Where to mount a mppt solar controller?

devero4

Adventurer
i understand but with an mppt i would have to mount it in the cab to keep it out of the elements. if i use a waterproof pwm i could mount it outside the cab and not worry about the elements theoretically.

my question im posing to the community is what have you guys done, what are your results, and what would you have done if youd change anything.

so... so far im at. either mppt on the drivers side inside firewall/footwell ....or pwm mounted int the engine bay next to the one/only battery im planning on having(diesel zr2 comes with a 95ah deep cycle, which after will be replaced by an ODYSSEY Extreme Series Marine Battery Model 31M-PC2150ST) , or waterproof pwm in the bed with a secondary battery being fed by the solar panel fitted on the rear of the roof rack.

just looking for input before blood,sweat,tears,money, and time are spent.

In that case you need to verify that the water proof PWM model you are considering allows that battery to charge at proper voltage. Per Odyssey's website, it looks like most of their batteries are calling for 14.4 - 15.0 volts bulk after a deep discharge. The PWM I upgraded from did not have this high of a setting. Most MPPTs will definitely offer this, giving you piece of mind that the controller is staying in bulk for as long as it needs to be and transitioning to float when it truly needs to. That battery is not cheap; protect the investment.
 
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seems like the Redarc BCDC1225D is the best choice ive found. able to mount in the engine bay, waterproof, mppt, and works with the variable alternator on my colorado.

anyone have experience with these ?
 

DiploStrat

Expedition Leader
...
If i wanna use the redarc charger/controller in a single battery setup would that work?
...

I'm not sure I fully understand what you are trying to do, so I would again recommend that you contact RECARC directly. Phone if you want instant gratification. International calls are not that expensive and you will get a live technician on the line, not a call center. They even post the local time in Adelaide so you can figure out how to call during working hours.

That said, a B2B/DC-DC charger is a fairly simple device at the block diagram level.

-- The back end is a battery charger. It may have profiles for different types of batteries and, as in the case with some Sterling units, fully adjustable parameters. The big issue is to assure that the unit you choose is large enough for your needs.

-- The front end takes in a range of voltages and incorporates some form of source protection, generally mimicking the logic of an intelligent relay. That is it turns on the charger when the input voltage is appropriate and shuts it off when it is not. Basically, on when a sustained, high voltage is available (thus indicating that you are connected to power) and off when the voltage drops (thus indicating that you are connected only to a battery).

-- Some units, e.g. CTEK and REDARC have dual inputs so that you can also attach a solar panel, wind mill, etc. But remember, adding an additional current source will not increase the total output, only reduce the demands on the various inputs. And there may be some form of prioritization. REDARC, for example, takes from the solar input first, so as to spare the starter battery/alternator.

… I have a 100w solar panel intended to keep my start battery topped off, from the drain of my ARB fridge. ...

-- Do you want to use a B2B as a solar controller, connected to your starter battery only? Yes, you could, but you can do the same for less with a dedicated solar controller. I am guessing that you do not have a trailer battery?

-- Do you want your trailer battery to charge your starter battery when you have solar? No B2B, that I know of, will do this. There are ways to bridge back around a B2B, the AMP-L_START (http://www.lslproducts.net/ALS_Overview_Page.html) being one of the most classic. I believe that Sterling also make a unit like this.

Bottom line(s):

-- There is nothing magic about a battery to battery charger. They are simply one tool that you can use.

-- Can't really help you without a better understanding, and ideally a block diagram, of your setup.
 

rayra

Expedition Leader
Too dang hot in the desert southwest, I'd think the under-hood location's constant high heat would be bad for the controller.

I just finished mounting my PWM controller in the 'power module' portion of my rear platform / drawers in my Suburban. Was just doing some charging tests today with my folding panel on the vehicle roof.

solarpanelmount25.jpg


https://www.expeditionportal.com/fo...lected-werks-topic-02-k1500-z71.172800/page-8
 

Ducky's Dad

Explorer
I suspect that they will be prompt.

Or not. When I was looking for my controller, I called them. No response. Then I emailed them. No response. Then I bought something else.
 

