What is the Load connection for on my charge controller?

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  • CanadianCabinSolar
    Junior Member
    • Mar 2013
    • 22

    #1

    What is the Load connection for on my charge controller?

    Hello,
    I have a Morningstar ProStar 30 Charge Controller ( B002MQWXB4) that I will be installing between a Kyocera 140 Watt Panel (KD140GX-LPU) and 2 - 100AH 12 Volt Solar Batteries ( Canadian Tire # 11-1879-8) on my off-grid cabin near Sturgeon Falls, Ontario, Canada.
    I understand the solar panel connection and the battery connection but I do not understand the load connection on the ProStar charge controller. I have a Blue Sea Systems 5026 Blade Fuse Block that I will connect to my batteries and use as a 12 Volt fuse box to run my 12 Volt lighting system and 12 Volt water pump for my shower.
    What are the Load connections for?? What do I connect there?
    Thank very much for any help you can give me,
    Doug
  • inetdog
    Super Moderator
    • May 2012
    • 9909

    #2
    Originally posted by CanadianCabinSolar
    Hello,
    I have a Morningstar ProStar 30 Charge Controller ( B002MQWXB4) that I will be installing between a Kyocera 140 Watt Panel (KD140GX-LPU) and 2 - 100AH 12 Volt Solar Batteries ( Canadian Tire # 11-1879-8) on my off-grid cabin near Sturgeon Falls, Ontario, Canada.
    I understand the solar panel connection and the battery connection but I do not understand the load connection on the ProStar charge controller. I have a Blue Sea Systems 5026 Blade Fuse Block that I will connect to my batteries and use as a 12 Volt fuse box to run my 12 Volt lighting system and 12 Volt water pump for my shower.
    What are the Load connections for?? What do I connect there?
    Thank very much for any help you can give me,
    Doug
    Most off-gridders will not need to use the Load connection on the CC directly. Its common use is to provide a limited amount of DC for directly powering small DC loads and disconnecting them when the battery voltage goes too low.
    An inverter will need more power than you can get through the Load terminals on the CC and has its own low voltage cutoff circuit, so it gets directly connected to the battery, just as the CC is. But you did not mention an inverter.
    If your total DC load is lower than the amp limit listed in the ProStar documentation, you can wire it directly to the Load terminals instead of to the battery. If it is higher than that, you can use the Load output to drive a relay that cuts off your loads when the battery voltage goes too low. But first check to see what the low voltage cutoff in the ProStar is. If it is much lower than 12 volts , it may not protect your battery properly and you will have to do something else.
    SunnyBoy 3000 US, 18 BP Solar 175B panels.

    Comment

    • Mike90250
      Moderator
      • May 2009
      • 16020

      #3
      the LOAD terminals are only for small (1 or 2 amp) loads, that the charge controller manages on its own. Something like a dusk-dawn or timed lighting, and it usually has a LowVoltageCutoff integrated with it.
      Powerfab top of pole PV mount (2) | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
      || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
      || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

      solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
      gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister

      Comment

      • CanadianCabinSolar
        Junior Member
        • Mar 2013
        • 22

        #4
        Originally posted by inetdog
        Most off-gridders will not need to use the Load connection on the CC directly. Its common use is to provide a limited amount of DC for directly powering small DC loads and disconnecting them when the battery voltage goes too low.
        An inverter will need more power than you can get through the Load terminals on the CC and has its own low voltage cutoff circuit, so it gets directly connected to the battery, just as the CC is. But you did not mention an inverter.
        If your total DC load is lower than the amp limit listed in the ProStar documentation, you can wire it directly to the Load terminals instead of to the battery. If it is higher than that, you can use the Load output to drive a relay that cuts off your loads when the battery voltage goes too low. But first check to see what the low voltage cutoff in the ProStar is. If it is much lower than 12 volts , it may not protect your battery properly and you will have to do something else.
        Thank You inetdog.

        Comment

        • CanadianCabinSolar
          Junior Member
          • Mar 2013
          • 22

          #5
          Originally posted by Mike90250
          the LOAD terminals are only for small (1 or 2 amp) loads, that the charge controller manages on its own. Something like a dusk-dawn or timed lighting, and it usually has a LowVoltageCutoff integrated with it.
          Thank You Mike.

          Comment

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