I have a houseboat setup with three 200-watt solar panels connected to a 40-amp charge controller, and I'm using a bank of four 100Ah batteries. Last summer, everything worked perfectly, including my 12V fridge/freezer combo. Recently, I decided to add a 12V water pump to the sink. I connected it to the charge controller, using the DC output and added a 5-amp fuse as recommended. However, when I connected the pump while it was already on, it unexpectedly turned off the fridge. This happened twice when I tested it, so I disconnected it. I'm confused about why this happened. Can I connect the water pump directly to one of the batteries using ring terminals, or would I run into the same issue? Thanks for any help!
2 Answers
It sounds like you’re dealing with a bit of a miswiring issue. The load connections on solar charge controllers aren’t really meant for high-amp usage; they’re more suited for small devices like lights. If you've managed to run your fridge off it before, consider yourself lucky! For safety and functionality, you should definitely connect your new water pump directly to the batteries instead of the charge controller. That way, you won’t risk any of these weird shutdowns.
Hey, just to clarify, it sounds like you used the wrong port for your pump. The port labeled for light is usually not designed for running larger loads. Ideally, all loads should be connected directly to the batteries for best performance. It’s strange your fridge worked off it last summer, but it’s best to avoid that setup now to prevent any damage.
Yeah, I think that’s a good plan. I’ll make sure to hook the pump directly to the battery.
Got it! I’ll switch it to the batteries ASAP. Thanks for the heads up!