Awesome new MPPT controller with bluetooth control for $99

[george_tlc]

Connected to aux battery permanently even when panels aren't connected. Though for 'storage' I disconnect the aux/house loads via a marine switch - which also disconnects the victron unit. The unit draws somewhere around 20mA in quiescent mode, so you can do the math... 0.02A x 24 hours x n days...

cheers,
george.

 

[Enigma]

I've had my old 50 watt panel hooked up for almost a month now (it was about the 21st June) , permanently mounted flat on my roof rack basket. It seems to be keeping up okay (see attached download report). The only power draw is the 47l ARB fridge. I forgot to reset the report so some of the older readings might be from when I intermittently plugged in the 130watt panel.
My only dislike so far with this Victron controller is the very short bluetooth range, and how once you go out of range it doesn't "save" your display unless you download it.

 

[Gengis]

H all
I am new to solar, so please bear with me and a few dumb questions.
I have a very simple dual battery system using a National Luna relay, and i now want to suplement the charge to the battery while camping and while driving IF I have my hard shelled roof top on the roof, ( i intend to mount the pv panels on the tent roof but i dont always travel with the tent).
I run a fridge/freezer, camp lights and chargers and a small invertor for camera battery charging and lap top computer.
this is what I have ( top) and what I want, below.

My questions are:
Are the load and battery negatives tied together? If not, please confirm that I can at least tie the AUX negative to vehicle ground.
Can I run the system using the Load output if I disconnect the PV pannel?
I trust that the charging from the alternator while running will not be a problem??
Is this the correct system for what I want

Runing my aux battery and loads on a floating neutral is not possible with the current system.
I know that a purpose built option is to use a DC DC charger with solar input, but I don't see the point, the batteries are matched, and I like the option a a full current recharge from the alt if required.

Any input would be appriciated.

G

 

[MountNGoat]

H all
I am new to solar, so please bear with me and a few dumb questions.
I have a very simple dual battery system using a National Luna relay, and i now want to suplement the charge to the battery while camping and while driving IF I have my hard shelled roof top on the roof, ( i intend to mount the pv panels on the tent roof but i dont always travel with the tent).
I run a fridge/freezer, camp lights and chargers and a small invertor for camera battery charging and lap top computer.
this is what I have ( top) and what I want, below.
View attachment 2049275
My questions are:
Are the load and battery negatives tied together? If not, please confirm that I can at least tie the AUX negative to vehicle ground.
Can I run the system using the Load output if I disconnect the PV pannel?
I trust that the charging from the alternator while running will not be a problem??
Is this the correct system for what I want

Runing my aux battery and loads on a floating neutral is not possible with the current system.
I know that a purpose built option is to use a DC DC charger with solar input, but I don't see the point, the batteries are matched, and I like the option a a full current recharge from the alt if required.

Any input would be appriciated.

G

Gengis, nice diagrams. My setup is essentially identical to what you've drawn, but I don't connect my accessories to the load output of the controller because I don't care to know how much they've been pulling (history tracking). But if I did they would have to be getting their ground from the aux battery ground because the controller body isn't grounded. Both batteries are connected to vehicle ground, with the alternator charging both when my battery relay is activated, which is the normal position when driving.

Now, I don't run any solar panels while driving, but I know @Cruiserdrew does, with this controller and the alternator charging as well, and I don't believe he's had any problems, but I'm sure he will comment.

 

[Cruiserdrew]

I have gone both ways with the load output and have come to the conclusion it really doesn't matter. It is fun to get the consumption numbers, and so I'll likely use it like that at Rubithon next week.

I don't see a need for a DC-DC charger, and my set up is basically as you have diagramed. Is the NL relay bidirectional? If so, that simplifies a lot of wiring. I've used Blue Sea ACRs where you have used the NL relay.

You may also find you have no need for an inverter. Fine if you do, but they are very inefficient


And Steve is right, I leave the solar running all the time, whether the truck is running or not. It works fine sharing off the load with the alternator and they hand the load back and forth no problem.

 

[Enigma]

So solar gurus; help me figure this out. As posted above, I've had my old 50watt panel hooked up permanently and my fridge running 24/7. I thought it was looking promising as it seemed to be keeping up, but I went out just now to do some other stuff and saw the red warning light flashing (fridge is set to LO battery setting) and the temperature had climbed. Truck has been sitting in the driveway since the evening of July 28th (so 7 full days). Attached is the report from the controller.

