New guy with question

TDSolarguy
TDSolarguy Solar Expert Posts: 31 ✭✭
in Solar Beginners Corner #1
Hello Forum
This is my first post. I have been reading and learning much. I have a small setup in which I plan to expand in the future. Right now it is a 40 watt panel with a MorningStar Sunsaver SS-10L controller and a 300 watt Simlex Pure Sine Wave Inverter and two Deep Cycle six volt batteries at 75 amps connected in series for 12 volt @ 75 amps.

I use it to charge my Cell phones, lap top charging and my Hoover cordless vacuum. I know I need more panels but I am buying as I can afford to add on. I have a question on how to add a 30 volt analog meter and a 5 amp analog meter to the system to see what is going on from the panel. I am not sure how to connect this up to the controller. The meters have two posts on the back. One positive and one Negative. Your help would be much appreciated.

Regards
TD Solar Guy
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  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    #2
    Re: New guy with question

    Welcome to the forum.

    Let's get the bad stuff out of the way fast: expanding a system is like trying to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. It rarely works out. Right now your 75 Amp hour battery bank could take about 100 Watts of panel. In the same vein, you 10 Amp charge controller could be used for a 100 Amp hour battery with about 150 Watts of panel. That would give you at most 600 Watt hours of power. Beyond that point you'd be redoing everything.

    Now, as for wiring in a Voltmeter that's easy: plus to plus, minus to minus at the point you want to measure the Voltage (output of charge controller/battery terminals). The Ammeter is a bit trickier, as it has to go in-line with the positive lead: controller (+) --> Ammeter ---> battery (+). If you get the polarity of the meter wrong it will read backwards. If it reads in one direction only, it will 'peg' the needle to zero. In that case don't leave it or it will damage the meter. In theory the (+) post on the Ammeter goes to the controller and the (-) post to the battery, but I didn't make the meter so I can't be sure.
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  • TDSolarguy
    TDSolarguy Solar Expert Posts: 31 ✭✭
    #3
    Re: New guy with question

    Thank you so much Cariboocoat
    I,ll have it installed in no time now. I knew I was short on panel and have learned so much from this forum. I plan on adding just what you said, about 100 watts more panel and running a back yard LED with motion sensor. My plan is also to keep my Coleman rechargeable lanterns charged for emergency light. I know I may need a Iota Battery charger for this winter to keep my batteries in good shape and look forward to when I expand. That may mean a whole new outfit and you guys will be the ones I ask for help.

    Regards

    TDSolar guy
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