Solar Panels/battery banks/inverter

[vas]

If I have to get a proper MPPT Controller what would be a decent brand at a realistic price?
My panels are Renogy so maybe I'll stick with Renogy A 30A Renogy Controller costs $150 (I hope I don't blow that up)

(I'd prefer not to buy Chinese)

a victron MPPT? either BT or not, most likely the "not" will be cheaper but tbh it's interesting and helps in understanding how this solar power works if you can connect to your phone with the victron app and watch hourly performance and a lot of other things.
Not to mention that you can configure from the phone app the exact specs of your batteries (if you do have specs from the manufacturer)

 

[pvb]

My panels are Renogy so maybe I'll stick with Renogy A 30A Renogy Controller costs $150 (I hope I don't blow that up)

(I'd prefer not to buy Chinese)

Did you notice the address at the bottom of Renogy's main website? It's
SU ZHOU RONG GUI XIN NENG YUAN KE JI YOU XIAN GONG SI, SU ZHOU GAO XIN QU,
KE JI CHENG, PEI YUAN LU 1 HAO, 5 HAO LOU - 4 - 401 (1)

Suzhou is a city in China, just west of Shanghai, which has a lot of high-tech manufacturing companies.

 

[coopec]

Did you notice the address at the bottom of Renogy's main website? It's
SU ZHOU RONG GUI XIN NENG YUAN KE JI YOU XIAN GONG SI, SU ZHOU GAO XIN QU,
KE JI CHENG, PEI YUAN LU 1 HAO, 5 HAO LOU - 4 - 401 (1)

Suzhou is a city in China, just west of Shanghai, which has a lot of high-tech manufacturing companies.

I suppose that is inevitable these days. ?

Maybe I'll go for a Victron 15A (Now don't tell me they are made in China!)

 

[pvb]

Maybe I'll go for a Victron 15A (Now don't tell me they are made in China!)

Some Victron products may well be. As I recall, my Victron charger was made in India.

 

[coopec]

Some Victron products may well be. As I recall, my Victron charger was made in India.

The lower amperage Victron controllers are quite cheap ($107). I suppose "Current output 11-19A" is a realistic size? (As others have said you can have a second controller but being a ketch I am limited in the number of panels I can have anyway)

 

[lustyd]

So much anti-China rhetoric on this thread. The simple fact is that if you buy goods that are significantly cheaper than expected then you're probably being ripped off, regardless of the country of origin. China is no exception, but that in no way suggests it's an issue with China specifically, there are plenty of people everywhere trying to rip off other people. The vast majority of goods come from China, including high end goods. Avoiding Chinese made goods is pointless and will make your life very hard, and ranting about it on the Internet just adds to the weird anti-China propaganda that seems to be getting more and more common.

 

[coopec]

So much anti-China rhetoric on this thread. The simple fact is that if you buy goods that are significantly cheaper than expected then you're probably being ripped off, regardless of the country of origin. China is no exception, but that in no way suggests it's an issue with China specifically, there are plenty of people everywhere trying to rip off other people. The vast majority of goods come from China, including high end goods. Avoiding Chinese made goods is pointless and will make your life very hard, and ranting about it on the Internet just adds to the weird anti-China propaganda that seems to be getting more and more common.

Thank you for your advice!

After you've been ripped off a few times by Chinese sellers on eBay you tend to become a bit cynical. (Of course I'm not the only one that has been scammed). Thankfully few Chinese sellers are listed on eBay searches these days. That suit me!

dishonest Chinese sellers eBay community - Google Search

 

[lustyd]

After you've been ripped off a few times by Chinese sellers on eBay

How did you find out the race of the seller? Did they proactively list it, or did you hire a private eye to track them down? I have no idea the background of the sellers I deal with on Ebay. I certainly know which ones were ripping me off, or likely to, but I've never seen a particular link to race or ethnicity, just to them being gits.

 

[coopec]

How did you find out the race of the seller? Did they proactively list it, or did you hire a private eye to track them down? I have no idea the background of the sellers I deal with on Ebay. I certainly know which ones were ripping me off, or likely to, but I've never seen a particular link to race or ethnicity, just to them being gits.

Seriously?

