RV8R
Solar Enthusiast
So recently I cobbled together a box to basically utilize a Victron 100 | 50 MPPT Solar Charger.
Why ? ,,, Well the first 100|50 worked very well until one day when about to hook up the alligator clamps, I stood “red 2 red” & “black 2 black” & while pondering the tiny spark I was encountering as I had no switch in the line, I thought to myself I wonder if it matters which alligator clamp I put on first ,,, I know, I will try the red last this time ,,, AND for some unknown reason ( brainfart ), I switched the alligator clamps in my hands & then connected them to the battery I was going to charge up . You know reverse polarity. No magic smoke, no sound ( well other than my wallet whimpering a little ), & no real detectable anything ,,, then the wishful thinking creeped in ,,, it wasn’t long ,,, I will just rectify this & check out the Bluetooth ,,, no joy the Bluetooth was now a BlueBrick.
So that 100|50 was gently placed upon “The Healing Shelf” ,,, come on I know y’all got a Healing Shelf !! ,,, and then I moved on & purchased a new 100|50.
Thus came forth my brainstorm ,,, seriously there was a storm inside my head mad at myself ,,, a Brainstorm to overcome myself & put the new 100|50 into a box with a switch & bulkhead ports ,,, just cause. Of course leaving myself totally exposed to my own demise on the reverse polarity issue, but I tell myself this time is different ,,, Ya I’m already out the $500 CAN.
So ,,,That is Why ,,, Well that & I wanted a box to hold all the wires, etc;
So ,,, Victron wants “Fine Wire Multi Strand” & preferably “Marine Grade” less corrosion & issues that way. So #6 is as large as the screw in terminals take & there is a re-torque of the wires as they settle into their position over time. The Solar wire I had is multi strand, but not “fine wire”, so when I was at the boat store I spied this;
So I bought it & cut it in half to make 2 M / F pigtails. Here is a photo of the “tinned” Victron solar #10 wire & some older solar wire I have “copper coloured”. The photo might not be clear, but the Victron multi stranded solar wire is a fair bit finer;
Now, for you “purest” out there ,,, the holes you see in the plywood were caused by the 1st installation I built thinking I had enough room to mount the MPPT vertical ,,, I even attempted the #6 & just did not like the radius & then though of an elaborate 45 ,,, sometimes I literally over think these things & attempt to satisfy all parameters. So I submitted to the easy wire radius horizontal position & called it a day with my tail between my legs.
Some Things to Note;
#6 wire - because that is the max I can fit in ,,, in reality I will probably be hoofing around a 100W solar panel ,,, maybe 2 - 100Wers ,,, or maybe a bigger 350W ,,, I don’t think that #6 will ever see 50amps ,,, Why do it? In the scheme of things the wire is cheap & not too heavy for the estimated 3 or 4 feet of it, AND I never have to rewire it to meet the charger output.
Why no bulkhead for the Solar Panel wires ? ,,, For heat ventilation, that lid should be open & in the shade if possible. If I feel the need to do that at a later date, I guess I could cut it in
The Screenshots;
So the last “History” was actually in July or August 2023, but since this Charger is being used as a “Portable”, the Victron App thinks it was just yesterday ,,, sort of like my “old man senility” ,,, That is Victron & I both think July was “just yesterday” ,,, well one of us can get a software update to fix that .
On the first screenshot I posted, you can see 2021 Van, but the Bluetooth signal is weak ,,, the wheel in the 1st photo is my van. I would have had no problem connecting outside my van at that distance. Best to password protect your Victron Bluetooth devices.
Why ? ,,, Well the first 100|50 worked very well until one day when about to hook up the alligator clamps, I stood “red 2 red” & “black 2 black” & while pondering the tiny spark I was encountering as I had no switch in the line, I thought to myself I wonder if it matters which alligator clamp I put on first ,,, I know, I will try the red last this time ,,, AND for some unknown reason ( brainfart ), I switched the alligator clamps in my hands & then connected them to the battery I was going to charge up . You know reverse polarity. No magic smoke, no sound ( well other than my wallet whimpering a little ), & no real detectable anything ,,, then the wishful thinking creeped in ,,, it wasn’t long ,,, I will just rectify this & check out the Bluetooth ,,, no joy the Bluetooth was now a BlueBrick.
So that 100|50 was gently placed upon “The Healing Shelf” ,,, come on I know y’all got a Healing Shelf !! ,,, and then I moved on & purchased a new 100|50.
Thus came forth my brainstorm ,,, seriously there was a storm inside my head mad at myself ,,, a Brainstorm to overcome myself & put the new 100|50 into a box with a switch & bulkhead ports ,,, just cause. Of course leaving myself totally exposed to my own demise on the reverse polarity issue, but I tell myself this time is different ,,, Ya I’m already out the $500 CAN.
So ,,,That is Why ,,, Well that & I wanted a box to hold all the wires, etc;
So ,,, Victron wants “Fine Wire Multi Strand” & preferably “Marine Grade” less corrosion & issues that way. So #6 is as large as the screw in terminals take & there is a re-torque of the wires as they settle into their position over time. The Solar wire I had is multi strand, but not “fine wire”, so when I was at the boat store I spied this;
So I bought it & cut it in half to make 2 M / F pigtails. Here is a photo of the “tinned” Victron solar #10 wire & some older solar wire I have “copper coloured”. The photo might not be clear, but the Victron multi stranded solar wire is a fair bit finer;
Now, for you “purest” out there ,,, the holes you see in the plywood were caused by the 1st installation I built thinking I had enough room to mount the MPPT vertical ,,, I even attempted the #6 & just did not like the radius & then though of an elaborate 45 ,,, sometimes I literally over think these things & attempt to satisfy all parameters. So I submitted to the easy wire radius horizontal position & called it a day with my tail between my legs.
Some Things to Note;
#6 wire - because that is the max I can fit in ,,, in reality I will probably be hoofing around a 100W solar panel ,,, maybe 2 - 100Wers ,,, or maybe a bigger 350W ,,, I don’t think that #6 will ever see 50amps ,,, Why do it? In the scheme of things the wire is cheap & not too heavy for the estimated 3 or 4 feet of it, AND I never have to rewire it to meet the charger output.
Why no bulkhead for the Solar Panel wires ? ,,, For heat ventilation, that lid should be open & in the shade if possible. If I feel the need to do that at a later date, I guess I could cut it in
The Screenshots;
So the last “History” was actually in July or August 2023, but since this Charger is being used as a “Portable”, the Victron App thinks it was just yesterday ,,, sort of like my “old man senility” ,,, That is Victron & I both think July was “just yesterday” ,,, well one of us can get a software update to fix that .
On the first screenshot I posted, you can see 2021 Van, but the Bluetooth signal is weak ,,, the wheel in the 1st photo is my van. I would have had no problem connecting outside my van at that distance. Best to password protect your Victron Bluetooth devices.
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