shortcircuit
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Which Solar Controller
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shortcircuit
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Thanks for info. Just noted, although not saying soft start it does say "300W continuous power with 900W surge". I have had this for many years and it worked ok.
Changed PC as not worked out how to copy link on my Mac Will this type do https://subcold.com/collections/eco-range/products/undercounter-fridge-eco-100l-white
Changed PC as not worked out how to copy link on my Mac Will this type do https://subcold.com/collections/eco-range/products/undercounter-fridge-eco-100l-white
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trevskoda
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You will require the soft start for electric motors, I to have a 300 soft start but fitted the 600 as I have a plug socket of it to run a small tube heater in winter at the back of the van under where the beds are, you do not require a soft start for them, you could do this mod.
shortcircuit
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This is for the real techys. Currently my 90w solar panel feeds directly into the Kigass energy management system which has a 90w capacity and as has been sugested may not be that efficient. If I wire an MPPT controller directly to the solar and then into the Kigass would I gain any benifits?
merl
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I doubt it mate but it's hard to say without intimate knowledge of the circuitry of both the controller and your Kigass. Worst case scenario is you'd actually be worse off.
Have you followed my advice in post 16 ?
If so and your 2 leisure batteries simply connect together in the Kigass then simply wire your new MPPT controller to either of the leisure batteries (either at the Kigass input or at one of the leisure batteries whichever is easiest) and forget about using the solar input at the Kigass.
Merl
Have you followed my advice in post 16 ?
If so and your 2 leisure batteries simply connect together in the Kigass then simply wire your new MPPT controller to either of the leisure batteries (either at the Kigass input or at one of the leisure batteries whichever is easiest) and forget about using the solar input at the Kigass.
Merl
shortcircuit
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Merl, thanks for your suggestions. The system still works powered by a single battery. I took the plunge today to try and see whats inside the controller. I got as far as the attached photo and baulked at going any further as the main terminal block appears to be plastic riveted on. I tested between the leisure battery input terminals and they appear connected as a dead short. Each terminal has a seperate track into controller. A single controller to one battery looks good.
As MPPT controllers are more efficient I could fit one to my existing solar still connected to the Kigass??
As MPPT controllers are more efficient I could fit one to my existing solar still connected to the Kigass??
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merl
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That's great an exactly as I suspected and the 'Dual leisure battery input' on your Kigass is basically BS! Your 2 leisure batteries are connected in parallel at the Kigass so your 2 leisure batteries can be viewed as simply 1 large leisure battery from now on.
As mentioned in the previous post ignore the solar input at the Kigass.
Connect your solar panel to your new MPPT controller and take the output of the MPPT to your 'large leisure battery' wherever it's most convenient. I'm thinking this will probably be at the leisure battery input to the Kigass but connecting directly to either of your leisure batteries will work and in this case I suggest you tie the 2 leisure batteries together in parallel directly at the batteries with some heavy-ish cable around 10mm sq which will be simple enough if they are close together. This will reduce voltage level differences between the 2 batteries due to resistance in the wiring between the batteries and Kigass.
A word of warning, a lot of cheap solar controllers advertised as MPPT are not MPPT and are cheap PWM designs and hence wont give you any benefit over the inbuilt solar controller in your Kigass. Double check the advert description and manual and if it mentions 'PWM' anywhere then avoid it, this won't give 100% guarantee of being MPPT unfortunately but it will go a long way in sorting out the wheat from the chaff.
Not sure about anything just ask
Merl
As mentioned in the previous post ignore the solar input at the Kigass.
Connect your solar panel to your new MPPT controller and take the output of the MPPT to your 'large leisure battery' wherever it's most convenient. I'm thinking this will probably be at the leisure battery input to the Kigass but connecting directly to either of your leisure batteries will work and in this case I suggest you tie the 2 leisure batteries together in parallel directly at the batteries with some heavy-ish cable around 10mm sq which will be simple enough if they are close together. This will reduce voltage level differences between the 2 batteries due to resistance in the wiring between the batteries and Kigass.
A word of warning, a lot of cheap solar controllers advertised as MPPT are not MPPT and are cheap PWM designs and hence wont give you any benefit over the inbuilt solar controller in your Kigass. Double check the advert description and manual and if it mentions 'PWM' anywhere then avoid it, this won't give 100% guarantee of being MPPT unfortunately but it will go a long way in sorting out the wheat from the chaff.
Not sure about anything just ask
Merl
Nabsim
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Basically what I did with mine although my van has Schaudt gear, similar limitations on what you could do as op though. Just run direct to battery bank, control panel didn’t show solar input (mine doesn’t offer that anyway) but did show proper volts and amps on panel. Limitation was actually connecting through OEM gear, not to battery bank.
