Hey everyone, I'm looking for some advice regarding my camper trailer solar setup. I currently have a Redarc Manager 30 paired with 2x 120Ah Lithium batteries and a 200W HardKorr Portable Solar panel, which has a max current of 12.6A and a max voltage of 20V. On my last trip, I ran out of battery power while using two 95L fridge freezers, which I totally understand given the winter conditions here in Australia. Now, I'm planning to add a 400W Renogy panel, which boasts an optimum operating current of 10A and an optimum operating voltage of 40V. Neither of these panels have built-in regulators, so I'll be relying on the Manager 30. I'm considering connecting these panels in parallel, but I'm unsure if they are compatible given their current and voltage ratings. Any insights would be greatly appreciated!
2 Answers
It looks like the 400W Renogy panel might be too much for your setup since the Redarc Manager 30 has a very low voltage input range (9-30V). The voltage from the 400W panel exceeds its specifications, so you'll need a different MPPT controller to handle it properly.
Actually, if you're connecting them in parallel, the voltage will be the lower of the two panels (which is 20V from your existing panel). The combined current would be 22.6A (12.6A + 10A), which should still fall within the input range of the Manager 30 (9-30V and 50A overall). But just to be safe, I’d suggest double-checking the specifications to avoid any issues!