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Topic: Trojan 6V batteries and solar (split from Re: What did you do to your coach...) (Read 1032 times) previous topic - next topic

Trojan 6V batteries and solar (split from Re: What did you do to your coach...)

Quote from: Michael j –

Also bought seven new solar panels and a 45 amp Morningstar TriStar controller. Just need to find a good deal on 4 Trojan T105's.

I saw some T105 equivalent 6V golf cart batteries at Costco a few months ago. I seem to recall they were around $80 each. I was curious and checked them out with a Google search. They had many positive reviews.
Can't beat Costco's return policy either.
1995 U320C SE 40'
Jeep 4x4 Commander - Limited - Hemi
"The Pack"  Yogi and Diesel our Airedales -  Charlie our Boxer/Akita mix. Gone but NEVER forgotten Jake our yellow Lab.
NRA Law Enforcement Firearms instructor - Handgun/shotgun
Regional Firearms instructor for national Armored Transp. Co.

Re: Trojan 6V batteries and solar (split from Re: What did you do to your coach...)

Reply #1 –
Quote from: Michael j –

Also bought seven new solar panels and a 45 amp Morningstar TriStar controller. Just need to find a good deal on 4 Trojan T105's.

What's the wattage on the panels? May be too much for the 45 amp Morningstar and more than you need for 4 Trojan's. If your panels are 120 watts they will each provide 7.1 amps so seven of them will give you almost 50 amps more than the controller can handle.

Roland
1993 U280 4341
2010 Jeep Liberty
The Pied Pipers

Re: Trojan 6V batteries and solar (split from Re: What did you do to your coach...)

Reply #2 –
The panels are 2' x 2' @ 50 watts each, they are not high voltage panels. There's no way of getting 350 watts out of them with the panels lying flat on the roof anyway.

The Morningstar will handle it with ease. I also bought the temp sensor to go with it. I think I'm going to get the  Trimetric 2025-RV with 500 amp shunt for a Battery monitor.
Michael j
Livermore, Ca for now

1987  Grand Villa 2900 Rear Bath Front 460 Gas Engine.

Re: Trojan 6V batteries and solar (split from Re: What did you do to your coach...)

Reply #3 –
Quote from: Michael j –

The Morningstar will handle it with ease. I also bought the temp sensor to go with it. I think I'm going to get the  Trimetric 2025-RV with 500 amp shunt for a Battery monitor.
I installed the Trimetric, just have to finish dressing the leads, (I had to re-wire my battery compartment)  but the thing works great. Once it is programmed you can tell at a glance the state of charge/discharge of the batteries. Great add on. ^.^d

Roland
1993 U280 4341
2010 Jeep Liberty
The Pied Pipers

Re: Trojan 6V batteries and solar (split from Re: What did you do to your coach...)

Reply #4 –
Have had the trimetic now for almost 2 yrs and it is good. Easy to read.
I have now my new Morningstar 60 MPPT so will be changing it over once home so will have my 45 for sale, still in top condition and worth 50% of new if anyone wants one soon. Roland mine has been easily handling 58 amps as the factor is usually around 80% I was told by many solar people. I have 700 watts but am upgrading all the wiring and combiner boxes etc along with the controller.
John H
Coachless, now use aircraft. 2003 Ford Travelair TC280 class C. Super shape. Just for 1 yr .
1994 Ford E350 ClassC,total renovation inside and out. Now sold.
2000 U295  36' Cummins 350 c/w Banks Stinger, Resonator upgrade,Solar, LED lites.Residential fridge with slide out pantry. Build 5674. Sold
ex 92 GV 022C ored Cummins. Sold
ex 95 GV240 cat 3116. Sold
2017 Mini cooper s & 2016 land Rover LR2 HSE  LUX.
jhaygarth@aol.com    SKP #130098
treat everyone as you would like to be.

Re: Trojan 6V batteries and solar (split from Re: What did you do to your coach...)

Reply #5 –
Jay,

Please call me anytime about your 45. 308-440-5154 Jim
Jim Frerichs
2002 U320 42'

Re: Trojan 6V batteries and solar (split from Re: What did you do to your coach...)

Reply #6 –
John, We have the same Morningstar MPPT 60 controller. It has expansion capacity for our 720 watts and we love that we can so easily configure the controller over our Ethernet network with our computer. We have experimented with different custom charge profile settings. We installed AC breakers in one box, on #6 cables from solar to controller and on #6 cables from controller to house battery bank. Circuit breakers protect wires and to allow an easy way to disconnect solar panels and turn off solar charging if desired. Mounting the remote panel inside with our other voltage meters gives us a great way to see what is going on. Your Morningstar is a good choice.

