How to add Victron controller 2016 320S?

chrispitts · November 19

My 2016 320s has solar port - wired directly to the 12V battery. I have portable solar panels. Do I NEED a controller? If so, where/how best to install? Should I hard wire the controller permanently between the port and battery? Or just connect/add the controller between the panels and the port only when I'm using the panels?

Grumpy_G · November 19

You do need a charge controller, it doesn't have to be a Victron MPPT though. Depending on the output rating of the solar panel a simple PWM controller might be sufficient.
As for the placement of the charge controller most portable panels have the controller attached to them. There is no technical reason to not put the charge controller close to the battery, in fact for higher power panels with a MPPT controller it is beneficial to have short wire runs as to reduce voltage drop. You just need to remember that you can only connect panels without a controller mounted to them.

pthomas745 · November 19

Yes, you need a controller. The SAE port is just a...plug. Some owners use the port wiring to attach a solar controller inside the tub, and then have the battery wiring from the controller to the battery. In that case, the solar panel cable will attach to the SAE port.

Other owners have the controller outside the tub. The solar panels are wired to the controller solar inputs. Another cable (an SAE) goes from the battery connections from the controller to the SAE port on the side of the trailer. The idea is to have the controller close to the battery. I have about 25 feet of solar cable running to the controller, and about 6 feet of cable running to the SAE port.

There are solar "suitcases" that have the controller mounted at the panels. In that case, a single cable to the SAE port would be used from the controller. Maybe not "optimum", but it does work.

Back when solar was new, there were many nice posts with setups in various configurations.

https://tab-rv.vanillacommunity.com/discussion/7432/our-portable-solar-suitcase-setup/p1

And, some more: https://tab-rv.vanillacommunity.com/discussion/11361/mounting-location-for-solar-charge-controller

Some of those, obviously, took some skills and planning. I had very few skills at first, and was just happy to get things connected! My solar controller literally just sat on top of the tub wired to the SAE port. I had to connect and disconnect whenever setting up/packing up. Not "convenient", but...it worked for me.

I've since learned how to crimp and use a nice electronic box to put the controller in, with easy connections based on SAE.

chrispitts · November 19

Thanks to you both. I figured as much - but never safe to make assumptions. Thanks for the confirmation. (I'll try and wire the controller between the SAE port and the battery. There's enough room in the tub for me to place a small vertical panel to house the controller)

Marceline · November 19

chrispitts said:

Thanks to you both. I figured as much - but never safe to make assumptions. Thanks for the confirmation. (I'll try and wire the controller between the SAE port and the battery. There's enough room in the tub for me to place a small vertical panel to house the controller)

Here's how installed mine between the SAE port on the outside of the tub and the battery.

Basil48192 · November 19

Just another method for your reference. This is my setup with the battery box cover removed. The controller is mounted to a piece of a plastic cutting board. My MC4 connection port is on the side of the propane tub (bottom photo).

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021717/uploads/editor/1b/4z15h768wqto.jpg

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021717/uploads/editor/b1/bubmwr3ipho2.jpg

Marceline · November 19

Basil48192 said:

Just another method for your reference. This is my setup with the battery box cover removed. The controller is mounted to a piece of a plastic cutting board. My MC4 connection port is on the side of the propane tub (bottom photo).

I had thought about switching to an MC4 connector but it seems like they're such a PITA to clip and unclip. Do you need to use some kind of tool to unplug it from the port?

Basil48192 · November 19

@Marceline. Yes, I have a little plastic tool that makes it pretty easy to disconnect them. When I put this in over 3 years ago, the MC4 seemed to be the most common and, since my 200W Renogy panel came with MC4 conncectors, I just kept all my connections the same.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021717/uploads/editor/8d/zk8kinx5hmfh.jpg

pthomas745 · November 20

I recently made some of my own cables, and attached SAE connectors to an 1Ft MC4 "pigtail" attached to the MC4 connectors off the back of the panel. The ""pigtail" can just stay attached. From the SAE connector, I have a 25 foot SAE cable that attaches to an SAE "pigtail" coming off the solar controller. Quick and easy to detach the 25 foot cable from the panel and the controller. The SAE cable also winds up and stores much easier than a standard set of "solar cables".

The MC4 connectors are nice and all, but I don't think they are exactly designed for a "portable" type setup. I broke ever single one of the "assembly" tools I bought, and eventually shaved down the little "pins" that hold the MC4's together. Just wasn't worth the frustration.

In one of the threads above, ScottG suggested using "landscape wire" instead of "solar panel cables". I bought a 25 foot length of the wire below, and made up another set of cables with SAE connectors at both ends. This type of cable (and the other SAE cable I discussed above) has much more flexible insulation.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C8JYPLH6?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title

There are so many different ways to do these things now, with more convenient connectors such as the XT60, etc.

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