wiring a ProStar 30 charge controller

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System
System Posts: 2,511 admin
in Solar Beginners Corner #1
I'm confused by the battery hookup on the moringstar ProStar-30. It shows two battery hookups ... one for the sense ??? and one... I assume to charge the battery. I assume the load hookup is for some DC load one might have?
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  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    #2
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    Re: wiring a ProStar 30 charge controller

    Welcome to the forum.

    You've got it: one set of terminals runs heavy wire to carry the charge current, another set (the ones in the middle) are for lighter wire that will give the controller a more accurate battery Voltage reading to judge charge state by. The "LOAD" terminals are indeed for a DC load - not to exceed 30 Amps on the that model. You're better off making it less, as in 30 Amps minus the current needed for charging.
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  • System2
    System2 Posts: 6,290 admin
    #3
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    Re: wiring a ProStar 30 charge controller

    Should I hook the inverter to the battery bank or the load on the ProStart-30?
    Thanks!
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  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    #4
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    Re: wiring a ProStar 30 charge controller
    mooseandpebs wrote: »
    Should I hook the inverter to the battery bank or the load on the ProStart-30?
    Thanks!

    Connect the inverter to the battery bank. Depending on what size it is, it will pull a lot more Amps than the charge controller can handle. Example: 30 Amps (maximum for the controller) @ 12 Volts is roughly 360 Watts. Even a small inverter may exceed that if the Voltage is low and the output is high.

    When you size inverter wiring and fuses/breakers you're supposed to use the maximum output at the minimum input. For a 1kW 12 Volt inverter that would be 1000 Watts (or surge rating if that's likely) / 10.5 Volts = 95 Amps.
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