Re: Trojan 6V batteries and solar (split from Re: What did you do to your coach...)

Reply #7 –
Yes Barry, I am very pleased with the 45 I have now but now have a 60 to install. As I said in other posts I am also going to #2 wires from roof to controller and then to battery--just for the heck of it instead of #4 which is the recommended size. I will be talking to you soon re the computor hook up to do settings as I have not done this as AMSOLAR did it for my 45 on the original install. Could you please take a picture of your panel breaker set up as that is another thing I am going to do as it is highly recommended when you start getting up there in watts and I am trying to think of ideas for it. The combiner box for roof is "designed in my head" and I have all the parts I need to do once home. The solar panels we have are doing great and again this trip it has given us "free" energy. We have not used Genset but also have not used a/c as we hate it, plus the weather has not really needed it either.
Cheers
JohnH
Coachless, now use aircraft. 2003 Ford Travelair TC280 class C. Super shape. Just for 1 yr .
1994 Ford E350 ClassC,total renovation inside and out. Now sold.
2000 U295  36' Cummins 350 c/w Banks Stinger, Resonator upgrade,Solar, LED lites.Residential fridge with slide out pantry. Build 5674. Sold
ex 92 GV 022C ored Cummins. Sold
ex 95 GV240 cat 3116. Sold
2017 Mini cooper s & 2016 land Rover LR2 HSE  LUX.
jhaygarth@aol.com    SKP #130098
treat everyone as you would like to be.

Re: Trojan 6V batteries and solar (split from Re: What did you do to your coach...)

Reply #8 –
I don't think the Morningstar 45 amp is Ethernet capable. We have a router in our motorhome and ran an Ethernet cable from Morningstar 60 to our router, so our network sees the Morningstar controller.

Attached are photos of our bay wall mounted controller and circuit breaker box. Good luck wrestling AWG #2 cables to breaker box, controller, back to breaker box & to house batteries.

If you are extending your heavy solar cables, using a U-shaped electrical splice may make it easier.

Re: Trojan 6V batteries and solar (split from Re: What did you do to your coach...)

Reply #9 –
Barry, the 45 must be ethernet as AMsolar set it up for custom from their computer and wrote the charging set up down for me.
I see in pics you have 2  50amp breakers, did you split the panels into 2 circuits or??
Yes it is going to be fun but the minimum is #4 according to Morningstar (if I read it right).
I will download the program from Morningstar web and do the setting from that (as stated in the info) but not sure which download to use so once home I will be e-mailing you for some info maybe as they did say " do not screw up or the thing is toast" or words to that effect. You seem to have it all worked out so I will pick your brains.
John H
Coachless, now use aircraft. 2003 Ford Travelair TC280 class C. Super shape. Just for 1 yr .
1994 Ford E350 ClassC,total renovation inside and out. Now sold.
2000 U295  36' Cummins 350 c/w Banks Stinger, Resonator upgrade,Solar, LED lites.Residential fridge with slide out pantry. Build 5674. Sold
ex 92 GV 022C ored Cummins. Sold
ex 95 GV240 cat 3116. Sold
2017 Mini cooper s & 2016 land Rover LR2 HSE  LUX.
jhaygarth@aol.com    SKP #130098
treat everyone as you would like to be.

Re: Trojan 6V batteries and solar (split from Re: What did you do to your coach...)

Reply #10 –
Morningstar 45 has two communication ports, neither of which are Ethernet. Morningstar 60 has four communication ports, including an Ethernet port. I think any of the ports can be used to program the controller, if one knows how.

On our coach:

One 50 amp breaker is on the single positive cable from solar panel combiner to Morningstar controller.

One 50 amp breaker is on the single positive cable from Morningstar controller to house battery positive terminal.

Panels are not split. All panels are combined on roof with each panel's positive connected to a long bus strip in our AM Solar combiner box, and another long bus strip for the negative solar panel wire. I used #10 cable from each panel to bus strips, then a larger cable from roof combiner to above circuit breaker.

If you connect panel positive & negative to controller correctly, there is not much that you can do to hurt the controller, so the only toast will be from your toaster powered by your solar panels.

Re: Trojan 6V batteries and solar (split from Re: What did you do to your coach...)

