No. of Solar Panels.

[Craig]

I don't know what happened with your plasmatronics Terry but I did not have to do a complete shut down reboot to get going again. When the fuse and holder burnt out, the system simply shut down until I replaced the fuse with the "short stop" breaker. I did heed you warning back then and ensured the PL20 had not lost all it's custom settings and it had not.
The point you make about why you like a fuse is the reason for selecting the semi auto breaker (which requires you to disconnect from power to reset) or the manual reset (you know it's blown and you know you need to find out why and reset everything).

[Greynomad]

For my future information (as I am likely to replace the stupid regulator W'bago fitted) what is the BRAND/MAKE/origin of the PL20 and PL40 discussed with gay abandon on this & other fora?

And what's the diff between the PL20 and PL40?

[SteveW]

You can even ask a question here and get the answer to a question you haven't thought of yet.

[T1 Terry]

For my future information (as I am likely to replace the stupid regulator W'bago fitted) what is the BRAND/MAKE/origin of the PL20 and PL40 discussed with gay abandon on this & other fora?

And what's the diff between the PL20 and PL40?

Plasmatronics are the manufacturer, a Victorian company so they are locally made. The PL20 has a max internal charging input and load capacity of 20 amps and it can be set for 12v, 24v or 48v... not sure about 36v, might be possible with high range settings on the 24v scale or low range on the 48v scale. A PL40 can internally handle 40 amps of charging but only 7 amps of load, more lights and relay driving. A PL60 can internally handle 60 amps of charging, not sure about the load capacity, probably 7 amps as well.
There is a new model called the Dingo, same capacities as the PL20 but operates by switching the positive where the PL series switch the negative.
I mentioned their internal capacity because all the models have the ability to switch external relays with 3 separate programmable systems, we use them to switch 100amp solid state relays, as many multiples as you need, so a PL20 or Dingo really has unlimited capacity charging and load switching control, all at either PWM speed or slow switch with the hysteresis (the difference between the switch off voltage and switch on voltage) also being programmable.
They accommodate a number of plug ins, link a shunt adapter, so the unit can record how much went in and out of the battery, more than one shunt if you want to know the systems total input and total output rather than just what went in or out of the battery, there is a computer interface plug and a remote control plug in that can be driven from phone if you need that sort of thing.

Sounds like sales pitch eh I only wish it was my company, brilliant bits of engineering in a relatively small package, a push button programmable master control unit and battery monitor or system monitor all in one.

[shonky]

Hi, all.

Last Resort - our bus has 2x135w panels and 2x120amp AGM batteries.The installer informed us that this was just right all year round in sunny conditions, and for reserve power we acquired a generator last week- a 2kw blue one from weedbay. Now before the genny arrived we'd collected our third panel, a 140w job at the right price also from weedbay, and there we were at Apple Tree Creek three weeks ago which is a beautiful spot apart from one niggling problem. The two roof panels were next to useless. Tried moving the bus around to avoid any shadow from the gumtrees, but to no avail. Then after three nights borrowing power from neighbouring genset owners we observed a caravaner with a folding panel set up on the grass. Had a chat to him over a coffee, then set up my 140w panel against the back bumper at 0900 and received 8 amps immediately and for the next five hours. Simple reason - the sun goes up in the northeast and sets in the northwest, without going over the bus atall.
Last Friday I disconnected the bus from mains power and shot up to Maroochydore School - a great spot for xxxx chapters to have the occasional weekend or school holiday. Saturday afternoon the solar controller showed a charging rate of 11.8v and the maximum input until then was 5amps for a very short time with 410watts of solar panel. on the roof. We then plugged into mains power, experiment over, and can't wait to receive the folding panel I ordered last week for $60. Our intention is to freecamp the bus pointing South until next October and have the folder strung up above the back window. My suggestion would be if acquiring extra panels set them up with an Anderson plug and put them on the grass. Our folding panel will, when travelling, be stored under the dinett table with Mrs shonky's twintub washing machine. Easy.
FYI my Morningstar 30amp Solar Controller can handle an overload of 20% and AGM batteries can handle a 15 to 20% charge i.e. 240amps of battery can handle 30 to 35amps no problem, as against 240amps of deep cell batteries which would prefer a 10% charge of say 25amps, according to the Internet yesterday.
BTW at the Camping and caravan Show in Brissy last week folding solars were for sale with 4mm cabling - more than enough. Yeah right. I'll be following the advice of me good mate at Apple Tree Creek by wiring up the panels with 6mm and bypassing the inbuilt controller. The Morningstar needs a workout.

[TigerMK1]

Well Shonky, not sure what panels you have, I have 7 thats right 7 panels, 3 old ones, 3 newer ones and a very new one. They power our Lithuim Battery that powers our inverter that then feeds our domestic fridge, satellite TV etc. In the mornings we also use the induction stove. Never have used a generator. About late morning the battery monitor switches the solar energy to heat the hot water. How good is that.

[Craig]

Hi Shonky,

What do you need the fold up panel for? 410 watts of solar is about the same as I run and I thought we were heavy power users (2 tv's, 2 computers, lights, sat, water pump etc.). I don't understand your charging rate of 11.8 volts. Was the 5 amps you quote what the panels were putting in per hour or what you received over the period you were testing them? Sounds like you still have a problem. You should be seeing in excess of 22 amps coming in when the conditions are at their best.

[Craig]

Well Shonky, not sure what panels you have, I have 7 thats right 7 panels, 3 old ones, 3 newer ones and a very new one. They power our Lithuim Battery that powers our inverter that then feeds our domestic fridge, satellite TV etc. In the mornings we also use the induction stove. Never have used a generator. About late morning the battery monitor switches the solar energy to heat the hot water. How good is that.

So, what is your point. Are you trying to help or show off?

[T1 Terry]

Hi Shonky,
From your 270w of solar you should be getting around 15 amps in good sun, so something is wrong. Are the panels wired seperately with a run all the way down to the controller? You could try disconnecting one panel at a time to see if one panel isn't working. I'm guessing your Morningstar regulator is a PWM type and not an MPPT type as you plan to run the portable panel back to the controller.
I have 4 x 100w folding panels I connect to a 10 mtr length of 6B&S cable, Anderson plugs each end, an adapter plug consisting of 4 lengths of 6mm auto cable in each 50 amp Anderson plug terminal with MC4 connectors on the open end so the leads from the portables can plug straight in. The Anderson plug on the towbar is wired to the house battery charging system. It works very well when we stop long enough during the sunlight hrs to put the panels out, but i really need to put panels on the roof as well so they can be charging while I drive or when we are parked up sight seeing or shopping.

[shonky]

Hi, all

Craig&Tiger Mk 1- the day in question was lightly overcast, not ordinarily a problem, but coupled with the sun at a low angle meant the panels weren't working very hard, and the input voltage was dropping steadily through the day. We have received 13.4v and 15.5amps in summer.
Just found this article which is more articulate than the writer's...
http://www.macslab.com/optsolar.html
The original panels were the best (most expensive) at the time of purchase whereas the third one was from weedbay for around $170.

Mrs shonky asked if your bus was lying on it's side in the Arctic Circle - but she's continually being admonished for her facetious slant on things. Dunno where she gets it from. (Slant on things, gettit?