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Topic: Battery/Solar Problem (Read 714 times) previous topic - next topic
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Re: Battery/Solar Problem
Reply #25 –
Actually hot wiring would increase the resistance and would decrease how much current could flow. The maximum would go down. But a fuse is heat operated, the metal in the fuse was probably closer to blowing without any current at all, and solar panels at maximum sunlight could have blown the fuse more easily.
      Fuses rarely are there to protect an item. They are there to protect the wiring. Easier to replace a fuse than replace a building after the wiring catches on fire.  When solar panels are installed, usually wiring much larger than would be needed, is installed to minimize voltage drop. (power wasted in the wire).
      My 48 watt panels (OK 25 years old) each have 20 Amp fuses. I don't expect them to ever blow singly. But a short of the hot lead on one could result in the other two panels adding to the current capability of the third, so parallel wiring adds to the current possible.      RonB
RonB (Bostick) living in San Diego
Original owner of "Bluebelle" a '99 TKB
Re: Battery/Solar Problem
Reply #26 –
Quote from: Jim & Gayle  - 
Prior to that and based on a comment here and a conversation with an engineer friend I increased the fuse size to 25amp which should be overkill. He theorized that since heat increases the resistance in the wiring that caused the 15amp fuse to blow. I have seen input amp readings in excess of 15 but I can't recall the max I've seen with the new controller.
Fuses are generally used to protect the power source and the wiring between the power source and load. Since solar panels are inherently current limiting, there is no need for a fuse by the panels. So, no harm done by increasing the size of the fuse.
2005 Jayco 24SS
 
Re: Battery/Solar Problem
Reply #27 –
Hi Jim

Bob Wilson here.  I thought your previous house batteries were 145s ?, why did you go back  to the 105s?

Thanks
2007 31 IB
Re: Battery/Solar Problem
Reply #28 –
Quote from: Bob Wilson  - 
Hi Jim

Bob Wilson here.  I thought your previous house batteries were 145s ?, why did you go back  to the 105s?

Thanks


Weight, cost, space and we are taking a year off from full-timing to see how we like being back in a sticks and bricks lifestyle. The rig came with T105s in the beginning and the reality was that we never found ourselves needing a few more amp hours but succumbed to the more is better idea.

When I replaced the originals they were 7 years old and seemed to be working fine. I replaced them when I did because the price on the 145s was good and I didn't want to get caught with them failing when I was in the middle of nowhere.

I'm still not sure why the 145s failed when they did since nothing changed in the way we used power.

Jim

Re: Battery/Solar Problem
Reply #29 –
Tt to Prescott tomorrow,

Thanks for the reply, most appreciated.

Good luck with your new adventure.   If its the Phx metro area, very nice 7-8 months of the year,  June - Sept its out of town

Been there down that.

Right now in Phx. visiting the kids   Cheers
2007 31 IB