Skipp, My most recent installation uses a 30-ampere-rated SunWize Omega LCD controller, for which I paid Tessco about $150. It operates at 24 VDC and uses two Siemens 90 watt panels and two Concorde 250 Ah AGM SLA batteries. The repeater is a Motorola MTR2000 running at 80 watts output. More info about this controller is here: <www.solarwares.com/controllers_sw.html>
I am surprised that any solar charge controllers worthy of the name do *not* include a low voltage disconnect as standard. Most of the solar industry's controllers are designed and built in Sweden and Germany, where solar systems are more prevalent than in the US. Beside SunWize, some other modern controllers are made by Siemens, Kyocera, and Morningstar. A solar power installation for a radio repeater is completely different from a solar power system at a residence or business. There are codes and regulations that apply to the latter, but not to the former. Moreover, attempting to design a remote repeater solar power system using the same components as a residential photovoltaic system will sometimes lead to poor reliability and early failure. 73, Eric Lemmon WB6FLY -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of skipp025 Sent: Sunday, January 24, 2010 12:32 PM To: [email protected] Subject: [Repeater-Builder] Re: Low Voltage Disconnect and Very Remote Site Operation > "Eric Lemmon" <wb6...@...> wrote: > Skipp, > A low-voltage disconnect (LVD) is normally incorporated in > commercial solar charge controllers, and does not need to be > purchased separately. Not in the formerly Trace C30/C4 and now Xantrex C60 units I've been using for a long time. They can be configured to do one of many different applications but not as a charger and LVD. > I use SunWize solar charge controllers in my commercial > repeater systems, one of which has been in service 24/7/365 > since 2003, and they display a state of charge at 90% or > higher on every site visit. > 73, Eric Lemmon WB6FLY Well, the key to the state of charge is how many watts of solar panels do you have on-line. Remember, the mentioned remote site is a very keep things simple operation. I can easily pick up the Xantrex C60 charge controller in basic configuration for less than $175 delivered. If I want to add the LCD display and other options that's fine, but really why? http://www.xantrex.com/web/id/72/p/1/pt/5/product.asp <http://www.xantrex.com/web/id/72/p/1/pt/5/product.asp> I now make my own Low Voltage Disconnects for less than $35 each. Think about it for a moment... I've got an 8D capacity battery , a really nice solar charge controller and an LVD on line at a remote site for easily less than $400 and it works very well for what it is. I'd be curious to know what you pay for the Sunwise Charge Controller? If it's cost effective I might try one... Now we need only find a source of "reasonably priced Solar Panels" (right now kind of an oxymoron). And last but not least... we should mention Home Power Magazine as a great value and wealth of information. http://homepower.com/home/ <http://homepower.com/home/> cheers, s.
