How to Size a Solar Charge Controller for a DIY Camper Van Solar System

This video will teach you how to size a charge controller using a solar charge controller calculator I made.
Here is a link to the Calculator: explorist.life/solar-charge-c...
Here is a link to my solar consulting services: www.explorist.life/consulting
Here is a link to the Solar Wiring Diagrams: explorist.life/solarwiringdia...
Here is a link to a metric F ton of my other free solar resources: explorist.life/diy-campervan-...

[@GerberDaisy]

Thank you for being an AWESOME teacher. We are in the beginning days of building our Shuttle Bus and your videos are helping us understand solar and what we need to purchase. Sincere Thanks.

[@DCGULL01]

So, Nate. 2 years later, and- here I am sitting, watching & feeling incredibly grateful! Not only are you highly focused, right on stream & quick (thank you!) but, additionally, you use Victron equipment (mine's marine- Victron required-almost!) and explain detail (fitment, temp. ranges, max voltage). Finally, space restrictions, wire runs, proper contacts at equipment- all priceless details that PREVENT releasing the magic smoke inside the wires & charge controllers (That's my biggest worry, can't put the Genie back in the bottle once it's been freed!) Wow, I wonder how many people have been helped with you & your wife's channel? I bet it's up to tens of thousands? Free calculators, Excel spreadsheets... Thank you is certainly NOT enough.

[@hjdhjd78]

I been looking for this kind of information without the bs glad I finally found you.

[@GuitarDudeSean]

Your content is simply amazing!! I stumbled upon your channel trying to learn more about a solar install into a skoolie, and every video you've posted is so far invaluable to me. Cannot thank you enough for making all of this so accessible

[@idunasorchard]

The calculator is awesome and might really save some people a lot of headache and money from unknowingly undersizing their charge controller! Not to mention a lot of RVrs may find themselves in high altitude situations where cold weather can come during times of the year when the sun is high in the sky!

[@1989cranston]

How this video has so few likes is beyond me. This calculator is amazing! Thank you for putting it together.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Hey Nick Cranston, Thanks so much! Cheers!

[@JR-kk6ce]

Great video! Just the right amount of focus, math and repetition for me to learn it. We all learn differently, and after watching countless videos from other channels this is the fellow that explains it just right for me to understand and learn.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Glad it was helpful. Cheers!

[@cvakfree]

he is really a nice guy, i ask him help and he answer, he offer to help, amazing i have not use his good will but i will!

[@alanblyde8502]

Thanks for the info, we are off grid “Victron gear” I constantly monitor our usage and as you say the difference in winter / summer is easy to see when looking live on the VRM, we have a duel axis array setup, consists of 6 x 335watt LG panels in 2 strings, (2010 watts total) it’s looking at the sun all day sun up - sun down, I have seen in colder days it reach 2430 watts, on real hot days eg: 39c it only pumps out 1700 watts, big difference, MPPT is 150/100. Inverter charger Mulitiplus 48VA - 35Amp. Batteries agm 12 volt -220AH x two banks (48volts) It gets us by no problems, il be using your method when upgrading later. Thanks again👍🇦🇺

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Sounds like a great setup! Glad it's working well for you. VRM portal is a great tool for sure.

[@cruise2scuba]

Thanks for the succinct information and the calculator! Greatly appreciated. Using this info to "check" the contractor we are working with to ensure we are not being under/oversold.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Be sure if the information differs that you tell him "...but this one guy from KZbin said..." Contractors love that. :D :D :D

[@mattr7229]

I will be upgrading my truck camper to a Lithium system and came across your videos. They are helpful beyond words!!! Thank you!

[@patricialyons7995]

You should thank yourself. This stuff is a bit complicated when someone like me has absolutely no knowledge to start with. I've saved your video and worked out some numbers just to follow your demo, but I know when I get ready I'm going to want someone like you to double check my numbers. This won't be for 3 years when I retire. So in the mean time I'm going to be the most informed as I can be from rooftop to floor. You have been a big help. So thank you, i appreciate you. Pattie

[@jetwalking]

This video and your tutorial is excellent. Thank you. I'm currently at the planning stage and your knowledge and calculator will be essential in planning my setup. I am planning on using Victron totally. Once again; awesome video.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Awesome! Glad it helped. Thanks for watching!

