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flattire Samba Member
Joined: December 08, 2014 Posts: 25 Location: Pennsylvania
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Posted: Thu Oct 29, 2015 3:11 pm Post subject: solar question |
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Yes I have read everything about solar and I couldn't find the answer to my question. When I add accessories ( like fan etc) I know I put the positive into my fuse bar, but what happens to the negative wire? I run the + & - wire from the solar panels to my controller, then + & - to the battery.. I run wire from battery to fuse bar. I have mppt controller - 6 place fuse bar - 5 20w panels. Hope I am coming thru to you guys! ALL ANSWERS APPRECIATED. flattire |
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newfisher Samba Member
Joined: January 05, 2012 Posts: 1764 Location: The wet spot--Oregon
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Posted: Thu Oct 29, 2015 3:24 pm Post subject: |
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There should be a ground stud on your stand alone fuse panel. Once it is grounded, you can now use that side of the fuse bar to ground your accessories.
which panel do you have |
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flattire Samba Member
Joined: December 08, 2014 Posts: 25 Location: Pennsylvania
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Posted: Thu Oct 29, 2015 6:28 pm Post subject: solar |
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Thanks Newfisher for the reply. I still not sure how to handle it. I have a 6 place fuse bar which is just used for positive connections . Most accessories come with 2 leads=== red & black. I connect the red to my fuse bar and where does the negative go? Do I need another bar for the grounds? I have 5-20 w panels from Solar Ink. Thanks |
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thatvwbusguy Samba Member
Joined: April 18, 2007 Posts: 1712 Location: Newmarket, New Hampshire
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Posted: Thu Oct 29, 2015 7:38 pm Post subject: |
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The body of the van is a ground. Use a ring connector and a self tapping screw (or a factory bolt and a toothed washer) and you have a good ground.
If you want to return wires to a common location, something like this should do the trick nicely: http://www.amazon.com/Blue-Sea-Systems-Power-Connector/dp/B000XBEPFC . Since it is a ground, you don't need the red rubber boot. Use a short piece of heavy wire to connect the large post to the chassis of the van and then connect the ground wires from your accessories to the smaller screws around the perimeter. _________________ Jay Brown
'85 Zetec Westfalia
Newmarket, NH
If you want others to be happy, practice compassion.
If you want to be happy, practice compassion. |
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kamzcab86 Samba Moderator
Joined: July 26, 2008 Posts: 7893 Location: Arizona
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Posted: Thu Oct 29, 2015 7:40 pm Post subject: Re: solar |
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flattire wrote: |
I have a 6 place fuse bar which is just used for positive connections . Most accessories come with 2 leads=== red & black. I connect the red to my fuse bar and where does the negative go? Do I need another bar for the grounds? |
The simplest method, IMHO, is to use a Blue Seas-type of fuse panel, which has both + and - buses:
If you don't want to go that route, the next simplest method is to, yes, get a ground bus if you have multiple ground connections. Otherwise, you'll attach the - wires to any convenient ground on/in the van (I, personally, prefer them all in one place so I don't have go fishing around should a problem arise... and I don't like piling them all up on one bolt). _________________ ~Kamz
1986 Cabriolet: www.Cabby-Info.com
1990 Vanagon Westfalia: Old Blue's Blog
2016 Golf GTI S
"Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance." - 孔子 |
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thatvwbusguy Samba Member
Joined: April 18, 2007 Posts: 1712 Location: Newmarket, New Hampshire
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Posted: Thu Oct 29, 2015 8:07 pm Post subject: |
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To be honest, I ground most things locally to the chassis with a ring terminal and a toothed washer. This approach takes way less wire, reduces the spaghetti of wires near the fuse block and doesn't depend on a single ground connection to support all the others like a common bus ultimately does.
I have zero reservations about drilling holes in my van to hook things up though. Many people don't seem to share this point of view _________________ Jay Brown
'85 Zetec Westfalia
Newmarket, NH
If you want others to be happy, practice compassion.
If you want to be happy, practice compassion. |
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HoustonPhotog Samba Member
Joined: February 20, 2013 Posts: 1514 Location: Houston, TX
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