Reply #11 –
now I understand the 2 breakers as I have only one from controller to battery cut off right now but want to add one from Panels as safety. I have  #10 from panels too. and 6 from combiner. I did not open or look at the 45 so did not know what connections are on it but knew it was programmable in custom mode by remote computor. It was not the connecting of + and - to controller that bothers me it was their comment when trying to custom set by computer the charging stats that it can cause  the controller to be messed up. You obviously downloaded their program and are using it to change parameters at will and that is what I will be looking at to know how and what to do--later at home.
Thanks
John H
Coachless, now use aircraft. 2003 Ford Travelair TC280 class C. Super shape. Just for 1 yr .
1994 Ford E350 ClassC,total renovation inside and out. Now sold.
2000 U295  36' Cummins 350 c/w Banks Stinger, Resonator upgrade,Solar, LED lites.Residential fridge with slide out pantry. Build 5674. Sold
ex 92 GV 022C ored Cummins. Sold
ex 95 GV240 cat 3116. Sold
2017 Mini cooper s & 2016 land Rover LR2 HSE  LUX.
jhaygarth@aol.com    SKP #130098
treat everyone as you would like to be.

Re: Trojan 6V batteries and solar (split from Re: What did you do to your coach...)

Reply #12 –
From a current posting on our Escapees Boomer Yahoo Group:

"My friend had his 12 volt lead acid house battery explode. It was in a well ventilated side of the engine at the time. She pushed the generator start button and heard a huge explosion"

Re: Trojan 6V batteries and solar (split from Re: What did you do to your coach...)

Reply #13 –
Sorry, but a gassing battery and a spark = Boom !  every time
Dave M

Re: Trojan 6V batteries and solar (split from Re: What did you do to your coach...)

Reply #14 –
Quote from: Dave M –
Sorry, but a gassing battery and a spark = Boom !  every time
Dave M

And a poorly maintained battery with a low electrolyte level has lots of space for explosive vapor to collect inside the battery case just waiting for a spark from a loose terminal connection or even a battery charger to be connected. Always a good idea to connect the charger clips before plugging it in or turning it on.

Some of the older converter/chargers may charge at a higher voltage than necessary while plugged into shore power. This may cause the battery to heat, boil off the electrolyte and set the stage for a battery explosion with both a large concentration of hydrogen inside and outside as it vents.

Pierce
Pierce and Gaylie Stewart
'93 U300/36 WTBI
Detroit 6V-92TA Jake
1140 watts on the roof
SBFD (ret)
 

Re: Trojan 6V batteries and solar (split from Re: What did you do to your coach...)

Reply #15 –
Escapees Boomer Yahoo Group had this reply:

Exploding batteries

Car battery after explosion

Any lead-acid battery system when overcharged (>14.34 V) will produce hydrogen gas (gassing voltage) by electrolysis of water. If the rate of overcharge is small, the vents of each cell allow the dissipation of the gas. However, on severe overcharge or if ventilation is inadequate, or the battery is faulty, a flammable concentration of hydrogen may remain in the cell or in the battery enclosure. An internal spark can cause a hydrogen and oxygen explosion, which will damage the battery and its surroundings and which will disperse acid into the surroundings. Anyone close to the battery may be injured.

Sometimes the ends of a battery will be severely swollen, and when accompanied by the case being too hot to touch, this usually indicates a malfunction in the charging system of the car. Reversing the positive and negative leads will damage the battery. When severely overcharged, a lead-acid battery produces high levels of hydrogen and the venting system built into the battery cannot handle the high level of gas, so the pressure builds inside the battery, resulting in the swollen ends. An unregulated alternator can quickly ruin a battery by excessive voltage. A swollen, hot battery is dangerous.

Another potential cause of explosion is when the battery terminals are short-circuited via a very low resistance path (like a wrench or other tool dropped or lying across the terminals). Apart from the sparks which usually occur in a short circuit, heating due to the internal resistance of the battery can cause the electrolyte to boil, also leading to explosion due to buildup of water vapor pressure (unrelated to electrolysis).

Persons handling car batteries should wear protective equipment (goggles, overalls, gloves) to avoid injury by acid spills. Any open flame or electric sparks, including lit tobacco products like cigarettes, cigars or pipes, in the area also present a danger of ignition of any hydrogen gas emanating from a battery (this is the reason, when recharging the battery in place in the vehicle or jump starting, that the negative cable of the recharger or attached to the other vehicle's jumping battery negative post is always attached away from the battery to ground on the engine or frame, and is always attached to complete the circuit only after the positive cable has been attached to the battery's positive terminal (and is removed in the reverse order, i.e., negative cable first from the frame or engine, breaking the circuit, then positive cable from the battery) - in this fashion, any sparks which may occur will occur at the more distant location of the negative cable attachment point, away from the battery and potentially explosive gases, and no sparks will occur, as the circuit is no longer complete, when the positive cable is attached or detached from the battery).