The biggest mistake is choosing wires that are too small. You need to keep these wires as short as possible because they will be expensive. Some charge controllers have small terminals. Make sure the thickness of the wire can be put inside of the terminals. The manual of the charge controller will also suggest a wire size and a fuse size. Learn how to select wires and thickness in my book. Flexible wires with a nylon coating are preferred (THWN-2 cable). If you get a 20 amp charge controller, you need to use a wire thickness that can carry 20 amps without overheating (AWG14 / 2.5mm² or bigger). The thickness of the wire will depend on the type of charge controller you get. Read more: Can I connect my charge controller directly to an inverter? Wiring the battery to the charge controller This is why you can’t connect your solar panel directly to your battery. When the battery is full, the charge controller will stop delivering energy to the battery. The charge controller also senses if the battery is full. Can you see the problem here? If there is no charge controller to provide a regulated voltage to your battery, it will get overcharged and damage will occur. However, the output from your solar panel can range from 17 to 48 volts depending on the type. A solar panel has a higher voltage than the battery Your 12V battery only needs around 13.6 volts from a 12V solar panel to get charged. To understand this situation, picture a scenario where your solar panel is getting sufficient sunlight. What is a charge controller, and why do I need one?Ī charge controller is a device that regulates the current and voltage that goes to the battery. Always connect your battery to the charge controller first.
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