Using charge controller as voltage meter

simmtron
simmtron Solar Expert Posts: 87 ✭✭✭
in Solar Beginners Corner #1
I have a motorhome with a non working MPV-22 charge controller mounted beside the fridge. As the inputs on the circuit board on the panel side are toast, I was thinking of using the controller as a voltage meter only. I have installed the new controller 1 1/2 feet (instead of 18 feet as was installed by the solar retailer) from the batteries in a seperate compartment I would like to be able to check the voltage from inside the RV. The readout does work, and I would connect a wire directly from the batteries to the battery inputs of the charge controller with a fuse between. Does anyone know of a reason this couldn't be done? What wire size would be reccommended? It wire would be about 13 feet long. I can't see a big voltage drop as there is no current going from the charge controller.
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  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #2
    Re: Using charge controller as voltage meter

    If you are sure you can absorb the constant drain from the "meter" being on, I'm fine with it. Better fuse it with 1 amp fuse, in case the rest of the controller decides to fail.
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  • simmtron
    simmtron Solar Expert Posts: 87 ✭✭✭
    #3
    Re: Using charge controller as voltage meter

    The display is a LCD display no lights, it was always ON beforeand I never saw a drain from it overnight so that should be OK. Problem is we live in Mexico now and trying to get meters at a reasonable cost is difficult.
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