 

[Gengis]

Thank you
It's getting clearer all the time.
The NL relay is a great device , basicly just an intelegent Cole Hercy relay, switching on 5 mins after it senses Alt voltage (Charging) and off when not. Bullet proof.
My aux power needs traveling and around the camp are not very demanding, and I have survived on my setup as per scmatic for many years.
But as retirement and more free time approaches , we are spending longer and longer time away from home and more time in camp, ( not traveling much in the day), so after a few such days, the system needs a little "Pick Me Up" every few days and hence my new interest in solar.
I liked the idea of using the ""Load because of the Low voltage cut off, but i am still not 100% sure it can be used in the absence of PV panels.
Being old school, I like every thing negative, firmly screwed into the vehicle body work, but I realise that the nature of some solar controllers does not always allow this. I am happy to float the PV lines but my system demands that the battery and load have their negatives tied to ground. If I can't do this off the Load, then I will be happy to run the stuff directly off the battery, as is now the case.

Agree 100% on the invertor, horrible things, but old style camera battery chargers and lap top demand a small 150 watt unit until I can wean ourselves off of 220v compleatly. And then I'll probally still carry it anyway.

 

[Greg_B]

So solar gurus; help me figure this out. As posted above, I've had my old 50watt panel hooked up permanently and my fridge running 24/7. I thought it was looking promising as it seemed to be keeping up, but I went out just now to do some other stuff and saw the red warning light flashing (fridge is set to LO battery setting) and the temperature had climbed. Truck has been sitting in the driveway since the evening of July 28th (so 7 full days). Attached is the report from the controller.

Hi Jeff.

Ain't no solar guru but let me share a couple experiences and a thought.

80 parked outside through the winter a number of years ago, south side of building, no obstructions. Cheapy Cdn Tire 40 watt panel flat on the roof rack kept the batteries in float whenever I checked, through the damp grey months. Turned the fridge on for a couple days and it could not keep up. Turned the fridge off and it brought them back up. Makes sense, lots of cloud, sun low.

Solar Eclipse 2017 Wyoming. Took the Cdn Tire Coleman special 40 watt with a Sunpower PWM 7 or 8 amp alligator clipped controller. Camped at Soda Lake outside Jackson Wy. We camped for a number of days pre-eclipse, to ensure we had a good spot. Weather was perfect. I moved the panel with the sun. Had my old school ARB on full time. I was surprised...With the summer sun and moving the panel it kept up and I loaned it out a couple times after it was in float in the late morning. Ideal conditions and not a lot of wiggle room I would think.

Utah May 2019, borrowed Norms 75/15 and took the same cheapy 40 watt panel. Weather was not ideal, but when the sun was out I was moving the panel and it never went into float...ever.

These experiences moved me to explore the fine print on the 75/15: A post on the Victron help forum highlights this in the manual:

"For example: 12V battery and mono- or polycristalline panels connected to a 75V controller ● Minimum number of cells in series: 36 (12V panel). ● Recommended number of cells for highest controller efficiency: 72 (2x 12V panel in series or 1x 24V panel). ● Maximum: 108 cells (3x 12V panel in series). 24V battery and mono- or polycristalline panels connected to a 100V controller ● Minimum number of cells in series: 72 (2x 12V panel in series or 1x 24V panel). ● Maximum: 144 cells (4x 12V panel in series)."

If I am understanding this correctly, the manual is saying the panel should have a minimum of 36 cells if set up in 12V. With differences in solar panel cell output it would make more sense to me to list the minimum Voc requirement instead of cell numbers. The Coleman has nowhere near that magic number of 36, so my take is it was not enough for the Victron controller to do it's thing, therefore the PMW controller was better (more efficient) with the smaller panel.

I have a Renogy 100watt compact panel mated to the 100/15 and it is installed full time now on the 80 (33 cells and has a Voc of 21.06 versus the 36 cell regular 100watt panel of 22.5Voc) and it seems to be doing okay, but I don't have a long trip on it yet to really know. I will be getting a folding lightweight panel and T'ing in parallel when parked in the shade, but that's another discussion.

hth's
gb

 

[CO_Hunter]

Great thread. For those running 8 ga wire, any problems connecting that size to the charge controller? Spec sheet says 10 ga.

Thanks

 

[MountNGoat]

Great thread. For those running 8 ga wire, any problems connecting that size to the charge controller? Spec sheet says 10 ga.

Thanks

You could always trim a few strands right at the connection until it fits.

 

[Honger]

I wrapped up a solar install over a week ago using this controller and I have some questions:
1. For those of you with permanently mounted panels, do you just leave it hooked up and the controller on full time?
2. If I wanted to put in a disconnect, do you recommend a relay setup to just disconnect the battery connection to the controller?
3. I'm using an Odyssey PC1500... and have the controller set to the default "AGM Spiral Cell" values. Does that seem right?

A bit about my install...

I had already picked up a 100W solar panel while living in the UAE... intended for my 80-series originally, it came home with me and has now been placed on my Troopy. I had a simple, cheap charge controller already in hand but this thread nerded me out, and I picked up a 75|15. After reading that the Bluetooth range was better with the external dongle, I went that route...

Picked up marine grade 10-gauge wiring as well as a BlueSea Cable Clam.