Ducky's Dad

Explorer
To OP: I would advise against the Odyssey Extreme 31M. I have gone through three of those batteries over the last nine years, got barely three years out of each one, with meticulous attention to frequent reconditioning on shore power. Don't do it. Odyssey needs 14.7V+ to properly charge and your alternator probably won't be able to deliver that voltage. Most AC chargers won't deliver that (some will, so you need to select carefully). Many (most?) solar controllers won't deliver that voltage, so you need to figure that into your controller selection. Most AGM batteries charge properly at 14.4V, and that is what most controllers will deliver on their factory settings, but there are exceptions. Don't worry so much about PWM vs MPPT, but focus more on what will work with your battery and your operating conditions. Most controllers simply shut down when the electronics get to about 112-134F but there are exceptions like the RedArc (176F?) and GoPower (185F). On a hot day, most controllers in the engine compartment or cab will shut down until they cool off. You solar system is simple, don't overthink it. Pick a combination of components that will work together in your environment. Odyssey G31 charging requirements are an unnecessary complication, in my opinion, because there are now so many other battery choices out there.
 
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DiploStrat

Expedition Leader
I suspect that they will be prompt.

Or not. When I was looking for my controller, I called them. No response. Then I emailed them. No response. Then I bought something else.

Surprises me, as I have always gotten at least an answering machine when I screwed up and didn't track the dateline and time zones. E-mails have been answered with 48 hours.

As with any of these things, YMMV.
 

john61ct

Adventurer
Odyssey needs 14.7V+ to properly charge and your alternator probably won't be able to deliver that voltage. Most AC chargers won't deliver that (some will, so you need to select carefully). Many (most?) solar controllers won't deliver that voltage, so you need to figure that into your controller selection.

I would simply reword this.

Buy batteries whose care requirement match your existing charge equipment.

Or (better IMO) only buy fully customizable charge sources,

or (maybe compromise, maybe best solution) buy Sterling BB series DCDC chargers, which are fully customizable, and use them to filter the current from any old charge source as needed,

so you are from then on free to buy whatever chemistry you like, from these most excellent Odysseys, to GEL to LFP.
 

Ducky's Dad

Explorer
or (maybe compromise, maybe best solution) buy Sterling BB series DCDC chargers, which are fully customizable, and use them to filter the current from any old charge source as needed,

so you are from then on free to buy whatever chemistry you like, from these most excellent Odysseys, to GEL to LFP.


Can't really disagree with that, except the part about "most excellent Odysseys," because my experience with a sample of three G31 Extremes has been less than satisfactory. I don't think OP has yet acquired either his controller or his battery. Since he is in the planning/thinking stage, my recommendation is to keep it simple.
 

john61ct

Adventurer
No, Odyssey is an outstanding maker of top-notch AGMs, in fact Enersys pretty much invented the most successful categories (Optima spiral, suck since spun off, then TPPL) in its research for the Pentagon, private customers are but a small fraction of their revenue

and its top competitors Lifeline and Northstar were founded by their ex-employees copying their technology.

Give Bruce Essig a buzz sometime if you have specific Qs, Tel: +1 (660) 429-7506 / bruce.essig@enersys.com / Fax: +1 (660) 429-1758

But as with any AGM, they are very susceptible to early death if not properly coddled: shallow DoD, getting back to spec'd endAmps 100% Full most cycles, etc etc.

Very susceptible to chronic PSOC as well as excessive overcharging.

GEL even fussier.

Whereas top quality FLA last much longer, are much more robust even in abusive conditions, long as you keep them watered.

Basically VRLA should only be used when necessary, e.g. install space is inaccessible, or requires mounting sideways.

And then you need top quality charge sources with proper 3-stage regulation - ideally user customizable profiles - and sufficiently high amps output.

Which makes everything lots more expensive.
 
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rayra

Expedition Leader
Before we go any further with the Optima marketing lore, I seem to recall that the primary reason they gained favor in the off-road racing community is because their spiral-wrapped guts could take a beating and keep working, where a simple SLA often couldn't. The rest of their niche catalog came after, didn't it?

Unless I've missed something in the intervening years, isn't it specifically their Yellow top batteries that are designed for deep cycle operations?
So when people here are saying 'Optima' are they meaning the Yellow only, or has the Red somehow (improperly) become conflated with these sort of deep cycle operations?
 

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