[@dvfr750f]

Great video! I am on a sailboat and your calc is great. Your stuff is great for the 'floating' RVs:)

[@notfound-qe1uo]

Sorry, but on the current calculation you multiplied by 5 at moment "6:04" but you should take into account that the maximum current is only 9.22A as the panels are connected in series. Thanks for the video!

[@MikeJones-pn3fl]

He's calculating the Amperage that would be supplied from the charge controller in the lowest temperature conditions. The current would be ca. 9.22A going into the controller, and ca. 46.14A coming out of it.

[@Marley-ii6ls]

@Mike Jones unless the voltage changes you can't just produce more amps. Watts in has to equal watts out minus losses just like a transformer.

[@rogelioespinoza7852]

Way awesome, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WHAT YOU DO! giant help

[@susannad27]

thank just kidding you have learned a lot since your 1st video nice to see you have turned a hobby in to a business good for you good luck in the future

[@jeepguylv80]

just sad. i just happened to run across your channel while researching solar set ups for travel trailers ( glad i did by the way ) and i can't believe the dislikes !! why?, it seems the more information you give, the free resources, the time it takes to make videos of this caliber, everything short of doing it for them, people still have the nerve to thumbs down videos. you even take the math ( which is complicated for some ) and break it down to make it a heck of a lot easier. i just don't get it. thanks for all your hard work ( i know i appreciate it ) , read a few articles on your site as well... added to my favorites!!!

[@mountainconstructions]

Finally found the info I was looking for regarding multi panels and the Victron MPPT 100/20. Thank you

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Awesome! Glad it helped. Thanks for watching!

[@76ram1]

I’ve just found your channel and it’s gold dust. Please keep up the fantastic work.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Hey Roland Maraldo, Thanks so much! Cheers!

[@idahomountainelk]

Fascinating video and your calculator is amazing. I only have a small teardrop camper with 100 W solar but I want to upgrade my batteries to lithium and the charge controller too.

[@mauricio8983]

Holly crap. That was an extremely well done explanation. I understood ! Of course by the time I add the period I will have forgotten everything, but that’s not your fault. Great job.

[@sailorcto]

Great info, thank you. What I find missing in all these videos is determining the most efficient way to charge a battery, meaning not only the charge controller selection, but the various segments of wire and the guage. I think this is a safety issue as much as anything else. For example, is the fastest way to charge a battery higher voltage or amps? And once I have the charge controller and panel arrangement figured out, what is the most efficient (and safest) wire guage and type to use? I've yet to find a comprehensive video that help with that.

[@PeterDavila-mx9ni]

The most efficient way to charge the battery depends on what kind of battery and manufacturer of battery you use. Is it lithiumm, lead acid, etc. The selection and prroramming of a charge controller or inverter/charger is what gives you the voltages needed to do the charging correctly and efficiently. As for selecting wire size, that's mostly dependent on the maximun current that can possibly be put out by tge charge controller or inverter/charger. And, don't forget to make the wires larger than any fuses or breakers needed.

[@ipwee]

Your calculator saved me from making a grave mistake. A self-proclaimed solar nerd convinced me that his math was correct. It turns out that my amperage was WAY higher (42 amps) than I should be running. Thankfully, I had doubts. Liked and subscribed.

[@Daniel-lf3vj]

Wow thank you so much for the quick to the point info and the tools you provide are awesome.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Hey Daniel, No problem! Glad it helped! :)

[@ambikesandboards]

Wow u draw such straight lines and square corners :)

[@Hermod_Hermit]

Just learned that I need a way bigger controller for my set up than I ever imagined. This saved me money in the long run, as I will not blow the puny one on an over voltage/amperage. With those 4x65W panels x 2 series it turns out I will have to go for a 150/60 controller.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Awesome! Glad it helped. Thanks for watching!

[@TheUltrasilver1]

top notch dude..thankyou for Yoir time and effort..much needed help..big ups ..THANKYOU

[@BruceLauderdale]

Hi Nate, Thank you for this, really helpful. My calculations based on the info you mentioned. I get 43V and 52Amps... This is based on a minimum temperature of -20ºC... Would the 100/50 MPPT be ok, so should I really need to go larger?

[@robertharding5553]

You just saved me a bunch a digging around. I was searching for the right size charger to connect to a 540W panel. Thankyou Thankyou Thankyou.

[@GoodBoyGoose]

Thanks for the info you pump out. I've been looking for a central source for related info and I'm glad I stumbled upon your channel. The amount of info on the vids you produce just flies above my head at initial screening but I slowly get the picture as I re-watch the videos. Question for you, though I'm not sure if this is within the scope of your channel or your website: would you have inputs as to how to integrate a solar charging system with the van's own charging system so the van charging system can help charge the solar batteries? Best regards from Ontario.

