New System on a RV

System

Hello All,

I am getting ready to install my first solar system on my 35' M/H.

The current plans are to use 4 x Kyoceria 130W TM panels Voc 21.9V Vmp 17.6V Imp 7.4A. (520W total) Use #10 wire from each panel to a roof top combiner box. From the combiner box down to controller (about 12') use #4 welding cable. Then from controller to batteries (about 10-15') use #4 welding cable. I am trying to keep wiring losses to about 2% or less.

Battery bank is presently 4 x 12vdc 400 A. Will change to 4 x 6vdc 440A next summer.

At the present time I am trying to decide on a controller. A Blue Sky SM50A (a MPPT) or a Xanrex C60 (a PWM). A Trimetric 2020 for metering.

Since I am in a RV, and will be north in the summer and south in the winter, looking for quick recovery of the battery bank every day, I am leaning toward the MPPT type controller. The cost difference of the two controllers is about $175.

So, if the $175 is not an issue, what would the experts do? Is the MPPT in this installation worth the extra money. Room for a 5th panel is very tight and shading would probably be a problem. (plus an extra panel is $608/free freight)

Nothing has been bought yet, so if you have different ideas on what I should do, I am open to your suggestions.

Thanks for any replies

Jim
'96 35' Safari M/H, 300 CAT

niel

Re: New System on a RV

well jim, i would say go for the mppt as you do have enough pvs going for you to make it worthwhile. most of the mppt controllers should work in your application, but you have another option as xantrex is coming out with their mppt controller, the xw.
http://www.xantrex.com/web/id/252/p/1/pt/5/product.asp
in any case i would advise getting the battery temperature sensor to allow the controller to make the proper adjustments to the charging voltage during temperature variations.

System2

Re: New System on a RV

Thanks,

Yes, I plan on a temp sensor.

Looks like a MPPT is in the works

Thanks again, Jim