone plugged that into a actual 110 30amp outlet that would be a real problem!

 

[Bayou Boy]

Cigarette plug Are you talking about at 6:00? He used a trolling motor plug which is good for something like 40 amps.

As for the 30 amp 110v plug, he's using it for 12v. He's using it because he had it and it nice sized wire and it works for him but if someone plugged that into a actual 110 30amp outlet that would be a real problem!

I have one of those plugs. It’s not a trolling motor plug. It’s a Marino 12v outlet. A locking cig lighter plug. The Marinco TM plugs have a flat face and 4 curved prongs and are absolute junk.


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[DaveInDenver]

Cigarette plug Are you talking about at 6:00? He used a trolling motor plug which is good for something like 40 amps.

Not defending the Youtube guy generally but if what he's using is Marinco ConnectPro like this then it seems alright. But I don't have any first hand experience with them. They're at least sealed, locking and self cleaning, which is better than a lot of things people use. I prefer crimped terminations over screws, though.

 

[Bayou Boy]

Not defending the Youtube guy generally but if what he's using is Marinco ConnectPro like this then it seems alright. But I don't have any first hand experience with them. They're at least sealed, locking and self cleaning, which is better than a lot of things people use. I prefer crimped terminations over screws, though.


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Those are junk. Do a search for them on any boating forum. They are junk. The way the wires connect is insecure and the actual connection is not very positive. I have seen a ton of these melted due to those two issues. Also, they corrode very easily.

If you are going to use a trolling motor plug, the Battery Tender plug is the only one to use.


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[DaveInDenver]

Even worse is when somebody cobbs something together and ”it works”. Despite it may perfprm poorly or even be outright dangerous, Its sealed in their mind thats the way its to be done.

I had fingers crossed. Attempting to use an old solar controller as a DC-DC charger isn't something you see many people document on YT. Has the potential to be interesting, especially if it's MPPT.

Those are junk. Do a search for them on any boating forum. They are junk. The way the wires connect is insecure and the actual connection is not very positive. I have seen a ton of these melted due to those two issues. Also, they corrode very easily.

If you are going to use a trolling motor plug, the Battery Tender plug is the only one to use.

I don't doubt what you're saying. I like the idea of the twist lock and seal over cigarette plugs that you usually see is all.

I completely agree that Battery Tender trolling motor connections are good. They're 80A rated and it doesn't seem optimistic. I really like the thumb screw that holds it connected.
.

 

[john61ct]

any good connector will be rated

stock ciggie ports are an abortion

better versions maybe 5-7A or so

Andersons are my choice by default

And TE/Deutsch for when actual waterproofing is required

Some trolling motor connectors are OK but more proprietary, better to get in a standard crimper and extra supplies for whatever you choose.

 

[Buddha.]

So, an inverter in my truck and a 50' 120v extension cord to power my inverter.[EDIT: Converter*]

Two charge sources for the converter, the power from the dedicated outlet it's plugged into usually and the extension cord from the truck I'm adding. I could unplug the converter from one source and plug it into another every time I switch from shore to truck power, easy enough. The converter is not in an easily accessed area though. It's down low and behind a panel. Is there some kind of switch I could mount 3' away that I could manually switch between the sources?
I was thinking about a standard 3 way light switch but I'm just shooting in the dark here. https://www.amazon.com/Leviton-1453-2WM-Residential-Grounding-Quickwire/dp/B00176H34C/ref=sr_1_5?crid=1O4BNZ2A5TMO5&keywords=three+way+light+switch&qid=1582845695&s=hi&sprefix=three+way,tools,166&sr=1-5

 

[Justin Cook]

So, an inverter in my truck and a 50' 120 extension cord to power my inverter.

Two charge sources for the converter, the power from the dedicated outlet it's plugged into usually and the extension cord from the truck I'm adding. I could unplug the converter from one source and plug it into another every time I switch from shore to truck power, easy enough. The converter is not in an easily accessed area though. It's down low and behind a panel. Is there some kind of switch I could mount 3' away that where I could manually switch between the sources?
I was thinking about a standard 3 way light switch but I'm just shooting in the dark here. https://www.amazon.com/Leviton-1453-2WM-Residential-Grounding-Quickwire/dp/B00176H34C/ref=sr_1_5?crid=1O4BNZ2A5TMO5&keywords=three+way+light+switch&qid=1582845695&s=hi&sprefix=three+way,tools,166&sr=1-5

Yeah, I second @Verkstad: don't use that. The proper way to do this is either with something like this Blue Sea AC Source Selector panel or a rotary transfer switch like this Sterling 32A transfer switch or the Sterling 63A rotary transfer switch. Both of the Sterlings are overkill and have a 3rd position you don't need, but are much cheaper than the Blue Sea panels.

My links go to our website and there are very few manufacturers that we trust enough to distribute/recommend, so the selection I can personally present is very limited... I'm quite certain that you can find similar products elsewhere for likely less money, but just know what you're looking for and don't try to cobble something together - that's how systems and people get smoked.

 

[Buddha.]

Alright, I got the inverter installed. I ran 50' of 120v extension cord back to the converter.
Time for a test. I unplugged the converter and drew the batteries down to 85%(this took 3 hours with all lights on, three roof fans on and the furnace fun running continuous). I fired up the truck, turned the inverter on and plugged the converter into it. I saw a little over 30 amps for a few seconds and then it quickly dropped off to mid 20's and then low 20's in about a minute. It was at this point I heard a very high pitched buzz coming from the converter which I never heard before. I unplugged the converter and it stopped. I plugged the converter into shore power and the buzz started again. It was my intention to let the inverter charge the batteries back up but the high frequency buzz gave me a concern so I let it the converter charge off shore power, which it did just fine.

The inverter is advertised as "pure sine wave". Is this thing gonna damage my converter? Did it already damage my converter?

The converter. https://www.progressivedyn.com/rv/p...onverters/pd9260c-60-amp-rv-convertercharger/

Th inverter. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07T2GNHQM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Buddha.]

I also noticed my factory 6awg that connects my batteries to the converter 25' away is only the positive run. The negative is connected to the frame up by the batteries and the frame in the rear by the converter. Is this acceptable?

 

[Bayou Boy]

You could have bought 6AWG cable and a Redarc dc charger from the beginning and been done with this by now.

Just an observation for those coming across this in the future. Don’t try and reinvent the wheel.


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[luthj]

Get a volt meter on the AC and DC side. What is the DC voltage? AC voltage? If the aren't where they need to be, something could be wrong.