If like mine though by increasing battery bank size you may no longer have suitable mains charger capacity if you want EHU. Can’t remember if that was discussed earlier. Another easy enough fix though
If like mine though by increasing battery bank size you may no longer have suitable mains charger capacity if you want EHU. Can’t remember if that was discussed earlier. Another easy enough fix though
Bushellj
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This reply may be far too late for the ordinal poster but may be useful for people finding this post at a later date.That's great an exactly as I suspected and the 'Dual leisure battery input' on your Kigass is basically BS! Your 2 leisure batteries are connected in parallel at the Kigass so your 2 leisure batteries can be viewed as simply 1 large leisure battery from now on.
As mentioned in the previous post ignore the solar input at the Kigass.
Connect your solar panel to your new MPPT controller and take the output of the MPPT to your 'large leisure battery' wherever it's most convenient. I'm thinking this will probably be at the leisure battery input to the Kigass but connecting directly to either of your leisure batteries will work and in this case I suggest you tie the 2 leisure batteries together in parallel directly at the batteries with some heavy-ish cable around 10mm sq which will be simple enough if they are close together. This will reduce voltage level differences between the 2 batteries due to resistance in the wiring between the batteries and Kigass.
A word of warning, a lot of cheap solar controllers advertised as MPPT are not MPPT and are cheap PWM designs and hence wont give you any benefit over the inbuilt solar controller in your Kigass. Double check the advert description and manual and if it mentions 'PWM' anywhere then avoid it, this won't give 100% guarantee of being MPPT unfortunately but it will go a long way in sorting out the wheat from the chaff.
Not sure about anything just ask
Merl
Our Motorhome has the Kigass System installed and you are right that the Company that manufactured these parts went under back in about 2007. There are no spares and no support for these products and zero technical information has been made available !
I have had to pull my Kigass System apart on several occasions so I have quite good knowledge of its inner workings !!
Our Kigass System uses the earlier series 1 Energy Manager which is quite different to the series 2 controller shown in the photo in the earlier post so I can’t confirm if the leisure batteries are connected in the same way. All I can say is the system does provide the voltage data for each battery so this would be difficult if the two battery connections are just shorted internally.
The Kigass Energy Manager series 1 has two separate inputs for the two supported Leisure Batteries. There is also an input for the Starter Battery. Each battery has its own controller and you should not parallel up the connected batteries.
Some of the Kigass Energy Managers series 1 also have an input for a Solar Panel. I would not use this input as it is limited to about 80 Watts. Our System had a 100W panel connected and it burnt out the controller board one sunny day !!!!!
So adding Solar to one of these controllers is not really recommended. If you are so unlucky to have this Kigass System fitted to your Motorhome you may need to consider wiring in a more modern Management System and getting shot of the Kigass System. The Kigass System also only support the older Lead Acid Wet Batteries so be very wary of using more recent battery technologies if you have one of these Kigass Systems.
James
Devon
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trevskoda
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It will say soft on it or in booklet, you will require a bigger unit, i had to go to 600w which in fact is a true 450 constant, must are way over rated.
merl
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That's interesting, looks like they superseded your Mk1 with a simpler device!
Out of interest, how is the output from the 2 hab batteries distributed by the unit? Does battery 1 supply power to some items and then battery 2 to the remainder? or are the outputs 'summed' somehow (with semiconductors?) so that both batteries share every load?
Cushie
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I have just ordered Spark Dual MPPT solar controller (eBay UK) after reading a complete test and assessment on YouTube ref "Adam Welch MPPT solar controller" the test is same unit as the Spark and the Victron. The unit has 2 separate outfits to charge 2 batteries AGM and Lipo included.
Check it out.
Check it out.
Deleted member 94473
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Adam Welch has done a ton of videos on MPPT controllers. The one that springs to mind that someone in the comments said was badged Spark looked like the image below.
Wasn't keen on the fact that the 10-12 amp version https://www.sunshinesolar.co.uk/Ite...Hnfcjb_afjgZ0hJpqtBk1l6Yto1cfxdcaAgG8EALw_wcB had allocation for a fan but it was omitted despite there being no heatsinking of the mosfets. Other commenters said there were bigger versions with better cooling arrangements but Adam Welch was iffy that the mosfets would last very long in that particular version if ran close to it's rated input current.
Cushie
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Yes I can see that but in the typical motorhome use I don't experience charging much more than 6 Amps in the high summer season as electric consumption at that time is small. When I do need it it is late season when battery is running low and it not likely to get the chance of the sun charging anywhere near 10Amps. So far this last month I'm pleased with the results. Now awaiting delivery of a LiFePo4 battery which will ease my battery concerns.