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It is important to use the proper size wire between your MPPT solar controller and battery bank.  Here's why

10/20/2020

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One of our customers was getting less than 20% of the rated power from his solar panels and he called us for help.  He had 400 watts of solar, was using a Victron MPPT controller and two CMPower 120 Ah LiFePO4 batteries.  He should have been getting 25+ Amps of charging power from the controller to the batteries but was only getting 4 Amps.  We spent several hours troubleshooting; charging and discharging the batteries, testing the solar panels reprogramming the MPPT controller all to no avail.  He texted me a picture of his installation and happened to mention he was temporarily using a 25 foot long 12 gauge wire between the controller and the batteries.  I suggested he try a short 10 or 8 gauge wire and see what happens.  Magically, the system began to work perfectly.  I reproduced the same situation in our shop and achieved the same results.  The bottomline:  The wires between the controller and the battery bank MUST be adequate to handle the load otherwise the performance of the solar system will be severely restricted.  Don't skimp on the wire.  The same applies for the wire from the solar panels to the controller.
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    Thomas Trimmer has been cruising with his Ericson 38 sailboat on the Great Lakes for over 20 years.  He has pioneered the use of solar energy for wilderness cruising.  He is continually designing and building equipment to simplify and enhance the cruising experience.

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  • Home
  • Marine Solar Panels
    • Marine Solar Panels
    • Flexible Marine Solar Panels
    • Semi-Rigid Walk On Marine Solar Panels
    • Rigid Marine Solar Panels
    • Stern Rail Mounted Solar Panels
    • Kits - Solar System Kits
    • Van Solar Panels
    • Portable Solar Panels
  • Kits&Electronics
    • Kits - Solar System Kits >
      • Flexible Solar Panel Kits
      • Semi-rigid Solar Panel Kits
      • Rigid Solar Panel Kits
      • Auxiliary Solar Panel Kit
      • Portable Solar Panels
    • Solar Controllers & Electrical >
      • MPPT DuoRacer Dual Output Series
      • MPPT Tracer Series
      • MPPT Victron Smart Solar Series
      • MPPT Xtra-N Series
      • PWM Duo Dual Output Controller
      • Electrical Components
    • Mounting Systems >
      • Flexible Panel Mounting Systems
      • Semi-rigid Panel Mounting System
      • Rigid Panel Mounting System - Top Of Pole
    • Inverters
    • Outboard Motor Lifting Crane
    • Solar Water Heating System For Boats
    • Visit Our Store
  • Lithium Batteries
    • LiFePO4 Lithium Batteries
    • Portable Power Stations
  • Reviews & Installations
    • Reviews/Customer Comments
    • Gallery of Installations
  • System Design
  • Support
    • FAQ
    • Solar System Design & Installation
    • Manuals & Information
    • Solar System Installation Pointers
    • Troubleshooting
    • Contact Us
    • Solar System Installers
    • Battery Exchange Plus
    • Handy Products We Don't Carry
    • Freight Forwarders for International Shipping
    • About us
    • Call (248) 705-8337
    • Return Policy
    • Shipping Rates
    • Marine Solar Panel Sizing Calculator Tool
  • Blog