What needs meters?

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Kristalsdreamtrip

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When installing a 250w solar panel, a mppt controller (the little cheap $15 one from china), 5 lithium batteries (12v16ah), a 3000w inverter (1500 peak, not pure sine) and a dc-dc 20a charger, what needs a battery meter?
 
You're gonna need a better controller first.
I'm ashamed to admit I actually tried some of those.....and they either didn't work or ruined something far more valuable.

With all that other nice gear.....I wouldn't dare use that controller with it.

After that, a battery meter will show you how much you've put into the battery and how much you've taken out...and hopefully where you currently are (in terms of state of charge).  So between the inverter and battery is where I usually place mine.  Without an inverter, between the controller and battery.
 
Ok, I appreciate the advice about the mppt controller but most of my "nice gear" was donated or purchased extremely cheap second hand off fb. I'm hoping it all works lol. Do you know of a controller that is the cheapest but still may be reliable? I've pretty much used up all my funds on my build so far. I figured I would use the cheap one until I could replace it, or at least make sure everything works. I feel so far over my head. I thought "oh I'll get free power, just a solar panel and a couple batteries! Haha, boy was I wrong! I've almost got it all put together except the meters and the wiring from my alternator and ignition switch (that's frightening)
 
Check with HOWA, they receive donations of equipment and might have a real mppt controller for you. Make sure the controller is rated for 250W solar input.

There's links to HOWA on the main page, I'm sure someone will update this thread with more details.

Your $15 mppt controller is probably a cheap PWM controller. There were some posts about that scam a while ago.
 
you need a coulombmeter on the battery. Everything going in/out of the battery has to go through the coulombmeter. The lifepo4 battery you are using the resting voltage remains about the same 13.1 volts from 10 to 90 percent, so its impossible to gauge the battery level using voltage. The coulombmeter counts the amps going in and out of the battery. For instance if you use 20 amps today, you know tommorow you have to put 20 amps back in. I use the tk15 coulombmeter, on amazon (50a model) they are around 60 dollars, on ebay you can find them for less then 30 but are ship from china, if its speedpak shipping you might get in less then 2 weeks.

tk15 couloumb.jpg



To get maximun amps from your panel you need a "true" mppt controller, if you can put a picture on your post we can get an idea if it is really an mppt or a pwm controller. An mppt controller will get about 12 amps of charge power from your panel, a pwm controller will only get 6 amps of charge power. For right now you  might get away with a pwm controller but when winter comes, you need to extract every ounce of amps from your solar panel. A true mppt will be large and heavy with metal heatsinks, a pwm will be smaller and be mostly plastic. The victron 75/15 mppt is what alot of people use, its in the 100 dollar range. On youtube you can see reviews of different mppt controllers.



If you had the money the makeskyblue 60a mppt (cost 130) is what I recommend and I used and tested it with both a 240 panel and also a 365 panel. I recommend the 50a or 60a models because they are the only ones that advertised having a feature to deal with bms activation (it won't produce voltage surges). I learrned the hard way about voltage surges from solar controllers and lithium batteries.



One other place I use a meter is between the controller and battery, I use a bright LED, the reason is so you can read it in daylight and from a distance. With this meter it tells you what the voltage and amps going into your battery. Extremely useful and very easy to see how your solar system and battery are performing. I been using a 90 volt 30 amp combometer (20 dollars on ebay) for the past 8 years, I never turned it off. The coulombmeter will tell you the same information but you need to be right next to it to read it. Also the combometer doesnt require a shunt, very easy to install.

xt60 connector large b a.jpg



I would probably also get a smaller inverter in the 200 watt range to run smaller devices like laptops etc, the 1500 watt inverter consumes too much power when at idle or running small devices. 1500 watts is only to turn on to run your large device and turn off as soon as your done.
 

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You can try the cheap one. But the thing is, you kinda have to know what you're doing because if it overcharges the batteries it can ruin them real quick.
I would keep a very close eye on it and if the voltage goes over 15volts at ANY time I'd disconnect it and recheck everything.
It should keep the batteries at about 13.5v each and the bank in parallel, or around 27v if you connect the batteries in series.

There is a Renogy Wanderer on Amazon for $30 that is probably a little better than those $15.00 ones.
If yours says "MPPT Solar" on the front of it, and it's blue....I would RUN from it.
 
Johnny, I have a Xantrex C40 PWM controller in my van and I get 10Amps from 2, 100watt solar panels in parallel all day long and twice on Sunday.

A decent PWM controller for that one panel might be better than a real cheap MPPT controller.

Just sayin.
 
Oh wow, thanks guys. So much to know. Yes my controller is that blue one so I won't connect it. I think I have both those type meters. One needs the shunt and the other has the shunt built in, one gives like 6 different readings and the other only 4. I have yet to read the manuals on them but I will. I guess I'll need to figure out which one will go where. I also have a couple little meters that just give the battery level only. I'll try to go back and figure out how to add a pic here. You all are so great to have here. I wish one of lived near memphis ?.
 
I can buy the Renogy PWM controller for you.

My solar was installed at the 2018 van build and I’ve been able to upgrade my panels & batteries as I could afford to with the help of a friend (who has no knowledge of this stuff). I am so thankful this was possible because of the great install they did.

I can’t physically pay it forward, but I can do that. Just add it to your wishlist on Amazon and PM me a link. I’ve been trying to help people when I can with some of my stimulus money.

Happy travels!


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wow very generous of you sub2rainEN. good karma headed your way. where's that like button. Highdesertranger
 
Thanks HDR! I am paying it forward. 2-3 guys worked on my van for free all day — the RV place my neighbor suggested charges 175/hr! The team did a great job on the install. One was an electrical engineer, Lee, whose van tour video had over 500k views on Jamie’s channel. I really lucked out!

Yeah, where did that button go?


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If you have a good charge controller, I don’t think you need any other meters, it has all the information on it, at least that I use, it tells me the voltage of the battery along with a bunch of other things that I don’t understand. It is simple! you need a battery, a fuse, a charge controller, a fuse, a solar panel, that’s how I see it. I have a $ 14.00 110volt cigarette lighter inverter that I use to plug my vcr into, computer and the battery charger for my tools everything else is 12 volt.
 
Sub2rainen, You are a sweety thanks so much for the offer. I did buy an inexpensive one that got great reviews. We will see. If it doesn't work, I may take u up on it. Thanks so much. ?
 
Kristalsdreamtrip said:
Sub2rainen, You are a sweety thanks so much for the offer. I did buy an inexpensive one that got great reviews. We will see. If it doesn't work, I may take u up on it. Thanks so much. ?


You’re welcome! Let me know. Just paying what I’ve received forward.


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