Recommend me a solar charge controller

[Littoral Adventures]

Recently bought a Geo-Pro 19FBS with solar (190W rooftop solar panel and solar-on-the-side connection) and two Interstate SRM-24 Batteries.

I already own a Jackery 1000 portable power station and two Jackery SolarSaga 100W solar panels.

What do I need to be able to hook the two Jackery solar panels up to the solar-on-the-side connection?

My camping trips for the next few months will be overnighters for the most part, maybe a couple of weekenders, so I'd just like to be able to augment the onboard solar for the least money possible and buy a ~2500W inverter generator (leaning heavily towards the Champion 2500W dual fuel).

New batteries will be in the future but not right now.

[Hclarkx]

Ideally, from a cost standpoint, your existing controller is an MPPT with enough voltage and thermal head room for 400W AND the 190 and pair of 100W panels have voltage and current ratings that would allow them to be combined into a single array. But, even if this were all to work out, the math and wiring will be a major headache. And you would likely need to always put out the Jackery panels.

Better IMHO is a second system for the Jackery panels. Assuming your "solar on the side" is simply some pre-wiring and does not include a solar controller and is not wired into your existing solar controller, you would add a second solar controller for the two Jackery panels (which I assume are raw panels and have no controller of their own). A second solar controller will help efficiency a bit and improve reliability (two independent systems) and simplify life (put the 100W Jackery panels out only when necessary).

I personally use Epever MPPT solar controllers, but there are lots of options.

[W5CRE]

The installed solar controller in the Geo-Pro 19FBS is a GP-PWM-30-UL. It is not a MPPT controller. A upgrade later to MPPT would be good if you are planning to add another 190watt panel on the roof.
To use your 100Watt portable panels you will need to purchase a Solar Controller, an MPPT type is recommended. You will also need to purchase a SAE polarity reversal adapter https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07RXKCLCX...v_ov_lig_pi_dp to connect to your trailer via the installed port. Or you would need to reverse the wiring. A 20 amp MPPT controller should be sufficient for your portable panels. As an example https://richsolar.com/products/20-am...rge-controller

[richp]

I have had excellent results from my Bogart Trimetric 2030 controller/monitor setup.


Rich Phillips

[NJKris]

My current setup is the OEM Gopower controller for the rooftop 100w panel, and two Renogy 100w solar suitcases on the Renogy Voyager controller (20 amp, PWM). Works great on my pair of GC batts. If I ever start coming up short, I'll upgrade my Renogy Voyager to a MPPT.

[RedRoverComeOver]

Originally Posted by NJKris

My current setup is the OEM Gopower controller for the rooftop 100w panel, and two Renogy 100w solar suitcases on the Renogy Voyager controller (20 amp, PWM). Works great on my pair of GC batts. If I ever start coming up short, I'll upgrade my Renogy Voyager to a MPPT.

I got the same response from those manufacturers saying both controllers should be the same controller type or their could be "issues."

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by RedRoverComeOver

I got the same response from those manufacturers saying both controllers should be the same controller type or their could be "issues."

If each controller is attached to it's own solar array, and then connected to the same battery bank there will be no issues.

Their output is being absorbed by the batteries. One controller may stop charging before the other due to slight voltage settings in it's circuitry but that's all.

No different than having solar charging while driving down the highway with the alternator also providing charge current.

[NJKris]

You truly are the Shell Answer Man, Mike!

[Littoral Adventures]

The Solar-on-the-Side is direct wired to the battery.

The connection looks like this:


The Jackery SolarSaga 100 panel has what I think is an 8mm (round) male connector. See attachment.


I'm thinking I need an adapter like this to get me to a solar charge controller.


But then I'll need something from the solar charge controller to the campers connection.

I appreciate the patience and the help. Just don't want to burn anything up.

[NJKris]

The plug on the side is called an SAE plug. Most solar panels now use the nearly universal MC4 connectors. Typically solar charge controllers have screw-down terminals for a bare wire. My panel pigtails from charge controller hanging off back are MC4 connectors, I just plug the 20' cables I have to it with MC4's to an SAE adaptor with MC4's.


I hate when companies use some weird proprietary connectors instead of solar industry standards.

[NJKris]

BTW, I used 10 gauge for my 20' cable runs (post controller). My buddy just used a heavy duty extension cord. He cut ends off and put MC4 connectors on, which are readily available. All you need are two conductors, one for positive, one for negative.

