Adding Solar

[kaymfischer]

Have a Magnum MM1212 inverter/charger. Any problem in adding a solar charge controller by simply connecting the SCC's output the the POS/NEG terminals of the same battery bank as the MM1212??



Thanks

[rk06382]

Originally Posted by kaymfischer

Have a Magnum MM1212 inverter/charger. Any problem in adding a solar charge controller by simply connecting the SCC's output the the POS/NEG terminals of the same battery bank as the MM1212??



Thanks

In theory, no.

In practice, Yes.

If plugged in the shore power the Magnum will charge your batteries. Solar charge controller will shut off when it see the high voltage from the Magnum. It will think your batteries are fully charged.

Same thing happens to me when I am driving down the road and the engine alternator is recharging the batteries.

I also recommend a Victron BMV-712 battery monitor to keep track of your State of Charge (SOC).

[kaymfischer]

Thanks for this.... After you mentioning the BMK I realized I should connect the negative wire from the Solar Controller to the "upstream" side of my BMK shunt (instead of the negative battery post of the stack) so the AmpHrs created by the panels would be counted by my (already existing) Magnum BMK. Much better results now at least for figuring out what is going on with the panels.

Thanks again.

Originally Posted by rk06382

In theory, no.

In practice, Yes.

If plugged in the shore power the Magnum will charge your batteries. Solar charge controller will shut off when it see the high voltage from the Magnum. It will think your batteries are fully charged.

Same thing happens to me when I am driving down the road and the engine alternator is recharging the batteries.

I also recommend a Victron BMV-712 battery monitor to keep track of your State of Charge (SOC).

[formerFR]

...the solar controller's output should be to your House battery bank, neg to neg, pos to pos... as this is what is going to 'charge' your battery bank when you have sun, and the batteries are not being charged by something else, i.e, either the Alternator while driving, or by the Shore power, or generator, when parked.

The Inverter/Charger knows nothing of the solar charger/solar power and doesn't care.
The inverter simply uses battery power, no matter how the batteries are being charged.

The Alternator charges the batteries directly, not thru the Inverter/Charger, via the solenoid bidirectional relay.
The Shore power and Generator charge the batteries thru the 120v output of the Auto Transfer Switch, via the Main panel breaker to the Charger's input.
The Solar charges the batteries directly, as a last resort, via the solar controller, when sun is available, of course.

[kaymfischer]

Originally Posted by formerFR

The Inverter/Charger knows nothing of the solar charger/solar power and doesn't care.

And the reverse is true; neither one "knows" of the other. That is why the negative outputs of BOTH need to pass thru the BMK shunt, as mentioned in my second posting.

Thanks for you info, though..... Every little bit helps.

[rk06382]

Originally Posted by formerFR

.................
The Inverter/Charger knows nothing of the solar charger/solar power and doesn't care.
The inverter simply uses battery power, no matter how the batteries are being charged.
........................

Originally Posted by kaymfischer

And the reverse is true; neither one "knows" of the other. That is why the negative outputs of BOTH need to pass thru the BMK shunt, as mentioned in my second posting.

Thanks for you info, though..... Every little bit helps.

My Samlex EVO-2212 Inverter/Charger has terminals for a Solar Charge Controller. It monitors both the Battery & Solar Charge Controller. It also reduces the charger amps to compensate for the solar output. (It also monitors the Shore & Generator input.) It is like having a UPS for my motorhome.

I am sure the Magnum is also computer controlled.

[kaymfischer]

Originally Posted by rk06382

My Samlex EVO-2212 Inverter/Charger has terminals for a Solar Charge Controller. It monitors both the Battery & Solar Charge Controller. It also reduces the charger amps to compensate for the solar output. (It also monitors the Shore & Generator input.) It is like having a UPS for my motorhome.

I am sure the Magnum is also computer controlled.

The Magnum mm1212 does not accept Solar Charge Controller output as input to itself. I shall check out the Samlex unit. Sounds good.

[formerFR]

'why' would you want the solar coming into the Inverter??
Unless it's a 'hybrid' inverter, it will only accept the connection from the battery bank...

[kaymfischer]

Originally Posted by formerFR

'why' would you want the solar coming into the Inverter??
Unless it's a 'hybrid' inverter, it will only accept the connection from the battery bank...

Check out this unit. I guess it's a 'hybrid' but seems to me as the way to go!!

[formerFR]

while there certainly are hybrid inverters out there, the OP was originally just asking 'how to wire' his charge controller for his RV, and whether it should be wired to the inverter...that's not an option for the more basic, smaller, Magnum MM1212 unit he has.

[Lou_Tang_Clan]

I have a 2018 Prism 2200FS that came "solar ready" with a Furrion port. I bought an ACO POWER 100W solar suitcase with 20amp controller. I bought the anderson adapters on Amazon for the Furrion port. Question being... Do I just connect the adapter to the panels/controller and plug it into the Furrion port? All I'm trying to do is keep a charge in the battery while storing the RV between trips. Thanks in advance. sorry if this is a redundant question.

https://www.acopower.com/product/sol...rge-controller

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by Lou_Tang_Clan

I have a 2018 Prism 2200FS that came "solar ready" with a Furrion port. I bought an ACO POWER 100W solar suitcase with 20amp controller. I bought the anderson adapters on Amazon for the Furrion port. Question being... Do I just connect the adapter to the panels/controller and plug it into the Furrion port? All I'm trying to do is keep a charge in the battery while storing the RV between trips. Thanks in advance. sorry if this is a redundant question.

https://www.acopower.com/product/sol...rge-controller

Just make sure the polarity is correct before you "just plug it in". Just because the adapter says it makes it correct doesn't always hold true. Pays to always check first.

[Lou_Tang_Clan]

Thanks. How do I check the polarity?