My Roof Might Be Crap But The Solar Panel Is Ace

[andys]

That panel is out of stock, but the same panel with an end cable connection rather than rear is in stock, and I think that would probably suit my installation better (front hinged roof with cable going forwards, through the roof at the front outside the canvas then in that way) so I think I'll go for that. Want to have it in and working for my Sept trip. I like the idea of being able to get at the roof entry grommet without removing the panel in case of leaks too.

Edit: Just realised that last concern is irrelevant as the cable will go through the roof outside the canvas anyway so leaks don't matter

 

[Mark Howkins]

That would suck me in too, I can see me wanting to hook it up to a panel that would display it permanently rather bt to my phone I've got an old android tablet somewhere that might fit the bill

I plan on connecting through a Rasberry Pi and mobile data to provide a live feed via their VRM portal.....sounds and looks easy enough to do.

 

[andys]

I plan on connecting through a Rasberry Pi and mobile data to provide a live feed via their VRM portal.....sounds and looks easy enough to do.

Is it an open protocol? I haven't ordered the bluetooth dongle yet as I need to take some measurements when I get home and I have several Pis and a boxful of arduinos knocking about so would be interested in doing that, let me know how you get on please?

 

[Mark Howkins]

Is it an open protocol? I haven't ordered the bluetooth dongle yet as I need to take some measurements when I get home and I have several Pis and a boxful of arduinos knocking about so would be interested in doing that, let me know how you get on please?

Victron offer the required software to be posted onto Raspberry Pi . It's already been done.

I'll post on here once I had some success.

 

[andys]

Victron offer the required software to be posted onto Raspberry Pi . It's already been done.

I'll post on here once I had some success.

Just ordered my panel and controller, can't wait for free energy

 

[andys]

first thing i need to see is if i can get the panel here to Switzerland..! 250w is huge!

I noticed the panel that I ordered (as of @Deaky link above) says it's made in Austria so maybe there is a nearer supplier to you?

 

[andys]

Just ordering the bits I need to do the rest of the job. Any estimates on how many tube of adhesive needed for a 2m x 1m (approx) panel, I'm guessing 3? I think I'm going to pass the cables just through rubber grommets as the cable glands seem to be a min of 36mm high and I don't want to add that height to the van.

Was wondering what results I would get when googling "double entry gland"

 

[scotia]

I noticed the panel that I ordered (as of @Deaky link above) says it's made in Austria so maybe there is a nearer supplier to you?

Yup i wondered that too - dont know how to go about finding out though.. in Switzerland its impossible to find sth that good..

 

[andys]

So with my panel arriving next Tues I decided to have a look at how I'm going to go about fitting it and routing the cable. First disappointment is that there is no way of getting it through the canvas without cutting a new hole, which I really don't want to do. This means it's going to have to come through the roof inside of it, which means using a cable gland. I'm cheesed off having to do this, lowering on B14s had got my height down to 1.98m and the lowest profile gland I can find is 38mm which would put me above the 2m mark. If that's the only way then I'm going to have to see if there's a bit more to come as regards lowering.


Once inside there'd be no problem as there is a channel for cables to go down into the cab, used by the inner roof mounted lights at the moment.


Roof cable glands are so ugly

 

[scotia]

cant you get like a cable pass to go through the canvas? there must be a way to cleanly get a hole up top there at the back - i'd have no worries about water ingress unless you have horizontal plus rain?

if you use a 'cable gland' like for electrical boxes, and use a stiffner plate either side that should work no?

 

[andys]

cant you get like a cable pass to go through the canvas? there must be a way to cleanly get a hole up top there at the back - i'd have no worries about water ingress unless you have horizontal plus rain?

if you use a 'cable gland' like for electrical boxes, and use a stiffner plate either side that should work no?

It's a front hinged roof so the cables (there'll be 2) have to enter through the front as that's the low point. I'm very wary of putting a deliberate hole in the canvas after my disastrous rip down the side. I also don't know if there'd be room for the cable glands when the roof was down. It's something I hadn't considered though so worth thinking about, thanks, I'll have another look after work tomorrow

 

[scotia]

ah i hadnt realised its a front hinged one.. should make a difference though? i reckon it should fit when down - that bit has very little canvas to tidy away and the roof shell covers the lot - these gland thingies are pretty tiny..

if you can get a hole done and then use one of these things it should keep the canvas from going anwhere? or can you take the canvas off? then get a needle person to do it?

 

[andys]

ah i hadnt realised its a front hinged one.. should make a difference though? i reckon it should fit when down - that bit has very little canvas to tidy away and the roof shell covers the lot - these gland thingies are pretty tiny..

if you can get a hole done and then use one of these things it should keep the canvas from going anwhere? or can you take the canvas off? then get a needle person to do it?

It doesn't come off, unless it's cut off. What I'm also concerned about is the canvas continuing to tear over time once I've put holes through it

 

[scotia]

yup tricky one that, sorry im not a specialist with canvas!

 

[andys]

An observation. When I went to order my solar controller the 75/15 was out of stock for delivery when I wanted it so I went for the 75/10 as I had no intention of running anything from the load. However, it looks like the load current isn't the only difference. I noticed in @Deaky 's pic at the top that his battery was getting 14A in good sunshine and went to change the max charging current on mine as it was set to 10A. But it won't let me - 10A is the max setting, it won't go beyond that, so it looks like the figure after the slash doesn't just govern the max load current but also the max charging current unless I'm doing something wrong. Not sure how much impact this will have but I may have to upgrade this in the future to get the full benefit from a 250A panel.

 

[Dilbert]

Max charge for the 75/10 is 10 amps. Full spec of each unit is available on the Victron website: https://www.victronenergy.com/uploa...ller-MPPT-75-10,-75-15,-100-15,-100-20-EN.pdf

And the software will not allow any setting above the maximum rated charge.

 

[andys]

Max charge for the 75/10 is 10 amps. Full spec of each unit is available on the Victron website: https://www.victronenergy.com/uploa...ller-MPPT-75-10,-75-15,-100-15,-100-20-EN.pdf

And the software will not allow any setting above the maximum rated charge.

Bummer Looks like there may be an as new 75/10 up for sale soon then

 

[t0mb0]

Bummer Looks like there may be an as new 75/10 up for sale soon then

I have that same panel and my controller rarely gets above 10a anyway. I think you’d need a combination of decent sunshine and pretty low battery to get there so I wouldn’t worry about it too much.

 

[andys]

I have that same panel and my controller rarely gets above 10a anyway. I think you’d need a combination of decent sunshine and pretty low battery to get there so I wouldn’t worry about it too much.

10A doesn't seem that bad but mine was hitting that frequently on Sunday when I fitted it, which is why I went to try and increase the limit today. Deaky posted a pic showing his getting 14A and it's a shame to restrict it having bought the biggest panel I could get.

 

[t0mb0]

10A doesn't seem that bad but mine was hitting that frequently on Sunday when I fitted it, which is why I went to try and increase the limit today. Deaky posted a pic showing his getting 14A and it's a shame to restrict it having bought the biggest panel I could get.

I see what you mean but, for me, getting a 250w panel was more about eking out charge in patchy conditions than maximising peak charge in ideal conditions.