[@teddy8080]

Correction needed Hey Nate. I would like to thank you for your time and effort to upload all those informative videos, keep it up. When it comes to calculating the Max Amps coming out from the MPPT solar charge controller the answer in your video references the max wattage you calculated with the formula divided by charging voltage pushed, where as in the calculator on the website it references the Max Voltage Per Panel at Estimated Low Temperature x Solar Panel Maximum Power Current (Imp) / Charging Voltage Pushed the two approaches are different and lead to different answers… I think something needs to be fixed.

[@bryandemerath6812]

Noticed that same thing.

[@GalangPaa]

cool. idol! yeah i found vitron product complete on this camper projects, i am planning victron all the way.. love ur content, mathwhiz!

[@adnanabdel-ghani2018]

You are so good young man,I have been going through all of your videos,I looking for one about inverters ,because I looking for a kind of inverter where I can get a neutral line and live line,thank you

[@paul51413]

Great video Nate. Much appreciated. Hey on a related questions have you done any videos or a post on comparing the very expensive solar panels (eg:Gioco GSP ) to the newer on the market and much more reasonably priced models (eg: renogy 170 mono). With our installation it will only actually be outside for 1 month a year and I am having a hard time justifying the 2-3x price on durability alone. A local dealer is pushing me towards the more expense of the two, so curious to try to figure out why. Feel free to point me to anything you have pre-existing, or you have found out there that you like.

[@wonghuiyien6446]

thanks for the info, but for total amp calculation, I suppose it refers to 5 panels connected in parallel? As current of panel suppose to be the same if they are connected in series.

[@carrottop3454]

Hey Nate. Thanks for the great information. Looking at my rich solar panels, some of the verbiage in your calculator isn’t the same so I’m not sure if I’m putting in the correct numbers. Mostly the coefficient numbers for temp. I’m looking to connect 5-200 watt panels to the new eco flo pro coming out. The only thing they say is max 1600 watts, 11-150volts/15 amps. I’m thinking I’ll be ok but still unsure. I’m in the south Denver area. I put -10 degree f for coldest at daylight to be conservative

[@jacquedreyer5479]

Great video - you threw me off track with the Max Power Voltage (i.e. 22.65Voc Vs 18.90 volts) Had to go back to look at the solar panel label again to verify. Thanks for the videos - much appreciated!

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Awesome! Glad it helped. Thanks for watching!

[@CarlosAnglada]

The diagrams are JAW DROPPING

[@glenc90240]

Great videos! I have a small Airstream with 1 90W Zamp solar panel. I plan to add 2-100W Renogy (pre-wired parallel) panels and have an external port for portable panels. I have 6-100W 24V Lion Energy panels that daisychain together in parallel. I would probably only use 1 or 2 of the portable panels. My question is can I get by with 1 mppt or should I use 2? I have a Victron 100/30 to install, however should I use a 100/50?

[@kenname-private5355]

Hay Nate: Trying to wrap my head around all the great material in your videos. Just not sure how to get them in order, maybe a number by each would help or where to start with number 1. I just tried your calculator and have a suggestion, which may be answered in a video I have not yet seen, which is to provide an estimate of the time it would take using the wattage/amperage calculations to charge a battery bank given say 4.5 hours of sunshine and the number of batteries in the array. In my case I would enter 3 batteries, 100ah, AGM. I think in the end that is what the crucial point is here, what is needed to charge a battery bank.

[@mohamedsheikh2502]

you are a great guy and a good teacher thanks, god bless

[@johnguinasso1140]

Your approach to simplicity when dealing with complex issues is commendable. I have engaged with your calculator which calculates as designed, however, the Victron recommendation section at the very top doesn't seem to be recommending. Fact is it doesn't display anything. Wondering if there is a message there or not. Said differently, if there is no recommended controller displayed, does that mean something is wrong with the calculation data or something else?

[@danstreight2529]

Thanks for providing this information and calculator Nate!

[@Fr333man]

Haha you caught yourself out when you where doing the editing! Awesome vidz👍👍👍

[@nickharper6436]

Hi great video. I have 140w single panel but might add more later. Can I use a MPPT that is bigger than I currently require so it’s good to go if I add more solar later?

