Another new guy with questions

Ponea

I have 5-100 watt panels, a 30 amp pcm controller, 3 deep cycle 12 v batteries and a 2000 watt inverter. I had planned on running the whole system at 12 volts. The distance between the panels and the controller is a about 50 feet. I had planned to use 10 gauge wire

DConlyGuy

well if you switched to a mppt controller it be no big deal about the 50 feet, as you can run much higher voltage and the mppt controller charge you 12 volt batterys

Raj174

Hi Ponea,

Running 5 pairs of #10 AWG will work. That will give you a 3% voltage drop which is normally acceptable.
However since you are paralleling more than 2 panels you need a circuit breaker on each positive line.
A combiner box would make that easy to do.

This is the combiner... 
https://www.solar-electric.com/mnpv6.html

This is a Midnite PV breaker that would work well for your needs...
https://www.solar-electric.com/midnite-solar-mnepv-12-amps-circuit-breaker.html

If you could, let us know the battery specs just to be sure the system is balanced, i. e. Is panel wattage sufficient to charge a given size battery bank capacity in amp hours.  

Good luck with your system

Rick

Ponea

3-12 volt 51 Ah batteries gel type deep discharge

vtmaps

You have enough solar panel to charge the battery.   Many types (but not all) of gel batteries are not well suited to solar applications because they can't handle large charging currents.  What model and brand are yours?

btw, 2000 watts is a HUGE inverter for only 152 ah of battery at 12 volts.

--vtMaps