House Batteries in my Westsail 32

[endoftheroad]

Originally Posted by endoftheroad

A 15amp fuse s recommended, I will install inline at the battery.
I will be using 10ga wire.
In the below picture should my leads to the batteries be larger than 10ga since they are carrying the load from both controllers to the battery?
If I don't get a reply I may not doubleup the wires from the terminal as is in the below picture.
And, What terminals on my 6 volt batteries that are wired in series do I connect the wires? At the far ends (pos and neg of course) of the 4 batteries?

Thanks

Jedi,
Can you help me with the above 3 questions?
My panels and controllers will arrive ups tomorrow.
Thanks

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by endoftheroad

Jedi,
Can you help me with the above 3 questions?
My panels and controllers will arrive ups tomorrow.
Thanks

let's see:

In the below picture should my leads to the batteries be larger than 10ga since they are carrying the load from both controllers to the battery?
If I don't get a reply I may not doubleup the wires from the terminal as is in the below picture.
And, What terminals on my 6 volt batteries that are wired in series do I connect the wires? At the far ends (pos and neg of course) of the 4 batteries?

Tell me how long the cables from the controllers to the batteries will be and what the maximum current from each panel is? I can tell what size cabling you need from that info.

You should connect the negative to the shunt of the battery monitor, at the side of the switch panel, not the side of the batteries. The positive should connect to where the big positive from the breaker panel also connects to.

Post a picture of your battery bank so I can see what you have and comment on that.

[endoftheroad]

Probably no more than 5 feet from controllers to batteries.
I wont have the battery monitor or shunt for about a week so I will be connecting to batt terminals temporarily.
Sorry but I'm not able to get a photograph at the monent.
I have 4 trojan t-105's wired in series in pairs at port and starboard beams at about 5 feet distance.
I'm wiring my controllers similar to Maine Sail's photograph, I can wire as he has from the controllers to the battery (piggyback) or I can carry each controller wires seperately to the batteries. I have already purchased 10-2 wire for the panels and 2 inline 15 amp fuses for use near the battery. If I do as in Main Sail's picture I would think I'd need heavier guage wire to the batteries and a heavier fuse but I have no knowlege of electricity.
Thanks

[motion30]

Carl. if you feel you need any help just let me know . and I also have a small supply of wire and stand shrink wrap

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by endoftheroad

Probably no more than 5 feet from controllers to batteries.
I wont have the battery monitor or shunt for about a week so I will be connecting to batt terminals temporarily.
Sorry but I'm not able to get a photograph at the monent.
I have 4 trojan t-105's wired in series in pairs at port and starboard beams at about 5 feet distance.
I'm wiring my controllers similar to Maine Sail's photograph, I can wire as he has from the controllers to the battery (piggyback) or I can carry each controller wires seperately to the batteries. I have already purchased 10-2 wire for the panels and 2 inline 15 amp fuses for use near the battery. If I do as in Main Sail's picture I would think I'd need heavier guage wire to the batteries and a heavier fuse but I have no knowlege of electricity.
Thanks

Okay, for 5' it makes 10' round trip so AWG10 is more than enough for both controllers. No need to double up. Put a 20-25A fuse in the line as near to the batteries as possible.

As you don't have the shunt yet, connect the negative to a negative busbar around or on your breaker-panel. The current will then automatically pass through the shunt when you install that.

Good luck!

[endoftheroad]

Gotcha, Thanks Jedi.

Motion30, Thanks for the generous offer.

[endoftheroad]

I did It!
I'm making electricity, LOTS of electricty.

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by endoftheroad

I did It!
I'm making electricity, LOTS of electricty.

and it's free!

[onestepcsy37]

it's amazing how many dirt dwellers have no idea that there are people out there living entirely (or partially) on solar power. they think it's still some kind of futuristic idea that may someday happen.

[deckofficer]

Can never have too much solar. Photos by Richard Boggs.

[endoftheroad]

I have a fan running, stereo at half throttle, and a VHF running.
My controllers are telling me my batts are full.
It's noon and the sun is shining.

What's up with that?

The Victron battery monitor comes UPS next week.

I have a Coolmatic Danfoss BD35F compressor that I am hooking up today if only I could figure what size fuse to use.
The previous owner had it wired to the batteries with no fuse.

Anyone know what size fuse to use?
I cant find much info online.
The compressor is in the engine room, copper tubing to the control/distribution unit in the icebox.

Thanks

[endoftheroad]

I'm such a doark, I just found it, it requires a 15 amp fuse.
Not sure why my unit has 8ga wire for a 3-1/2 foot run.

[onestepcsy37]

waeco - the guys who make your fridge - recommend wiring the compressor directly to the battery bank. 15 amp fuse is same that i have. fridges are voltage sensitive and having 8 gauge wire is not really overkill. i used 10 guage but if the wiring is already there i'd leave it. the fridge will probably be your biggest amp draw.

make sure the compressor has good air flow over it. the engine room is probably not the best place for it. is it possible to move it inside the cabin somehow? i added a 12volt computer fan to cool the compressor AND the control module, which is also heat sensitive.

nice to know that once you've got it all set up, solar pretty much runs itself. just check your battery water level every couple of weeks....

[endoftheroad]

Hey guys,
My new system is slammin thanks to you'all.
My Victron battery monitor is scheduled to arrive UPS late Tuesday evening.
I have no concerns regarding the install but I'm thinking about adding a Blue Seas #2151 double battery terminal fuse to my 4 Trojan T-105's.
What size fuses should I be using?
I need a fuse from the positive terminal to the bus bar and the second post I'll need a fuse for future accessories (maybe the fridge and bilge?). Currently I have everything tied into the positive and negative bus bars and nothing at the terminals.
Anyone think I shouldn't bother with the double battery terminal fuse?
Overkill?

http://www.amazon.com/Blue-Sea-Syste...=blue+sea+2151

Thanks

[fryewe]

"If all insects on Earth disappeared, within 50 years all life on Earth would end. If all human beings disappeared from the Earth, within 50 years all forms of life would flourish. Biologist Jonas Salk"

Little likelihood of that. Those of us who live in the SE USA learn at an early age what infinity really means...it's the number of things that fly and crawl and bite when the sun goes down over the bayou. You can't disappear an infinite number of things no matter how many of them you kill. Like fire ants.