[@tracystewart1026]

Thank you for so much information. How do I get the following: 1) Temperature coefficient VOC and 2) Temperature coefficient of PMAX if this is not listed on my panel or my specifications sheet? Any help you can offer is rally appreciated.

[@WandersOfficial]

yea...i agree... i dont know how to get those exact things aswell..good question...] help.>!>>! ultimately video left me confused on those 2 points

[@David_Mash]

@@jamieshakeshaft5468 my spec sheet has the Voltage Temperature Coefficient in mV, but it is not clear if he used mV or V in his calculator

[@mrlincxg397]

can I have the reference of the equations used in this video? Thanks really need it in present time. EXPLORIST life - DIY Campers

[@prof.heinous191]

Many thanks for this, and more especially to all the work you've put into the calculator which I have been using for the last couple of hours. If you have time for a question for folks who live in the tropics, here goes! I crunched the numbers for low temp (10C,) 25C (STC?), and 40C using your low temp adjuster. I could well be misusing its design function, but my voltages kept rising with temp. I was lead to believe efficiencies go down somewhere above 25C, it's usually above 35C in these parts, how do you size MPPTs for hot climates? Thanks!

[@PeterDavila-mx9ni]

The STC, e.g. 25 C, is the temperature of the solar cells in the solar module itself, not the air temperature. As the modules generate power, that temperature goes up above the outside air temperature. But, not sure if the above information may help you figure out your question.

[@mikeswildoutdoors7279]

Great info thanks, Question, I have 4 sunpower 170 flex panels 2 series 2 parallel, 4 battleborn batteries in parallel for 12 volt 400 amp hour bank, which of the Victron charge controllers would you recommend so that I can build up the system as well?

[@remlatzargonix1329]

So, these should be awesome on the prairies where it's cold, but sunny in winter?

[@teodortoshev8386]

Hello, great video, really well explained. But I have a question, not sure how to go with my setup. I'm planning to run 200-300ah 12v batteries. My solar will most likely be 2x320w solar panels. They each have 43 voc, so I will probably series connect them to get 86 volts. So 640w panels at 86 volts will push around 8amps into the controller. My question is, how do I konw at what volts will the controller be charging the battery? 14.4 always? I need to know in order to size the controller. I think a 100/50 victron will do the job. If the controller charges the battery at 14.4 volts, 640/14.4 = 44.4 amps, which is below 50. But if the voltage charge drops, I will go over 50amps, over the controller max..Am I getting this right? Thanks all that help!

[@Xxxcappie23]

For the calculator features can you make it work for degrees Celsius too... Awesome vids. Keep it up.

[@jamesmachan8568]

Hi Nate!! Still loving all your videos but not getting my head right around it yet! My panels dont seem to have all the info on them im running 2x 300ah 12v lithium batteries in parallel for 12v 600ah, I then have 2x 300w solar panels with open circuit voltage of 24V and max power current of 15A. I just purchased the renogy 50A dc2dc charger with solar input which has a max solar input of 660W and 25V. Im unsure on how to safely wire these panels in to get the most efficiency or if maybe i need more solar and a different charger/controller to efficiently charge my 600ah battery bank.. also not sure if that makes sense or if im just really confused haha

[@michaelnguyen1495]

Hi Nate, your video are super easy to follow and your are excellent instructor - thank you! Question, how does the Victron Smart MPPT charge controller work in a solar - RV battery system? For example, I using a Victron MPPT 150/100 with 4X 200W of 20 Voc solar panels (800W, total Voc of 80V), plus a 12V 200Ah (2.4kWh) with the charging voltage of 14.4V ==> does the Victron automatically keeps the charging voltage at 14.4V and have the charging current at 800W/14.4V = 55.6A? Or is the system charging current = 200W / 20Voc = 10A? Can the Victron MPPT be program for specific charging current such as 50A? If the Victron MPPT charge controller can be set to 50 A, then what is the system charging voltage? I want to assess if my system operates with the limits of this Victron MPPT charge controller of 150V/100A. Thanks!

[@EXPLORISTlife]

The charge controller simply re-charges the battery in your RV Electrical system. At the base level, that is all it does. 800w of power regulated down to the battery charging voltage of 14.4V would be, as you mentioned, 55.6A heading into the charge controller. The Victron SmartSolar MPPT can be programmed for lower charging current if desired. The voltage will remain constant at the pre-programmed specifics (of 14.4v or whatever you chose).

