solar system for shed

[Freeesun]

So I hooked everything up and it works great!!!! A lot of reading and buying returning items but I've finally built it and had it running.

I thiught my cc had a amp reading on how many amps my solar panel is producing but it doesn't.

does anybody have a suggestion for a cheap amp reading device so I can see how many I'm producing?

i thiught every cc shows a amp reading?

[Mike90250]

Most controllers under $300 only have indicator lights.

Getting a versatile DC Clamp On Amp meter is what I'd suggest. Be sure it is clamp on DA amps. Not clamp on AC amps and wire in DC amps.

[Freeesun]

Have a problem


I figured out one part and now can't figure out the second part

i connected everything to charge a dewalt battery and it worked perfect. I was pulling 8.4amps at 6pm facing east. So I'm really excited to see what it can do facing south at 2pm.

My problem is is that when I disconnected the positive from the solar panel to pack everything up I accidentally touched my battery's negative. This closed the circuit and blew a fuse.

now what I don't understand is that the electricity went through my battery's positive terminal which is fused 20amps and went to the fuse block to go into the charge controller. The fuse block is fused with a 15amp fuse and that blew. The fuse connected to the battery's positive didn't blow first. My cc still works but I'm just wondering why did it blow my 15 amp fuse and not my 20 amp one.

My battery is a 75ah battery and the fuse is 6 inches from the terminal. It's a inline fuse which looks really big but is rated at 20amps. The 15 amp fuse is the small car ones that inserted into my fuse block.

[sdold]

The 20A fuse didn't blow because the 15A fuse blew first.

[Freeesun]

Shouldn't my fuse right beside the battery positive blow first? If I short circuited my system how many amps is the battery capable of sending out?

its a 75ah do I figured it would do 75amps. Plugged everything in today and it works fine but just seems odd.

Maybe for some reason it sent out only 15-19 amps and didn't affect my 20amp fuse beside the battery.

[SunEagle]

Shouldn't my fuse right beside the battery positive blow first? If I short circuited my system how many amps is the battery capable of sending out?

its a 75ah do I figured it would do 75amps. Plugged everything in today and it works fine but just seems odd.

Maybe for some reason it sent out only 15-19 amps and didn't affect my 20amp fuse beside the battery.

Think of the 15A fuse that blew as the weakest link in the circuit. It is not necessarily where the fuse is in the circuit, it could be how many amps the fuse saw.

[Mike90250]

Even a small battery (like in jump start packs) can put hundreds of amps out for 20 seconds or so. Enough to start a car. More than enough to melt a wire, which is why fuses are important, as you found out.

[Freeesun]

I didn't even know I touched two wires together until I heard the fuse blow. It all happened really quick.

Do you guys turn off your cc at night or just let it run 24h a day?

[Mike90250]

My 2 charge controllers (CC) are on 24/7 even in winter when I run the generator

[Freeesun]

i was wondering how does everybody mount their solar panel to the roof? im worried about screwing in 4 holes in the roof along with the positive and negative wire for them. i was wondering if you someone could point me in the right direction of a video or thread that i could follow?

[Ampster]

i was wondering how does everybody mount their solar panel to the roof? im worried about screwing in 4 holes in the roof along with the positive and negative wire for them. i was wondering if you someone could point me in the right direction of a video or thread that i could follow?

Depends on the roof. I use quick mount assemblies on comp shingles with racking. I use conduit for the electrical through flashing designed for pipes.

[Freeesun]

its a regular roof nothing special.. i was thinking about using racking but i only have 1 panel. im trying to find some kind of videos on how to do it.

[Ampster]

Oh, a regular roof. That makes it easier. You will find lots of videos on you tube. Just avoid the ones for irregular roofs. LOL

[Freeesun]

its a asphalt roof didnt know that until i kept reading right now. i bought the renogy roof mounts for the panel and thinking about buying the renogy cable entry housing for the wires and sealing everything with roof cement or something like that.

https://www.amazon.ca/Renogy-Housing-Caravans-Marine-Motorhomes/dp/B01N04XAHC/ref=asc_df_B01N04XAHC/?tag=googleshopc0c-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=292938186891&hvpos=1o2&hvnetw=g&hvrand=16990584741641938060&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9047894&hvtargid=pla-351132181388&psc=1

https://www.amazon.ca/Renogy-Solar-Panel-Mounting-Bracket/dp/B00BR3KFKE/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=renogy+solar+mount&qid=1567037366&s=lawn-garden&sr=1-2

[Freeesun]

its a asphalt roof didnt know that until recently reading..i bought the renogy roof mount brackets and im about to buy the renogy roof mount wire thing. both are on amazon but cant post links in here for some reason. going to seal it with some roof cement i think its called.