With respect, can I ask you to read the link below? CHINA CRACKDOWN ON COUNTERFEIT GOODS






China Crackdown on Counterfeit Goods yields 37,000 Cases in 2020 - China Legal News - China Justice Observer

 

[William_H]

I always wondered how Chinese Ebay people can send stuff free postage from China. it seems Australia Post are expected to deliver the parcel for nothing. I notice now Ebay are charging 10% GST (read VAT) fro Oz buyers. OK I guess.
Some lithium batteries (Ultrafire) are really bad. Yes I recognised the solar controller. I bought one for a 24volt system. Yes it dropped dead. Probably becuase I disconnected the battery. yes claimed to be MPPT but clearly is not. An MPPT controller will have a very obvious large coil (transformer) inside. ol'will

 

[coopec]

Under the rules of the Universal Postal Union (UPU) governments are allowed to subsidize postage in developing countries such as Berkina Faso, Benin and China, Singapore etc. ( China maintains it is still a Developing Nation)

I've been trying to find an article which explains the fiasco perfectly but have been unable to. I think what President Trump was doing was addressing the issue. Also I wonder why it takes Australia Post 2-3 months to deliver a parcel from China. From memory the subsidized postage parcels don't get any priority at all and only get handled when normal mail has been delivered (maybe Australia Post is playing to the rules?)

Trump moves to end postal subsidies to China

China is now addressing the issue of phony products marketed under Trade names as Uniden, Makita .......

Behind the counterfeit goods industry in modern China | Daxue Consulting

In future I will think twice about buying anything electrical from China

 

[coopec]

This morning I checked the batteries and found they were flat. I couldn't understand why but now I'm beginning to understand the problem :
I'm not sure why I need a "load" like a light or fan or bilge pump. What is the purpose?
The light is on during the day while the sun is shining but why is the light on at night?
The power to run the light must be coming from the battery.
Therefore there can't be diodes in the PWM controller (Badged as MPPT)
Therefore I must insert a diode on the positive lead to the battery.
As my PWM controller is 50A I need a 50A diode?

How am I going or am I completely screwed up?

 

[PaulRainbow]

What light is on and what do you have connected to the load terminals.

 

[coopec]

What light is on and what do you have connected to the load terminals.

Thanks Paul
Apparently my MPPT controller is a PWM and I think you confirmed that.

The load light was on night and day (until I disconnected the battery)
The light is a flood light and the sort of light you'd mount on a 4WD. The product code is EG-QPLB01018F2

2 X 5inch Cree LED Work Light Flush Mount Flood Spot Reverse Lamp | eBay

 

[vas]

Thanks Paul
Apparently my MPPT controller is a PWM and I think you confirmed that.

The load light was on night and day (until I disconnected the battery)
The light is a flood light and the sort of light you'd mount on a 4WD. The product code is EG-QPLB01018F2

2 X 5inch Cree LED Work Light Flush Mount Flood Spot Reverse Lamp | eBay
View attachment 121076

My understanding (may be wrong though) is that it's not necessary to have. a load on, what happens if you disconnect this lamp thing? Will the batteries still charge?

 

[coopec]

You could well be right.

But what the hell is it for anyway? I'd rather not use it.

 

[PaulRainbow]

You could well be right.

But what the hell is it for anyway? I'd rather not use it.

In post #6 i said "i'd ignore the load terminals and just connect the panels and batteries, wire everything else up as normal. "

No need to use the load terminals. Their purpose varies from controller to controller, forget them.

 

[coopec]

In post #6 i said "i'd ignore the load terminals and just connect the panels and batteries, wire everything else up as normal. "

No need to use the load terminals. Their purpose varies from controller to controller, forget them.

Well I blew the last one up by not following their instructions. If I blow up this one by not using the load terminals I'll go out and buy a Victron and heave this piece of fake badged Chinese junk in the bin.

Thanks Paul

China Product Cloning And The Death Of ‘First To Market’

 

[Alex_Blackwood]

Well I blew the last one up by not following their instructions. If I blow up this one by not using the load terminals I'll go out and buy a Victron and heave this piece of fake badged Chinese junk in the bin.

Thanks Paul

China Product Cloning And The Death Of ‘First To Market’

If you really feel the need to use the "load" terminals then fit a switch or sensor(PIR) so that the light is only on when needed!

 

[coopec]

If you really feel the need to use the "load" terminals then fit a switch or sensor(PIR) so that the light is only on when needed!

Thanks Alex.

I watched a video on

"How To Use or Setup 40A 100A Fake Mppt Solar Regulator"
and if my fake MPPT works the same as the one in the video I can program how long it is on for. As I see it if I wanted deck lights to be on at night for security I could program to have the light on at night only. AND If I don't want to use the load function I can switch it off.