[@UnitedWeStand2020]

Love the videos. Always very good information. But, what if the panels label don't have all that information printed on it? Like the temperature info you mentioned. I bought 6, 200 watt HiTech mono panels. This confuses me on what size controller I should get. Maybe one bigger or 2 smaller? I have a class a motorhome (50amp) to power. I tried using your calculator, but couldn't fill in all the blanks. Any suggestions would sure be appreciated!

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Check out the product page on the internet. That SHOULD have the information available.

[@buzzysboaty]

OOOH my goodness.... even google translate could not translate that load of bobldie-gook you spouted in the first minute......🤣. Great video. I am a new subscriber and I am finding these videos so useful for our Narrowboat buid. Thank you.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Hey Buzzy's Boaty, No problem! Glad it helped! :)

[@MBergyman]

You created an excellent little tool, thanks for sharing.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Thank you very much! Glad it was helpful!

[@scottcraig77]

That’s great thanks. My question is, should I go up to above my ampage for the controller- my ampage works out at 52. Should I get a 60, or a 50 amp size controller? Thank you

[@jeffreykann213]

60 amps, always better to go more then less. If some accident happens and it goes over the controller limit, you're out a few hundred dollars

[@andrealaphilippe5926]

The amperage (current) won’t do anything to the controller. It will output as much as it’s rated for and waste the rest. The voltage coming in will fry the controller if it’s over the rated capacity.

[@oneeyedphotographer]

Fun fact. My daughters used to play softball. They addressed their teammates, "Hey, you guys!'

[@susannad27]

next time you are in the london ontario canada i would let you hook up my victron energy system which is sitting in the corner great video like usual keep up the good work

[@susannad27]

no seriously help

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Hey! Apologies, but I don't currently offer install services.

[@naughtysquirrelontheroad1542]

Thanks really helpful. What about if they are wired in parallel?

[@user-df7rd3ly8b]

Why did you use 14.4 volts to divide the watts (around 5 minutes into the video)? Is this because it is a 12v system? What number would you use for a 24v system? Thanks, Tim

[@EXPLORISTlife]

That's the approximate charging voltage for most batteries. For 24V, double it.

[@lostgriz]

Trying to use your calculator. Running into a couple issues; It asks for STC, but the says it is the T= value. I have the STC, but no T= value on my spec sheet. Also, the calculator will not let you enter negative numbers. Really appreciate your efforts and great videos though!

[@petewarby7158]

What a legend 100% what I was looking for AND a brilliant free calculator :) thank you bud

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Hey Pete Warby, No problem! Glad it helped! :)

[@mattanderson2477]

You are a Bloody Legend Mate! Thanks so much! Your videos are Great!

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Hey Matt Anderson, Thanks so much! Cheers!

[@GarthVader78]

Hi Nate, Im loving the series, I cant find 'episodes' 1-4, 6 and 17. Do you have a list you can point me to?

[@eirinini]

extremely useful video and tools! I do have a question though, according to your calculator we need an output charging current of 60A for our system, but how does this relate to the charging rate of the batteries?

[@EXPLORISTlife]

I'm not 100% sure I'm following your question, but this video may help: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gJzFpGtqqKd7qck

[@OneDayCloserToHim]

I loved your calculator! I am not sure I messed up the calculation though by my desired setup? I want to put 2 panels in parallel that are over 300 watts and the only way I could figure to do it was say 1 series string and 2 panels in parallel. It did give a number but not sure it was accurate because they are only the 2 panels in parallel .. I also would like to do 24v battery setup and noticed it did bring the amps down to a very cheap controller amperage. I.e. it seemed like I could really get away with a smaller rated victron. Do you think it was able to do the math correctly by saying it was 1 series string? Thank you!I subscribed and as a newbie love your explanations!

[@rogerviets3150]

This is a great calculator. However, one thing to be aware of is that Victron charge controllers require a 5 volt difference between the voltage of the battery and the incoming voltage from the solar panels to turn on. For example, lets say your battery is at 12.4 volts, the incoming voltage must be 12.4 volts + 5 volts or 17.4 volts. This is important in selecting your panel. In my case, I was looking at setting up a single solar panel with charge controller to maintain my batteries while my RV is in storage. This is on a truck camper with limited space on the roof. I plan on an eventual expansion to 300 to 400 watts but initially I figured a 100 watt panel would be adequate to maintain my batteries. I bought the panel and a Victron 100/20 charge controller for future expansion. As it turns out the output voltage of the panel is only 16.77 volts. The charge controller will not turn until the battery voltage drops to11.77 volts. Not acceptable in my opinion. There are lot of panels on the market with higher output voltages and this wouldn't have been an issue. My solution is to buy another panel and run in series to double the voltage output. The charge controller should work fine after that. Just be aware of the 5 volt requirement to turn on your Victron charge controller (not sure how this affects other brand charge controllers) when sizing and choosing your solar panels.

