Solar Isolator

Alshymer said:
Hi
Can someone suggest whether or not I need a solar isolator between my 2x110 watt panels and my Victron MPPT regulator?
Thanks
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To answer your question, it is not essential but it makes isolating your panels easier.

You could use fuses instead, you could pull cables out or you could cut the cables and solder them together afterwards but to me an isolator is the best option.
 
I'd agree with that Chris and all the other methods, it's just convenient to do it this way for me, and cheaper, I was considering a fused spur as I have one and almost as quick to isolate, but not quite as tidy, I'm also using D-line trunking as most of the exposed cabling will be in the wardrobe and I don't want anything messy or possibly sharp on Liz's clothing or my frocks.

Also to match the paneling

 
Personally if I want to isolate the panels I disconnect from the Victron controller.
Don't forget that every connection is a potential fault point, and a switch adds 3 such points
 
Yes if not done securely, the switch contacts could fail but you can buy them anywhere in the UK, and I suppose you could get something in the EU to get you home, not something I'll worry about though as in a domestic situation, you have single wires and no movement & in the van you have flexi wires well secured.
 
So many threads on a simple thing, i give up. 😂
van electrics a.jpg
 
Trev makes a good point in a post earlier (I know, it was probably an oversight on his part :D ) about appearance ....
Adding things like a household switch into a PV Panel circuit looks shonky and amateurish. It doesn't really matter if the switch is up to par (dubious, but a different discussion), it LOOKS wrong and out of place and if at some time you want to sell on your motorhome/campervan, it could well make a viewer question the overall quality of the vehicle and what other stuff has been done in a weird and maybe suspect way (I certainly would be wondering that).
A setup like mistericeman's breakers seems OTT personally, BUT it looks neat, well done with the right kit and if you saw that in a van you were considering buying, you would think "nice job"
 
Possibly if it was part of a large otherwise professional solar setup but this will be very simple, one switch, a bit of trunking and a controller, I don't need anything elaborate, anyway compared to the existing "professional" lashup it'll look miles better.

I've done a few vans over the years and this may be my last, if it puts a buyer off then so be it but they would have to be a bit anal to even notice it, I'd get a pale brown one if I could to blend in but nope so I got the white trunking instead

1740562217266.png


1740562344958.png
 
As you mentioned it ... the Trunking stopping short looks worse than being white :( Given the cost of some trunking, why not get the right length?
Now it would look nicer if it blended in more as you are said. This trunking is nice gear - https://amzn.to/4h0RBaa. I've used the D-Link trunking internally in the Motorhome, externally on the roof for PV Cable (putting the black PV cable inside some white trunking when on a white roof really looks so much tidier). Also used in the house when needing to run some cables around a door frame. Nice quality.
Generally used the plain white stuff but I got a length of oak effect colour when I had to run some cable from the satellite dish inside my cocktail cabinet and against the wood veneer finish. Doesn't make it invisible but for sure less obvious than white would be.

Maybe I am being a bit anal and 'precious' about this kind of thing, but if gonna do something that is going to stay, may as well do it as well as you can?
 
wildebus said:
As you mentioned it ... the Trunking stopping short looks worse than being white :( Given the cost of some trunking, why not get the right length?
Now it would look nicer if it blended in more as you are said. This trunking is nice gear - https://amzn.to/4h0RBaa. I've used the D-Link trunking internally in the Motorhome, externally on the roof for PV Cable (putting the black PV cable inside some white trunking when on a white roof really looks so much tidier). Also used in the house when needing to run some cables around a door frame. Nice quality.
Generally used the plain white stuff but I got a length of oak effect colour when I had to run some cable from the satellite dish inside my cocktail cabinet and against the wood veneer finish. Doesn't make it invisible but for sure less obvious than white would be.

Maybe I am being a bit anal and 'precious' about this kind of thing, but if gonna do something that is going to stay, may as well do it as well as you can?
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Not anal at all David, nothing wrong with wanting things right and looking nice, but it's a 18 year old van getting more worthless every day so I'm making it better than it is now at least.

I did look for woodgrain switches and patresses but TBH the white look better even if it does stand out.

Where the Controller is now it's useless, I cannot read the display as it's under a locker, it was supposed to be where it's going, but these fitters seem to think they can do what they like, it would even have been easier to put it where I wanted it as it's in the wardrobe under the panel and next to the LB.
 
Pudsey Bear said:
Not anal at all David, nothing wrong with wanting things right and looking nice, but it's a 18 year old van getting more worthless every day so I'm making it better than it is now at least.

I did look for woodgrain switches and patresses but TBH the white look better even if it does stand out.
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Some of the "wood effect" finishes can look dreadful I agree and actually draw the eye to them more than a clean white would.

This is the Oak finish D-Line trucking I mentioned earlier in my cabinet
1740565382447.png

(Cut it a bit short :( ) I think it blends it well enough? due to limitations on where it had to feed downwards, ended up having to go part along the wall rather then the ideal of in a corner.


Pudsey Bear said:
Where the Controller is now it's useless, I cannot read the display as it's under a locker, it was supposed to be where it's going, but these fitters seem to think they can do what they like, it would even have been easier to put it where I wanted it as it's in the wardrobe under the panel and next to the LB.
Click to expand...
You mentioned "compared to the existing "professional" lashup it'll look miles better"? It is sad that too many of the factory-built motorhomes come out looking so amatuerish and half-baked :( Trying to work on some of them is very tricky but the good news is just about anything would an improvement :)
 
wildebus said:
Some of the "wood effect" finishes can look dreadful I agree and actually draw the eye to them more than a clean white would.

This is the Oak finish D-Line trucking I mentioned earlier in my cabinet
View attachment 140640
(Cut it a bit short :( ) I think it blends it well enough? due to limitations on where it had to feed downwards, ended up having to go part along the wall rather then the ideal of in a corner.



You mentioned "compared to the existing "professional" lashup it'll look miles better"? It is sad that too many of the factory-built motorhomes come out looking so amatuerish and half-baked :( Trying to work on some of them is very tricky but the good news is just about anything would an improvement :)
Click to expand...
It wasn't factory in the pics David that was a local MCEA chap that did it, he's retired now and the other one is much more on the case, she takes a pride in her work, Sally in Halifax if anyone knows her, she's a biker too.
 
I put a household 230vac 13A Fused DP switched fused spur in to isolate the solar, my solar will never exceed 13amps. I guess this may technically be wrong in some way!
But the only reason I 'had' to do this was the the Renogy B2B/solar 30amp has a quirk in that if it receives both a solar and B2B charge input then it limits each one to 15 amps. So when there is say 1Amp of solar and I'm driving my max charge is 15+1 amp total. When I turn of solar then B2B will supply 30A Charge. The one annoying thing about this Renogy B2B/Solar equipment.
 
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