[W5CRE]

You also need to reverse the polarity to go from you charge controller to the trailer. https://www.amazon.com/OUOU-Adapter-..._hp_atf_m&th=1 There are several versions with different controller end connectors.

[NJKris]

I just checked prices on extension cords on Home Depot site, geeze, you're better off buying 10 gauge solar cords with MC4 connectors already on them!! 36 bucks and change for a pair of Windy Nation cables on Amazon.

[Littoral Adventures]

Originally Posted by NJKris

The plug on the side is called an SAE plug. Most solar panels now use the nearly universal MC4 connectors. Typically solar charge controllers have screw-down terminals for a bare wire. My panel pigtails from charge controller hanging off back are MC4 connectors, I just plug the 20' cables I have to it with MC4's to an SAE adaptor with MC4's.


I hate when companies use some weird proprietary connectors instead of solar industry standards.

Any idea what the plugs are called that are on the solar panels? I don't want to butcher the cables and not be able to use them with the Jackery 1000.

If I can buy two cables with the appropriate connector (or two cables and attach the appropriate connectors myself) I can then connect the bare wire on the other end of the cables to a charge controller - correct?

The I'll need to come off the charge controller with a cable that terminates into a SAE plug.

[boondocking]

Originally Posted by Littoral Adventures

Any idea what the plugs are called that are on the solar panels? I don't want to butcher the cables and not be able to use them with the Jackery 1000.

If I can buy two cables with the appropriate connector (or two cables and attach the appropriate connectors myself) I can then connect the bare wire on the other end of the cables to a charge controller - correct?

The I'll need to come off the charge controller with a cable that terminates into a SAE plug.

MC4 Connectors

[Littoral Adventures]

Originally Posted by boondocking

MC4 Connectors

Thank you.

Now, should the wires from the solar panel to the charge controller be kept to a maximum length?

[Littoral Adventures]

Originally Posted by NJKris

BTW, I used 10 gauge for my 20' cable runs (post controller). My buddy just used a heavy duty extension cord. He cut ends off and put MC4 connectors on, which are readily available. All you need are two conductors, one for positive, one for negative.

Did you use 20 ft just because that's what you had?

Should the length be kept to a maximum distance from the charge controller to the camper input?

[Littoral Adventures]

Is this what I need to build a wire to go from the solar panel to the solar controller?

It doesn't look correct.

[NJKris]

The wire gauge from the panel to the controller is not as important as AFTER the controller to the battery(s), as the power coming out of the panel is high voltage and not subject to the same voltage line loss concerns.


My controller hangs off the back of my solar suitcase, so I limited cable run from there to solar on the side inlet to 20', since I didn't want to go bigger than 10 gauge. For longer cable runs, you really want to have the controller next to the batteries so you don't have line loss issues (voltage loss due to the resistance of the wire, which increases with conductor length and is affected by the thickness, or gauge of wire).


Show us a pic of what wire is coming off your solar panel. I don't know if it's some kind of proprietary Jackery connection, or MC4 like you posted in pic above. If it is some kind of proprietary connection, you can either cut it off and put on MC4, or maybe there is some kind of Jackery to MC4 adapter available.

[Littoral Adventures]

Originally Posted by NJKris

The wire gauge from the panel to the controller is not as important as AFTER the controller to the battery(s), as the power coming out of the panel is high voltage and not subject to the same voltage line loss concerns.


My controller hangs off the back of my solar suitcase, so I limited cable run from there to solar on the side inlet to 20', since I didn't want to go bigger than 10 gauge. For longer cable runs, you really want to have the controller next to the batteries so you don't have line loss issues (voltage loss due to the resistance of the wire, which increases with conductor length and is affected by the thickness, or gauge of wire).


Show us a pic of what wire is coming off your solar panel. I don't know if it's some kind of proprietary Jackery connection, or MC4 like you posted in pic above. If it is some kind of proprietary connection, you can either cut it off and put on MC4, or maybe there is some kind of Jackery to MC4 adapter available.

The attachment in post #9 above is off the back of my solar panels.

Will try to take better/more pics after I get off work this evening.

This being said - the parallel connection cable that is also pictured in post #9 looks like it would allow me have a single connector to go into the charge controller.

Not sure what the rectangular connector is called on the parallel connection cable.