[@matikaevur6299]

yeah, living quite far north i can agree .. when 24V panel produces enough voltage to charge 12V battery only 3-4 hours per day .. added second panel few weeks ago .. but its late spring / early summer. I'll see what happens in late october. Also using Victron controller, amazing stuff. Wide range of input V, different battery chemistries and voltages .. but the price .. ;) Still worth it

[@perpelle]

@@matikaevur6299 I'm in the same boat and need to start my build asap. Are there any cons in running a 24v panel in a 12v battery system when using a mppt controller? I can't decide between a 12v 200W panel and a 24v 200w panel. My location is in Europe where it can be incredibly warm but also cloudy and quite cold.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Perhaps just choose from the systems I've already got designed and available to take the guesswork out of it? shop.explorist.life/product-category/all-products/camper-wiring-kits/solar-charging-wiring-kits/

[@perpelle]

@@EXPLORISTlife If your answer is for me then we have a problem with shipping/vat/import duties. It's just that a 24v panel with the same wattage as a 12v carry the same price. If my calculations are correct a 24v panel will send more charge amps to a 12v battery compared to a 12v panel with the same wattage.

[@matikaevur6299]

@@perpelle Hello, i run 2x24V in series to charge 12V battery. It's ok in summer .. after that 2 weeks (ha joke :) not much. Tallinn, Estonia. Usually those MPPT controllers need battery voltage +2V to start charging. So in case of low light you get volts up faster and MPPT takes care about amps. My 2 panels are 24V, 240W, 10A, connected in series. So mid-sized victron is quite ok. No controller can give you power if you haven't seen sun for 3 weeks ..

[@Five0Music]

Great stuff, and thanks for the calculator. With a 250/100 in the my setup, I’m apparently as cool as I can be. 😊 Your work is much appreciated!

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Awesome! Glad it helped. Thanks for watching!

[@willadam4121]

Thanks for the good info. What if the solar panels are mismatched? Will your calculator work and how? Thanks

[@EXPLORISTlife]

It will still works, but you'll have to tinker with it a bit to get the proper array voltage/amperage heading to the charge controller.

[@recoreef1371]

you calculator is fantastic ! THANK YOU !

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Glad it was helpful!

[@1972prem]

Love your videos. Quick question: is there a problem with buying a bigger than required charge controller. Asking because currently only have 100w x 2 panels but will purchase more in the future (thinking 250w x 4)

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Nothing wrong with that, no. Just size the charge controller for the larger array and then verify that the smaller array will fall in the charge controller parameters.

[@DCGULL01]

Nate- that's HUGE!!! The price of peace of mind is priceless. I don't mind doing the background work (using your calculator, doing some hand math, etc..), but- would feel 1,000 times BETTER if I could convince you to eyeball my work. Additionally, I will reference all of your work for determining wire size, but- as long as we talking solar- maybe, I could convince you to check that as well? I'd rather do this work RIGHT once, and, get years of service from this expensive equipment, than burn out controllers, ruin batteries or burn down my truck camper! Yikes!

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Awesome! Glad it helped. Thanks for watching!

[@legeantdavid1937]

thanks for the video, i'm buy the 150/35

[@labcoattheater6161]

Really incredible. Thank you!

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Awesome! Glad it helped. Thanks for watching!

[@roderikvanl]

Great video thanks. Is there any risk of giving the mppt too few volts or amps? You only talk about the max values here? Thanks again!

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Not really. The solar array voltage MUST be at least 5V higher than the battery bank voltage and SHOULD be at least 20V higher for optimum performance.

[@richardlain9949]

Good information, thanks. Just curious after using your calculator and looking at the Victron charge controller, Amazon listed 2 different controllers. One is called SmartSolar MPPT 100/50 Charge Controller and the other is called Victron BlueSolar 12V or 24V MPPT 100/50 Charge Controller. what is the difference between a "SmartSolar" and a "BlueSolar" controller besides the price?