Seriously impressed with the way the BlueSea Cable Clam works... a very nice compression fitting that also gives me the ability to pass through a few more wires in the future. I've never been disappointed with a BlueSea product and their version of a cable gland is maintaining that record.

I used aluminum angle to mount the panel to my roof rack. I made it so that it can be angled as well.

I've been happy with the results. It more than keeps up with my fridge and USB charging needs.

 

[Otter]

I wrapped up a solar install over a week ago using this controller and I have some questions:
1. For those of you with permanently mounted panels, do you just leave it hooked up and the controller on full time?
2. If I wanted to put in a disconnect, do you recommend a relay setup to just disconnect the battery connection to the controller?
3. I'm using an Odyssey PC1500... and have the controller set to the default "AGM Spiral Cell" values. Does that seem right?

1. I leave my panel on full time. It's permanently mounted on my RTT.
2. You can put in a disconnect. I think it's a good idea, so you don't have a "live" system if you're working on something. Based on what I've seen (and it's what I've done), you shouldn't have the panel connected to the controller, if the controller isn't connected to a battery. So I put in a breaker on the panel output and the controller output. I make sure I disconnect the panel first.
3. Those values are probably right. You can look up the charging values recommended by Odyssey and create a custom setting. I did that for my X2 from Batteries Plus. It's easy to do.

 

[e9999]

Don't know about AGMs, but 14.7V is high for a FLA. Worth checking?

 

[Honger]

My Odyssey battery lists the following (thanks to a previous post by @Otter I already checked):
Cyclic Charge Voltage: 14.4-14.8V at 25-degrees C
Float Charge Voltage: 13.5-13.8V at 25-degrees C

The Charge voltages in the Controller are as follows:
Absorption Voltage: 14.70V
Float Voltage: 13.80V
Equalization Voltage: 16.50V (but I have automatic equalization shut off)

So that seems to all check out to me... but was curious if anyone else had further input. Cyclic Charge and Absorption are the same, right?

 

[spressomon]

So, someone in here mentioned the Victron Bluetooth dongle was stronger and/or features longer relative distance connection than the built in BT apart of their SmartSolar MPPT controllers.

So, there I was shopping for a 100/50 Victron controller for the Escape trailer solar project with a complete brain fart moment going strong, I ordered a Victron BlueSolar 100/50; I guess my subconscious mind (yeah, that's it) saw "Blue" and thought "built in Bluetooth".

Now, mind you I have two other Victron MPPT controllers: 1 smaller (75/15 SmartSolar) and another which is a 100/30 BlueSolar with separate BT dongle.

So imagine my surprise when I swapped out the 75/15 SmartSolar controller for the new 100/50 BlueSolar controller and...nothing happening on the iPhone. Then it dawned on me; I then swapped in the BT dongle from the 100/30. So there I had my direct A/B test: On board BT via the SmartSolar controller and the BlueSolar's outboard BT dongle.

The dongle variant is faster to connect and reaches out another 10-15' or so. No big deal either way but now you know what I know...about that!

Sheesh!

 

[e9999]

l often find myself wishing for another 10' (or 20) from my smartsolar when playing with it. It just does not have very much reach. And the connection does not seem very robust. Plus it's annoying that the app loses the trends data whenever it loses the connection.

 

[george_tlc]

I have the older version with the bluetooth dongle. The dongle is mounted to the top of the dash and the controller under the dash/fuse area. I've never had connection issues, solid as a rock and get easily 40'+ of range. Connections occur rapidly when I get within range.

Do remember that bluetooth is low energy and is a radio signal. If you mount the antenna under metal or shielded by a lot of metal you really can't expect to get decent range.

cheers,
george.

 

[e9999]

I think my smartsolar / phone combo allows about 20 or 25' of reach in the open before it starts having connection issues such as dropping and hiccups reconnecting. I suppose by BT standards that is OK, and probably fine for typical headphones applications and the like, but less so for me for my solar purposes. Now, of course, that doesn't mean the controller becomes useless if I lose the connection, but still, a bit of a letdown in terms of practicality for me. YMMV.

(Of course, this is likely strongly dependent on the phone too, though, so take my numbers with a grain of salt.)

 

[TrickyT]

@Cruiserdrew and I have sat in camp on the Rubicon trail and monitored the Victron charge controllers on 4 other nearby rigs all while sitting in the shade under an awning drinking . I think they all had the external BT dongle. As @george_tlc says, the dongle is a short range radio module, so keep it away from the metal body of the truck and elevated and you’ll marvel at how far the connection to your phone can reach. OK, I’m chilln’ now while my batteries top off...

 

[Honger]

I bought the external dongle because of input in this thread and I’m so glad I did. I mounted the dongle on the side of my dash just visible from the window... I can see the blue light flashing. The controller is down inside my glovebox.

And yeah, range is great. I can actually get a signal from inside my house in my office area...