# Small solar system hookup pictorial



## mightybooboo (Feb 10, 2004)

First thing to do is hook the 2 panels together.Wire the positive to the positive of each panel together and add a pigtail wire to go to the charge controller.Same story with the negative wires.Im using 12 ga wire because its such a short run to controller

Click to enlarge pics





Flip the panels over....We are using the 2 panels on the left (180 watts total 12 volt panels),the 3 on the right and above will be used on a different system to charge the battery bank that powers the house during power outages






Run wires through wall...




And mount the Charge Controller.This doodad controls panel output to get maximum charge rate from panels while avoiding overcharging battery


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## mightybooboo (Feb 10, 2004)

Now make wires to run from battery to charge controller




Oops,forgot to wire inverter to battery.This device changes the 12 volt DC battery power to 120 volt AC household power




Connect those battery wires then run them up to the Charge Controller




Now Connect the wires from the panels to the Charge controller.One should be ideally black (The 2 wires on left) But I have a lot more red wire so red it is.I did mark the end of the negative wire with black zip ties to tell it apart.Also note there should be a fuse in both the panel and battery circuit,I will add later as I didnt have handy.




There we have it,all hooked up and devices plugged into the inverter receiving 120 volt AC power




Running a fan,a CF Lightbulb and a string of LED lights




Costs for this system retail is 259.00 for Gel cell sealed 12 volt solar battery

About 800 to a thousand for the panels

Charge controller is 120 dollars

Cheapie inverter 300 watts is 40 bucks or so.

I had the wire.


*Total is new retail is 1200-1400 dollars*
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I paid 35 dollars for the panels,one was free because it was covered in Calcium (got it pretty clean with CLR,output is at specs),and other 70 watts I got for 35 dollars because frame is bent

The controller was hooked to a panel I bought,gave to me free.

Battery free for testing it for guy I bought solar from.

Inverter 40 bucks.

I had the wire.

*Total cost used parts and freebies....75 dollars!!!*

BooBoo <----"It'll NEVER Work!"


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## greg273 (Aug 5, 2003)

Hey, thats the same kind of inverter I used for years to power my cabin! Although mine was a 600watt. The constantly running fan was annoying, so i clipped the fan wires. (It rarely overheated, and then only under extreme loads.) Pretty reliable little inverter, considering the cost. Think I paid $60 or so, way back in 2003.
Yep, dont forget those breakers or fuses....


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## mightybooboo (Feb 10, 2004)

Well cool on that fan,that IS annoying.Fan switch surgery coming up,thanks for the tip,good one!

............:buds:


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## mightybooboo (Feb 10, 2004)

greg273 said:


> Hey, thats the same kind of inverter I used for years to power my cabin! Although mine was a 600watt. The constantly running fan was annoying, so i clipped the fan wires. (It rarely overheated, and then only under extreme loads.)


Removed the fan,huge improvement in 'livability',was a noisy little bugger.Since it gets such a small load should be fine.

Thanks for the tip.

BTW,your PM box is full.


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## mightybooboo (Feb 10, 2004)

Added 20 amp fuses to battery line and solar panel line as its a 20 amp Charge controller...




6 Deka batteries and small inverter,6 more Dekas coming hopefully....




Inspected and passed by Code Enforcement...




............. [prophead]


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## hillbillly (Jun 28, 2009)

thank you


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## mightybooboo (Feb 10, 2004)

hillbillly said:


> thank you


:cowboy:


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## Ozarka (Apr 15, 2007)

...inspected and passed by Code Enforcement, huh?


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