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Good question! The main (only?) Difference is that the Smartsolar has bluetooth capabilities built into the unit and the Bluesolar unit requires an external bluetooth dongle. The bluetooth capabilities IMO are awesome and allow you to see not only how much power you are currently making, but also how much power you have historically made on a daily basis. It's great for making sure your system is actually performing how it should.

[@richardlain9949]

@@EXPLORISTlife Thank you!

[@roberthulm5291]

U been a great help id love to have a 1 on 1 to ask u a few questions it be a great help

[@iancherry4929]

Great video, and thanks for the help. I have one question. I am going to use two HQST 50w and two HQST 100w panels due to space constraints. I can’t figure out the math or how to enter the differing info into your calculator. I’m thinking the Victron 100 | 30 would be good but I wanted to be sure.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

You'll actually need two separate charge controllers for that. One for the 100's and one for the 50's.

[@iancherry4929]

Oh I was not expecting that as the specifications on each panel are about the same, except of course the amps on the 100w is approx double that of the 50w. The total amps would still be in range of the controller. I guess I have some studying to do on this.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Okay, actually... I just made a calculator to figure out HOW MUCH wattage would be lost by mixing solar panel sizes. If you wire your solar panels like this: 2x50w panels in series 2x100w panels in series Wire those two series-strings in parallel. If you do it like that, mathematically, you should still be able to pull a maximum of 295w out of the solar panel array; so pretty close to original.

[@JeepTJay6]

So if I also plan to run a 12/12 30 DCDC to my battery bank on the road does that effect these calculations? I'm looking at (x2) 100w roof mounted panels at the moment. BTW, holy smokes you're sharp with this stuff!

[@Cdswjp]

Finally got to the end of the video... really great video. still lost on something pretty important though... not sure how u derived the -0.336 "Temperature Coefficient" value. -0.336 isn't shown nor derived from the label located on the back of the 100W Maya solar panel... is it?

[@shanpieee]

BEST! Thank you !

[@Olidrone]

Thank you for this, absolutely great to learn. Are those controllers good for marine use ? thanks

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Definitely! That's what they were originally designed for.

[@Meanie010]

Can I plug the flux capacitor directly into the orgonne generator or do I need to modulate the carrier wave output with a cascading field zener diode?

[@EXPLORISTlife]

As long as the marshal vane is below the Voc, you'll be good.

[@markyes2041]

But Captain Explorist . The Marshall Vane should always be calibrated against the Warp Drive -ve BUS differential with k-factor to maintain the hall effect constant at 0.02 % of sine magnitude ! I know because my nanna told me ~

[@ChatGPT1111]

Mark Yes my momma told me dat foosball is for the devil

[@hanshonstatzky961]

Hi, great vid Can I use 2 different panels that produce different amps and watts in parallel. Cheers

[@EXPLORISTlife]

If the panels are in parallel and the volts are, say, within 1 volt of each other, that will be fine. There will be a bit of power loss, but not much.

[@OYMInternetRadio]

Hi, WEll done on your videos. The one thing I have not heard anyone talk about when size your requirements are the devices that do not take watt hours. So you may have your computer on for a period of a few hours which is fine, but things like kettles to make a cut of tea, they may be 1.8 kilowatts, but they are only on for a short period of time, so who do you factor that in. This also applies to power tools where you might only have them on every now and again like a mitre saw for example.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

1.8 kilowatts = 1,800 Watts. If you run a 1,800W device for an hour, that's 1,800 Watt Hours. Half an hour would be 900 Watt hours. 15 minutes would be 450 Watt hours. Something like a miter saw that only gets a few seconds of use at a time would indeed be difficult to calculate as the use is also pretty inconsistent.

[@OYMInternetRadio]

@@EXPLORISTlife Yes, I agree, the likes of a kettle which only stays on for about 5 minutes would also be difficult to calculate.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

That one is pretty easy too since it's consistently on for 5 minutes at a time. 1800W / 60 minutes = 30Wh per minute. x 5 minutes = 150Wh per use.

[@OYMInternetRadio]

@@EXPLORISTlife Ok, I didn't think about looking at it that way, thank you. :-)

[@Cdswjp]

Is there a max. amount of amperage that the solar panels / array can send to the charge controller? I noticed that the Victron only displayed the amount of voltage it can accept, but not the amount of amperage it can accept. Thank you btw for all these great videos & blog articles. Much appreciated.

