Connectors and wires

smoothisfast
smoothisfast Registered Users Posts: 16 ✭✭
in Solar Beginners Corner #1
I'm putting together my first portable solar project and need some help.

Here is what I have.
15w solar panel
12.8v 4500mah LiFePO4
Charger controller for LiFePO4

I want to make it plug and play with goalzero and powerfilm accessories. This way I don't have to make too many custom cables.
I may add more 15w panels and switch it out with a powerfilm folding panel when I use it camping.


Where can I buy the following connectors?
What kind of connecters does powerfilm use in the picture below?
Attachment not found.

How about the goalzero 4.7mm connectors
Attachment not found.

I think the wire is 18 awg. What rating should I get for this project?
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Comments

  • Photowhit
    Photowhit Solar Expert Posts: 6,011 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #2
    Re: Connectors and wires

    You can find connectors, or make something that will work, but I'm curious what type of charge controller do you have? Something designed to charge from a car battery perhaps, but the voltage would be to low... It would open intersting areas for small portable systems.

    FWIW - I might have recomended a 'total loss' system with a SLA battery that worked for me with a slightly smaller system, 10 watt panel and 2 V batteries charged in series and used in parallel, I used this for 8 months and it worked for my needs on a bicycle trip. I think if I was going to do it today, I would have gone with NiMN batteries some of which can tolerate a c/8 charge rate without harm.
    Home system 4000 watt (Evergreen) array standing, with 2 Midnite Classic Lites,  Midnite E-panel, Magnum MS4024, Prosine 1800(now backup) and Exeltech 1100(former backup...lol), 660 ah 24v Forklift battery(now 10 years old). Off grid for 20 years (if I include 8 months on a bicycle).
    - Assorted other systems, pieces and to many panels in the closet to not do more projects.
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  • Photowhit
    Photowhit Solar Expert Posts: 6,011 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #3
    Re: Connectors and wires

    Power film has an Amazon store front Here.

    You might bale on their specialty connectors and use more typical connectors, it would mean clipping theirs and voiding any warranty.
    Home system 4000 watt (Evergreen) array standing, with 2 Midnite Classic Lites,  Midnite E-panel, Magnum MS4024, Prosine 1800(now backup) and Exeltech 1100(former backup...lol), 660 ah 24v Forklift battery(now 10 years old). Off grid for 20 years (if I include 8 months on a bicycle).
    - Assorted other systems, pieces and to many panels in the closet to not do more projects.
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  • smoothisfast
    smoothisfast Registered Users Posts: 16 ✭✭
    #4
    Re: Connectors and wires
    Photowhit wrote: »
    Power film has an Amazon store front Here.

    You might bale on their specialty connectors and use more typical connectors, it would mean clipping theirs and voiding any warranty.

    Here is the controller i'm using

    http://www.batteryspace.com/Charge-Controller-120W-12V/24V-Auto-Detection-10A-Rate-for-SLA-or-LFP.aspx

    I hope the specs make more sense to you then me.
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  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    #5
    Re: Connectors and wires

    :confused:What part of the controller's specs don't you understand? It's a very straight-forward PWM type controller that can be used with either 12 or 24 Volt systems up to 10 Amps output.

    Your single 15 Watt panel will never come close to that. Perhaps 1 Amp maximum.
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  • paulskirocks
    paulskirocks Solar Expert Posts: 84 ✭✭✭✭
    #6
    Re: Connectors and wires

    They mention that the battery needs to be greater than 7 Ah, and you say yours is 4.5 Ah... Wonder if this may be a problem... Also, I wonder if that controller can deal with as low as 15 watts...
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  • smoothisfast
    smoothisfast Registered Users Posts: 16 ✭✭
    #7
    Re: Connectors and wires
    Cariboocoot wrote: »
    :confused:What part of the controller's specs don't you understand? It's a very straight-forward PWM type controller that can be used with either 12 or 24 Volt systems up to 10 Amps output.

    Your single 15 Watt panel will never come close to that. Perhaps 1 Amp maximum.

    For one the low voltage protection. The charge controller cuts off at 11.1V however the battery has its own PCB that has a over discharge cuts off at 8.0V

    this is the battery i'm using
    http://www.batteryspace.com/lifepo418650battery128v4050mah5184wh7aratewpcb.aspx

    Is the Controller too conservative for 12.8V LiFePO4?

    and what does this mean
    Self Discharge rate <= 6 mA
    Charging voltage drop < 0.26V
    Discharging voltage drop < 0.15V
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  • smoothisfast
    smoothisfast Registered Users Posts: 16 ✭✭
    #8
    Re: Connectors and wires
    paulskirocks wrote: »
    They mention that the battery needs to be greater than 7 Ah, and you say yours is 4.5 Ah... Wonder if this may be a problem... Also, I wonder if that controller can deal with as low as 15 watts...

    I notice that after I purchased everything. I will have to call batteryspace and ask them Wednesday to see why the charge controller has to have a 7Ah or larger battery.
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  • smoothisfast
    smoothisfast Registered Users Posts: 16 ✭✭
    #9
    Re: Connectors and wires
    smoothisfast wrote: »
    I notice that after I purchased everything. I will have to call batteryspace and ask them Wednesday to see why the charge controller has to have a 7Ah or larger battery.


    Just got off the phone with them. The explanation was that the max solar power you can use with this controller is "12-17V < 170W" and at 17V that is 10Ah. A 7Ah battery would be the minimum required for 170W solar panel setup.

    Using 15W solar panel with 4.5Ah battery is not a problem.

    I think the problem with charging a 4.5Ah battery with 170W of solar is the rate of charger being too high at 10 Ah, right?
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  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,654 admin
    #10
    Re: Connectors and wires

    It depends on your needs... Small batteries tend not to have very long life anyway. And if is AGM type--it could take very high charging/discharging current. If GEL, then you normally want the maximum current to be 5% maximum (C/20) which usually make GEL batteries not a good fit for solar (you need to charge faster when you only have a few hours of sun per day).

    If your loads are during daylight (working outdoors and needing portable power) you can use a larger panel for supplying the power and a small battery just to stabilize the power and provide short burst of surge current.

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
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  • Photowhit
    Photowhit Solar Expert Posts: 6,011 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #11
    Re: Connectors and wires

    Bill this started with him charging a LiFe battery, I think they can take up to c/1 rate!

    So I think he's got the right idea.
    Home system 4000 watt (Evergreen) array standing, with 2 Midnite Classic Lites,  Midnite E-panel, Magnum MS4024, Prosine 1800(now backup) and Exeltech 1100(former backup...lol), 660 ah 24v Forklift battery(now 10 years old). Off grid for 20 years (if I include 8 months on a bicycle).
    - Assorted other systems, pieces and to many panels in the closet to not do more projects.
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  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,654 admin
    #12
    Re: Connectors and wires

    Photowhit,

    You are right--it all blurs together sometimes..

    -Bill :blush:
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
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