Solar Panel

[Bones]

I am getting myself in a pickle with fuses. I have a solar panel, a charger controller (stecca pr1515) and a bunch of batteries. Does the fuse go between the solar panel and charger controller or between the controller and the batteries, or is there no need for a fuse as it is a generator of energy rather than a consumer thereof?

 

Thanks...

Edited March 22, 2010 by Bones

[Justme]

Fuses protect the cables. So you should have a fuse as near as possible to the power source.

 

That then is at the solar array end and if the controller uses battery power when there is no sun (it will) you need a fuse at the battery end.

 

 

In practice I would spec a cable that can carry so much power for the array to controller that the array can never cause it to get warm never mind melt even with a direct short & then just fuse the battery end. I would have a disconnect so that the array can be isolated from the controller (mine is actually a resettable fuse / isolator but its at the controller end so not protecting the rest of the cable). If its a MPPT controller never disconnect the battery feed whilst the array is still connected / producing power.

[Bones]

Many Thanks!

[brown]

Check your handbook but I think the steca has a resettable fuse feature and therefore requires no fuse.

[WotEver]

Check your handbook but I think the steca has a resettable fuse feature and therefore requires no fuse.

Perhaps not from array to controller, but any connection to the batteries should be fused as close as practicable to the battery (but not inside the battery box).

 

Tony

[brown]

Correct Tony thanks for pointing that out.