[@ItsEverythingElse]

Look at their spec sheets. www.victronenergy.com/upload/documents/Datasheet-SmartSolar-charge-controller-MPPT-100-30-&-100-50-EN.pdf

[@estefaniamartinez2692]

Hi Nate! Thanks for being so detailed eventhough I will.not be doing that math lol. Question is there such thing as choosing a too big of an mppt? I would like to get the 250/100 so that in the future I can continue to add to my system. But it will start with about 1200w of solar and I choosing wrong?

[@EXPLORISTlife]

The only thing 'wrong' with having an oversized charge controller is you are just wasting money on a charge controller that is too big. There is nothing dangerous about it, though.

[@estefaniamartinez2692]

@@EXPLORISTlife thank you for responding! I thought might as well make the investment now so that later I dont have to spend double.. but glad to know it wont affect the system as we start

[@geofftosio4807]

Hi Nate, Geoff from Australia here. We use a lot of Victron products over here too - could you add the ability to put temperature in degrees centigrade on your calculator?

[@seanmoon1444]

Omg ur a wealth of knowledge thx for all your maths plugged my panel info into calc but it didn’t give a recommendation

[@EXPLORISTlife]

What information did the calculator provide in the ''Detailed Results" Section?

[@seanmoon1444]

Wow 1st off ur amazing with the speedy reply the series parrellel thing threw me for a loop but amps going into charge 18 comming out of solar 86.11 300v per panel 1200 total

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Gotcha. The array voltage is too high. that's why it isn't making a recommendation. Try using a series-parallel configuration to lower the array voltage.

[@lucyocaesey6095]

Hi Nate! Is it possible to use two MPPTs? And to wire them in a way that both solar panel systems behind those two MPPTs supply the batteries with energy? Because I have the problem that I need two different kinds of solar panels on my roof and that I can't effectively put them all together in one system with one single MPPT or I would loose a lot of Wp (at that point thanks again a lot for your great video on how to wire solar panels in series and/or parallel!). Sincere Thanks, J

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Yep! Sure can! I have a dual MPPT setup in this diagram: www.explorist.life/24v-6000w-120v-240v-split-phase-camper-solar-wiring-diagram/

[@grantkay7230]

Hi Nate liked your video on unequal solar panel systems. I wonder if you can help me. I have three panels on my van. 100 w + 20w + 180w they are wired in parallel and I'm getting up to 16amps would I be better wiring them in series. I am in Scotland and so winter is not so sunny but summer is very sunny. Regards Grant

[@grindene]

Excellent video! Thank you very much for the great info.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@apocalatte3075]

Thanks mate! An awesome resource you are.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Glad it was helpful. Cheers!

[@daniellamberth7877]

I beredd this. But have one question. Heat do I do of the spec sheet spenat show solen of your variables in your calculator. Like temperaturen coefficient for one.

[@paulisakson3645]

Dave, thanks for a great video! Three questions: 1) If I use my camper van spring to fall and not dead of winter, am I safe to use a milder low temperature like 10 or 20 F? 2) You mention wiring panels in series but I've read that for 4 panels, it's better to wire 2 sets of 2 panels in parallel, then each pair in series, to protect against huge power loss if even one panel is shaded--your thoughts? 3) I don't understand the load output function on MPPT controllers and why doesn't the Victron have it? Renogy and other do have it. But again, I don't even know what it is or how important it is. Thx!

[@EXPLORISTlife]

1: Even if YOU don't use the camper in the winter; if you ever sell it and the next buyer does; sizing the charge controller for mild climates only would be dangerous for the next person down the line. 2: Series or Series-Parallel are both fine depending on the array. 3: It can be for powering loads ONLY when the sun is out; or ONLY powering loads during certain times of the day. Ultimately, it's not very useful for campers. The less powerful victron MPPT's have it (Like the Smartsolar MPPT 75|15) because those are commonly used in solar powered streetlights.

[@paulisakson3645]

@@EXPLORISTlife Thank you! I believe you did the 2+2 series/parallel on your family's truck camper.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Yes. That's correct.

[@Merc-Rover]

Great video and thanks for the calculator!!!

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Hey Luton Van Man, No problem! Glad it helped! :)

[@jaycweingardt11]

Super useful information, I did not think about cold boosting my amps, You got my Sub and like

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Hey jaycweingardt11, No problem! Glad it helped! :)

[@sreehyd23]

Thanks for all your input, They are quite helpful ..

[@EXPLORISTlife]

No problem. Happy to help!